To ask what the most COVID bonkers thing you did about

[Jay36]

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 😂😭

@HesterShaw1

Who was brainwashed? I weren't brainwashed I was doing what I thought was needed to keep my dc safe and now laugh at the ridiculous lengths I went to.

Of course you were brainwashed. You had been "nudged" into thinking that your children were at risk from this virus, when they probably weren't. They were far more at risk from the adverse effects from the campaign of terror.

If you're laughing at it now, I'm guessing that they are not CEV or similar?

We were DEFINITELY all brainwashed, I think some of the proof of this has been leaked from meetings of behavioural scientists advising the government at the time.

Preface to say my friend died of Covid in March 2020 so it was a very real threat as she was same age as me and friend from playgroup, kids same age etc.

I was not ECV but told work I was as I was too scared to continue my key work for a charity (they gave me a desk job of fundraising and I raised thousands in Covid grants so worked out all good and I feel awful but I was so so scared)

I quarantined all post and parcels for 72 hrs

My autistic son only eats pasta, so I bulk bought it every time I found some in stock. Still eating that pasta now!!

I withdrew cash as I heard the banks would crash etc

I bought tablets that could make rainwater drinkable in case that went down too.

But then my nephew died (not Covid) in May, and I no longer cared about anything and went the whole other way while I supported my sister in her home with her nurse friends all around after shifts all hugging etc.

Grief and Covid effected me in funny ways in 2020!

At the very beggining, I would get home from work and get straight in the shower, before doing anything else, even hugging my kids.

@Bakewelltart987

* Who was brainwashed? I weren't brainwashed I was doing what I thought was needed to keep my dc safe and now laugh at the ridiculous lengths I went to.*

Two things

Firstly - I’m curious. What made you change your mind? Because the messaging has always been the same…. The overwhelming majority will be fine and children - very very very rare for it to be serious

1. Not accusing you per se

But when you thought you were protecting your children, and others were where you are now ie don’t do anything of those things, I wonder how many posters are similar and would pour scorn and rage on us

@notamilf

Washing shopping was the least of the disturbing stuff I read on mumsnet during the lockdown

Parents unable to get out of bed as so anxious about the situation, couldn’t stop crying, beside themselves at neighbours going out daily to the shops

I always thought of the poor kids

[quote notamilf]@Notdoingthis
"This thread is scary. People are so willing to be brainwashed."

So true, I can't believe these people actually breed. Their poor children. Imaging watching your Mam washing the fucking shopping jesus christ[/quote]
There was a thread not long ago where people are still washing their shopping and still think they are justified. Crazy! For me the most odd thing we did was visit my parents and speak to them through the window rather than going in. In hindsight when they are looking after my germ vector dc in their home in the omicron times that was batshit. I also remember going to pick up our puppy in April 2020 and checking my rear view mirror when driving through the towns outside the local authority area, worried we'd be pulled over and questioned. Tbf that might have happened at that stage

@graysquirrel

Wiped down all the shopping and parcels that entered the house, put parcel items in a big plastic box for a whole day before using further. Using mapping software to map exactly 3 mile diameter round my house, printed out as proof if ever questioned and didn't take one step over those 3 miles.

I did that too - we never had those restrictions in England but there was one point where I thought we might have a 2k restriction so I mapped where I would be able to go within a 2k radius of my house. And I would have printed it off and carried it around with me too!

So true, I can't believe these people actually breed. Their poor children. Imaging watching your Mam washing the fucking shopping Jesus Christ

I know, right @notamilf? imagine a mum trying to keep her child safe from a novel disease killing 1000s around the globe. What a dickhead.

@AgnesNaismith

So true, I can't believe these people actually breed. Their poor children. Imaging watching your Mam washing the fucking shopping Jesus Christ

I know, right @notamilf? imagine a mum trying to keep her child safe from a novel disease killing 1000s around the globe. What a dickhead.

Don't be disingenuous @AgnesNaismith. It was clear very early on that washing your shopping did absolutely fuck all. Continuing to do shows an anxiety and paranoia that goes way beyond "loving your children".

We were in a hotel in a UK hotel but far from home just before the first lockdown. I didn't want to go but felt silly about cancelling the trip. So I went armed with loads of antiseptic wipes to clean down everything a chambermaid might have touched. Light switches, the lot. Every day.

I also had a good supply of tissues with me, which was just as well because although loo roll was supplied in the room it had been nicked from every other public loo in town.

Then I kept watching JVT on the telly every morning with all the awful warnings and in the end it all got to me and I insisted we go home early. Which cost us quite a bit of money, but I am glad we did.

@AgnesNaismith

So true, I can't believe these people actually breed. Their poor children. Imaging watching your Mam washing the fucking shopping Jesus Christ

I know, right @notamilf? imagine a mum trying to keep her child safe from a novel disease killing 1000s around the globe. What a dickhead.

