To not understand the coronavirus panic

[YeahWhatevver]

With all the media coverage and social media posts on coronavirus it's hard to really understand why it's so bad.

As I understand it, for most people (and I accept that for those with preexisting conditions it's more worrying) nothing will come of it beyond a respiratory infection.

What am I missing?

If all of these elderly and vulnerable relatives get the virus and need hospital care where are the hospital beds going to come from????

Hospital beds will be rationed for those with the best chance of positive outcome.

It's a horrendous reality but the truth.

Coronavirus: What are the chances of dying? www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51674743

This is the reality so far, basically for under-50s to die is rare (and many will have health conditions).

Noticed this online, somewhat interesting the comments about mumsnet and preparing etc

theunionjournal.com/mailonline-readers-share-the-coronavirus-essentials-theyre-stockpiling/

*Hospital beds will be rationed for those with the best chance of positive outcome.

It's a horrendous reality but the truth*

Yes I noticed some stuff about that also online, unsure how true though, seemed to be from talks with senior doctors in NHS

Both dd and I have pre-existing conditions so we're at risk. I'm not worried at all atm. That may change of course. We don't live in a city, if I were in London I might be a bit more concerned, simply because the m more people there are the more possible it is to come across someone who's a carrier.

DD is currently living at Uni, so is surrounded by people from all over the world with no knowledge of who has been where when. She is far more at risk and I am considering her position, whether I should advise her to stay at home and do her lectures online for the moment. DH has suggested it, but I think probably not right now.

It really really gets on my nerves that people stockpile. It's bloody selfish.

That means the rest of us can't find anti bac handgel or wipes for love nor money and if it's out there, it's a ridiculous price.

We live in a country where the Government does not care about us, of course people are going to look after themselves.

I think Johnson would call it, taking responsibility.

Well.... if there were 2 bottles of anti bac handgel on the supermarket shelf and that was all that was left, and another shopper arrived at the shelf the same time as me.... I would say... go on, you have one and I'll have one.
But the way stockpilers work means that some would just grab the 2 bottles without a thought to anyone else.

But that made up scenario is rarely the one taking place. People are going to the shops and buying more than they normally do. That is it.

People buying stuff now aren’t stockpiling they’re panic buying - there’s a difference - the preppers haD stockpiles before Covid19 was even heard of, which reduces pressure on the shelves right now

Whatever the word, there is none out there to buy. I only want a bottle of anti bac handgel that isn't £18 on amazon! And one pack of antibac wipes!

It's obviously a regional problem as here there is loads in the shops. Sorry! Hopefully stocks will arrive this week for you.

Am the only one who thinks that treatment should be given to the elderly and those in vulnerable groups if they contract this virus? Surely younger, fitter people stand more chance of surviving it?

If the virus became much more widespread, how awful would it be to lose so many of the older generation? It would have a massive effect on us all.

I think our Government should be reacting appropriately so everyone gets treatment. The Chinese built two new hospitals and drafted in Drs from other regions. Our Government is doing nothing. The difficult decisions will be made by medics.

Maybe letting all the old people die is part of the plan? It will take a lot of pressure off society in terms of housing, benefits, NHS etc. After all, what GOOD are we? I am not a net contributor anymore, since becoming disabled, and I am doubly not a net contributor now that I am over 60, and shall only become more demanding of our resources. I can quite see a Government thinking that they'd like to let me just die Quite frankly, I am so disgusted by recent Governments in so many ways that I don't think I'd mind!

I'm worried because my DM will be travelling back from West Africa via Lisbon, after working there for a couple of months. She's 80 years old and catches everything going. She keeps going, despite having had malaria several times and the flu. But this is completely new.

I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and had pneumonia last year. I'm also down with another virus, temperature of 38 for 10 days in a row and a bad cough. It's unlikely to be a Covid-19 this time, but it really makes me vulnerable and I have 2 DDs with attachment issues who are being affected by my bad health already.

Getting coronavirus is something I'm worried about for both my DM and myself, and also other family members and friends who are vulnerable.

Jux I hate to say it, and I’m sure I’d be described as a conspiracy theorist, but ( having just seen the film dark waters) knowing how much money talks on this planet, I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility that this is man made. The aging population is a massive problem economically for all countries, but for China especially.

There is an unexpected side effect of the virus though:

pollution has cleared up in China

Snowy I love conspiracy theories! That's a good one, and I can see it happening in a dystopian world which this one increasingly is. Maybe they do want all us oldies to just die I also like a bit of gallows humour.

Hi all. We have a new Coronavirus section and we'll be moving a few relevant topics into it (including this one).

Just want to clear up that peppers and stockpiles have not contributed to lack of hand gel. Panic buying has. The opposite of a stockpiler. I have several gels for each family member plus numerous clinel wipes and clinical cleaner. However despite the amount I have it has all been waiting for a while. I usually have 2 packs of wipes on hand in a sick bug pile anyway so I have been adding to this since new years day really. I started buying 3 gels a week when the news hit so hardly riding the shops.

People who were in denial and now panicing are the reason there is none.

Not the peppers.

Preppers*

I hate to say it but why didnt people buy some week or so ago? I told my mum to add wipes and milton gel to her order but she didnt so now I have had to deliver some of mine to stop her panicking.

Its soooo much easier just to prep honestly!

1% (the possible fatality rate) of 60% (the most plausible worst case infection rate in the first year) of 7.5 billion (global population) is 45 million deaths from a virus that didn't exist three months ago.