Rural America - how are things in your area?

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I think most people who work for a living understand that they need to carry on with their lives and get back to work. They also understand our nation's safety and stability depend on that happening sooner rather than later.

People can easily work solo and not be in contact with elderly or sick.

We're taking it seriously here in central Illinois as far as I can tell. I clean houses and people have me on hold right now. I'm okay with it. I tend to be one of those people that don't get sick, but will spread it.

People from big cities showing up in droves to raid our local grocery stores.

At my company, we can't work solo--it's close quarters and nobody here worries about or thinks about social distancing. I finally brought it up but I get the "you're an outsider anyway" look as if I think they're all germy but I'm somehow not. That's not the issue---none of us know who any of us has been in contact with and the virus possibly sticks around for days. Thus, I can bring the virus with me to someone else, i.e. a compromised person, like my spouse.

When church folks around here say that exact thing, I tell them "Good thing Noah didn't think like you!"

Yes! Our DG had been destroyed.

Good point!! We have that too!

Central (rural) FL here and our sentiments are very similar to OP’s.

Only diff I see is most biz owners are letting employees off. No hard feelings. Except most are already either shut down or doing their own brand of quarantining....like only a few customers in at a time, etc.

Most grocery stores nearby (NOT WalMart)’are allowing “seniors” to come in before regular hours so they can get what they need, no hassles from other customers.

I'm in Oklahoma. Population is 3.94 million. My closest town has a population of approximately 7000. I consider it the suburbs with many people owning 15 acre spreads around me. City slickers may call that rural...

People here know about the virus and are scared. Social distancing is practiced. The young kids couldn't care less. People are panic buying and are just grabbing things off the shelf. Eggs and bread are now rationed at 1 per customer. Toilet paper is rationed at 2 rolls of a knock off brand per customer...

People are pissed that there are no sports and church. Yet, they help one another by providing services to the elderly and relatives. Soon I'd expect we will be under Stay at Home. Many non-essential stores are self closing along with barbers and salons...

I heard that Tinker AFB is cutting back on workers. That is a major employer in these parts. The Shawnee Mill is still open as well as essential stores and delivery services...

One employee, at my work, called in sick and is being tested for CoVid-19. So we will see if our store employees get quarantined...

Yes, our Dollar Generals are doing that as well, which is good. The local Food Lion where I shop is mostly out of all perishables and paper products.

Oh,’forgot to add,’our pastor has “worked around” the no groups larger than 10 by having outdoor services.

We have a big pavilion area, outr under a roofed area, and we met there for prayer service Wednesday. Then he had a big tent (about 40x40) erected on a parking area and we had an outdoor service out there Sunday, and will do so until the ban is lifted (o rthey forbid us from going out at all).

We live 50 miles North of Atlanta. If I could only convince my husband, I would also live in NW NC though :)

Most of us live in rural areas because we don't like crowds and the people they bring. My aunties (91 & 90) are mad that baseball is cancelled. But I'm not hearing too much complaining though. I've been seeing a LOT of garden planting on my Facebook gardening pages - seems like most are using their time wisely.

We live 50 miles North of Atlanta. If I could only convince my husband, I would also live in NW NC though :)

Most of us live in rural areas because we don't like crowds and the people they bring. My aunties (91 & 90) are mad that baseball is cancelled. But I'm not hearing too much complaining though. I've been seeing a LOT of garden planting on my Facebook gardening pages - seems like most are using their time wisely.

Quiet mostly, anything to do with serving travelers is down to a crawl. Local chain motel near empty. This area has a lot of old people and very few of them are anywhere to be seen but working age people seem to be coming and going almost like usual. Not a face mask to be seen anywhere so far.

I live in very rural SW PA. Nearest town is ~1200 people. Grocery store went through a few days where it was mostly wiped out, it's slowly been restocked, although the bung fodder is still gone.

People seem to be distancing, they seem to be preparing, but most are joking about it, trying to stay positive. A lot of people have lost their jobs here last week when our retard governor shut everything down. I don't expect too much panic here, from the locals anyways. I suspect the trouble will start when the cities start running out of food and other supplies, and people start coming out this way. Most are prepared for this scenario.

All the other stores are shut down, so it's pretty much dead in town, but there is still traffic on the roads. Not much, but there isn't much to begin with. Not sure where people are going, but it's not to work, because most of the jobs have been shut down. Most of us out here will do just fine, as long as we don't get the flu and die.

