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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Person diagnosed with Coronavirus next town over from me...aibu?!

186 replies

JuniperNet · 27/02/2020 14:07

Just seen this in the local news that a school has closed in the next town over from me as one of the pupils parents has had a case of Coronavirus confirmed yesterday.

AIBU to be a bit freaked by this?! Too close to home for my liking!

OP posts:
Pollaidh · 27/02/2020 15:53

Last week I caught a nasty respiratory infection that caused breathlessness, high fever, confusion and other effects. Was given a mask as a precaution in the ambulance, and was taken straight to isolation at the hospital whilst they ran tests. All medical staff were masked when in my room.

I did not have coranvirus, just a typical winter bacterial infection. I wasn't the only one in isolation at the hospital with possible coronavirus - others (anyone with a cough/fever/breathlessness) were also masked and isolated, and then allowed out later. But if you were in that hospital and saw all this happen, you'd probably go home telling people there were coronavirus cases.

Gadareen · 27/02/2020 15:56

I have cancer and am seriously immune compromised - is it OK if I worry....or should I be being all big and brave and blase about it?

Skierrdery · 27/02/2020 15:59

It really depends on how much said person got out and about in the community OP. Do you know how they contracted it?

deydododatdodontdeydo · 27/02/2020 16:00

A girl at our local school is being tested after coming back from Italy and having flu like symptoms.
Comments in our local paper fb page?
"It's here", etc.
No positive result yet (may or may not be), yet people jump to their own conclusions.
Not every case of flu is coronavirus. Not every person tested will be positive.
As mentioned above - 15 confirmed cases (yes there will be more) - out of 7000 tested.

OnlyTheTitOfTheLangBerg · 27/02/2020 16:05

Well that's bizarre then broken since most of the world's experts are in agreement that this is extremely serious and extremely worrying.

It is worrying and serious, but there is a difference between "this is a worrying and serious threat to population at a global level and we don't yet know if we can keep it under some modicum of control, but let's work on some policies, contact tracing etc and prioritise funding and resourcing for research work on a vaccine" (which is what the likes of WHO, PHE etc are doing) and "OH MY GOD WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIIEEEE!" catastrophising on a personal level.

I work with colleagues who are directly involved in the outbreak response, but no one here is wearing masks around the office or cancelling their out of work activities. You can take something seriously and work hard on containing it without panicking that it's going to wipe us all out - and indeed, anyone who did panic like that wouldn't be able to job effectively. Calmness in a crisis, a sense of perspective and the ability to calculate risk accurately are exactly some of the attributes you need in the people responding to this incident.

Original poster
JuniperNet · 27/02/2020 16:05

Do you know how they contracted it?

In the news if said they had been on holiday in either Italy or Tenerife.

OP posts:
TheOrigBrave · 27/02/2020 16:05

Gadareen Flowers
Look after yourself

renegadeoffunk · 27/02/2020 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lovemusic33 · 27/02/2020 16:06

It’s ok to worry but I don’t think it’s a shock, I think over the coming weeks we will see more cases and closer to home, maybe people we know and come into contact with.

Hollyhead · 27/02/2020 16:07

Not surprising - it will be everywhere by now. It will have a significant (but not apocalyptic) effect on life for a good few months until treatment/vaccines can be developed.

renegadeoffunk · 27/02/2020 16:10

Bold fail. Hmm

Skyejuly · 27/02/2020 16:11

Probably more people have it now....I'm not worried for myself specifically but being I'll is an inconvenience....I do care for 2 elderly people in their 90s. The husband has already said he would still want me to go even if I was in contact because they simply cant cope without me
Yes they are old but it's not nice to know someone went out so poorly! I would feel awful if it was because of me!

renegadeoffunk · 27/02/2020 16:13

The point is - every one has to die.

If you are elderly and suffer other conditions, you live with the fact death is more likely.

I have autoimmune arthritis and I'm on medication to suppress my immune system. I'm 39 years old and at no point since my diagnosis was I told that "death is more likely" quite the opposite in fact.
I'm concerned that any infection I get will impact me more than a "healthy" person.
So yeah, I am concerned. I'm not locking myself away or stockpiling pasta but I am concerned.

I bet you wouldn't be so fucking blasé if you were in a similar situation.

BrokenMumTeenDD · 27/02/2020 16:14

Hasa it's new, therefore they are cautious until they fully understand it, not the same thing as " this is extremely serious and extremely worrying" at all

FudgeBrownie2019 · 27/02/2020 16:15

I'm not worried for myself at all, but DS2 has asthma that absolutely wipes him out from time to time and never seems strong enough to fight of respiratory issues at this time of year. For him, I'm concerned. Calmly, because there's no use in being frantic, but I've been taking precautions with him since he was tiny and this is no different.

HasaDigaEebowai · 27/02/2020 16:16

Hasa it's new, therefore they are cautious until they fully understand it, not the same thing as " this is extremely serious and extremely worrying" at all

Yeah that's bollocks but believe it if it makes you feel happier.

Enchiladas · 27/02/2020 16:18

I'm pregnant and on steroids that reduce my immune system.

I've been warned to stay away from chicken pox especially. I feel I should be more worried about CV than I am.

Nowayorhighway · 27/02/2020 16:23

People really need to get a grip. Unless you’re elderly or already ill, you don’t need to worry.

Nowayorhighway · 27/02/2020 16:24

I’m pregnant too with young DC but I couldn’t give a toss about this, I really just don’t care about it. Sad for everyone who has died, sure but I know the risk is super low so there’s no point getting anxious about it.

BrokenMumTeenDD · 27/02/2020 16:25

Hasa, if our friend believes it & she is an actual expert in this, then that's good enough for meWink

Blahdeeeblah · 27/02/2020 16:29

Same with a school nearby me, literally a couple miles away but i think the media is creating unnecessary panic. Follow NHS guidelines and you'll be fine.

HoffiCoffi13 · 27/02/2020 16:42

Unless you’re elderly or already ill, you don’t need to worry

As I said upthread, I’m not. But some of my loved ones are elderly or already ill. Am I not allowed to be worried for them? Or is it fine for them to die because they’re old/ill?

1Wildheartsease · 27/02/2020 16:48

Remember that the 'mortality-rate' is really based on those people who had the virus badly enough to be brought to the attention of the authorities. (Or who were perhaps in an area that was more generally tested - like the cruise ships.)

There are no doubt many more people who remain symptom free - or with minor symptoms and who are not in the statistics at all.

Anyway - worrying won't make it better or worse.

Keep enjoying your life and grasping opportunities ... and watch out for the traffic (a greater danger to most of us).

gamerwidow · 27/02/2020 16:52

I've been warned to stay away from chicken pox especially. I feel I should be more worried about CV than I am.
You’re at much more risk of coming into contact with CP than CV. Take the normal precautions you would take around anyone with an infection. It’s natural to worry but at this stage the risk of coming into contact with CV is very low. It is serious which is why people shouldn’t brush it off and not follow quarantine guidance but it’s not serious as in you are in immediate danger.

lilgreen · 27/02/2020 17:01

I was thinking there’s no big worry BUT I’m starting to worry why the big panic if it is so minor and that worries me a bit.