..to say Homestead Prepping Lite is not Doomsday Survival Prepping. So here's some non-panicky ideas

[bellinisurge]

I'm a general prepper so I know about this stuff. It's my "hobby", if you like. Best case scenario is it all goes away and is nothing. We all want that but it might not be like that. Next best case scenario is two weeks boring self isolation. Yes, you can ask your pals to bring you food but this pal has their own stuff to deal with. I'll help you up to a point as long as I'm not required to self isolate too. Next best case scenario is a general lockdown in your area when nobody can bring anyone anything. No one in your house is poorly but there's only so much TV you can binge watch before you get hungry or need a wee or do other hygiene stuff. This is where homestead prepping lite comes in.
You don't need to worry about utilities going off etc but you do need to eat. You probably have stuff in your freezer and cupboards but enough for two weeks. Frozen sweetcorn and spaghetti for breakfast, anyone?
And bog roll? Yes, there are general prepper approaches but who's got time for that shit if you aren't a prepper? You need to get extra but where to store it? Get a hold-all. Take the bog roll out of its packaging, squash each roll down and pack it in there. Yes, you might lose some on the outside of the roll, they'll look a bit bumpy but it's better than a bog roll wall in your bedroom. Or rejig your drawers to make space.
I'm not a medic, I am over 50 with an underlying health problem so my situation is different to you regarding getting poorly. Follow general advice about good hand hygiene and eating well to boost your immune system.
I hope the worst that happens is you get bored. Don't beat yourself up about being concerned. And stop willy waving about how it's all nothing to you and everyone else is being silly. Take back control of this situation and don't give in to hype either way. There's loads of great advice on here.

@Snowdropdelight , I get that it might be an age thing. When I was in my 20s, I thought I was invincible and lived and worked in countries that would scare most people shitless. And then one of those countries declared martial law when I was there - in my late twenties- and it stopped being a lark. All the same, I had a good supply of hobnobs so that kept me going when I couldn't get out and shop. Because I only had me to worry about and all my local friends kind of took care of me anyway because I was too dim to see their reality and they were nice.
If I was in my twenties now, and especially if I only had me to worry about, I'd probably think it was all a bit daft, all this talk of getting extra in.
But I've grown up 30 years from that time. So now I'm a bit more cautious and a bit less lackadaisical. I only hope that the people who are still being casual about it have a good support system around them and don't fuck those people off too much. Also hope they don't end up draining important resources because they couldn't be arsed to put a tiny bit of effort in.

I’m worried about medication if it did happen. I can’t function without my strong pain relief. I don’t have a supply in as they are controlled drugs. Sure something would be arranged (she says hopefully)

@dontgobaconmyheart , you seem to be saying that even trying to be positive and practical is dangerous scaremongering.
As for all the official advice, not sure "people will shop for you if you self isolate " really counts as good advice. It just makes people complacent.
Is it really the "Issue That Shall Not Be Named"?
As for scoffing at my idea of doing exercise indoors if you are stuck in, given the amount of people saying they'll just get pissed and watch Netflix, not sure it's such a bad idea.

@Darbs76 , I'm sure it will.
It would be even better if people who could easily sort themselves out did so now. So they aren't in the way of people who actually need support.

@dontgobaconmyheart , do you have a bottomless list of people who will shop for you? Is there not the remotest possibility that any of them might be asked to self isolate too?

dontgobaconmyheart
Nobody is forced to come on a thread.
If people take something away that helps them as many have if you actually read it, then thats all to the good. (and that kind of negtes your it never ends up a worthwhile contribution comment)
Nobody is forcing anyone to buy anything but people might have bought in extras but forgot about pet supplies, otc meds etc or have ideas they want to share with others.
There is no panic, no scaremongering just adults discussing a particular topic. If it all blows over without any crisis then thats great we will all save some money on our shopping for a couple of weeks in the future which suits me fine.
And no not everyone will have thought about what will happen if they have to be quarantined, or the shops stocks run low, as they are doing in many places at the moment, so they have benefited from threads like this. Many of the people on MN are much younger than the rest of us who have lived through other crisises, shortages, etc etc and are glad of some advice and reassurance. Who is anyone to say thats not helping people?

Nobody was harmed in the making of this thread!

And if people come on a thread just to be goady and insulting everyone is just to accept it and take it? If people do not need any tips nor want to discuss this then why do they bother coming on them just to be rude? Why do they feel the need to but in on other adults conversations to insult them? I bet a million quid they wouldnt do it anywhere else. Its not affecting them so whats the point? This "I am entitled to my opinion" bollocks is wearing thin. You can have an opinion but if its just insulting and juvenile then nobody gives a damm about it so why insist we have to hear it? How much do people think of themselves to believe that thier self important insults thinly disguised as 'opinions' are so important?

