To wish we had been completely wrong

[Wehttam]

Many of us were trying to warn people to mentally prepare for what was coming at the end of January, early February. Watching with horror at what was unfolding in China it was inevitable a pandemic was hurtling towards us like a freight train, only it was coming at 10mph and was still somewhere off in the distance. Nevertheless it was coming, and nothing could stop it. Any suggestion of this was met with accusations that we were revelling in the drama and being hysterical. The mention that it could linger in the air, was highly contagious and affecting millions was ludicrous and again we were berated and reported because what we said didn’t match the narrative from the news here in the UK.

We were sneered at and accused of scaremongering for even suggesting the possibility of a lockdown or that we would face living with this virus indefinitely. I think I can speak on behalf of all of those when I say we were hoping none of this would happen and that the sneers were for good reason, though this wasn’t meant to be.

This is now our new normality, a new world, again something I had posts reported for because it was a ‘fantastical’ ideology, that we were some frenzied lunatic fringe spreading conspiracy theories and talking about new normals as if we were disciples of David Icke.

How we move forward now will define our civilisation for generations, we are taking tentative steps towards a new set of rules and behaviours. What comes next no one can be sure of, it’s a new lifestyle we must learn to live in and accept. One day there will be a vaccine, a cure, a therapy, a way out. Until then, we carry on, stay safe.

Please do not label those with worries, fears and concerns as Dementors, yes I see those threads and frankly they are despicable and I am embarrassed for you that you openly mock those who have concerns, questions or fears about this virus. Your motivation for having to resort to name calling or compartmentalising us I will never understand, it says a lot about your character.

To those who were mocked, how do you feel now we are over the first wave? I am very relieved that society has stayed glued together for the most part, we are far more resilient than I first anticipated. The deprivation and societal impact will surely unfold as we go on, the economic damage will be immense, the mental health impact will be just as devastating.

I just wish in this instance I had been absolutely wrong and we would all be carrying on with life as I am sure everyone else does. I miss my family, interaction with people at work, being able to walk into a shop straight away and so much more.

Jesus Christ.

The 'Birdie friend' thing was mildly irritating as a one off thread. You could ignore it if you liked.

Now it's like the ''X Army', I can't remember the actual thread, but it was full of idiotic followers, standing up agaist a completely imaginary injustice.

Are people not capable of spotting utter bullshit any more?

No wonder people are drifting to the mums chat site.

Please do not label those with worries, fears and concerns as Dementors, yes I see those threads and frankly they are despicable and I am embarrassed for you that you openly mock those who have concerns, questions or fears about this virus.

That's not how I see the 'Dementor' tag at all - it came about from posters who flew into any thread about the virus to tell people over and over how they were idiots for not prepping, that it was 'disrespectful' to laugh about anything, that they were not allowed to say they hadn't really been affected in their area because the virus was coming ANY MINUTE to destroy them.

I don't believe you wish you had been wrong, you sound as if you're revelling in it all.

@Unshriven Dramatic? I’m not sure how that is but thank you all the same

Well you are OP but that's fine, you do you and here's a medal for having your theory come true. I'll take the loser prize for hoping this would fizzle out like swine flu.

I have to say of all the family and friends I have, I've not met anyone in real life who is so fixated on 'the new normal' as bloody Mumsnet.

It'll just be life before Covid-19 and after. Like every other historical event in the world that has happened and is yet to come.

The ones I have the issue with are the ones who seem to find joy in tearing down those who are trying to be positive, they are the ones that are being called “dementors”.
Like on holiday threads where they post
“you will never be able to have a holiday again so get used to it “
Yes you can be wary but some people ARE being massively over the top and hysterical and that’s coming from someone who has had a corona death in the family so knows the risks .

👏 aren't you jolly clever. Well done

I totally understand op, by mid February after half term, l had ordered a Chest freezer cooked to fill it, started to make provisions for home working for DH and l and 2 dcs home schooling. A week later DC were out of school, all unnecessary trips stopped.
Work rearranged..... l didn’t say much as many were carrying on as normal and any comment got sniffed at.
It was like watching a huge tsunami slowly rolling towards us... l wanted to yell get off the bloody beach! ie start preparing for what lies ahead.
It is appalling that the government didn’t do anything for so long..... but equally surprising that people seemed so unconcerned... after all it was all there on every news channel.
Now l am concerned that just because the government has lifted restrictions ( necessary to keep the economy afloat)
people have stopped protecting themselves and families.... after all nothing has changed much, still no treatment or vaccine, still deadly for some and very unpleasant for others....

I am embarrassed for you that you openly mock those who have concerns, questions or fears about this virus

I am deeply embarrassed for you OP that you sound positively gleeful that you “were right” and that lots of people have died. Well I’m glad all those people’s deaths allowed you to prove a point. Clearly them dying was totes worth it so you can brag about how right you were on a message board. Congratulations. You must be so proud.

Urgh what an utterly revolting thread.

So your whole post can be summed up as "i told you so".

I would merely question the logic.

