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Original poster

To ask what the most COVID bonkers thing you did about

794 replies

Jay36 · 13/01/2022 21:42

First off this is not a COVID denier thread.

But I’m wondering what was the weird things you did at the start of the pandemic because you were worried about CV. I’ll go first;

Left my shoes outside the house as was worried about bringing the virus ‘in’ in case someone had coughed on the pavement !

Bleached the door handles daily.

Feel like I was a bit crazy now 😂😭

OP posts:
givemushypeasachance · 14/01/2022 10:05

I was pretty chilled personally even in early days, being mid-30s and health was fine, I wasn't worried about getting seriously ill myself. But I still did things like cross the road when I was out for a run and someone else was walking on the same side, or stepping out into the gutter. I didn't want to be one of the vilified joggers from those animations with all the particles going everywhere.

One of my biggest regrets is my mum had terminal cancer - she was already ill, but it meant I didn't get to see her in person from Christmas 2019 until the rules relaxed a bit in the summer of 2020, as she lived a couple of hours away and I needed to travel and be allowed to stay at their house. By then she was a lot more frail. Post-covid coming along I saw her in person twice before she was admitted to the hospice in August. Even then the hospice rules were only two designated visitors, so it had to be my dad and then either me or my sister who could visit. I said goodbye holding her hand with gloves on because of whatever arbitrary rules. We had her funeral in September and thankfully just before rules got stricter again so we were able to have a small (socially distanced) wake in a pub with afternoon tea. Otherwise it'd have been bring your own sandwiches in the crematorium car park.

Hemingwayzcatz · 14/01/2022 10:06

I didn’t leave the house at all during the first lockdown aside from midwife appointments because I’d read horror stories about women catching covid when heavily pregnant and nearly dying. My DH quite rightly said we should just go for a walk after around 2 months stuck at home so I tried but when I saw a dog walker approaching I turned back and ran home Shock. It totally fucked me up mentally, I’m still feeling the effects to this day.

Hemingwayzcatz · 14/01/2022 10:08

@babymama471

Learning to breastfeed my newborn whilst homeschooling 3 older dcs all with live lessons on webcams. All 3 needed support as have varying degrees of learning difficulties. Dp was working long hours as a key worker and I had to try and do my best by all 4 dc. I felt completely torn between all 4. I can honestly say it was one of the most stressful times, trying to stop my newborn from crying so my other dcs could hear their teachers etc, trying to dodge the webcams whilst trying to get my newborn to latch. Bleeding heavily postpartum and not even having the time to shower.

I feel like I was robbed of that precious newborn bubble. I ended up with awful pnd and on medication.

Same here. Homeschooled the older three which was really, really difficult while battling with a toddler and being heavily pregnant. I also ended up with severe PND, I’m still having counselling . It’s sad isn’t it?
Cakecakecheese · 14/01/2022 10:12

I told a man off in the supermarket as he kept picking up packets of block butter, squeezing them for some reason and putting them pack. 'You're not supposed to do that!' Mostly because I wanted butter and didn't want one that he'd been squeezing. Also he was taking forever and I just wanted to grab a (non squeezed) pack and move on but I had to wait at a distance for him to finish whatever it was he was doing.

PatchworkElmer · 14/01/2022 10:23

Showering and washing all my clothes after a hospital appointment.

Quarantining post.

Holding my breath when walking past people (still do this!!)

Aposterhasnoname · 14/01/2022 10:29

Me, nothing, but DH went nuts.

Insisted I asked work for proof of being an essential worker, lest the police stopped me. Was practically a gibbering wreck because I made two trips to the supermarket a week because I couldn’t manage all ours and all my parents in one go, fully expected the police to knock on the door at any moment. Made me strip in the hallway and put my clothes straight in the washing machine, with disinfectant, then shower everyday when I got home. Made me spray everything that couldn’t be washed, so phone, shoes, keys, shopping etc as soon as I got in. Insisted I wiped down the entire car every day. Nearly had heart failure when he found out I’d driven a co worker to the hospital following an accident. He wanted me to stay in a hotel for two weeks after that, as an essential worker. When I finally managed to lure him out of the house (wouldn’t even sit in our secluded garden for first few months) he screamed at me for suggesting we walk round a lake as other people were doing the same.

He really suffered with it. Now he’s the complete opposite and will do whatever, but I worried for his mental health at the start.

notamilf · 14/01/2022 10:30

This is all so sad to read, I didn't think people did any of this stuff in real life Sad I carried on exactly as normal thankfully. What is health anxiety? I can't keep up with all the new illnesses on here that everyone suddenly has, I read a thread yesterday where pretty much every poster was terrified of the school run and it made them physically ill. Does an actual doctor diagnose this new health anxiety

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 14/01/2022 10:30

I have always disinfected shopping when I get home, have you lot ever seen what a warehouse/storeroom looks like? how can you not clean your shopping when it may have had a rodent or cockroach sat on it and it handled by people who never wash their hands.

Yes - I worked in a supermarket for years. However I don't lick my shopping so I can't see what harm dirty packaging is going to do to anyone Confused

NotExactlyHappyToHelp · 14/01/2022 10:30

I followed all the rules but that was about it. I work at a big supermarket and I was resigned to the fact that if I was going to get it then I was going to get it and that was that.

One thing I’ll never forget is the awful unkindness of people. To the staff and to each other. Single parents getting abuse for bringing their kids shopping, older folks shouted at for not understanding the one way system. My colleagues and I screamed at, physically assaulted and actually spat at Sad.

