What is "Essential"?

I read somewhere recently that it's great to journal during this unprecedented time because we are living through history. So I'm going to keep up with blogging so the boys can read it when they're adults, knowing they were part of a historical event. The great state of Louisiana is currently at the "shelter in place" phase, which was enacted on Monday. Only essential businesses are to remain open at this point. I have rarely left the house and I can't remember the last time the boys have seen inside any building other than our house. I buy my groceries online to limit my exposure. Today I had to stop at the bank on my way to pick up my groceries. I passed by Home Depot and was utterly surprised to see the parking lot completely full. It didn't appear that there was a line outside the store, meaning all those people were in the store. Since when did a construction store become essential for anyone that does not have a construction business or a home emergency? I can't believe all those people would fall under either of those categories. When I went to get my groceries, I was quick to open my hatch and jump back in my SUV because the last time I went to pick up my groceries, the Walmart employee invaded my social distancing space. Today the employee was very respectful about the fact that I didn't roll my window down all the way and asked that nothing be brought up to the front seat. However, some of my requested items were out of stock so I stopped by Dollar General to grab 2 things. I was, once again surprised, to see so many kids in the store. Now I understand that some parents don't have the option of leaving their kids at home while running errands. But what surprised me the most is that one mom let her kids run all around the check out area. At one point the little boy grabbed a sucker out of a bin and put it in his mouth despite it having a wrapper on it and his mom not buying it for him. This afternoon I bought something online to pick up at Bass Pro. They shocked me the most with their lack of precautions. The only way to open the main entrance door is by the large button. Who knows how many hands have touched that?? When I pointed out that my item was defective, the employee asked me to go find the replacement one. Really?? That's why I ordered it online to begin with...so I wouldn't have to go further into the store than the front entrance. When I returned with the item, the employee wiped her nose and handed me a pen to sign the pick up sheet. I told her I'd use my own pen and then informed her that I was shocked that Bass Pro was still making people sign something with a pen that many hands touched. Needless to say, the employee didn't like my opinion and got snarky with me.
Normally I'm not a germaphobe. I don't use a lot of hand sanitizer because of the eczema on my hands. I don't become hyperaware of people in my space or someone coughing. But, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of that. I am very careful of where I have to go, wiping things down when they're handed to me, keeping the boys confined to our neighborhood, using hand sanitizer the minute I walk out of a store, washing my hands for at least 20 seconds when I get home from errands. Call me overreactive but I call it being cautious. If I did anything that would cause our boys to get this nasty virus, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Hopefully people will start taking this quarantine seriously so we can flatten the curve and get life back to normal....or at least the new normal.