Coronavirus concerns mega-thread

It's panic buying. More people are shopping, and grabbing "extra essentials," including extra toilet paper. TP is bulky and takes up a lot of space in the stockroom, and doesn't usually turn over all that fast, so stores don't keep massive stockpiles back there. (Newsflash: stores don't keep massive stockpiles of ANYTHING in the back. When you ask someone to "check the back," they're using it as an excuse for a short break nine times out of ten.)

So, people are grabbing two packs of TP instead of one. The shelf starts depleting faster, and people start to worry. "What if I can't get toilet paper? I know I have a full pack at home, but I'd better grab more, just in case." Now the shelf's empty, and people are full on freaking out. "I won't be able to get toilet paper! I need to grab every pack I see because I can't get anymore!"

Add the way the media is really blowing this up (I've noticed they only report "new cases in..." and "another death in..." but are a little sparse on "new cases going down in..." and recovered numbers, which don't get clicks), and people start thinking they're going to be trapped in their homes for months with no toilet paper to be seen anywhere, and that photo of an empty shelf at Costco that the local news media ran just proves it! Better get ten!

 

Yes, I know that's probably it. It just seems so bizarre to me. I can sort of understand it when it comes to things somewhat related to the disease, like soap and certain medicines, but why toilet paper? I mean, unless the man mentioned earlier has a very large family what he bought will last him for months.

I think those who get overly worked up have mostly done it to themselves. I mean, if you go looking for horror stories and wild speculations you are bound to find them, right?

The media coverage here (I'm speaking of the main tv news) have been pretty good, actually. Information have been plentiful and clear and the real experts have been allowed to do most of the talking. When drastic decisions, like the event-ting, have been made there have been a clear motivation given as to why the decisions have been made as they have.
I might jinx it now, but even the more extreme of the political parties have been more or less mature about the whole thing (or at the very least have had the good sense to stay out of the spotlight).
I'm sure, as things start to calm down again, this will be used as leverage to argue the most absurd of points later, but for the moment there has been very little of that.

To bring it back to the topic of dolls; the moldmaking and first cast of the doll I'm currently sculpting may have to be delayed because of a shortage of disposable gloves.
If that and a delayed doll convention is the worst I suffer from all this I will not complain.

 

Like I said, I'm pretty sure it relates to the stock footprint and levels. A store can fit a lot of soup, or ramen, or even little soap pumps on the shelves, and it'll take a while before it starts to look really low, but TP (and paper towels) take up so much space that when even a small percentage is gone, it looks far more wiped out than it really is, and the lower the shelves get, the higher the customers' anxiety gets.

I'm pretty sure the reason for the massive delays on an order I've been waiting for are in part because of all this. I expected it to ship to the dealer around December to January, and as of my last inquiry (I'm asking about once a month just because I know it's exceptional circumstances right now) they were "preparing to ship" yet again... hopefully that means they're all healthy and getting back to work!

 

The only thing I would worry is it will take longer for the package to arrive to the US especially if it is from China. I know for the fact the USPS announced their limitation on shipping and handling to and from China. If you don't mind waiting for a longer period of time, then I think it would be okay to order from Asian countries at this time.

 

I'm in Kentucky, US and just today I heard store employees talking about how WalMart, Dollar General and Meijer are all sold out of toilet paper. I think it's weird as hell too. I mean, I work retail and I understand large things moving quickly makes shelves look empty faster than small things selling at the same rate, but it's weird to me that of all things, it's toilet paper disappearing so quickly.

We do have confirmed cases of the virus in the state, and one of them is a patient at the same hospital where one of my family members goes for an ongoing medical condition. That really scares me, especially as he is having health problems that would probably be deadly if he caught the virus.

I work in mall retail and cannot for the life of me understand why people go out when they're sick or drag their sick kids to the mall. There is absolutely nothing in our mall that anyone would need in an emergency. It's inconsiderate and dangerous and the reason why illness spreads so quickly and easily. I hate hand sanitizer, but I find myself using it constantly at work when I can't go wash my hands. Our company and mall have both released new procedures for keeping everything clean, including sanitizing the store multiple times a day. It's crazy. Sorry for the rant.

As far as dolls, I haven't really ordered anything international since this all started, but I had ordered a doll in December and some clothes in...January maybe? The clothes arrived without issue. I wasn't really expecting the doll until April or May, but I'm not sure if he'll be on time or not. I doubt it, but as much as I want my doll, I don't want the people working for the company or dealer to have to go to work sick, or expose themselves to infection just to make my doll. I'll still support all the artists I would have even without this mess going on, just because the virus first broke out in their country isn't a good reason to stop supporting them, especially when the main outbreak location is hundreds of miles from many of the shops!

