Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

"Only the elderly/immune suppressed are at risk" - attitude of dicks?

602 replies

SylvanianFrenemies · 27/02/2020 22:47

People who say not to worry about Coronavirus, because "Only the elderly/chronically ill/immune suppressed" are dicks.

Some of us fall into these categories. Some love people who fall into these categories. Some have some essence of humanity. Stop using "Only the xxx" to dismiss concerns. Stop conflating it with flu.

Wash your hands. Isolate yourself as required. Err on the side of caution.

YABU = I agree with these dicks.
YANBU = I am human.

OP posts:
flower1994 · 28/02/2020 14:37

default I was prescribed it actually..I've already stated that. considering what its purpose is I'm very confused why this is something youd be questioning

flower1994 · 28/02/2020 14:38

skierr you are genuinely wrong. look it up. it may enter your blood but highly unlikely to get ill from it that way

FourTeaFallOut · 28/02/2020 14:38

I'm beginning to think that stupidity is endemic. Most people seem not to know the difference between 2% and .2%, they just see small numbers and carry on in their small bubble with no regard for the knock on effects on the NHS, on supply chains, on the social consequences. They cling to 'it's just the flu' like a security blanket and hope that someone else will come and fix everything without any personal inconvenience. They seem to have no capacity to consider that the actions that other countries have taken might to prevent the spread of the illness might be the actions that we must take to do the same. But because all of this isn't under their nose right now they can't accept that this is probably going to happen, that they will have to adapt and they are failing to plan. Muppets, they walk among us.

ineedsun · 28/02/2020 14:41

Do you really think that's what people mean? Because I don't, most people mean that there's no need for mass panic about this virus because it's not the rampant killer that some people are making it out to be.

For sure, some people, if they contract it, will be more at risk than others. The big thing here is 'if they catch it'.

I think you might be over personalising it (and the wording of your OP adds to the sense that you're not really being very rational about it all).

Skierrdery · 28/02/2020 14:46

For sure, some people, if they contract it, will be more at risk than others. The big thing here is 'if they catch it'.

But Jack thinks, I'm alright, I'm not remotely fazed by this 'hysteria', so I'm going to go happily skiing to Northern Italy on Sunday. I'll come home and there won't be a bother on me even IF I catch it. It's arseholery to the extreme.

Original poster
SylvanianFrenemies · 28/02/2020 14:46

My point is that of course some people are more vulnerable, but a bit of sensitivity would be nice. There is definitely an attitude from some people that those who are older, or who have health issues, are of less value.

Those of us at risk will be less likely to catch it if others aren't excessively blase.

OP posts:
Original poster
SylvanianFrenemies · 28/02/2020 14:46

Exactly @Skierrdery

OP posts:
janemaster · 28/02/2020 14:48

We are not heading for a disaster movie. But 1 in 50 people dying in a few months is a lot of people.

malificent7 · 28/02/2020 14:50

I feel very sad about those who die...however, it is a fact unfortunately. That's not to say it is insignificant but its a way of calming mass hysteria which is also damaging.
We should be worried about Corona virus. Stockpiling and building bunkers...not so sure.

malificent7 · 28/02/2020 14:55

But yes ...it is insensitive......

Skierrdery · 28/02/2020 14:56

It took China about a month to actually put in stringent measures.
The UK isn't closing borders (I'd have thought they'd have jumped at the chance lol).
This is already a crisis. FTSE was down 10% or something. Second worse day since it started reportedly!

Skierrdery · 28/02/2020 14:58

That's not to say it is insignificant but its a way of calming mass hysteria which is also damaging.

Would you equate stock traders to being hysterical? They react to global events. They're not Mummy at home washing her hands 100 times a day. Why has the FTSE plummeted?

LittleSweet · 28/02/2020 15:01

*ElizabethMountbatton, I watched a documentary about the Spanish flu. The reason it killed so many young people was because they had strong immune systems. Their immune systems fought really hard against the virus and as a result they produced a lot of fluid in their lungs, which essentially drowned them. Nowadays they would have been given anti virals which would have dampened their immune systems, so they wouldn't have produced so much fluid.

Also the black death killed lots of young people as they hadn't grown properly due to famine, so were weaker than they should have been.

NomDeDieu · 28/02/2020 15:02

About 300k people died due to the austerity measures.
I haven’t seen the same level of panic as there is with thé corona virus.
I suspect it’s because you can’t catch ‘austerity measures effects’ so it’s easier to convince yourself it won’t be YOU.
And it’s not as visible either. No quarantine and men in suits.

But it’s effect has been as deadly :(

Maybe we should calm down about it and wake up to how deadly other causes can be too.

NomDeDieu · 28/02/2020 15:05

Why has the FTSE plummeted?

Because many businesses will be affected?
I doubt it’s because of the number of death. But rather the cancellation of flights and hols, supply chains disrupted etc...

Skierrdery · 28/02/2020 15:06

Watch the News NomdeDieu.

janemaster · 28/02/2020 15:06

I don't think saying only elderly and people with existing conditions could die is a way to stop mass hysteria. If that is the aim, it is very ill judged.
What helps is proper information and the Government giving a clear sense that they know what they are doing. That is not happening.

Anyway it will all happen whatever we say. In a month's time things will be very different.

janemaster · 28/02/2020 15:08

@NomDeDieu I know some people die of austerity, but I am very cynical about that large number. I suspect most people are.

Snog · 28/02/2020 15:08

It's an issue that we need to look out for each other to minimise the effects of Corona.

Our society has become much more selfish, I'm alright jack and dog eat dog. In my opinion.

Our basic hygiene standards as a society are very lax. Some will suffer from this more than others but potentially we could all lose someone we know if this virus takes hold.

woodchuck99 · 28/02/2020 15:53

skierr you are genuinely wrong. look it up. it may enter your blood but highly unlikely to get ill from it that way

At the moment we don't know that are you are unlikely to get ill from this virus entering your bloodstream. Some medical experts have been warning that if you over wash the hands or use too much gel and disrupt skins normal barrier function you increase the risk of viruses entering the skin.

flower1994 · 28/02/2020 16:07

woodchuck99 respiratory illness' are highly unlikely to be spread via a cut. please look into it properly before spouting nonsense

FelicityFebruary · 28/02/2020 16:11

Snog, yes it requires a societal response that we maybe are not capable of, unlike somewhere like Singapore.

Welltroddenpath · 28/02/2020 16:12

Yanbu - My Mum is old and cantankerous but I don’t want her getting ill so I can’t find it in myself to be “I’m alright jack”

If she gets admitted into her major A&E hospital her chances of just mrsa in there is very high on that hospitals best day.

woodchuck99 · 28/02/2020 17:09

woodchuck99 respiratory illness' are highly unlikely to be spread via a cut. please look into it properly before spouting nonsense

Obviously the main mode of transmission will be respiratory but that doesn't mean it can't enter through a cut on the hand. Maybe you have evidence that it can't but perhaps rather than telling me that it is nonsense to suggest we don't know you can post a link. I have only seen suggestions that it can.

flower1994 · 28/02/2020 18:00

woodchuck99 where on earth have you seen this? everything I've seen has said respiratory illness', including strains of coronavirus, are spread from airborne drops or touching ears/eyes/nose/ mouth etc after touching a contaminated surface. please dont try and prove a point by spreading information that is false, people don't need to be any more freaked out then they already are