To think some people need to get a grip!

[CurrentBun1981]

There are clearly those who are being far too nonchalant about the current situation, but tbh I'm probably encountering more of the slightly hysterical/OTT types right now.

For example, my friend has been frantically discussing on FB how best to sterilise her shopping and has implemented some ridiculously elaborate system of debagging shopping in the garage, putting the bags in the outside bin, wiping everything down with sanitising wipes, then walking back to put these in the bin too, before then leaving everything in quarantine for a couple days in the garage fridge. She's now worried about whether she's already brought the virus into the house on her shoes or her dog as she hadn't thought of that till she read it, and is discussing this on FB right now, trying to make another process involving outdoor footwear, indoor footwear, and 'transitional' footwear (presumably slippers from garage into house or something).

Her view is that she wants to go 110% in ensuring she doesn't catch it, which is fine. However, she doesn't do anything like this in any other areas of her life, which I suspect is the same thing for many others acting similarly.

For example, I've never seen her check the tyre pressure on her car and am 100% certain she doesn't do this weekly as is recommended. I'm pretty certain she doesn't know the legal tread depth and how to check it as she often needs new tyres at MOT stage (presumably illegally low on tread at this point).

What is it about this recent crisis that's invoking fear in the types of people who rarely use their car mirrors except to check their make up?

I'll concede that theoretically you could probably bring the virus into your house on your feet if you stepped in somebody's spit etc, but the likelihood has got to be tiny, and this is all ultimately to avoid catching a disease which will give the majority of victims 'mild' symptoms and is statistically extremely unlikely to kill her in the unlikely chance she catches it - I'm convinced the government might just let us crack on and catch it if it wasn't for the unmanageable strain on the NHS.

It’s the fear of the unknown I guess. Chances are high that even if you do catch it, you’ll survive. Might feel a bit shitty but probably will survive it, especially if you’re young and healthy. People are still frightened though, just incase it’s severe for them or one of their relatives which is understandable.

Lots of people doing very elaborate steps all of which must be sterile.

Easiest and simplest method is just put everything in the oven on a gentle heat on entering the house.

If it helps them then let them get on with it. No one is really 100% sure how the virus gets about at the moment and we are learning things about it all of the time.

Maybe this heightened awareness of the potential dangers that has been brought about by the coronavirus will rub off in other areas of her life.

Very big of you to concede it OP since it is indeed fact and has been proven that footwear is a way that the virus migrates. Expert advice has been given to not pet, or allow others to pet your dogs or cats, and covid 19 literally can survive on plastics and packaging for some time, and therefore be transferred onto hands and surfaces. The fact you are less likely to catch it this way isn't proven or not and doesn't alter the fact it is true so she is hardly 'hysterical' in her actions is she, just worried and utilising measures to protect herself. It doesn't sound that elaborate, I hardly doubt it takes up her whole day to decontaminate shopping via the garage and a quick wipe down...

If your friend wishes to take advice and feels more comfortable doing do then what had that got to do with you anyway? I would focus on your own life, which I'm sure is as equally full of perceived hypocrisy as everyone elses (as with all of us) and stop being delibertaly snide about other peoples choices in very anxiety inducing times. What does it contribute

I think maybe people acting this way are generally more obsessive type - ie the type to suffer from OCD type symptoms. It’s hard to rationalise with the news stories in the media.

The first week or two I was very worried, not sleeping and wiping everything down but I’ve stopped doing it now because it was driving me mad. You can’t wipe down everything that comes into your house - where does it end? I’ve also stopped watching the news, going on WhatsApp groups etc - I’ve told dh to only tell me what I need to know re rules etc. I feel much more relaxed now. Some might say we should be informed and not bury our heads in the sand but I’d rather be calm and rational and not fretting about the number of deaths each day. There’s nothing I can do about it so why upset yourself? Just follow the basic rules re social distancing, exercising once a day and washing hands.
Now I’m just washing my hands after touching stuff and discarding packaging outside and washing fruit/veg (which I would’ve done anyway)
The chances are we will get it at some point so you just have to hope you’ll be ok.

What does it matter if this is what she needs to get through this?