 

This is probably a pretty out-there question, and mods, I apologize if it's not considered on topic...if so, please delete this post.

Since the virus can survive for a time on surfaces such as plastics, if someone thinks their doll has been exposed to the virus (either from being in the same house as someone who is sick or else from taking the doll to work/outside for a photoshoot), what sanitizing methods are safe for resin? What about faceups/other delicate areas? Or would it be safer all around to just "quarantine" the doll until a suitable period of time has passed?

(Disclaimer: I probably read The Velveteen Rabbit way too many times as a kid, and I work in a library that is going to close for a period of time to prevent the spread of the virus - we've been cleaning off a lot of books and toys.)

 

Rakonto, I don't think it's a big concern. Wash their clothes with soap or spray them with your favored disinfectant. A theater friend of mine has me preferring cheap vodka for clothes, but something like lysol would work too. Give the resin a wash with soap and water. Sing your preferred meme-tastic hand washing songs as a medley. Make sure to leave them out for a while for elastic to dry. The wigs you can spray or quarantine for a week or two. It's a nastier version of the flu and that's mostly because of how long you can be contagious without being symptomatic.

I know you mentioned faceups specifically in your question. I've washed plenty of doll faces with a soft cloth and soap and water to get off dust and dirt without any problem. A clean old t-shirt is a good choice because it's unlikely to scratch.

 

Or, you simply wash your hands after handeling things that the infected person has interacted with and use some common sense, like, you know , not lick it.
This is not an air born virus and it need so get into your system somehow to make you sick. It is way more likely to get it from a door handle, a light switch or similar that you touch and then infect yourself by touching your mouth, eyes, food etc.

 

I’m seeing that this virus lives on dry surfaces for about 3 days.
if you are expecting a new parcel, you could just quarantine it for a while.

I’m actually not worried about catching it from dolls or clothes. At this point if I sneeze on my current dolls, it’s only me and my germs so it doesn’t matter. It’s not like the doll is gonna infect me again once I’ve healed. It’s the exact same strain so my body will have immunity.
And I wash my hands after opening new mail, and throw away the packaging.

 

I agree with @Lillith - I even worry about stuff I've bought from shops, using bannister rails in shops, door handles, everything - but the rule is wash your hands thoroughly, and don't touch your face! So if you're at all worried about handling doll boxes or new dolls, just wash your hands afterwards ^_^

 

I think scientists have confirmed that the virus can only last for three days on objects as said above. Viruses can't live for very long without a living host. If you're worried your things are infected, quarantining them for three days will make sure the virus is dead. I quarantined my latest package by stuffing it in a trash bag and putting it in an unused corner of the house. Then I washed my hands thoroughly. If you're too impatient to wait but still worried about the virus then I'd recommend wearing gloves and opening the package on a surface that can either be thrown away (like a trash bag) or sanitized, then put everything back in the box, and then quarantine it. Packages generally take at least a few days to get to you so quarantining a package for three days would definitely be long enough for the virus to die.

 

Thank you all for your responses.

 

Ahhh.....today, Toronto is almost in shut down mode. We are stuck at home. Fortunately for me, a doll I bought from the secondary market arrived last night, so today, I spent all day at home fiddling with him. I am almost too happy to have something to do when everybody at home looked for something to keep busy and entertained.

Meanwhile, I am surprised Anime North and Doll North convention is still happening in late May. I suppose that is too far away to be postponed or cancelled. It's awfully quiet today outside. I feel very sorry for the businesses. Grocery store shelves are half empty and .......toilet paper sold out!

 

With how fast everything's changing right now, it's definitely worth it for conventions that are more than a month out to be in a "holding pattern." They can take the time to set up a plan B in case they do have to cancel (which is a messy situation!), but if things have cleared they won't be held liable for breaking their contract with the venue (events cancelling now can use any force majeure clauses in their contracts to avoid the liability). I think the organizers of pretty much every convention, even ones much later in the year, are watching what's happening right now. It's kind of unprecedented.

On a more upbeat note, COVID-19 can only survive about 24 hours on cardboard, which is good news for outer shipping boxes! (And three days on plastics, so you can probably go ahead and open your boxes after the 24 hours needed for the cardboard, because the inside will likely have been untouched for more than 72 hours--unless customs opened it.) NPR has a good article about the study.

