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?

Oh ffs nobody has said that. Can you really not imagine a scenario where 3 people desperately need a shit at the same time?

Also, the film Bridesmaids anyone??

My post was not aimed at you, bellini. I nod along with you every time!

In short, the person doing the nursing goes in and out of the sick person's room and takes what health precautions they can when doing so. I presume at some point you've had to care for a sick child or baby and done what you could to avoid getting what they have.

I've got my threads muddled but there is another thread where part of the prepping is using a comode, so the infected person doesn't come into contact with the rest of the family.

Yes I know, and that's not such a bad idea if you've got the kit, I just getting increasingly irritated by the notion that everyone on the prep thread is hysterical and panicking.
They're really not. It's just a discussion.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8045987/Shoppers-fight-food-supermarket-Italys-red-zone.html Apologies for the Daily Mail link. As always.wink

See I think I just misunderstood the thread/the nature of "prepping". That one aisle has an empty shelf but it's not actually fully empty. And the opposite side and shelves at the end (back of the photo) are still more or less full. In my mind I thought "prepping" meant people thought we would have NO food and people would be struggling to get a meal or life-saving medicine. Not that we should stock up on chocolate biscuits and paracetamol because you might not be able to get hold of it for a couple of weeks.

Perhaps the poster who said it depends where you live is right.

I live in a very built up area in London, with a Tesco express on every corner.

Hard to imagine all the shops being completely empty to the point people are breaking into their neighbours homes to steal food to be honest!

I was watching the news in Italy - the poor man ‘they’ve got no pasta - mama mia!’ (he really says that) made me wonder how people in those little out of the way towns in Italy would manage if the stores closed.

Even if shops do have food (and I hope they do) IF the virus becomes widespread I don’t want to HAVE to go to a supermarket if I don’t have to.

We are a family of three and are lucky enough to be able to stay home as neither DH or I work and DS is on a gap year and currently home. So if we mitigate our contact with people who may have the virus we will hopefully escape it.

I’m not worried we would all die but I think it’s sensible to try to avoid putting any more strain on the NHS. Dh is almost 60 but relatively healthy. DS is 18. I’m 55 but asthmatic.

So I have ‘prepped’ in so far as our cupboards are well stocked, we have a good supply of cold and flu meds and painkillers, disinfectant etc.

I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘preppier’. Just organised.

Not that we should stock up on chocolate biscuits and paracetamol because you might not be able to get hold of it for a couple of weeks

Whenever i looked at the brexit prep threads basically most posters were suggesting that people had enough supplies for a few days food AND that if they had any particular favourites to stock up with those as you would be able to get supplies...it just might not be what you want

So a certain clothes wash cos ds1 is allergic to most other stuff...Or a certain type of food for a fussy eater

To be honest on those threads the people making the most fuss were anti preppers making up bullshit that noone had said

Not just MNers.

I'm amazed it took until page 11 for someone to mention the millennium bug. It's always used as an example of dire warnings of things that could go wrong by people who have no idea how much planning, preparing, time, money and effort it took to make sure that all our systems still worked once Big Ben had stopped bonging. That is proper prepping.

Friends in Hong Kong have said its difficult to get soap, toilet roll and there's little food to be had, heard similar from Milan. I'm not going crazy but if we all did get sick it's useful to have basic supplies in. Nothing I won't use anyway so I no harm done either way.
Some people are more anxious than others and they feel better taking quite extreme precautions. I never get why there's any need to sneer at them though. It's very tribal to say well in 'real life' or 'only on mn'.

A friend was sending hand gel to friends on Hong Kong and it’s rationed. She said a maid was caught by police for stealing some mail from her employers that had face masks in it.

I was watching the news in Italy - the poor man ‘they’ve got no pasta - mama mia!’ (he really says that)
Now that's serious!

@StrictlyAFemaleFemale i assume most of the respondents there are like me. Not a prepper but discussed and researched it in great detail during a zombie movie and drink fuelled nights. Problem is you simply cannot make a plan until you know which type of zombies it is. Slow like Shaun of the dead? Fast like World war Z? Smart as in I am a legend? Too many variables!

It's very tribal to say well in 'real life' or 'only on mn'

Also MN has thousands of active members, so of course you're more likely to hear something on mumsnet that in real life. Added to the fact that the thousands of mumsnet users likely encompass a much broader range of types of people than your typical friendship group.

I could say "only on mumsnet do people ride horses! I've never heard a single friend of mine talking about riding horses!"

I also know which neighbour I will eat first based on their age and lifestyle. Is that prepping?

My cats eat more than I do. Bastards.

Your cats would definitely eat you if push came to shove.

Fickle bastards.

This is an excerpt from the advice sheet for home isolation issued by the government (this is from 31st Jan so it may be different by now) I can't link because I'm on the app so someone else may be able to?

"You should stay in a well-ventilated room with a window to outside that can be opened, separate from other people in your home. Keep the door closed. Use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household, if available. If you have to share these facilities, regular cleaning will be required.
If a separate bathroom is not available, consideration should be given to drawing up a bathroom rota for washing or bathing, with the isolated person using the facilities last, before thoroughly cleaning the bathroom themselves (if able or appropriate*). Ensure the isolated person uses separate towels from other household members, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and for hand hygiene purposes.
If you live in shared accommodation (university halls of residence or similar) with a communal kitchen, bathroom(s) and living area, you should stay in your room with the door closed, only coming out when necessary, wearing a facemask if one has been issued to you"

So I don't think worrying about one toilet between a big family is being OTT or hysterical. You're also not meant to share bedding etc. For those of us with small houses and big families other alternatives like a caravan on the drive seems like a great idea, especially if someone has underlying health issues/immune suppressed etc. The logistics of trying to isolate someone in our family in our home are worrying to think about.

I can't put them in the loft as that's the Dedicated Refuge Area for the Zombie Apocalypse (Got to laugh or you'll cry!)

Yeah, just put Uncle Jonty in the west wing for a few weeks, with his own valet.

I can't put them in the loft as that's the Dedicated Refuge Area for the Zombie Apocalypse wink (Got to laugh or you'll cry!)

Does your loft have second exit like a window? In case the house gets overrun and you must leave. Otherwise I would find different deficated refuge tbh

I really don’t think some degree of ‘preparation’ need to be deemed ‘prepping’ (in the derogatory way you’ve dubbed it).

With the situation changing each day, there is a risk of both isolation requirement but also, probably more likely, supply chain disruptions. Both will alter our ability to shop as we’ve been accustomed to. Particularly in London/cities I think, there seems to be a preference for doing many small shops (rather than one big), just getting what you need for that day/a couple of days.

Preparing for the risk of the above. I think it’s sensible to stock up on some non perishable frozen and canned goods, and basics like loo roll, hand wash, paracetamol. None of that will expire so in the event the risks above don’t materialise to reality, everything will get used in time.