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How are things where YOU are? (in relation to the Corona Virus)


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4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Woolworths at the Erindale Shopping centre, it is not a huge centre but it is a big woolies 

When I went to the first Woolies senior morning, I was surprised how empty the shelves were and how few items were there for lots of items.  The fruit and vegs hadn't been restocked at 7 am.  At that time, I found Coles was restocked, but with no quantity.

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1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

When I went to the first Woolies senior morning, I was surprised how empty the shelves were and how few items were there for lots of items.  The fruit and vegs hadn't been restocked at 7 am.  At that time, I found Coles was restocked, but with no quantity.

When you said the "First Woollies senior morning" do you mean a couple of weeks ago? Or do you mean this week?

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Like others we also had our annual flu vaccinations at the GPs practice when getting regular scripts.

No one was permitted in without an appointment and had to wait in their car, ring and wait for a call to enter.

Station set up outside to check temperatures and to use hand sanitiser.

Doctor said he had been asked and written letters to assist people get toilet paper!

Not sure how successful the letters are or who they give them too.

We have not seen toilet paper for weeks on supermarket shelves.

Have heard people asking staff to put some aside but refused.

What a time to be alive. 

A few months ago we were cruising unaware of all this was to come. quite remarkable how the world has changed. 

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3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

When I went to the first Woolies senior morning, I was surprised how empty the shelves were and how few items were there for lots of items.  The fruit and vegs hadn't been restocked at 7 am.  At that time, I found Coles was restocked, but with no quantity.

The first Woolies senior morning we went to was shocking, very little on the shelves. It was better the following week and now we go to both Woolies and Coles so manage to get most of what we want. It's interesting to compare who has what, and also what is available week to week. Will it be TP, paper towels or tissues? Will there be flour, cornflour, sugar or yeast. Free range eggs or only cage ones (which I refuse to buy)? Meat especially chicken? Will the store baked breads be out, will our favourite commercial bread be in stock. Every week is a different pattern and sometimes it seems like they just aren't stocking up at all.

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We get the flu shot every year at our medical centre. The last two years we have had to wait more than an hour past the scheduled appointment time. When I phoned to make an appointment for this year's shots, I nicely said that we didn't want to want an hour and a half in a waiting room full of people when we are self-isolating at home the rest of the time. The receptionist then said they give everyone the same time - the time the flu vax clinic starts!!! No. We are not going down that road! They declined to let us wait in our car, then they phone us when it is our turn.
 
Anyway, we have our names on the waiting list when they get more supplies of vaccine and will then discuss with the receptionist our options without waiting in a room full of people, some of them sick.

When we went for our flu shots at our GP last week, there was a big sign out the front saying “Do not enter. Please phone this # to let us know you have arrived, and wait in your car until we call you”. I was SO pleased!


Tara
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1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The first Woolies senior morning we went to was shocking, very little on the shelves. It was better the following week and now we go to both Woolies and Coles so manage to get most of what we want. It's interesting to compare who has what, and also what is available week to week. Will it be TP, paper towels or tissues? Will there be flour, cornflour, sugar or yeast. Free range eggs or only cage ones (which I refuse to buy)? Meat especially chicken? Will the store baked breads be out, will our favourite commercial bread be in stock. Every week is a different pattern and sometimes it seems like they just aren't stocking up at all.

I felt it was a supply problem not a hoarding problem.  Quite frankly there wasn't much to hoard. I felt I might have left my run too late.

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15 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I felt it was a supply problem not a hoarding problem.  Quite frankly there wasn't much to hoard. I felt I might have left my run too late.

Did notice on our jaunts that kitchen roll seems to be available. Maybe after Easter things may settle some more and TP could be back on the shelves. For sure I don't fancy the pensioner scrum downs early morning,  - it's like a Le Mans Start - I'm still psychologically disturbed from our one and only early morning trip a couple of weeks ago.  I need counselling 🤣 

Edited by dizzy1948
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6 hours ago, dizzy1948 said:

Did notice on our jaunts that kitchen roll seems to be available. Maybe after Easter things may settle some more and TP could be back on the shelves. For sure I don't fancy the pensioner scrum downs early morning,  - it's like a Le Mans Start - I'm still psychologically disturbed from our one and only early morning trip a couple of weeks ago.  I need counselling 🤣 

We had no scrums by Seniors.  Got the closest car park next to the centre in my life.  Centre was dark except for Woolies.  I wasn't ready for the new world of spare shelves so found the whole experience depressing.  Fortunately, Aldi opened at 8.30 am so I did some more shopping there.  Aldi didn't look as sparce as Woolies because it is a much smaller shop. I remember they had toilet paper but I didn't need any.  Asked at Woolies and Aldi for hand wash which was meant to be under the counter.  Met with quizzical looks.  Seems it was Coles, so we never did get any.  However I'd heard that soap and water was as good, so we have soap at every tap.  I suspect my water bill will increase. 

Despite being a morning person, I didn't repeat the experience.  I found a centre with a combined butcher, veg and fruiterer plus a small Coles had everything I needed.  This shopping must be a bore for people who don't enjoy cooking.

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We don’t have special times for seniors . They just go to the head of the line , show their Gold Card and are shown in . Some stores have brought in text queuing. You register at the door then wait in your car for your turn .Not seen Any shortages here yet  . No shortage of flour ,the problem has been that the packaging  of the flour can’t keep up with the panic buying ,so our market is selling it in plain plastic bags .

