With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it.  And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Tynga´s Reviews and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.


Stacking The Shelves #105

No news here, sorry. 





Sunday Post #62

The Carnival season this year was a very wet and windy one. But as we now know, that wasn´t the worst to happen. Since Ash Wednesday we know that we have our first confirmed Corona case. Germany is, like the US, a group of many different states. And last Wednesday the health minister from the state I live in, held a press conference to inform us about that new Corona case. It is not the first one confirmed in Germany, that was a man in Bavaria about a month ago, but the circumstances obviously made it clear that the people needed to be informed. To be honest, the isolated man in Bavaria didn´t concern me at all. I heard it in the news, took notice and hoped that the man would be well soon. The press conference on Wednesday made it very clear that the Corona case in our state has no connection to the man in Bavaria. This time, the virus was brought in from Italy and there the search for patient zero is still going on. At least that´s what we hear in the news.

After that press conference, I went on with my day and planned on going to the supermarket the next day (Thursday). I wanted to get some stuff that was on sale. It never came to my mind that maybe other people would react with panic and hoarding groceries, masks or disinfectants. But that was exactly what happened. That there was also a snowstorm warning from the weather forecast (called Bianca) and severe winds, apparently was only a side note. Because all the people had heard and kept in mind was: The virus is here, and we must panic.

Which was, of course, quite the opposite of what the health minister had intended. But what I saw at the supermarket Thursday around noon surprised me. EMPTY SHELVES. No soup on sale, but the empty shelves they had been in. No Skyr on sale, but an empty space. There is no order from the health ministerium that we have to go in homely isolation or that they will lock down the area or certain cities (like in Italy). But people act like it.

Please, don´t get me wrong. That virus is nothing we should take lightly. And each of us knows what we can do to prevent us from getting sick or only get hit with the sniffles. We do it all the time every year during the Influenza season. The press conference was meant to inform us, to let the people know what the current situation was, that we don´t need to panic or to be rigid with fear.

But that´s exactly what happened.

Drugstores and supermarkets in the entire state are running out of masks and disinfectant. People are hoarding. And I can truly say that Germany usually isn´t like that. And it feels completely surreal. Sure, you can watch around certain holidays that people buy more stuff than normal. But what I´ve seen during the past three days is INSANE. The picture was even worse on Friday.

During Friday night the number of those, who are confirmed infected, rose to fourteen which means that Germany in total has now around seventy confirmed Corona cases. And two of them are a bit too close for my taste, to where I live. So, yes, now I am a bit concerned. I feel a bit worried and a bit weird. But I see no reason to panic. Yes, the fact, that the virus is spreading very fast and that they still have not found patient zero in Italy, which is the current epicenter of the virus, is not very helpful but, again, panic and fear are the worst advisors.

But there is some good news too. The first Coronavirus case, the man from Bavaria, is well again and back home. He can´t go to work yet because of the rule that his body has to be completely free of the Coronavirus (which isn´t the case so far). The virus is dead, that is confirmed, but not out of his system yet. How long that will take nobody knows for sure. But he is happy at home and together with his family. And that´s all that counts for him.

Yesterday, while I was writing this post, the next storm hit us. Heavy winds around the house, the sunny daylight changed into a cloudy grey within minutes and it became freezing cold. If feels actually more like April instead of the end of February or the fact, that we have a Leap Year and celebrated yesterday the 29th of February.


How was your week?



Happy reading







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14 comments:

  1. Well Vi you'll see that the corona virus crisis has my employer asking us to do homeworking the whole week next week! We don't panic here, not yeat at least, and I think masks can't help except people who are already sick to avoid spreading the virus. And still...

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    1. Some of our big companies have done the same. But not all workers can do home office. So far, our officials think that the virus will be gone by the summer but it is already clear that we will be affected by it for the rest of the year.

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  2. Awesome! Thanks for this post!

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  3. Well, we were under the weather here. My daughter was sick but I just had a scratchy throat which meant I drank more liquids and got more rest. I'm good today. I'm not sure how to feel about the corona virus. I don't think the US is well prepared which means it may go badly. I am very healthy and an avid hand washer but my daughter gets sick more often. I worked in a pharmacy for 4 years, with sick customers every day, and I never got sick. So I have decent habits. We will see.

    We stay home a lot right now and that doesn't hurt. I hope you are well. Happy reading!

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. I try to live as normal as possible. Sure, there are some things I can´t get the first time because they are sold out for the day. But that does not concern me much. Happy reading!

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  4. Ah yes the fear. It's pretty palpable here in the States too, I'm noticing. which, yes concern is warranted, but I can totally see that happening too. People are terrified of this thing and sometimes I wonder lol if I'm being too blase about it, but I figure the advice to just take care of yourself, stay well rested and wash your hands etc seems like sensible advice. I mean, who knows what it's going to do? I can't help but agree with this "panic and fear are the worst advisors"

    So true. anyway... glad to hear the Bavarian case is okay. I am a little heartened by the fact that yes this virus is scary but it doesn't kill everyone who gets it. Some of the doomsday scenarios I hear just seem overblown? A little? Anywho hope your week is a good one and hopefully weather isn't too wild. :)

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    1. We should not underestimate the virus, yes, but I think we will survive it.

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  5. Wow, yeah we have been giving warnings by our state and local officials to have a 2 month supply of meds and non-perishables on hand. I am not overly concerned, but have changed travel plans primarily because I am auto-immune compromised.

    We lived in Florida for years, so I am used to the craziness that comes from hurricane warnings... Why hoard though?

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    1. People try to get control over a situation they can´t control. And having food and other things at home for two weeks (that is what they tell us here) gives us the feeling that there is an visible "end" to this uncomfortable situation. Guess that helps those who are "hoarding" *smile*

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  6. People are hoarding the masks here too. I just read yesterday where the U.S. Surgeon General has told people to stop buying them because they're going to create a shortage for the healthcare workers and responders who are working directly with those who have the virus. That is great to hear that the first case in your country is getting better. The deaths are the only thing that seem to be on the news here, so it's nice to hear the good news.

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    1. I heard in the news yesterday, that people are actually stealing masks from clinics and they have to refill the disinfectant four times a day instead of the usual two times. It is crazy. I take every good news nowadays *smile*

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  7. We are experiencing the same panic here despite having only 55 cases Australia wide, I live in a small country town hundred’s of km’s from a diagnosed case but products like toilet paper, tissues, soaps etc. have been cleaned out.I didn’t think it would happen and I’m going to need toilet paper soon!

    Stay healthy!

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    Replies
    1. Well, the empty shelves here are refilled within 24 hours. Maybe that will happen in Australia too? Stay healthy and happy reading!

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