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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Are you doing anything to prepare for a second wave?

416 replies

Emlou07 · 31/05/2020 02:16

Historically we are going to get one. Seeing pictures of places rammed is scary.

So if so, what are you doing to prepare? If only to make another potential lockdown a bit easier.

I've been picking up a couple of extra tins a week and some UHT milk. I've also put some bits aside for the kids to keep them entertained.

OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 31/05/2020 16:06

If lots of people try to buy extra things all at once, all at the same time, at just the same time as everyone in the supply chain faces huge logistical problems getting supplies into the shops/out on delivery, of course it creates shortages.

For the umpteenth time, that's not what's being described here.

There are lots of possible approaches to feeding a household. Some people here imply that they buy what they need for a week and at the end of that time they have next to nothing left in fridge, freezer and cupboards. That's fine, as long as you can get out smartish to buy the next week's supplies.

If something happens to prevent you getting out, and you can't get help from anyone else, you're in a jam.

My approach, which appears to be the same as that of many preppers, is that routinely, crisis or no crisis, I buy more than we need for the week. The perishable food gets used up (I waste very little). The non-perishable food won't. After a few weeks of this my cupboards have tea, coffee, pasta, rice, oil, flour, sugar, tins of beans, soup, tomatoes, herbs, spices and so on. My fridge has odds and ends of vegetables, sauces, butter, cheese. My fridge freezer has meat and fish bought on special offer, veg, meals I batch cooked that just need defrosting, an extra loaf of bread. The bathroom has an extra pack of loo rolls. And so on.

This isn't panic buying. This is basic organisation for us.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 31/05/2020 16:11

Oh, and before we get more talk of middle-class privilege, of course this is easier for me because we're not on the breadline and we're not short of space. But this is how my parents and their parents always lived too, and their money was very tight and they had a lot less space. It was just that keeping a bit extra in was a priority over everything else, just like paying the weekly insurance premium so there would always be enough for a funeral.

TemoraryUsername · 31/05/2020 16:21

@frazzledfatty are you being deliberately goady? Where did I say 4 years worth of stocks?!

Of course I don't know how many preppers there are in the uk. But I do know from mumsnet, reddit etc that there are a good number of us.

Did you notice shortages in the 4 years between 2016 (when a number of us started prepping for Brexit) and the end of 2019?

@stuckindoors77 I said it was "the worry" not my personal belief. i appreciate it wasnt very clear wording, I was trying to help somebody to understand the concept of a second wave, not expecting to have to justify my post 😉

But now I've made that clear and since you've asked me... I think our (UK) government has handled the pandemic amazingly badly, and i don't think that continuing to ease lockdown is a very good idea given that our death rate is still above 100 cases a day and the R rate is only just below 1. I think a second wave is pretty much impossible for anybody to avoid and I suspect that our starting position for a second wave would be with more actively infectious people than our first wave, which is why I suspect it may well be worse and my fear is what if it is much worse.

CorianderLord · 31/05/2020 16:22

I've got so much blooming food in the house it's a bit silly. So no, we're starting to work through our cupboards now for a while

Lostmyshityear9 · 31/05/2020 16:53

The shelves are full
Not around here they're not. Mainly full. Some stuff is half full off and on (tinned tomatos, tomato puree, pasta). But things like flour (a staple), eggs, yeast, baking powder, are simply not there at the moment.

in the midst of another wave with hundreds dying daily, key workers having to risk their lives, etc is not been able to home bake & having to wear last yrs coat a big deal?

Some of us who lack the goods to home bake are also key workers, perhaps? Perhaps we would like to bake during our down time? Maybe lots of people (key workers or not) consider some items that are in short supply utterly essential for reasons to do with health, religion, culture, fussy eaters in the family, special needs etc. etc. etc. It's hardly a middle class issue - baking goods such as flour and eggs are very much staples of many, many people's diets.

SomewhereEast · 31/05/2020 16:59

Well my 'preparation' for the first wave basically consisted of buying a nice new coffee machine to compensate for the loss of Cafe Nero and we made it through with no issues (although it was a near thing on the bogroll I'll admit).

Bourbonbiccy · 31/05/2020 17:02

I am keeping my freezer stocked and I have a stock of flour, but other then that just maintaining our normal weekly shop.

We are not going crazy by any means, but we are conscious of the ridiculous situation our shops ended up in, food wise, during the 1st wave. I think we will probably bear it in mind for some time to come.

We still can not get hold of caster sugar, not a major issue, but all the baking aisles were bare at the start so just keeping nicely topped up,

ChocolateQuiltedShitPig · 31/05/2020 17:04

I've been doing some extra batch cooking. Freezing up portions of lasagna and veg etc. Stocking up a little on paracetamol and baby items as baby due any day

ITonyah · 31/05/2020 17:20

@SomewhereEast

Well my 'preparation' for the first wave basically consisted of buying a nice new coffee machine to compensate for the loss of Cafe Nero and we made it through with no issues (although it was a near thing on the bogroll I'll admit).
Lol! I bought an extra printer, a wifi booster and a waffle maker. Sorted
Drivingdownthe101 · 31/05/2020 17:20

I bought a hot tub as the spa I had membership to closed.