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58 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

We don’t have special times for seniors . They just go to the head of the line , show their Gold Card and are shown in . Some stores have brought in text queuing. You register at the door then wait in your car for your turn .Not seen Any shortages here yet  . No shortage of flour ,the problem has been that the packaging  of the flour can’t keep up with the panic buying ,so our market is selling it in plain plastic bags .

Like the few lots of unbranded toilet paper at our local Foodworks.  Text queuing what as great idea.  I really believe we will all come out of this pandamic better for the experience, tragedy that it is.  Seniors always used to go to the head of line and no child would dream of sitting down on public transport if a senior or pregnant woman was standing.  Just realised, after taking fresh mushrooms, out of a paperbag, to cook for breakfast. i automatically folded the paperbag to reuse.  I haven't done that for years, in our throwaway society.  I think, because we are city people from country stock, we have always bought food in quantity.  I recall my aunt having a pantry in her kitchen, where she kept sacks of stuff like potatoes, onions, sugar, etc.  

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My husband does the supermarket shopping. He went last week, although it took a lot to convince him to get out of bed early enough to be there at 7am. 😁 First of all to Coles because they stock one item we use that isn't available at Woollies, then on to the other shopping centre. He said the shelves were fairly well stocked (we already had enough TP) but on one item he had to buy a brand we don't usually use. He said there were very few people in the shops.

 

He is at Woollies the moment and just phoned me to check if I need anything else. Once again, the shelves are well stocked and there are very few customers.

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15 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

From midnight tonight everyone entering NZ will have to enter a quarantine facility for 14 days . No self isolating at home .

just shows how serious our Govts about this, being willing to wear the expense. Have noticed hotels used here are more expensive than the ones I use!  What about in NZ?

Edited by MMDown Under
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7 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

We don’t have special times for seniors . They just go to the head of the line , show their Gold Card and are shown in . Some stores have brought in text queuing. You register at the door then wait in your car for your turn .Not seen Any shortages here yet  . No shortage of flour ,the problem has been that the packaging  of the flour can’t keep up with the panic buying ,so our market is selling it in plain plastic bags .

But David one problem, many dinosaurs don't have mobile phones and/or cannot master the text facility.  Smoke signals perhaps? 

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5 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

My husband does the supermarket shopping. He went last week, although it took a lot to convince him to get out of bed early enough to be there at 7am. 😁 First of all to Coles because they stock one item we use that isn't available at Woollies, then on to the other shopping centre. He said the shelves were fairly well stocked (we already had enough TP) but on one item he had to buy a brand we don't usually use. He said there were very few people in the shops.

 

He is at Woollies the moment and just phoned me to check if I need anything else. Once again, the shelves are well stocked and there are very few customers.

Sound like your husband is on a grand grocery shopping cruise, good man, you have him trained well.🤩

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I had another sad event today - cancelling our Europe flights. I received an email the other day from China Airlines cancelling the Taiwan to Rome flight. I wasn't sure what that would mean for us so I phoned them. No problems, they said, you can have a full refund, all you have to do is apply for it online, it will take around 7 days. So easy! I'm very impressed with China Airlines, just disappointed we won't get to fly with them.

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1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I had another sad event today - cancelling our Europe flights. I received an email the other day from China Airlines cancelling the Taiwan to Rome flight. I wasn't sure what that would mean for us so I phoned them. No problems, they said, you can have a full refund, all you have to do is apply for it online, it will take around 7 days. So easy! I'm very impressed with China Airlines, just disappointed we won't get to fly with them.

 

I was lucky to visit Taiwan before they closed their borders, amazing country. TPE airport was very empty though. It was weird walking through large hallways with big duty free shops and only the staff were there😳

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41 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I was lucky to visit Taiwan before they closed their borders, amazing country. TPE airport was very empty though. It was weird walking through large hallways with big duty free shops and only the staff were there😳

Because of the way the flights worked we woukd have had a full day there. I was looking forward to seeing a bit of Taipei and going to the original Din Tai Fung restaurant. Ah well, maybe another time. 

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2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I had another sad event today - cancelling our Europe flights. I received an email the other day from China Airlines cancelling the Taiwan to Rome flight. I wasn't sure what that would mean for us so I phoned them. No problems, they said, you can have a full refund, all you have to do is apply for it online, it will take around 7 days. So easy! I'm very impressed with China Airlines, just disappointed we won't get to fly with them.

And how long was it again to get cash refund from cruise line?    ? 90 days

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5 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

And how long was it again to get cash refund from cruise line?    ? 90 days

Yes, up to 90 days. Waiting ... waiting ... waiting ...

 

Also with China Airlines there was no push to take an airline credit, just a straight offer of a full refund.

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11 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Because of the way the flights worked we woukd have had a full day there. I was looking forward to seeing a bit of Taipei and going to the original Din Tai Fung restaurant. Ah well, maybe another time. 

 

Probably for the best that it is cancelled, before we left Taiwan there was a announcement that all foreigners would have to do a two week quarantine before entering the country. Considering our stay was only a week it would have been our whole trip😱. We were very lucky to get in before the changes. 

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4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Also with China Airlines there was no push to take an airline credit, just a straight offer of a full refund.

 

We had a flight with Peach Airline that got cancelled and they offered a full refund or change of flight. We had to take the flight change to connect back to our flight to Sydney but I thought it was refreshing that they offered a straight up refund instead of credit as other airlines seem to be doing🤗

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