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.

Before was different. Unless you're immunocompromised, this wouldn't have been dangerous to you.
Come on, half my team was constantly sick because we were working with children and families a few years back.
I also don’t want a cold after the next and other stuff if people can simply wash hands, use tissues, bin it.
It really is common hygiene

@branster
I don't think everyone washers their hands after a wee in their own home. Different in public toilets of course.

I always wash my hands after a wee! Every time I've been to the toilet, in fact. And before and after preparing food.

Which is why I've surprised myself by not being totally manic about handwashing at home through CV-19. I am at work, but then I always wash my hands a lot at work because customers are minging buggers and money is disgusting.

Bet she's got a Penis Beaker!

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

Well, it's a multi faceted issue, also relating to individual circumstances IMO.

I'm not relaxed about the economy, I think we'll feel the impact for many years to come, but working in a tech/logistics based role which covers critical areas like pharmaceutical/food etc, I'm likely fairly stable in my job, especially as there was huge shortage before this all started. So I'm not truly panicked about paying the bills etc.

I'm not overly worried about catching corona as I'm not in contact with anyone vulnerable, am very physically fit with no underlying conditions I know of, and I already know quite a lot of people who've recovered after almost certainly having it.

I do notice a bit of a trend though where a lot of people on here seem to be terrified of catching it and almost seem to think they're at home for their own protection.

On the other hand, a lot of the young guys in the workshop/warehouse at work would probs go to the pub tomorrow if they could. They seem to mainly feel they're being restricted to protect the elderly and NHS but don't seem personally worried for themselves from what I can see.

What your friend does is exactly what the people of Wuhan were doing. The fact is, she’s following what the general advice has been globally about washing shopping. If you don’t want to, don’t. No one gives a shit. She may not catch it, you are more likely to. You may think you won’t die, but chances are you or someone you know will end up being hospitalised because the best data ewe currently have is that 15% have severe symptoms and are hospitalised and 5% become critical and have to be ventilated. I don’t fancy drowning in my own sputum but if you think it’s being hysterical good for you. Sick of people downplaying it. Tell that to all those people who have lost healthy and young sons and daughters ages.

U less we have the good luck to be naturally immune, we are ALL (well, most of us) going to get it. A significant number of us have already had it and aren't even aware.

The current measures are to keep numbers under control as our health system can't cope. Yes, we should avoid getting it during this super spreading time but having the goal of never getting it is unrealistic, unscientific and bad for mental health.

We need to protect ours es but not become obsessive.

A friend of mine who is a nurse caught it. She had the ‘mild’ version which means she’s never felt so ill. She also said she has never been so frightened or cried so much in her life, as going from a mild case to a severe case is something no one has any control over. But hey - sure she was just milking it.

If the goal was we’d all get it then we’d be looking at an incomprehensibly high death rate. Of course people don’t want to get it and will aim not to get it. Who wants to end up in hospital receiving oxygen, or worse, saying goodbye to family before being put on a ventilator? FFS what is wrong with people.

having the goal of never getting it is unrealistic, unscientific and bad for mental health

Herd immunity is not the goal. Suppressing cases until a vaccine is found is now the goal. Social distancing is likely to stay in some shape or form for 18 months. According to the scientists that is, not mums on MN

I am also washing my shopping and putting letters and parcels in quarantine. I don't want to catch it. Chances are I'll only have mild symptoms but I'm not willing to take the risk. Also strip off in the porch, put my clothes in the washing machine and get straight in the shower straight away before then washing everything along the way like door handles. It's a hassle but maybe if everyone was a bit more OCD about it the virus may finally stop spreading

I completely agree. I am completely following guidelines and am being careful washing hands after being outside etc. Surely everyone is aware that after 3 weeks, 3 months longer this virus is not going to go away. Hopefully there will be a vaccine at some point in the next 12 months but that’s probably optimistic. We are all going to get it at some point. Unless you are planning to not leave your house until the world is vaccinated. I do worry about some people’s mental health at the moment as I don’t think that this is a healthy reaction

I'm doing those things with my shopping to protect my very vulnerable husband. It's not unreasonable for anyone to take precautions, it would only be so if they say you're unreasonable for not doing it. Why do you care? Is it affecting you? Maybe you should think about getting a grip if it bothers you so much?

