Is anyone here in one of the states affected by coronavirus shutdowns?

Watch CNN, they will tell you what is closing down.

The mayor of Illinois is closing all bars and restaurants.

My son lives in NYC. Mayor Diblasio wants to shut down the whole city. Shut everything down.

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/14/815778420/son-talks-about-89-year-old-dads-recovery-from-covid-19

You might find this article interesting regarding an 89 yr old survivor of covid-19 in Washington.

Xenajada, I work for the post office. Nobody is spraying the mail. We have a sign at our time clock that says KEEP CALM and WASH YOUR HANDS!

I live in Wisconsin, in a suburb of Madison. A coworker's mom is at an assisted living facility that is not allowing any visitors. The mom doesn't remember how to use the phone, so the coworker feels really cut off from her mom.

I would think sending mail would be dangerous to because coronavirus could be on the mail. I wonder if they spray the mail w disinfectant.

MN facilities are on lockdown as of this week. Not sure if it is mandatory but it is the right move. If you think you want to risk bringing C19 into the NH to your mom or others, you can talk to the admin if you have "special reasons" but then they'd have to make exceptions for others. It is all new territory and the NHs are running on all cylinders. The staff will need to be thanked profusely when this eventually blows over. We are all in a similar boat, and some people have it much worse. I hope you can have peace in your heart that they are doing the best they can for their residents under very stressful conditions.

Some NH and ALFs here in Florida are on lockdown too.

Both my Mother's and my Aunt's ALFs are on lockdown.
I understand it's hard, however, it only takes one person to start a huge problem! It's not worth the risk!
Use this time as a respite.
Hang in there!

Test kits are mostly irrelevant until several days after exposure or just before someone displays symptoms; studies shown many people are disease carriers before they have a fever and the antibody level in their sputum/spit is high enough for a positive test. Some people with fevers will not test positive for another 1-2 days. At least several days of the 14 day incubation/isolation period is necessary _before_ accurate tests results. That's why it's so important to restrict access to LTC facilities and keep out the people who have been exposed and are incubating the virus but are not yet symptomatic.

One documented community spread was caused when a father who "might" have been exposed through travel was instructed to self quarantine at home for 14 days decided since he wasn't feeling sick to attend his daughter's recital with his family at around day 10. His family left the recital after being informed he had tested positive during the event. Later tests showed his wife and one child were also positive (infected while he quarantined at home), and the three of them infected several people who were in attendance at the recital.

The reason medical personal are being allowed greater access than the body public is the assumption trained medical personal are more likely to follow directions than people like the father wanting to attend a recital.

I'm so sorry to hear this and feel for you. It must be really hard.

I think what others suggested, phone and letters, are very good ideas. Perhaps they could also let her see you via skype or something? I understand they are doing it for the right reasons but perhaps they should have warned relatives before, so I wouldn't be shy, try to ask them.

Sending you and your mom lots of encouragement through this difficult time.

Kim, you may be less likely to carry the virus, but at this point, with the failure to provide adequate numbers of tests, we really aren't able to progress as an allegedly first world post-industrial nation should.   And it could be that you've unknowingly been exposed to the virus, while the nurses have taken precautions.

That's not to suggest that you're not caring for yourself; it's a reflection of what resources the medical profession had, before shortages.

Can you call your mother?   Sometimes I've called the nursing station and asked for someone to help my father with the phone, especially when he was  too weak to do it himself.   

I hope that the sacrifices those with parents in care facilities make lead to safer resolutions for them in the short and long term.

It is for her safety. My father's AL will only allow one visitor at a time in and you must fill out a form and basically shower with Purell. If that is what it takes, then let them do their job.

Mom has macular degeneration. Hospitals are allowing one visitor, but in Maryland senior homes are completely shut down. The nurse assistant who is with my mom today has been to two other facilities--isn't she more likely to carry a virus than me, who has barely been around anyone?

I am so sorry, many places have to do this for the health and safety of all.   Ask the facility, can you send them pictures of you and letters?  Can she read?