 

Something about delivery: I just received my order from Granado today. So it took 3 months (including Spring Festival) in total to get a head-only package. I also asked the customer service and they told me that full dolls will take longer.

 

@vicemage that's good to know! I have been buying used goods off eBay and felt a bit worried.

Sadly, my last small package from China (a wig) went missing in late January, even though it was marked as delivered. My attempts to track it down were fruitless. It seems that if it's "delivered," there's nothing you can do. I feel suspicious that someone threw it away before it could get to me, especially if it was mis-delivered, since the coronavirus scare was starting to get big around that time. One way or another, I'm not ordering anything from China for a long time, because that was a huge burn.

 

I'm more worried that my order will eventually get lost in other orders. I ordered a pair of boots right before all this happened and was promised 2 week processing time. Obviously, as soon as everything happened, I knew it was going to take a while. I don't particularly mind, because I would much rather people be staying safe than risking themselves to get out a pair of boots. I am worried it'll get lost though. When I check the website, my order, of course, still says "unshipped," but there is no longer a processing time next to it. I figured it'll take too long to get here for me to have to worry about the virus being on the product, but I am a little nervous that orders will back up and my order will disappear among them.

 

I got a tiny package from the UK today from an Etsy seller who I love. Completely forgot the order left. It's been state side a while now. Man did my mom freak out at me. :/ Same thing last month when I had a doll arrive. I'm in one of the states where school is out and VR learning has been used. Only Day 1 and I miss classes already.

 

I too think some of my orders may be delayed or disappear altogether. I will be saddened to lose the funds but I am more concerned with people's health right now. Definitely going to pause on ordering anything more internationally for the time being! My state also has school and now restaurant closures. I myself am on mandatory work from home until further notice. I'll be using this time to finish some doll projects!
I am quite concerned for some of our favorite doll makers and companies. Some haven't posted any sort of update, news, or new announcements in weeks. I just hope everyone is healthy and safe!

 

Has anyone heard anything from companies about delays or their working status? I haven't heard anything, so far...

 

@april It seems to depend on the company

I currently have a layaway order with Legend Doll for a doll that I've been paying off since November. I sent my last payment a week ago with a previous one being sent end of Jan, neither of which got a confirmed receipt of payment. The last time I got an email response was 3 days after my Jan payment.. I'm wondering now if I should just halt my last payment until they respond to me. I'm quite sure they're halting everything because of the virus situation, but not replying while customers are still sending payment is pretty unacceptable. Has anyone had this problem with Legend Doll recently or is it just me?

 

I've got 2 layaways going with Alice's Collections for Loongsoul dolls. I've been paying my layaways. AC has contacted me whenever I do, to say they have received it. But I haven't heard anything about delays...

I think I'd contact the company if I haven't heard anything at all--just to check that they are getting the payments, if nothing else! And maybe ask if there are any difficulties due to the virus?

But I've been getting some responses, so I figure they will tell me if there are problems--plus mine are layaways and aren't due to be sent out anytime soon. BUT it IS a bit of a worry at the back of my mind... So I totally understand others thinking about things like this.

 

@april That's nice to hear about AC doing business as usual! I've never had a problem with them. Even some of the smaller companies on Taobao have shipped things to me post China's lockdown and their post system is definitely back up because a group order I did with some friends has been shipped out.

I'm feeling the same re the worry tbh. My last payment will only be in the next two months so I'm really not in a rush, it's just a lot of money that I've sent that hasn't been confirmed that is worrying me.

Thank you for the tip! I just contacted LD again to check in and tell them that I understand about the virus situation. Fingers crossed they'll reply to me soon...

 

I haven’t. I’m mostly concerned about the people right now, but I also am really hoping to eventually get an update, at least to know if they are coming or not. It took forever to save up, so I really don’t want my order lost

I have! They answered my questions about sizing the day before I order A pair of boots, and then I never got a receipt or the promised confirmation email for my order. This was even before it went bad. I asked about the confirmation email two days after hearing from them and never got a reply. It took forever to save for these boots, so I’m hoping I eventually hear something.

 

Oh, hey, that's good news for kagami, RavenNight!

Yes, there are tons more important things to worry about, but we're supposed to talk about dolls here. I'm not VERY worried about layaways, just curious to know if any companies are reporting issues. It's kind of good to know that China seems to be dealing... that the postal system isn't really closing down and companies are working. Hopefully that means good things for other countries and areas that are partially shutting down.