That all the evidence and public announcements in every country without exception

Was that the overwhelming majority would have very mild experience and children either no symptoms or very mild

I’m not. Knocking people who are trying to keep their families safe and protected the only way they feel able/have any control over is judgemental bullshit. Even if it didn’t do anything...we all fucking tried didn’t we? Why don’t you spend some of your misplaced energy judging people who actually commit harm.

At the very beginning asked my essential worker DH to take his shoes and outer clothes outside. This went on for about a week untilI started eyeing his work trousers- at that point he asked me if I would like him to take all his clothes and underwear outside, before he gets through the door- at that point I realised how demented I've become
Used to wipe supermarket trolley with antibac tissues and wear gloves myself +super duper mask.
Was properly scared at the beginning.
It might have worked, as none of the family caught it, yet.

@AgnesNaismith

I’m not. Knocking people who are trying to keep their families safe and protected the only way they feel able/have any control over is judgemental bullshit. Even if it didn’t do anything...we all fucking tried didn’t we? Why don’t you spend some of your misplaced energy judging people who actually commit harm.

I suppose people, me included, feel that the behaviour of a list of the most angst parents will have been a really really tough environment for their children

And yes… I suppose I am a little judgemental of that

Some of the comments here have been very judgy yes, especially the "breeding" one.

What I'm judging is the government who deliberately and falsely sowed this fear, even though they themselves knew it was misplaced. I'm not judging the people now who admit they were taken in, because it was cleverly done. I do also judge the people who still insist we should be terrified, and who have been leaping on every thread for months and months continually telling us so.

In May last year my lovely neighbour passed away suddenly (not covid related) and I went to see his wife at her doorway- we stood apart but she looked so broken and without thinking I just instinctively went to hug her which she welcomed. When I got home I told my husband how she was and then realised I’d hugged her and was beside myself with worry. So I messaged her and apologised for my behaviour!!

Well that I can agree with @HesterShaw1

@Trying2611

I live in Wales and at one point you could go to the pub for an alcoholic drink but only if you ordered food with the drink couldn't just get a drink on it's own as COVID could not get you if were eating as well as drinking

They were expensive and full nights out WHY!!!

There were a few pubs near us selling cheap packet noodles for a couple of quid so people were seen to be eating with their pints. They did a roaring trade.

Only daft think I think I did was sleep in the living room when DP had Covid thinking I wouldn't catch it from him that way. As it turns out the reason I was so tired wasn't just because our sofa is so uncomfortable, but because I had Covid already (probably gave it to DP).

We know from the leaked behaviour stuff they knew they needed to terrify us to get us to abide by these ridiculous rules, because they were so draconian. And amazingly people were crying out for harsher restrictions!! I mean WTF!!

@Nidan2Sandan

We know from the leaked behaviour stuff they knew they needed to terrify us to get us to abide by these ridiculous rules, because they were so draconian. And amazingly people were crying out for harsher restrictions!! I mean WTF!!

The terror which was deliberately sown was so effective that people lost their powers of rational thought. And this was preyed upon by the press who used it as an excuse to shit stir and click bait. Terrifying headlines get more clicks than reassuring ones, and the public lapped it up and bayed for more restrictions to keep them "safe". They plastered these demands all over Twitter, and the journos picked them up and used them to needle the government with during the Daily Death Show (another fear tactic), and so it went on.

Knowing what we know now, knowing that the appalling administration we have running the country frightened people into following the rules and fining them or detaining them when they didn’t, while laughingly disregarding them themselves, I feel so fucking resentful about what we’ve missed/endured.

I feel resentful that I had to give birth with a mask on and no birthing partner to help me post CS, I have never ever been able to get through to a HV as they were furloughed, my now toddler has never been weighed measured or even looked at by a HV, has never had a developmental check up (and an issue which should have been picked up at a six-week check was missed due to no check and so he now needs an operation), that as a new first time mother in my own in a park with a two week old baby post CS, I was questioned by two police officers for sitting on a bench and told to go home. I had been resting as walking had kicked off the lochia. I resent that you can’t get a GP appointment without a negative Covid test, whatever is wrong with you. And all of that pales into insignificance compared to those whose family has died alone.

There’s so much I’m fucking livid about and the impact it’s had on individual lives is untold. And they’ve just been laughing at us.

@Nidan2Sandan

We know from the leaked behaviour stuff they knew they needed to terrify us to get us to abide by these ridiculous rules, because they were so draconian. And amazingly people were crying out for harsher restrictions!! I mean WTF!!

It has worked long term - look at omicron

New ways to scare still worked. The daily case / death announcements work and the other stuff, SAGE scenarios included

We don’t really have enforcement but do have a strong media / messaging

Mu parents are still washing the shopping.... they soak bottles of milk in disinfectant, wash the fruit... each individual grape.... its ridiculous.

Brilliant thread!

Antibaccd the shopping
Made the kids strip at the door after school and put clothes in the washing machine
Started opening all gates/doors etc with my elbows/bum
Antibacced the steering wheel in the car 'just in case'

Bonkers times.