MrsMac and I was down to the SE portion of the state to spend Christmas with my mom. These are several observations that we chatted about on the way home.
SE Pennsylvania > Depending on the store we went to, 100% to 80% of the staff and customers were masked.
> My mom lives in a very nice neighborhood. All the properties look nice and folks are sweet. While walking dogs, 90% of
the neighbors were wearing masks.
Yes, that is outside.
> Covid-19 dominated all of the local news television time. Add to the Covid on the news, murders, shooting's, beating's
took second violin after the Covid news.
> Covid tests are taking 7-days to get one once you call your doctor. There are drive up Covid kiosks but the wait time is
hours.
> I grew up around where my mom currently lives. Folks talked fast, drove fast, were not helpful with
neighbors, etcetera. Basically, fast talking self centered folks. Well this trip, during Holiday time, multiply that culture
by 4x's but with with masks.
> Prices in the grocery stores were crazy. Easily, 10% across the board more expensive than up home here.
> There were empty shelves for sure but on odd things. As an example of some basic Philly food where shelves were bare;
no (Taylor) pork roll, no pretzels, limited lunch meat, limited selection of eggs, milk seemed to be limited and
expensive ($1.79 for a qt. while up here, $1.20 a gt.). When questioned about some of these shortages the usual
excuse was, "lack of workers".
> EVERYBODY had hiring signs out. With the exception of Talbots (ladies Clothing), waiting in lines was now the norm.
> Petrol was 4 to 20 cents above the cheapest place here in the NE.
NE Pennsylvania > Less than 10% of the folks in stores wear a mask. On occasion you will see someone walking from their vehicle to a store
with a mask on. I suspect it is just laziness not fear of Covid on the outside.
> Petrol is coming down in the 5 to 10 cent range from Thanksgiving.
> Prices on food and other grocery store supplies are higher than LY but not crazy.
> People are friendly and helpful.
> Local news is mostly about weather and what folks are doing this year to help less fortunate members of the
community. I can't remember a broadcast about a murder or shooting in quite awhile. Oh, DWI reports on the local
news is a bit up though.
> If I want a Covid test, I can get one with a phone call to my doctor. The results are back within a 24-hour period.
Two different area's of the same state, Pennsylvania.