You could make a load of normal meals and freeze them. I did that when I had my baby, to last two of us for two weeks. Much easier than buying all the stuff as I just did extra every time I cooked for a while

And if people come on a thread just to be goady and insulting everyone is just to accept it and take it? If people do not need any tips nor want to discuss this then why do they bother coming on them just to be rude?

Yes, precisely. If people will insist on hanging around under bridges, getting their head pissed on is an occupational hazard.

No hand gel in Superdrug where I am and boots neither. Boots had a sign saying only 2 hand gels per customer. So I do think people are starting to buy stuff in case it becomes widespread here.

I only used to have only a few days food in and thought that sufficient prepping,
until a couple of years ago when I tore my ankle ligaments and was on crutches

The doctor (who made house calls) said I had to stay home for 2 weeks
I live alone, no family and online grocery shopping & takeaways are of very limited variety in my area of Germany

SInce then, I've always had 2+ weeks of all supplies, now extended to 6 weeks due to the current situation

That is yet another difference to Corona virus and flu:

If you had flu, let alone just suspected flu ....
there would be no quarantine, no issue with delivery drivers, or with friends & neighbours helping you out with a small shop

Hence why we are prepping more.

That was a good dipshit bingo card March :) Hopefully we won't need it anymore. I don't think this thread is scaremongering at all, just practical ideas. I completely forgot about sanpro!

Today I learned that here in Germany they call this kind of stocking up Hamsterkaufen or 'hamster shopping'. I guess because of how hamsters store extra food in their cheeks?

Sounds a bit cuter than doomsday prepping! 🐹

< waves to Bohemian >
I'm in Hessen

Lucky for both of us that we aren't depending on BJ to plan & organise against COVID
Still makes sense to copy the hamsters

I’m loving the hamster analogy, I’m not prepping I’m cheek storing and burying......

I wouldn't say I'm a prepper, BUT, I knew I was going to be moved onto UC last year, and didn't have any savings to fund us through the time it would take to get the claim processed. So I very slowly stocked up - fresh soup reduced to £0.23? I'm buying three tubs to go in the freezer. Same with bread, milk, crumpets, meat (although we're pretty much veggie). Anything reduced, or leftover soups/sauces got frozen.
I could easily feed the three of us for a month on what I have stored up. Just in case I have to. Not because I'm expecting some kind of apocalypse, but because I need that back up, in case I am without money.

Hamster concept is very good. Much better than the P word or even the HP phrase I offered in my op.
Hope it catches on here

So DS is ill. Temp of 39.4, cough, sore throat, ‘wobbly legs’, has stayed in bed. We had contact with those from an affected area 12 days ago. Though as far as I know they haven’t got a confirmed case.

NHS 111 online says no need to talk to them about Coronavirus.

Wonder why we haven’t got many cases diagnosed

For clarity, I don’t think he has Covid 19, but if he does, he wouldn’t be tested so we wouldn’t know.

Hope he feels better soon. Keep well yourself.

@Darbs76, same. I take tramadol and pregabalin and I'm scared of running out. They're also controlled so I only get a month's worth. I'll ring the surgery next week and see if there's anything they can do.

@TreesSandSea, sorry to hear your son is ill. I hope he feels better soon. I wonder why 111 weren't interested?

Because we haven’t been to any of the affected areas.

There is no question in the online triage about contact with those from affected areas.

Despite the face that we do have cases now unrelated to travel.

Fact

Oh gosh Trees hope he feels better soon. I think the guidance is you can get tested if you haven't been to an affected area but have been in contact with a confirmed case (not just someone from an affected area) but as you say, there are now cases with no links to other cases. So I imagine that will change eventually.

I am reassured by the data about children, and very happy to manage him at home, even if he did have Covid 19.

But if it was me with it, (I am immune suppressed) I’d not be tested or treated for it either under the current system. So many cases may be being missed.

Having to make soup out of toilet roll... omg I spat my coffee out ha.

I always have cupboards full due to irregular income and fear of not having food. I was brought up like this as my mum was like this.
I always have lentils, oats, tomatoes, tinned fruit, tinned veg and beans as well as sugar, salt, garlic powder and spices. Pasta and rice. Jam and peanut butter. Oil and flour.
Pet food and laundry I buy them when they are on offer. Or the cheapest I can fine in regard to laundry/cleaning products.
I cant always afford to buy more but if most weeks I just buy a couple of extra tins or one extra item. I can keep my pantry stocked to a decent level that we could eat for at least a month.
I also make sure I have tampons. Calpol, toothpaste, soap in. I buy the cheapest and again will buy the odd extra one on top of my weekly shop but not always.
I've been doing this for years so I'm fortunate enough to have stuff already in the house rather than have to magic up money to go and do a prep shop for whatever reason.
I'm constantly panicking about my loss of job and the 6 week delay to apply for benefits.

I'm in Berlin, all the German cases seem to be over in western Germany so not much obvious worry here yet. I get the feeling most people would think it's sensible to stock up a bit though.

Glad everyone likes the 🐹 label :)