It's a weird one. I am not in the slightest a germ-phobe. I'm normally happy to eat food beyond sell-by, and accept that we live happily in a world of germs.

But this thing has got me following these instructions to disinfect packaging and clothing. Whilst I feel it's probably over the top, I'm trying to "do what I'm told" and avoid infection at all costs.

My dh has lectured us all about takeaway food on the rare occasion we have had a delivery. I mean lectured...
Shopping arrived today and when I asked him if he had washed his hands after bringing it in he rolled his eyes, dipped his fingers under the tap and then went back to face mining.
He is the one we are all trying to shield.
We do what we can to reduce it getting in. Wash the milk, wipe down the shopping, take shoes off at the door but then he does something stupid and makes out we are nagging and being ridiculous for reminding him to wash his bloody hands and stop face mining!

I dont know. A guy my husband worked with just two weeks ago passed away from covid at the weekend. Apparently perfectly fit and not in the age bracket for concern. If it keeps her sane then let her fill her boots with bleach. I get the whole "chances are you will be fine" argument, but unlikely people are also not making it. I'm a pretty shitty driver too, but I've also started sanitizing my wheely bin handles, and lots of other things... I dont want people to be saying, bloody hell.... she was only in her 40s...

Sick of people downplaying it. Tell that to all those people who have lost healthy and young sons and daughters.

I'd imagine that people who've lost healthy children in car accidents feel the same way. Most people know someone who's died in a car accident, yet most people don't give a second thought to jumping in their car each morn for work, and people happily make non-essential journeys all the time. Then you have the majority of people who will happily drive at 70mph+ on the motorway with no idea of when they last inspected their tyres for defects and whether there may be a huge bulge in sidewall waiting to send them careening off the road.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't be cautious, just that I'm witnessing lots of people who dismiss other safety concerns getting themselves incredibly worked up over this. I mean, even if you did manage to somehow bring in corona on your feet, get it on the doormat, transfer it to the dog from doormat, then touch dog....the end result is.still much less likely to result in death than careening off the road at speed. That's my point. People get worked up over the media storm but still ignore other equally logical concerns that regularly kill loads of people. I mean, I saw two women and a bloke with phones glued to their cars on the motorway today and I see the same most days tbh.

We need to protect ourselves but not become obsessive.

This.

We are all going to get it at some point

So we’re not going to wait for a vaccine because ‘we’re all going to get it’ and we’re all ok with the fact that if everyone for it over 664,400 people are going to die over the next 18 months? No.

It is not unhealthy to try to avoid the virus. It’s the most sensible thing and cognitively healthy thing anyone can do. I worry more about the cognition of those people who can’t do very simple maths.

Ears not cars

I do agree though that some people who have assessed risk correctly for this are unable to assess risk correctly for other things

My daughter has OCD based around fear of germs. Everything that we are now recommended to do are the way she has lived for the last year or more. No items are allowed into her room unless they have been washed and sanitised. That includes all food items including bags of crisps etc feet have to be sprayed with antibacterial spray before stepping into her room. Any clothes worn outdoors have to be removed before entering her room. I have to shower before entering her room, even if I haven’t been out.. etc. I guess most people will return to some kind of normal eventually but for her this had just reinforced and justified her way of thinking. This will make it even more difficult for her to overcome and deal with her mentally health issues. I am sure there are many more people in the same position.

Personally I think it’s all a huge storm in a tea cup (backed up by the death stats which are statistically no higher than usual for this time of year). I feel very sorry for anyone who is choosing to live in fear. If your immune system is strong the chances of becoming seriously ill from this are less than your chances of being hit by a bus.

twice this week, I've gone to cross the road, and someone opposite has literally been lunging from foot to foot, left and right, trying to gauge how to avoid me. Looked like a goalie facing a penalty. This is after I've been isolating for three weeks. Wonder what they're like when they used to pass someone who was smoking.

I'll admit I'm being extra cautious, sterilising shopping, and any surfaces it touches, wearing gloves to bring shopping in and handwashing and same with post etc, not left the house apart from going in back garden since this started, but then I'm high risk, if I get it I'm screwed I know I won't survive it and I don't want my children loosing their mother at a young age and ending up in care.

I think it varies to each persons circumstances, although my friend wouldn't judge me for it whereas it feels like you are judging your friend. She has her reasons for doing it and it's what feels right for her. Plus you've not mentioned if you are aware of her being high risk to the virus?