Yes our area is a lot more quiet with the restaurants/bars closed. It was already a very depressed area (limited jobs other than the service industry and big box stores along the highway). Now many folks are unemployed I'm sure. HOWEVER, I still believe they need to issue the shelter in place so many more people stay at home and take this seriously. Inconvenience now, benefit later; instead of a massive healthcare disaster in a week or two. And I haven't seen anyone wearing a face mask or anything like that (I don't either--I'm trying to just keep some space between myself and others as best I can, but only because I have to be out for work.)

In Haywood county NC the restaurants all went to take out or delivery only. The grocery stores are reasonably stocked sans toilet paper. The cashier said people are coming all the way from Charlotte to buy grocery’s then going back, thats 150 miles away! Five hour round trip so it must be a lot worse there that whey would motor all the way here. I waterglassed a bunch of fresh chicken eggs today so should have eggs for a year or so.

Ammo is still in stock even 223 and reloader supplies are available to make your own. Long guns selection seemed sparse most the 12 gauges were gone still had 20 gauges 30-06s

The local vets here have it where you call tell them what’s wrong with your pet then drop your dog or cat off, they then have the vets techs check the pets in and the vet calls you on the phone. I found that a bit weird I guess maybe they think pets can transmit or carry the virus?

Other weirdness, I ordered a chest freezer from Best Buy and they changed the policy and will only deliver it to your doorstep on all appliances, they no longer installl it for you. So I canceled and they tried to charge a 10% restocking fee. I argued I had paid for delivery and install and they waived it. Went to Lowe’s and bought it there cash and carry instead.

My dentist canceled my appt to install a crown leaving me with a temporary crown indefinitely so I guess that’s virus related. I could have been a dick and reversed the charge for the crown since I’m paying interest and the work wasn’t completed but I’m letting it slide hoping I can get the permanent crown shortly.

...and it’s a great way to spread the virus.
The old folks around here seem not to grasp the gravity of the situation, not taking social distancing seriously - all we need is one hysterical, COVID positive toilet paper hoarder from the Big City and there you go.

We are taking it seriously here in North Georgia and thankfully have no cases in this county (yet), but those stupid Atlanta and Florida people are heading up here for vacations because they figure they are safe and the Governor and local ptb refuse to close our restaurants.

Small towns don’t have the resources to cope with this sh*t.

All our restaurants are take-out only. Even fast food

I think that has been happening here too, because they are still having trouble keeping stuff in stock. I've seen a bunch of people there I didn't recognize. I don't know everyone here, but you could just tell they didn't regularly come here.

No one is saying much yet, but give it time. That won't keep going on.

I'm in a small town in Western Arkansas, county of about 30,000 total. 2 confirmed cases here. All of the restaurants that have remained open have gone to carry out/delivery only. Wal-Mart and our locally owned grocery store still remain busy. For the most part though, it seems like people are trying to keep a good distance from one another.

My little brother is a Pastor, and this is what they’re doing as well.

Same here in SW NY tiny town area

My husbands job requires driving product around the counties ( essential)- so once in awhile I ride along at the end of the day and we have learned to stop off at small diners and restaurant- bars as just something we enjoy.

Traffic is a little lighter

I went to Dollar General last Sat - people won’t oass in aisles - 1 person per aisle social distancing is considered “polite” and in lines -10 feet apart. No masks seen - but I may glove up because my hands getting chapped from washing and sanitizer
No TP or sanitizers in local stores
comments about “people are out of money to buy more” so business slowing

Farm country

People are used to making do

Nobody panicking

Concern - rumors of first case in our County

An hour away Buffalo has 14 last I checked - many days ago - but bars were full (100’s) the week before St Patrick’s Day so they shut them down .

I have what I need for now ... been building skill set for over a decade in anticipation of economic crash again. Garden - canning food - fasting and eating less- preparing to homestead but not there yet. Got land - no house.

The VFW is take-out only / gonna affect a lot of old guy farmers that have dinner there every night among friends and acquaintances at the bar.

Too early to plant ... it’s still 28 F some days - itching to get gardening.

I've talked with people living rural out in the sticks of the midwest: They feel somewhat isolate from it, since they physically live out in the sticks, HOWEVER, they know that it is creeping in slowly around them, and are aware. However, they do feel less likely to be affected by it, even now.

It doesn't exist here.