Aibu to really NOT be worried about Corona virus?

[Bigearringsbigsmile]

I am dumbfounded by the number of people talking about not travelling, not sending children to school, stockpiling food etc etc

I'm just carrying on with normal life. Going abroad next weekend. Getting trains etc.

I dont get the hysteria.

I think people are willing this to be a big deal. Desperate for some drama.

People (especially on here) love a good drama. And they want it to be their drama. Search for the Swine flu, bird flu etc threads from years gone by on here. We’re all going to DIE. Apparently. Whereas in reality it is extremely unhelpful to our very wobbly economy and people (obviously not people with pre existing health conditions but the vast majority of people on here) need to get a very large grip of themselves. Sensible precautions and then carry on. The media will be onto something else in a few months and thankfully the hysteria will then die down just as it has with every other flu type outbreak.

I don't care if other people worry. What does rub me up the wrong way is when people come onto threads and talk in an eye rolling condescending way about the flu, immediately highlighting how wilfully ignorant they are. If you're going to tell people why they shouldn't be worried, you should probably educate yourself on the subject even a tiny amount first.

There are two narratives going on here.

Firstly, people misunderstanding that this is (in all but name) a pandemic.

Secondly, people living in fear of what might happen.

There is a middle way! It's called prepping. This means preparing yourself and your family physically, mentally and emotionally calmly and in good time. Most preppers have now completed their preps; focusing on buying a two week supply of food in case of illness. This means we feel calmer and more prepared.

AutumnCrow am also considered high risk but only mildly worried. However, I live in an area where there has not been an outbreak so far. If there were to be one I think I'd be more worried. Also am someone who would not find it easy to prep, so that is a concern.

I don't think CV should be treated with utter complacency but at same time not good to dwell too much on it beyond taking basic neccessary precautions. hand washing is your friend.

I'm not panicked but I have ordered some alcohol gel sanitiser as DS and I use a lot of public transport and DP flies to Europe roughly 5 times per month.

I will probably batch cook some extra meals and make sure my elderly parents have reordered their meds if the UK confirmed cases continues to grow over the next week or so.

I am quite worried about the economic impact at the moment as it looks as if we are more or less certain to have a recession earlier than expected.

Obviously it is sensible to reassess the situation as it progresses and keep informed so you can plan accordingly but I realise the hysteria that certain media outlets create can add to peoples anxiety. I live near a quarantine facility and local social media went into absolute meltdown when it was announced.

I can completely understand people who have pre existing medical conditions being extra cautious.

If my mum had still been alive (died in the summer) she would have been petrified right now. She had bronchiectasis and would end up in hospital for IV antibiotics a couple of times a year.

I have Bronchiectasis and I'm worried. So far I've only been hospitalised with it for a week just once since my diagnosis in 2017, it's a constant worry isn't it?

It's totally changed and limited my life but because I look healthy people think I'm being a fanny when I follow medical advise to reduce chance of catching bugs all year round, but some people seem to assume they know better than the medical professionals who treat me and patronisingly give me "perspective" and quote influenza mortality figures with a "are you worried about flu too?"

Yes. Yes I worry about flu, every year as do many people with existing health conditions. Sorry your mum suffered with bronchiectasis.

Why are people talking about the press? Those of us who are concerned and taking precautions are doing so based on advice and information from the WHO. Nothing to do with the media. Good thing too as it seems the press has got it completely wrong if people like FireflyAurora still think it's the flu!

What worries me most is the likelihood of being made to self quarantine. My husband is self employed so it would truly screw us over and we genuinely would be at risk of losing our home.

Yes. Being forced to take time off would be the final straw for many people. Especially those on zero hours, self employed and minimum wage jobs.

People (especially on here) love a good drama. And they want it to be their drama. Search for the Swine flu, bird flu etc threads from years gone by on here. We’re all going to DIE. Apparently.

FFS. Really? You do know years of preparation and billions of dollars has been spent specifically to contain those types of viruses? You do know there's an entire WHO organisation dedicated to getting countries ready for pandemics? They're not just suffering from a touch of the dramatics - viruses like this one are EXACTLY the types of virus that they fear, and have spend years prepping for. Just so that blasé ignorant people like you can write them off as never being a threat. That's an idiotic response.

Here you go, educate yourself

apps.who.int/gpmb/assets/annual_report/GPMB_annualreport_2019.pdf

You might want to pay particular attention to Section 3.

This was written last year by the way - they knew something was coming and they were specifically trying to get countries prepared for it.

Just because you don't understand what the fuss is about doesn't make you cool or clever, just ignorant.

Anyway I'm in the "prepared not panicked" camp, but surely it's better for the WHO and government to focus on worst-case scenario and be wrong than to brush it off as "nothing" and be wrong?

Playing cool is not actually cool.

Someone told me today that there are very few cases in african countries because their climate is warmer. His thought is that when the warmer weather arrives, the virus will die off (although it could return next winter).

More people die from flu and measles. However the symptons are thought to be of the common cold and normally the common cold doesn't lead to people dying.

I am travelling to Australia via Singapore. I will be taking precautions as advised i.e. washing hands thoroughly and not coughing etc.

I think the media and newspapers are sensationalising the overall situation and scaremongering. I suffer from underlying medical condition but am not old. Stay safe everyone.

People (especially on here) love a good drama. And they want it to be their drama. Search for the Swine flu, bird flu etc threads from years gone by on here. We’re all going to DIE. Apparently.

Oh for goodness' sake! I haven't heard anyone being melodramatic, certainly not on here. (I don't read the tabloids, though, tbf.)

When we're told that as many as 70% might catch COVID-19, that would include mild cases as well as serious/ critical ones. It concerns all of us, though, as we need to be aware of how we can limit the threat to people who are vulnerable.

I'm not so much worried about it as I am fascinated by it. It's an interesting thing to happen during our lifetime.

However the symptons are thought to be of the common cold and normally the common cold doesn't lead to people dying.

🤦🤦🤦 They're so not the same symptoms.....

My partner has today worked with a lady whose husband is privy to more information than the public have been given.

We really need to take this seriously.

Re the economic position specifically for the self employed and those without sick pay. I do think it would be a good idea for the government / central bank to set aside an emergency fund to help those in need with grants or loans. Without that we may see a huge upswing in mortgage defaults and ultimately unemployment / universal credit benefit anyway. Risk is of course of it being abused but I really do think it’s something that should be done. And for those who say the government doesn’t have the money, it always has the ‘leverage’ to influence monetary policy in a national crisis, which this is. And if a portion were loans due back over say 2 to 3 years at the rate of inflation, it needn’t be a permanent black hole.

@debbs77 can you share any more?

You don't need more information than we've been given to take this seriously. They've got the same information we have, if we parse it correctly.

Alright debs