Only on mumsnet do people prep.

[Notlong20]

There is not one person I know in real life that is prepping for a coronavirus outbreak. In fact, no one I speak to even mentions the threat of the virus.

Of course we know of it as the hysteria surrounding it is all over the news / social media, but aibu to think preppers only exist on mumsnet?

I'm going to batch cook a load of stuff for the freezer this weekend and buy extra toilet rolls and pain killers. Have never been this way inclined before...but I have been reading mumsnet more than usual lately....

Alcohol hand gels don't kill lots of viruses, they're better for bacteria, you are better off with regular thorough hand washing

Exactly!

No they don't and I find it alarming that so many people are trusting them.

We need a very public drumming into on handwashing and how to get the idea of hand gels out of people's heads.

When out and about with no access to a sink though they are possibly better than nothing, such as when getting off public transport- if not to kill Corona but help prevent catching anything else which then lowers your immune system.

I have some gel but rarely use it, because it does awful things to my skin and nails. I do wash properly with soap, and dry my hands well (apparently damp hands are more bacteria prone) Washing properly is better than using gel, which doesn't kill viruses anyway. Washing with soapy lather then rinsing washes the bugs away.
If I was using public transport I'd wear gloves I think.

We should also be allowed to punch people who cough and sneeze without blocking it with their hands. Prevention, you know...

Yes , soap and water best

Cold water is fine

Wash hands for longer than you think - or the length of time it Thales to sing happy birthday twice!

If no water available, use an ALCOHOL based rub

I know quite a lot of people in RL prepping for Coronavirus.

At least ten.

I actually think a lot of people are but no-one in RL is talking about it.

If other people aren't prepping then where have all the masks and hand gel gone?

@Snuffkindle If you get the virus surely you'll feel like shit and wont want to eat?

Alcohol gels won't work against coronavirus but what they will do is help you not catch other bugs which could then leave you in a weakened, more susceptible state to either catch COVID-19 and suffer worse with it (just seen Brettney above has made same point).

Anyway I am not prepping as such but have bought a few tins of fruit in case we can't go out to buy fresh fruit. We're quite well stocked otherwise and can always use online shopping for perishables.

When out and about with no access to a sink though they are possibly better than nothing

Yes, alcohol based which is horrible to your skin if used too much IME. But there are people who elevate it above soap and water. It's a false sense of security.

On the other note, could any of the nice vipers point me in direction of preppers thread?
Happy to discuss my food hoarding issues anonymously:)

Anyway my last post on this....

I'm between jobs at the moment which is very unusual for me but it means I've been able to follow the Coronavirus news carefully.

I haven't relied on mainstream media - I've been reading the actual medical papers, watching the WHO conferences and reading statements from various countries CDC's and I will say this...

If you aren't concerned about the Coronavirus it's because you don't understand enough about it

Every expert is concerned. Every single one.

As long as you are healthy and under 50 the chances are you personally will be fine and it will be like having the flu.

But the number of people who will be sick at the same time will cause lots of knock on impacts around you. Lots.

So scoff if you like. I've never 'prepped' for anything else and I haven't batted an eyelid at previous illnesses (swine flu, SARS, whatever). This is different.

So that's my warning to those who are scoffing at it.

@FrenchBoule

Prepping for a pandemic...7 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/preppers/3833646-prepping-for-a-pandemic-7

@wheresmymojo thank you very much.
Off for a look :)

As long as you are healthy and under 50 the chances are you personally will be fine and it will be like having the flu

exactly.

I went to Tesco this morning and noticed a lot of empty shelves, especially tinned goods. Not a bottle of dettol or hand sanitizer to be had either. I think most people will prep a little while hoping for the best.

The reason why the first rule of prepping is not to talk about it is that US preppers fear that, in a crisis, they will get armed individuals at their doors demanding access to their stores. It's about safety, not about being selfish.

I prep, but not half as much as my parents nor my great aunts and uncles whose home was raided as children during WW2. They were left with nothing, and one of my great aunts went blind with malnutrition.

My concern is a quarantine scenario more than anything.

And if you travel on public transport regularly, the best thing to do is wear gloves. Woollen, leather, acrylic whatever... It will stop you from touching a surface, then touching your face because you don't tend to touch your face with a gloved hand.

And always use a paper towel to turn a tap on and off outside your home, and use a paper towel or the sleeve of your forearm to open a a toilet door.

As I am over 50 and have MS, tbe sneering isn't helpful. The sensible advice of others is , on the other hand, very helpful.
Calm and concerned. And prepped.

Considering doctors and scientists don't really understand the virus, well if people want to plan ahead then so what?

I live in central London - so we are pretty crammed in here, and there are so many tourists at the moment - plus all the travellers who land in London before travelling on. We have kids at school and teachers (who seem to catch every bug going) in the family.

If I was where my mum lived (small town) I could merrily stay there for a week and not have to see anyone face to face.

Has anyone noticed the Mumsnet prepped threads are now in a Daily Fail article?

I read the prepper threads because I started to think they have a point, stocking up on a few extra essentials that will get used anyway won't hurt. Wasn't expecting to read about isolation suites (caravans), makeshift bucket toilets, tinned hotdogs (who knew such a thing existed??), massive sacks of pancake mix, stock rooms/ stock rotation/ stocktake etc. All very professional

I certainly don't have the time or energy for that, but did grab a few extra basics yesterday and hid them in the conservatory Not sure that qualifies as prepping, but has made me feel better!

@MrsStrangerThing I know! I'm a bit shocked by it all to be honest. It's bordering on hysteria.

@MrsStrangerThing , there's full on general prepping and there's homesteading. Most people on here are talking about homesteading. Which means making sure your household is a resilient as you can manage (budget, storage etc permitting) to ride out any difficulties that are thrown at it. I'm a general prepper so yes, I have thinks like a camping toilet and stuff like that. You don't need one. You really don't.

I mentioned that I might use the one I have as a commode because I've cared for a very sick elderly person and a commode was part of that. We only have one toilet in our house. I also said a commode would be very depressing for anyone who was sick in our house so we would probably just use the bathroom loo as we do now and clean it like mad every time.

I'm stocking up. We're due to go to Thailand over Easter and I'm making sure we're OK if we have to self isolate when we get home.

If we get to go...!