Being deemed ‘essential’ while being looked down upon as a ‘thick shop girl’ making close to minimum wage is an odd dichotomy.

lololololollll · 14/01/2022 10:31

@notamilf

This is all so sad to read, I didn't think people did any of this stuff in real life Sad I carried on exactly as normal thankfully. What is health anxiety? I can't keep up with all the new illnesses on here that everyone suddenly has, I read a thread yesterday where pretty much every poster was terrified of the school run and it made them physically ill. Does an actual doctor diagnose this new health anxiety
You sound a little bit high and mighty. Not sure if that's on purpose or not
notamilf · 14/01/2022 10:33

This reply has been deleted

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MummBRaaarrrTheEverLeaking · 14/01/2022 10:40

Burst into tears when we got home from a walk because DD touched a lamppost. Blush It was very early days, my stress levels were through the roof trying to juggle work and childcare and on high alert whenever we went out from trying to keep a 3 year old touching everything in sight!

ThoseFestiveLights · 14/01/2022 10:45

People saying that they did nothing, and this was all over top, have I think forgotten what it was like. The police arrested dog walkers locally because they were five miles from home. You were only allowed out once a day and Priti Patel encourage neighbours to call the police on each other. I think people have a short memory!

Aposterhasnoname · 14/01/2022 10:47

[quote notamilf]@Aposterhasnoname that whole post sounds like a horror movie. Your husband sounds like he would be great fun at parties. Does he wear a condom to have a wank[/quote]
He was unrecognisable. I was very very worried about his mental health. He’s back to normal now though, thank god, and horrified at what he was like.

MarshmallowFondant · 14/01/2022 10:49

@ThoseFestiveLights

People saying that they did nothing, and this was all over top, have I think forgotten what it was like. The police arrested dog walkers locally because they were five miles from home. You were only allowed out once a day and Priti Patel encourage neighbours to call the police on each other. I think people have a short memory!
Yes.

My anxiety didn't last long. By mid-April I had got the fear into perspective and was no longer terrified to go into the supermarket. And that fear has declined as time went on. But there were LOTS of stories of people being stopped by the police for travelling too far, or on "non-essential" business.

Wreath21 · 14/01/2022 10:50

Things I am glad I did - repeatedly advising people to go out, get some air, do a little research into moral panics to see what can be safely ignored. Oh, and mocked and taunted the meddlesome bullies and snitches at every opportunity.

Things I will always advise people to do: be aware of the law and your rights and, if you are respectable-looking, always be politely non-compliant with overzealous police and, if you see police officers being overbearing with someone who doesn't deserve it, stand there and watch.

MarshmallowFondant · 14/01/2022 10:51

[quote notamilf]**@Aposterhasnoname that whole post sounds like a horror movie. Your husband sounds like he would be great fun at parties. Does he wear a condom to have a wank[/quote]
What a bitchy, nasty post about someone's husband who was clearly struggling with his mental health.

Did it make you feel superior, having a wee pop at @Aposterhasnoname like that? Hmm

LindaEllen · 14/01/2022 10:53

The craziest thing I did was actually adhere to the fucking stupid 'one exercise a day' thing. So I'd go for a walk in the morning, and could have gone for a lovely evening walk too, but didn't. Ridiculous how we were prepared to live.

MarshmallowFondant · 14/01/2022 10:55

I work with someone who lives in a cul-de-sac in a quiet visit. During the first lockdown there was someone in their street who spend their days sitting at the window, noting down when people left and when people returned.

If they were out for more than an hour, or more than once a day, they got a letter through the door.

Just awful.

110APiccadilly · 14/01/2022 11:02

I asked my physio for permission to go and swim in a lake (back problems mean I need to swim or I end up in a really poor condition). When she said it was ok, I took a folder with my medical paperwork up with me to the completely deserted lake every time in case I was stopped by the police.

In my defence, I'm in Wales, and the Welsh Government had specifically said you shouldn't swim outside at that point.

Idontknowlondon · 14/01/2022 11:03

@ThoseFestiveLights

People saying that they did nothing, and this was all over top, have I think forgotten what it was like. The police arrested dog walkers locally because they were five miles from home. You were only allowed out once a day and Priti Patel encourage neighbours to call the police on each other. I think people have a short memory!
I haven't forgotten what it was like, I just didn't do anything like is commented on this thread. I don't think those who did are crazy though, it was a worrying and very strange time.
VaccineSticker · 14/01/2022 11:14

@ThoseFestiveLights agreed! Also most of us are now vaccinated compared to back in 2020 we had no vaccine and we were all trying to look after ourselves to avoid needing the hospital. With vaccines, People have immunity now, it’s silly to look back and laugh at what we did because people were genuinely worried with no immunity against covid.
Adding to the fact that omicron is slightly milder than delta, it’s easy to show off your muscles now to a milder variant when most of us are vaccinated.

miltonj · 14/01/2022 11:18

@Jay36

So weird isn’t it! Even just the concept of a ‘daily walk’ remember telling people ‘I can’t meet for a walk as have already been out for my daily walk today’

DH is a Doctor and he showered as soon as he came home and left all his clothes in a ‘contamination bag’

What a mental time

FIL is a dr too and still does this. Gets anyone on the house to close their eyes and then run round in his boxers. I have asked him when he's going to stop and he says when the pandemic is over. Absolute madness.
TheKeatingFive · 14/01/2022 11:27

I didn't do anything really mental as I was never particularly afraid of covid on a personal level. DH, however, washed the milk when he bought it from the 'grotty' shop Hmm. Quite why he thought that was more of a covid risk than the 'posh' shop, I'll never know.

The only thing I remember inwardly panicking about was while out for a grim walk in April 2020 and DS trailed his hand along a car parked on the pavement. It was early days and all that, but looking back I'm laughing at myself for thinking you could get covid from touching a car.

AllThePogs · 14/01/2022 11:28

I still do a daily walk. It is one of the good things that has come out of the pandemic for me personally.