Also, it did cross my mind to ask if I should slow down layaway payments or speed them up because of whatever is happening. I'm glad things seem to be mostly on-track so far.

 

@RavenNight I hope they get back to you soon as well!

My attempt to contact them just now received a response and they told me the order will be ready to ship within the month! I guess I'll take that as confirmation of payment even if I have yet to finish my layaway with them. They also told me that they're safe and healthy over there, so that's good.

@april Yes, it's great to see that they're slowly starting to go back to normal. I was reading an article earlier saying that they're slowly opening up the country again for domestic travel, at least! Korea seems to be doing okay as well as dolls are still shipping out from there. I track the Dollshe Waiting Room thread and people are still getting shipping notifications

 

@kagami the company I am having no response from is also Legend Doll. Did you send them an email or go through a Q&A on their page? I'm glad to hear they got back to you!

 

@I<3MySD I sent them a follow up email on the previous email I sent asking them about my order and how they were doing with the virus situation. I got a reply in about 30mins!

 

I think Legend Doll should be doing fine, since they're updating their site almost daily (and I know because I check it daily...cough).

 

/jk

Yeah Legend Doll is fine, I wanted to order an Angell Studio doll and had a question thats still in the outbox since January 22, so I ordered through Legend Doll a few days ago, got a reply and confirmation and everything.

 

@GreenTeaSlug Whoops I didn't even notice I did that. Don't worry, I was wearing a mask!

 

Strange, maybe I typed the email address incorrectly! It's very possible I'll try them again. Thank you all for the reassurance, and I'm glad to hear that they seem to be doing fine amidst all of this!

 

Glad to know that they’re okay

 

I know LUTS is doing okay, I placed my order on Feb and received my doll on March. I am also not too worry about it just like others mentioned virus cannot stay alive without a human host.

 

Just had a box from Luts come in (accessories/shoes/etc), honestly I was way more concerned about the mailman standing less than two feet away and having to sign the pad with the same digital pen everyone was using. Brought box in, washed hands, unpacked box, disposed of box, washed hands.
I'm glad the doll companies overall seem to be doing ok, but it wouldn't stress me if things needed to take longer.

I am, slightly upset that I've seen the usual respirator parts I buy for face ups jump from $18 to $70. Reported that listing on Amazon. Nice weather out and while I've got one pair, I prefer to have a backup on hand, so no painting happening this spring.

 

about half the students here are Chinese and many of them are fleeing back to China (from the UK) due to racist attacks and the fact that China is now safer than the UK regarding the virus too! So I'm pretty sure business will be ticking along nicely now China is recovering. My friends in China are very worried for me meanwhile. I have sewn myself a face mask (since I couldn't buy one anywhere) but I'm wary of being attacked now if I wear it!

It's normal for some Chinese companies to ignore emails so I wouldn't be too concerned - it's possible they have had to draft in new staff and maybe their English speaking secretary type person never returned from NY hols. It's quite normal in the best of times for Chinese companies to lose members of staff over the NY celebrations and need to either train or recruit new staff to replace them, so there are often some hiccups in service just because of NY, let alone in the terrible circumstances they've had to endure this year.

Meanwhile regarding deliveries I am more worried about the delivery guys in my own country transmitting the virus, since they will be inclined to keep working even when ill, because they're on zero hours contracts with no help from gov so far. if they need to pay rent etc when off sick. Something which urgently needs addressing by gov! So ATM I get rid of the outer box ASAP, having left it to detox (largely in my imagination I guess) for 24 hours unopened, then wash my hands of course. The inner boxes won't have been handled for weeks so they're no worry, and neither is the doll IMO.

 

I heard from Alice a couple of days ago and she says everyone at AC is safe and well.

 

Hope every here on DOA stays safe

 

I found a fun video on youtube about ten things to do with your dolls if you're quarantined. I especially like the idea of having a theme day.

 

I really hope you and all the doll and doll related company will stay safe and sound. Regarding ordering a BJD, I do not do it right now, because there is absolutely no time right now. We are still superbusy cleaning my parents' house. I want to take my time and enjoy the ordering process (and figure it out first, because IOS seems a bit different, from what I read).

 

I buy small inexpensive items from Asia, some are doll related while others are not, they're either arriving late or not arriving at all. I think big packages will come in but I won't buy a large expensive package now. Otherwise, place an order but ship later. Another way is to ship express with carriers like DHL, FEDEX, UPS. Depending on the value of the package, it may be worth the extra paid for peace of mind but these packages usually gets stopped by border tax agencies and you will likely pay a border tax if your country collects these taxes.

