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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to ask if you are worried about flying/crowds due to coronavirus?

48 replies

hoolydooly · 07/02/2020 11:02

Just that really. Due to fly on Monday and will be spending time in London beforehand. Bit worried about coronavirus (some of you might remember me from the "surprise trip" thread).

Anyone due to fly thinking of cancelling?
Those of you in big cities like London/ Singapore / Hong Kong / Tokyo: how worrying is it in reality?

I am not too worried by what I see on the mainstream news, but a lot of threads on here talk of worrying stats that are being kept hidden, and the death of the presumably young, previously healthy doctor is a concern.

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QueenofmyPrinces · 07/02/2020 11:05

I hear you!!

I was at Luton airport last weekend and there were so many Chinese people there who were all wearing face masks, as were a lot of the flight stewards who were walking round, and it did make me feel unnerved.

There were some people on the plane who had awful spluttering coughs and all I could think was, “what if they have corona virus and now I’m going to catch it!”

It’s only natural to feel anxious.

slipperywhensparticus · 07/02/2020 11:07

My aunt has just booked a trip to Australia she is an ex nurse I assume she has assessed the risks and decided to go anyway my mom (her baby sister) thinks she is mental 😂

SerenDippitty · 07/02/2020 11:07

Flying to South America next week and not thinking of cancelling.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 07/02/2020 11:07

I've flown four times in the last fortnight and will be flying again twice next week. I've spent the last two days in central London and have been back and forth all of January. Nobody seems worried or to be changing their behaviour that I've noticed.

I think that it's going to happen regardless of what we do so there's not much any of us are able to do other than ensure good hygiene and hope for the best.

PurpleDaisies · 07/02/2020 11:07

No, I’m not worried.

Original poster
hoolydooly · 07/02/2020 11:11

People who are not worried: why?

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Parker231 · 07/02/2020 11:11

Live in London, travel on the tube each day and fly overseas for work each month.

Not worried - is there anything to be concerned about - not as far as I’m aware.

PreggoFeminist86 · 07/02/2020 11:27

I live in Central London with DS2 & DD6.5 months, and I'm not worried. Don't get me wrong, I won't be rushing to spend time with anyone who has just flown in from a high-risk country, but I'm not doing anything to actively avoid Coronavirus either. Avoiding crowds here is basically impossible, and I don't drive so we use public transport most days. I do see a lot of E.Asian people wearing face masks, but that has been pretty normal for years so doesn't concern me (perhaps if it was a cultural norm here too we would have an easier time during flu season?).

I actually had a really sad conversation recently with the lovely owner of our local Chinese takeaway. When I called, she profusely thanked us for our order & told me that they have had to significantly drop their prices due to the negative effect the virus (and racist misconceptions) has had on their business. I felt really fucking awful for her actually.

If/when the time comes to worry, then I will. However there isn't much you can do to avoid an airborne virus short of quarantining yourself, is there? I also inwardly cringe at the many people I know who blather on about the Coronavirus risk to their kids, but didn't bother giving them the free NHS flu vaccination...

inwood · 07/02/2020 11:35

I'm nit thrilled about getting on the Piccadilly line that is coming from Heathrow but I have to go to work so not much I can do about it.

notimagain · 07/02/2020 11:45

Was in Singapore earlier in the week..at that point there didn’t seem to be much change from the usual - a few face masks being worn but probably no more than you usually see. I gather some of the hotels are screening guests (taking temperatures) but fundamentally life seemed to be going on as normal.

Advice in local press seemed to emphasise lots of hand washing, if you have to sneeze then cover mouth/nose with arm not hand.and that only those with coughs and sneezes should resort to masks - there is an argument that the wearing of a mask encourages people to touch their noses (fiddling with the mask) and that might actually encourage the transmission of bugs etc.

Have to admit to not yet being overly worried.

ZaraW · 07/02/2020 12:12

I'm travelling to Bangkok in a few days. As mentioned above lots of hand washing and taking hand sanitiser with me. Will try not to touch my face. I'm not worried.

Peapod29 · 07/02/2020 12:15

My mum is flying next week through a London airport and I’m going to order her a mask, she thinks it’s overkill but she’s 67 and prone to bad chests.

ChainsawBear · 07/02/2020 12:24

Why would we be worried in London? Millions of us live here every day and at last count, none of us have Coronavirus.