Popc0rn · 31/05/2020 17:41

I'm a nurse and am basically waiting to be infected :/. So trying to get as healthy as I can in the meantime. Eating healthier, cutting back on sugar, going for at least a one hour walk every morning and have just ordered an exercise bike, trying to get at least 7 hours sleep, taking vitamin D etc.

I have bought a thermometer (gave my last one away to a family member in March and then couldn't get one anywhere), and an oxygen saturation probe (from Argos, so hopefully it's accurate) so I can monitor myself at home if I do get sick. I have also cleared out the spare room and bought a mattress so I can stay separate from my boyfriend if needed.

We have a small stockpile of food that could just about last us two weeks if it needed to, but we have friends we could ask to do our shopping. I have stocked up on my favourite night cream and hand cream as I struggled to get any last time and my face and hands got a bit sore from the masks and hand washing. Also shower gel as I get through a lot more now due to washing EVERYWHERE with it when I get in from work, twice Grin.

I'm hoping there won't be a second wave, but the hospital I work at had a "spike" in covid cases for a few days about 10- 14 days after VE day, so it could very well happen. Even if it doesn't happen soon, there probably will be another one over the autumn/winter. Covid isn't going anywhere until we develop a vaccine or an antiviral, so in the meantime prevention is better than cure!

cologne4711 · 31/05/2020 17:51

I discovered yesterday that I had three pairs of running shoes under the spare room bed. It brings a whole new meaning to Brexit stockpiling! One pair was for me, one was for ds. But I had completely forgotten the 3rd pair!

Noone who normally has access to shops needs to prep

I have normal access to shops. But what happens, if in say 10 days' time someone calls me and says one of us has to isolate for two weeks (which means we all do). That's where things like cereal, tinned fruit and plenty of beans and cheese you can have on toast come into their own.

Whoknowswhocares · 31/05/2020 17:55

Well given that so many people have reported putting in weight during lockdown, I think we can say there is very little danger of the average household having gone short of food

In the event of a second wave, I very much doubt there would be a nationwide full lockdown anyway. The country can’t afford it and more to the point, the public are much less likely to adhere to it a second time, rendering it pointless

So no, I’m not going to ‘prep’ beyond my normal of keeping the cupboards at their usual levels. My only concession is I’m unlikely to run down supplies lower than usual. A case of one in, one out.

canigooutyet · 31/05/2020 18:00

Nothing. I’m just going to carry on as normal with my deliveries.

If I hadn’t been finally accepted by the priority list, I would be adding a couple of extra things. It was hell, having the virus, no one to go shop, couldn’t get a slot and for over 2 weeks.

Whoknowswhocares · 31/05/2020 18:02

I have normal access to shops. But what happens, if in say 10 days' time someone calls me and says one of us has to isolate for two weeks (which means we all do)

Apparently only the specified person has to isolate, so another family member could do the shopping assuming there is one in the house of course! Sounds a bit mad to me but that seems to be the ‘rule’.
Or online shop or get someone to drop it to the door.
Can’t really see a need for a mass stock up even in these circumstances

DominaShantotto · 31/05/2020 18:08

I am now refusing to worry anymore - my headspace for fretting about this is gone completely.

I have, however, bought a bean to cup coffee machine that does frothy bits as well because they will never ever again lock me away without access to decent coffee.

Ghostlyglow · 31/05/2020 18:17

No. Stop. If everyone had just got what they needed the shortages wouldn't have happened last time.

ITonyah · 31/05/2020 18:23

I have normal access to shops. But what happens, if in say 10 days' time someone calls me and says one of us has to isolate for two weeks (which means we all do)

Then a friend or dh does the shop

ITonyah · 31/05/2020 18:25

Tbh we have all just lived through a pandemic lockdown and the non-preppers have been fine. I'm less worried now, not more.

Chillyourbeans · 31/05/2020 18:28

Buying tinfoil. Lots of it. That way I can make a new hat every day.

canigooutyet · 31/05/2020 18:33

I recommend the panic buyers try the corona diet.
You start with 5 days food to feed a couple of people. One can only manage liquids nothing else. No one can go out. No supermarket deliveries. Take aways are available, money limited. Do this for 3 weeks.

That’s what fucks me off about panic buyers. Millions in similar or worse situations because of greedy selfish people. Boasting about buying another freezer and left the shop empty.

Hopefully supermarkets won’t lift their restrictions for a long time. Too many people starved. Mums forced to pay £50 for a tin of baby milk. People struggling to find the basic food items, then getting judged for buying “none essential” food etc.
.

Eckhart · 31/05/2020 18:37

@canigooutyet

I agree with you in principle, but lets say you were in the supermarket and needed to buy an item. Someone else gets there at the same time as you, and says they want it. Presumeably there would be somebody who needed it more than either of you, who might not be there. How would you decide who got it?

GrimDamnFanjo · 31/05/2020 18:44

I've made a few notes about stuff we lacked. Some baking stuff, store cupboard items. Most important I think we were short on some medication as we are fortunately not a family who gets sick a lot.
I'm carrying on with a lot of the things we started like a milkman, veg deliveries etc.

derxa · 31/05/2020 18:54

Our local shop has worked so hard to make sure that everyone had what they needed the last time. So I will be fine. Hope you're all pleased for me Grin

SoupDragon · 31/05/2020 20:01

Too many people starved.

How many?

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