 

I just got a response back from Legend Doll. The order for a few wigs and two pairs of eyes won't be ready to ship until maybe May. The estimate was only 2-4 weeks when I ordered on February 1st. I completely understand given the circumstances and I presume a lot of factories were shuttered. Would it be horrid for me to request a refund until everything has calmed down? I would definitely re-order once the situation has eased, but over $200 is a lot to be tied up at the moment. Especially with the uncertainty surrounding the global economy right now... At the same time, I am fearful of canceling an order that may be helping someone stay afloat.

 

I don’t think it’s unreasonable, but if you plan to rebuy anyway, maybe keep waiting. If it gets close to six months, maybe then request a refund and rebuy later so you’ll still be in the PayPal safety net?

 

Been trying to contact Angell Studio since January too both directly and via a dealer. No response at all. It's about placing an order too so I'm just at the mercy of when I get a reply XD I intend to do a layaway and my dealer so I can't just order outright, I have to have that communication first. I hope these communication channels open up soon I understand delays in processing but it seems odd that two e-mails from two different sources have gone unanswered in 2+ months.

 

@akaisha0 if it makes you feel better, I very rarely got any replies to any of my angell studio emails. This is a year or 2 before the Covid.

Ordered my doll through legend doll, and then asked AS about a promotion they had; someone new was working CS and had excellent communication and was super friendly. I think he left around november/december, Lewis is excellent, and wish he was still working there.

Emails were not getting replies, but I would get a reply a week or 2 after leaving a question on their Q&A, not Lewis, someone new. My last communication on their Q&A is still unread in their websites outbox.

Theres a new limited thats only available on Legend doll, not on the chinese website, english website or taobao. You can see her on their weibo though, so they are active there
Sina Visitor System

Im not sure which dealer you are using, I only know of Dolk US and Legend Doll to be their dealer, and was able to confirm a few details and place an order with Legend Doll (Im guessing because they speak the same language, there is no issue)

 

Thank you, that's a good suggestion! I would feel terrible if I cancel an order that may already be in progress. I'm sure many factories need any type of business once they re-open.

 

I am in Canada, I think the problem may not be in the Asia side but when the parcels arrive in North America. Canada is as good as locked down right now. A lot of us are stuck at home. I am not sure if postal services or border customs services is open. If open or partially open, I am not sure if they are willing to touch packages from Asia. I bought something from Volks USA, I now even expect delays on that. I am tracking the package very closely.

Being stuck at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do can be stressful. I find myself logging into this forum multiple times a day. Of all places, the stock market is open and online! I should play with my dolls and spam photos!

 

Canada Post is still operating. The only thing they've changed is packages that require a signature will need to be picked up at the post office. (Source - Live in Canada and got a package with a doll in it this morning.)

I believe customs service is still open too. Goods still need to be able to come into Canada, so I don't think they'll shut that down. I do expect they have their employees practicing social distancing.

 

@UrbanHermit I live in a condo building. Last week, there was confusion as to whether parcel deliveries will continue to be accepted at the front desk. Usually, the concierge of the building signs and handles the parcels for us, not the post office. Building staff are becoming increasingly unwilling to handle parcels. We thought we had to wait for the parcels in person at the lobby when the parcel man comes, but this will make matters worse because there will be a group of us gathering at the lobby which is worse. That was when I started to track the package coming in from Volks USA but now they clarified that such packages will still be handled as before, this afternoon, there's another notice saying that the packages may be delivered directly to our doors by the parcel man if we are in self isolation. I believe a lot a lot a lot of people are in self-isolation. You see, staff may be required to handle the packages but they are increasingly unwilling to do so. This scenario is very sad. Everybody is scared of everybody and everything. Oh, I'm originally from Singapore, I am Chinese and I am getting sarcastic hateful looks whenever I go outside. Sigh.

 

@stargazer_i I am so sorry people are being so ignorant and racist. There is no excuse for that. This is a time when everyone needs to come together! My friend and I are currently encouraging people to shop at our local Chinese grocery store. They’ve lost business for this same reason, but they’re such sweet people and have so much food in stock right now, where other stores don’t.


As for doll stuff/mail, USPS is running, but a little behind. I got a doll wig in today from a US seller and it took about week versus the usual 3 days. With people stuck at home and ordering so much stuff, the postal workers are probably overworked and stressed too.

