美国旧金山湾区封城日记

3/16/2020 第一天

今天的新闻多得都看不过来。首先昨天下午美国联储局突然宣布把利息下调一个百分点，进入零利率。

市场不知道是应该高兴呢，还是担心。利率下调股市应该上涨，可是另外一方面投资人知道利率下调得这么快也意味着未来经济要出大事情。更为关键的是投资人都知道联储局的货币政策没有子弹了。因为已经是零利率了，不能再低了。

早上一开盘果然就发生了熔断。我虽然不买股票，但是美国人人都关注股票市场，股指一直都是各种心理活动的晴雨表。该来的终于都来了。

昨天我去商店买食品的时候，只剩下最后两桶牛奶了，都被我买了回来。

昨天CVS半空的货架

中午我去Safeway，打算再采购一些食品。今天是礼拜一，也许商店应该有货了。可以买些蔬菜、酸奶什么的储存起来。

我准备好口罩，戴上手套，另外还准备了一瓶消毒液。我把要买的东西写在一个清单上，打算以最快的速度，到超市，把东西拿完就走。

我几周前准备好的东西，终于有了用武之地。

商店的确有货了，但是人比货还要多，平时见不到几个人影的商店现在塞得满满的。停车场也都停满了人。所有人都大车小车地推了出来。购物车堆得和小山一样高，和上个周末我在Costco看到的差不多。绝大多数人都没有戴口罩。

看到这架势，我决定干脆不进去了。可能东西没买到，反而被传染。所以我连车都没有停，开车直接回家了。

回家的路上听车上的广播，正好听到旧金山湾区6个县联合发布的声明“shelter in place"。就是“庇护令”，这个翻译不知道是否准确。

所有人都在家里，所有的商业活动通通停止，除了特别必须的。除了下面的服务，其他一律终止：

"Among those remaining open are grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants for delivery only and hardware stores. Most workers are ordered to stay home, with exceptions including health care workers; police, fire and other emergency responders; and utility providers such as electricians, plumbers, and sanitation workers."

这是封城的第一天，外面的天气好极了。可是人心惶惶，各种消息在满天飞。

“Shelter in place" 目前的有效期是三个星期。可是根据之前国内的经验，恐怕是要持续很长一段时间。

大部分美国人民都是live paycheck by paycheck。 低收入阶层的老百姓，家里可能1000美元的余钱都拿不出。那么多店铺关门了，不知道他们怎么生活。希望不要出什么大的乱子。

我也需要清点一下家里的存货。明日更新。

附录（封城细节）：

According to a statement from the City of San Francisco, essential activities (exemptions to the shelter-in-place order) include:

• Tasks essential to maintain health and safety, such as obtaining medicine or seeing a doctor;

• Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves or their family or household members, such as getting food and supplies, pet food, and getting supplies necessary for staying at home;

• Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking, or running provided that you maintain at least six feet of social distancing;

• Performing work providing essential services at an Essential Business or Essential Government function (defined below);

• Caring for a family member in another household;

• Caring for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.
  
  

Exemptions. Individuals may leave their place of residence to operate an essential business, including:

• Healthcare operations, including home health workers;

• Essential Infrastructure, including construction of housing and operation of public transportation and utilities;

• Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, food banks, convenience stores;

• Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities;

• Pharmacies, health care supply stores, and health care facilities;

• Gas stations and auto repair facilities;

• Banks;

• Garbage collection;

• Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses;

• Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning;

• Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers;

• Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, and goods directly to residences;

• Childcare facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work;

• Roles required for any Essential Business to “maintain basic operations,” which include security, payroll, and similar activities.

They may also leave their home to perform an essential government function:

• This includes all services needed to ensure the continuing operation of the government agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public.