They asked an expert on the One Show yesterday evening about bringing shopping/deliveries into the house and they recommended pretty much what your friend is doing. Either leave package for 72 hours of that's not possible then take packaging off and dispose of, wash hands and wipe everything down with diluted bleach. Regarding the other things this is an extremely worrying time and has prompted high levels of anxiety in people. It's her way of coping I guess.

I think some people enjoy making a meal of the crisis. The novelty and the feeling that it's a big historical event are making people milk it

I'm not going to lose sleep over it! It's just odd that the same friend (a pretty bad driver who drove 35 miles to see me during the snow the other year, against all gov recommendations) is getting so worked up over this. I think she's far more likely to die on the road given her poor driving but I doubt she'll be rushing out for some supplementary driving lessons once this is over.

Another interesting one is obese people suddenly being worried that being fat makes them more likely to die. As if dying from heart disease or cancer was not worth worrying about but covid is.

You’re right OP.
The hysteria is off the scale at the mo. People being rude to each other and reporting neighbours for sunbathing and leaving anonymous notes on nurses cars is really shocking too.
I feel I no longer know my countrymen.

Its worrying. I've suffered with OCD for years and it's under control so I'm not allowing myself to clean shopping or go overboard.
Reading about people like your friend makes me worried that OCD will be off the charts after this.

Umm... you're meant to check your tyre pressure every week?!

People are scared and have strange ways of coping. Don't agree with people trying to scare others by banging on about on social media though 🤷‍♀️

I think it is more to do with the feeling of not being in control. She cannot control the virus or what is happening in the country and so is going overboard with her own personal space.
I do wonder how one of my neighbours is coping. In a normal week she has at least 2 large empty bottles of bleach in her recycling and I have seen up to 6 at times. She cleans the garage from top to bottom at least once a week while her husband hoovers, cleans and polishes their car every wednesday. I do not snoop but just notice as I walk or drive past.

Why are you so bothered? It doesn't affect you so YABU.

It may seem over the top to you, but perhaps it's her way of coping.

I don't know if you can call it hysteria yet. She may well end up looking like the sensible one.

There are a lot of unknowns right now. Very concerning noises coming from the medical community about what exactly 'survival' means, including for those who have had it 'mildly'.

Some of the current concerns re:survivors that we can't prove, yet, some of which have been reported in young/healthy/mild survivors:

Male sterility, considerably reduced lung function, a damaged immune system, the virus behaving somewhat like HIV and 'hiding' in the body.

I think if it was on the news constantly that people were dying from not checking their tyres, everyone was talking about it etc then someone like her would be over the top with it. People are frightened and trying to manage their worry in the best way possible and get some control over something we have limited control over.
To be honest it’s only on here that I’m coming across the over the top people; in real life people I speak to are being careful and sensible.

The weirdest ones are the smokers furious at people for going outside and ignoring health warnings.

We went from 'lockdown to protect the NHS' to 'omg I will not leave the house and will bleach my shopping and quarantine my mail until it's safe'.

And it's not going to be 'safe' for months or even years if people are waiting on a vaccine and however long it takes even after that to vaccinate billions of people.

They asked an expert on the One Show yesterday evening about bringing shopping/deliveries into the house

No they didn't. They asked Matt Allwright who presents Rogue Traders and Watchdog. He is not an expert. Also there is a difference between "what's the best way to decontaminate my shopping" and "what is the risk from shopping and is it necessary".

We're not decontaminating anything. I will admit to never checking my oil in the car but do check the tyre tread depths and pressures about every month.

I disagree. My family is abroad and people are doing a lot to avoid catching it.
Coming in from the shops, getting changed and straight into the shower, clothes to the wash, bleaching the soles of the shoes, cleaning all items etc.
People here are a lot more relaxed.
I can’t catch this virus because it would certainly kill someone in my house.
I have been to the shops once as I needed to go to the doctors next door. And I have been extremely cautious. I don’t give a monkeys what people think or if they say I have the hysteria. If my loved one dies where will all these people be?

I don’t get why people are so relaxed or why they think we all should be.

Perhaps they worry they are being too relaxed and want us all to do the same

OP I hear you

I am so disappointed right now.

@Jellycatfox

What makes you think it would certainly kill someone in your house?