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

[SylvanianFrenemies]

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 you need to get a grip. I don't understand why anyone would be condemning a factual statement that is designed to prevent people panicking.

You are loading a purely factual bit of health information with your own bias. I have asthma and fibromyalgia and I am not having a melt down. When they say similar statements about flu and tell vulnerable categories of people to get the jab do you get upset about that? I bet not. It's just sensible information.

I usually count myself as suffering high anxiety but maybe I'm better than I thought, judging by the amount of people panicking and trying to communicate that panic to others.

I think the dickishness of this depends entirely on the context/delivery.

Said to calm excessive panic among healthy people, I think it's fine. Said in a dismissive manner, particularly in terms of questioning why public health measures are in place, it's obviously not.

You are looking to find offense where there is none. The only people I have heard say things like this are trying to reassure frightened children. They are not callously wishing others to die.

Depends on the context. If someone's worrying about social collapse and people lying dead in the streets, I think it's a fair reply. But if the implication is, "Well, it's not likely to kill me," then it's pretty callous.

Are you ok mummy?

I completely agree. My dad and my mum in law are both having cancer treatment and my dad has a pleurX drain in place. I've started to get very worried for them now. I've got a cold I haven't been able to shift for weeks so I've tried to stay away as much as I can to not weaken them.

I get frustrated with the whole “stop panicking and just carry on with life as normal” thing. Actually, we’re pretty much at the stage where a bit of concern and some lifestyle changes would be very helpful in limiting spread. Avoiding unnecessary travel, large groups of people, working from home where possible, closing schools before they become seething hotbeds off infection, rather than afterwards. It would be better to start doing all these things sooner, rather than later. This isn’t just about individual levels of risk, which is what the “don’t worry if your young and healthy” comment is aimed at, but about minimising the impact to the community as a whole.
Yes, there is a balancing act to be performed with regard to the economy, but unfortunately at this stage I think a lot of the tourist industry, for example, is already going to be screwed. Personally, I think our government response is skewed towards prioritising the economy over safeguarding the populace.

The only people I have heard say things like this are trying to reassure frightened children

"Oh yes you'll be fine but your much loved Granny and Grandad are toast, lets go buy some flowers for their mass graves"

How about "its no more serious than a cold but it is a NEW type cold, so we have to be very careful in washing our hands, so lets go and wash our hands together"

OP I've not seen the use of the word "only" to describe those at risk.
Have you seen this on a news report, or in conversation?

Gov.uk says Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

The BBC page I looked at is similar.

The use of the word "only" would be disgusting. As stated above and similar, I interpret it to mean that those people should take extra care.

It’s the ‘I’m all right jack’ complex.

YANBU

The comparisons to flu now are coming from people who are wilfully misinformed. It's not difficult to find out that this is so much more dangerous than flu.

@nellodee

So you want the economy to stagnate when there is no proof that the virus is dangerous to most of the population?

Why not just stick to the facts? Some population groups are more vulnerable than others. I really don't think it's a Dickhead move to point it out.

The more the general population knows about the risk the more likely the overall spread can be minimised.

Everyone has their part to play... even if it is spreading information 🤷‍♀️

On the "it's only kills the elderly and immuno compromised" issue, not only is that kind of an awful thing to say in the "well that's fine then" sense, it's also not true. It's more likely to kill people in those groups, but that doesn't mean everyone else is safe. The doctor from Wuhan who first broke the story about the coronavirus eventually caught it himself, and died. He was in his 30s and in good health. So lower risk if you're young and healthy? Yes. Not at risk at all? Absolutely not.

Which isn't to say "everyone panic!", it's just to say that assuming that it can't do more than make you feel a bit poorly if you're young and healthy would be unwise.

Having followed this closely, I think China have done an amazing job in limiting spread. I think we may will find their approach minimises long term cost and that early, decisive action is butter for the economy in the long run. At the very least, I am convinced it will save lives. I don’t think we can hope to emulate their response but most of my suggestions are implementable on a personal level. You are not going to save the economy by going to a prebooked concert in London, but you might prevent a local cluster taking hold in your area.

You might prevent a local cluster by not going, I meant to say.

I'm in the immunocompromised category. A "simple" cold could put me in hospital. My 2 young children know that although they are healthy and catching a cold would be a bit miserable for them but ultimately not a big deal, they could easily pass it on to me. So they take precautions, washing their hands regularly, using and discarding tissues properly and not sneezing over me. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who just don't seem to think they need to take any extra steps to stop the spread of viruses because "it's just a sniffle" and they'll be fine. I'm not panicking about CV at the moment although I'm following it closely and feel I'm proportionately concerned. But I think it's very silly and irresponsible to not even consider that you should change your habits slightly at the moment, less unessential travel, better hygiene practices, avoiding packed spaces to try to limit the spread. You may well be fine, but you could spread it to those who won't be.

Can't believe the ratio on this vote.
There must be more arseholes on here than I suspected.

My thoughts exactly. DP is immunosuppressed and I'm pregnant! I'm allowed to be scared and I wish those who were ill would bloody well stay off work (that goes for horrible colds/flu as well as suspected Corona virus).

But people should be panicking.

My ds even said we don't need to worry as it only affects the old and ill. I pointed out that included his parents and grandparents, and he seemed surprised.

If the young don't take appropriate precautions, then the old and sick will die.

Thanks musicposy, I will take a look at those sources.

You're being too sensitive!

Oh as someone who is both immune suppressed and vulnerable because of chronic asthma (and whose child has asthma) I have said the words ‘apparently those MOST AT RISK are those with compromised immune systems, existing lung/chest conditions and the very elderly’

But people hear what they want to hear sometimes 😊

It's more likely to kill people in vulnerable groups allows for an ocassional random departure from the mean.

That is not the same as it being overall dangerous to everyone not in that group. People vary and sometimes a person who appears to be otherwise healthy has a vulnerability that isn't picked up.

No people should not be panicking. Why do you want people to panick? Why do you want this?

My sister is a nurse at big London hospital and has to put up with ridiculous pleading phonecalls from relatives for her not to go to work. It is ridiculous. Thus far, none of tgem have offered to pay her bills so she can have time off or answered how long her job is meant to stay open for her.

Yes Nanny and Granddad are more at risk. So lets be more careful with washing our hands. That's all that's required. Even if Nanny and Granddad catch it does not mean they will die.

Why anyone wants heap anxiety on children is beyond me.

Think this hugely depends on the context in which this is said tbh. My sister has severe health anxiety so I have said exactly this to her to reassure her she very likely would be OK if she got CP19, coronavirus has been around for ages this is a particularly virulent strain etc. If it was said however to try to excuse yourself from taking basic precautions because you'll be OK screw everyone else then that's of course unreasonable.

Context is key.

better hygiene practices

I don't see any good argument for why people shouldn't just do this anyway, even when there's not a potential for epidemic looming. This particular virus will hopefully not turn into Spanish Flu Pt 2, but some variety of the flu is around every year, and people who're immunocompromised are around all the time (and you won't know who they are at a glance), so why are some people still not washing their hands properly? I think face masks for people who're sick and trying not to spread it as is common in parts of Asia wouldn't be a bad thing to see go global either.