 

Dreaming doll was able to make the body I ordered (and quite promptly at that) amid all this. However the body has been stuck in US Customs for several days now, makes me wonder how US Customs is operating right now

 

I have noticed that a lot of stuff from overseas isn't moving on tracking. Both are unrelated to dolls, but one has apparently been with Hangzhou Airlines since March 01. Another has read "Logistics Order Created" since March 05. I do have a small clothing order from Alice's Collections that has yet to ship, but I worry if that'll come through anytime soon. Not the shipping notice, the package once it's sent out. China is starting to get back on its feet, but the rest of the world is now fumbling to deal with the fallout and crisis. Flights are being cancelled left, right, and centre. It's just a small worry; I can currently make do with what I have. But, it'd be nice to get what I paid for. Whether it was £2 or £32.

Then, there's financial worries. I work in retail and the demand on the shops is pushing up my hours, for the time being, so I will have a little more to spend. I keep window-shopping for clothes and wigs; that's my problem. I'm marking stuff I want; the longer I have to browse, the more that gets added! But, all currencies are falling right now as trade weakens and tourism falters. The economy is taking a hit.

 

I’m in Canada too. Just outside of Toronto, and I’ve been waiting on package from Alice’s Collections that was shipped on March 1st. It’s been stuck at customs clearance since March 10th. It’s very frustrating. I wish I had asked ACBJD to hold onto it till the dust had settled a bit. They didn’t ship it EMS either, they said SF Express would be faster. I haven’t heard of them before, so now I have that added to my anxiety.

 

My job ended and I left from Washington (not near Seattle or in any known infected counties, thank goodness) and just got home to Texas. I hope this area doesn't blow up, the other major population state New York and California have, so that is a bit worrisome. I hope the sun does its job. I also hope I don't end up a Typhoid Mary, there are a lot of people in this house.

My idiot self ordered a wig from Washington and it went through the Seattle sorting center. I wiped down the box and bag and waited to open it. Should be ready now.

Also I ordered some stuff from Legend Doll last July (the only resin item was hands), still not ready. When I asked last they said to blame corona, but I find that a bit odd. At this rate I'll be waiting till next July. But I'd feel bad asking again with things as they are.

 

@stargazer_i How terrible for you, and what a disgraceful, disgusting way for people to behave. Personally, I think Mr. Trump's constant use of the phrase 'Chinese virus' instead of the accurate term 'novel virus' is just adding intentional fuel to that absurd and hateful fire, but hey, who am I to say.

I am waiting for two scrawny little wigs, the likes of which usually fly through customs and get to me within three days, max. It is now day five, and no movement. At this point, I don't know if it's justified, or if the entire world has simply gone nuts. I lean toward the latter.

 

I received a parcel from Hong kong yesterday, so there's hope. But everyday the government does seem a little bit more paranoid...

 

@Kiki Happy I suspect border customs is working but with reduced, or rotating shifts, different schedules and possibly reduced hours. I don't know how exactly they operate now but it is obvious there's a delay. I know one thing for sure though, if there's a border tax, the package will get to you quickly. I had SDGrB Masamune Date delivered to me in the middle of that infamous postal strike! He was held hostage in various postal facilities for 2 weeks. I understand how you feel. I paid roughly C$180 in tax and parcel man was all smiles when he handed the box to me, he apologized for the delay and hold up. He assured me the box was kept in a temperature controlled room and not left in the truck during the strike. If no tax is to be collected, you will still get the package, it will get to you but you need to wait. I don't know what is express SF?? Is it express surface parcel? At least you have a tracking number and that helps.

@sahoma You are right about the increase in paranoid....I feel it too.

@celga and @CloakedSchemer Sigh.....it's hard living in this world. I'm retired but even so, it's difficult. I think people don't really understand what the Chinese community is going through now. Personally, I don't blame Trump, not even angry with him but the phrase "Chinese virus" is weird. Even if China is at fault, the use of this phrase is in bad taste.

Many people in this thread show genuine concern for the artists in China, that is commendable and heart warming to read. Many kind people here.

 

I am in Asia. The situation in my area looks brighter then before. The delivery in China are slowly back on track and I am expecting some packages next week. However the international shipping, even from Korea or Japan is still being delayed very much. For instance, EMS from Korea has been delayed for weeks due to reduce of flights. I hope the situation will improve in the coming April.
Let's all keep faith and stay safe.