It's a negligible risk which the relevant authorities can capably manage. You can't curtail your life because of extremely unlikely what-ifs.

KaptenKrusty · 07/02/2020 12:27

Am off to Tokyo in a few weeks and I am more worried that the flight would get cancelled or something - absolutely zero concerns about actually going - I can't wait to get on the flight !

iheartislesofwight · 07/02/2020 12:33

strictly speaking for myself, i'm not worried at all about it, more people die of flu and life is too short to hide away, but i have empathy with those who are worried.

Original poster
hoolydooly · 07/02/2020 12:46

Thanks for the replies so far. I quite agree: why would you be worried in London? There are no cases. But some threads on here seem to be full of people thinking that it's only a matter of time, and it's wise to avoid crowded places if you can. Obviously if you live and work in a crowded place, then there's nothing for it!

We're off to Japan and I am a bit worried as the government there is encouraging people to work at home, etc, which gives the threat a bit more substance, somehow.

I am also slightly worried that we will have a random bug (we all have sore throats and a snuffle at the moment) and will get pulled aisde with a raised temperature and stuck in quarantine - not my idea of a holiday!!!

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motheroftwoboys · 07/02/2020 12:50

not at all. no. We are hugely unlikely to contract the virus and it is only dangerous to certain groups of people. Chinese people often wear masks anyway.

KaptenKrusty · 07/02/2020 13:10

I wouldn't mind getting quarantined on the way back tbh - another few weeks off work - catch up on some sleep and watch lots of tv hahahah

windycuntryside · 07/02/2020 13:13

Central London currently and in the past 2 days I have seen 6 people with face masks. No manic panic at all.

Hadjab · 07/02/2020 13:22

I’m off to the Philippines and Singapore in three weeks - as longs as flights are still scheduled, I’m going! There are many viruses out there, this is just one of many. Make sure you bring hand sanitizer to London, public transport is filthy.

ShanghaiDiva · 07/02/2020 13:23

i think most planes are germ infested pits at the best of times, and always wipe the tray table with disinfectant wipes.
I am more aware of the situation with the virus as have lived in China for 12 years and we were stuck inside before I left last week. After SARS the hong kongese tend to be quite worried and lots of people are working from home. I have two flights next week, one medium and one long haul, but not overly worried, although do have my wipes!

Lockheart · 07/02/2020 13:25

I'm no more worried about catching coronavirus from crowds than I am about catching the flu.

The mortality rate is very low, I don't know why people are panicking.

Original poster
hoolydooly · 07/02/2020 13:37

On some of the threads on here, some people are speculating the death rate may be a lot higher than disclosed, even in the region of 10-14%, which would be scary. Not sure what to believe!

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Curiosity101 · 07/02/2020 15:06

On some of the threads on here, some people are speculating the death rate may be a lot higher

The prime word being speculating. It may have, it might not. Right now the only facts we have available to us suggest it isn't. For example there have been 300-400 cases outside of china and only 2 deaths. Working out the death rate isn't as simple as 2/300 or 2/400 but surely that hints that it's not particularly deadly.

You can't spend your whole life worrying about the what ifs. If you do you'll be a depressed anxious mess and would never do anything fun. People on MN do love a good bit of speculating with no actual basis in fact... don't fall into the trap of thinking it's more credible just because lots of people are saying it.

The main issue with coronavirus (as I see it) is that because it's completely new no one will have resistance to it unless they have a level of innate immunity. Imagine if everyone caught flu at the same time... no one would be in work, supply chains would fail etc. But people don't all get flu at the same time because there are several strains in the world at any one point in time and alot of people have some level of immunity to a number of those strains and there are annual vaccinations available. This is also why WHO and other bodies are worried about the effect of countries with less advanced healthcare, their infrastructure (both medical and economic) is less able to cope.

One of the other reasons that this virus is a worry is that because it's new so we don't know a huge amount about it so it makes medical professionals cautious as it's hard to predict spread, outcomes etc.

Keep yourself informed by all means, but please try not to worry. Just follow the guidance of the professional medical bodies.

On a positive note - there are at least two anti viral trials going on at the moment which seem to show promise Smile

Original poster
hoolydooly · 08/02/2020 08:38

Thank you, everyone.
Will try not to worry, and get on with my packing instead!

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