Dear PoPville

Photo by Rocky

A few folks have written asking about D.C. doing a cheer either at 7 or 8pm every night:

“I would love your help in starting DCs own 8PM cheer (out our windows) for healthcare workers like they’re doing in Paris and other places.”

On twitter we tried to do a cheer a couple of Sundays ago at 9pm but it didn’t really work. Should we try this again? If so, what time?

Jessica reports:

“writing from Columbia Heights. Just saw an EMT take off his PPE (gown, mask, booties, and all) and drop in a public trash can. Homeless people, sadly, have to dig through these. Is this cool? Seems dangerous.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user angela n.

“Dear PoPville,

It is hard staying grounded and positive as we all remain hunkered down during this pandemic. What are you doing to keep your sanity? I’m reading good fiction, getting fresh air every day (while socially distancing), and listening to comforting music. Thought it would be a good idea to crowdsource strategies to get through this!”

“Dear PoPville,

A week ago, we received an e-mail from the building administration informing us that there was a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the building; they explained that the person was staying in their apartment. No info about who or which floor the person lived. A couple days ago, I noticed that someone was leaving groceries outside the apartment 2 doors down. A day later, someone did it again, but this time yelling to the person inside that the groceries were there. By then we knew this is where the sick person was.

The last two days, we’ve been awaken by the loud coughing (we could hear it even though there’s an apartment between us). I was about to email the building back asking them to help this person go to the hospital. This morning we saw paramedics outside the apartment and a fully dressed and masked person too. We think the person was evacuated. It is possible that this person was walking around the building for 2 weeks without knowing about their condition.

I just wanted to share this with your audience, this is a real thing and we all have to be careful.”

Another reader writes:

“Dear PoPville,

We live with a few hundred other people in a Dupont Circle apartment building and so far we’re blissfully unaware if any immediate neighbors have been ordered to quarantine.

A quarantined person in a house can limit their exposure to others. But a quarantined person in my building will share the trash room, lobby, laundry room, hallways, stairways and elevators with everyone else because there’s no way not to.

Is the Department of Health supposed to notify people living at the same address as people testing positive for COVID-19? (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

We received our first delivery (Amazon Fresh) over the weekend and wondered how folks are thinking about tipping for deliveries right now. Seems right to increase where we’re intentionally shifting risk by having things delivered. But how much? Anyone making deliveries want to chime in? Thanks!”

Ed. Note: Thanks to Maggie for passing on this list for how to help workers in the DMV Beauty Industry.

“Dear PoPville,

I’m wondering what other folks in the city are doing in terms of haircuts/trims etc now that barbers and hair salons are closed. Learning to cut their own hair? Curious to hear how it’s going for others.”

Ed. Note two: I imagine we’re all just gonna be a bit shaggy at the end of this.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr.TinDC

“Dear PoPville,

I was wondering if you’ve heard anything about people being able to pay for food delivery (like pizzas) to hospital staff in the DC area. I figured I’d check with you in case you were aware, since I don’t want to clog up any hospitals’ phone lines with this question.”