Either it was such a mild inconvenience, there was absolutely no need for the restrictions we have had in place the last few weeks - a couple of week or so to close, deep clean everything and install new distancing rules and help everywhere and back to "normal" within the new rules.

Or it wasn't so mild, and there's no indication that we are out of the wood just yet - restrictions lifted too early would only bring worst damage to the economy.

We can't have it both ways.

It seems that for many people, they are just bored and have decided it's time to ignore the pandemic, and refuse any rules or distancing guidelines, because they have decided they are "safe". Is boredom really a valid reason to move on?

Alright Cassandra / OP 🙄

Any proof that you actually did warn anyone or so you just want praise for no reason?

What a positively odd thread. What are you expecting a cookie? You sound terribly thrilled that you were 'right' whatever that means and insufferably smug.

You also dont understand what is meant by the term dementor at all. But by all means please do self isolate until a vaccine has arrived and shriek hysterically at anyone breaking the rules, real or indeed the ones you have made up.

The competitive misery that this virus has bought people out in is truly bizzare.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Every bloody time something awful happens people will be doom mongers. On the law of averages, someone will be right some time. It was simply your turn, OP. Well done. Revel in 'I told you so'.

WOW - OP likes to go overboard (understatement of the century)

The world has not ended. Don't be such a drama queen. Calm down a bit.

Things are different for everyone for a while. The negative amongst us like to bring everyone down to their level. Fortunately, some of us can see the light.

Now OP pat yourself on the back and go lie down in a dark room, you must be exhausted with all that rambling.

I'm not sure what the point of this post is. Yes we saw it coming. There was f all we could do about it. Did you predict some miraculous cure? Or magic a load of testing laboratories and tests, or wait for it Produce a sht load of PPEs and a few reserve nursing homes for the now tested older people? I thought not. Must be those bloody ToriesInevervotedfor
Never mind most of the world got it wrong too

As expected, you’ve all come out in force. 👋🏼

I wonder if the rhetoric of ‘you’re shrieking, wishing this upon us, won’t be happy until we’re living in The Road, smugness of I told you so’ will still continue as this catastrophe continues to unfold.

Very disheartening to read some of the comments.

I agree with FliesandPies.

The Dementor label wasn't directed at those with worries, etc, but towards those who are using the restrictions we have now as a way of making everyone around them miserable.

The type who goes off on a rant that we are KILLING EVERYONE, DONCHA KNOW? just because someone couldn't quite manage to maintain distance in a place where social distancing can be a problem due to space. Or the people who make up their own rules and try to bully everyone else into following them, and who try to shame those who don't fall in line when they point out the actual rules.

I've seen these people in my facebook groups (although the landlady of the Virtual Pub and her moderators are quick to stop this nonsense). They act holier than thou and revel in virtue signalling.

These people are not the same as those with the genuine worries, I have lots of patience for these, and help where I can.

Thing is no one can prevent you doing anything. Dementors assume essentual items are a list of about 10 basic edible items. They are self appointed fun police.
Then they moan about the tanking economy.

Thanks for the chart Coronabored, that's very reassuring I hadn't seen it put like that before.

Have you even read people’s comments Wehttam? Can you recognise yourself as one of those who comes across as positively taking glee in it all? Because that is how you come across. I think you must have a very sad life.

I agree with you OP. I was on the early coronavirus threads, and the comparison to a tsunami or freight train coming at us from a distance are right imo. The howling every time a thread about coronavirus wasn't in the MN topic set up for it, the regular visits from people goading about stockpiling, and just general "Chicken Licken" comments... and then it slowly turned. I was also hoping to be wrong, fwiw. I am having the most successful period of my professional career thanks to the current crisis, and even I wish that it was all hysterical nonsense.

Hah! You sound utterly horrific and I am so glad I dont know you in real life. Or anyone that remotely thinks like you.

Thank god this virus came along eh, it's put you on the map. You'll be famous with all this wisdom and foresight you have...

My child has a badge that is possibly a demon. I’m more worried about that than Coronavirus

You don’t wish you were wrong at all. You’re revelling in the fact that you were right.

Well why don’t you give your self a nice pat on the back then.

Nobody could have predicted how things would pan out.

For example I'm shocked that the borders are still open as I would have imagined that a person who was elected after a "taking back control (of our borders)" sort of narrative would have done this early on. Trump doing it should have been a cue to do it too.

If you have worries of course you should ask. I've seen threads where there are warm replies to "I'm feeling down-can someone keep me company?" sort of thing. (I've seen some shitty replies from dementors talking about bombs during the Blitz which is far from helpful) . People can feel sad or anxious irrespective of circumstance and I feel for those living alone because their feelings must be magnified and it's easier to find small joys in life when you're with others. Sometimes people feel better when there's actual stats to give a reality check. I certainly did when a number was assigned to the statement "kids are low risk" as risk means different things to different people.

There's no need to put on a brave face on this forum of anonymous adults if you're scared. There are some kind people who will hold your hand and give you a hug as you can do that online