Funny how the people who plan to isolate themselves expect everyone else to keep working.

[LucheroTena]

This.

People on here prepping to isolate themselves and their families. Taking kids out of school, not working. For how long, 18 months until a vaccine is available??

The same people expect others in the service sectors to keep working - supermarket workers, NHS staff and so on. Going on about getting all their shopping delivered and so on.

Some of the preppers / self isolators on other threads were berating NHS retirees for being worried about being asked return to work, and telling NHS nurses who were voicing worries about isolation and childcare that they should lose their jobs.

Selfish irrational weirdos. I don’t know anyone in real life like this but seems like there are dozens hiding away on here.

Oh and had DD isolated herself when the first confirmed case occurred she wouldnt have been first on scene when someone threatened to kill themselves outside the hospital tonight. She wouldnt have stayed with them and called the police immediately who came out and saved that persons life.

But then it wouldnt have mattered because most of the police would be off too......

"Prepping" doesn't necessarily mean locking yourself away. For most, it means having enough stocked up that if you have to stay in (or if local supplies run low), you don't go hungry or have to rely on someone else to provide for you. It's the exact opposite of someone expecting food deliveries on demand.

(As a matter of fact, on multiple threads over the past week or so, quite a few people have been mocking the practical and prepared with smug statements about having groceries delivered!)

My husband has a suppressed immune system. If things get bad, we will be self-isolating as much as possible. We've been gathering food and supplies not clearing shelves, but buying extras from a variety of shops and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. It's the prudent thing to do, since we can. (We'll use everything we buy, sooner or later, so it won't go to waste.)

At the same time, I worry about a close family member who works in healthcare... elderly relatives... family who won't have the option to work from home. I want them to be safe and healthy, too, but should we not self-isolate (if the time comes) because not everyone will be able to do so?

Most of us are just doing the best we can.

I believe you mix up prepares with panic buying. Most prepared themselves to the eventuality of delivery drives self isolation. The studies suggested that slowing down the virus is the best course of action and as such isolation of affected will happen sooner or later. Unfortunately, the schools will contribute to spread of the virus, even if the children are mildly sick. My asthma is out of control after 2 chest infections in January and February that required hospitalisation. I also have a young toddler that goes to nursery (germ factory). I did prepare myself and I am planing to self isolate if there are more cases in my area. This is not a selfish act but to ensure that I limit my chances of catching it as according to my consultant, I am most likely to require ventilation. Yes I am anxious about the virus and as a Supply teacher, I consider to not work with schools at the moment.

I know of one person on MN who has taken her dcs out of school and is self isolating etc. That is because one of her dcs is a transplant recipient and therefore immune compromised. I would probably do the same.

As it is we are a family of three who can easily self isolate. So I have already stocked up on what we will need for a few weeks or so if necessary. My reasoning is that by doing so we reduce the risk of any of us catching anything and potentially needing to access NHS services at a time when they will be severely under pressure. I’m asthmatic so if I get CV I could need medical intervention. But if I stay home as much as possible I reduce that risk.

Obviously there are people who by the very nature of their jobs can’t self isolate or work from home. But if those who can do so do surely that reduces risk for everyone?

I vaguely remember the thread by the nurse a few weeks ago. It was all a bit knee jerk reaction on all sides I think.

www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-05/coronavirus-federal-funds-block-by-red-tape-says-nsw-health/12026792

Care staff in an aged care facility have refused to come to work following a care recipient dying from coronavirus in Sydney, Australia. We can’t say we want to stay home and be safe and not expect essential service staff to behave differently than the rest of the population

Frankly I get the concerns but for the most part I'd say it's just potentially hype? Dd works with a colleague whose originally from ground zero. Nightmare 72hrs when news first broke, and the city went into lockdown. However, their very extended family still residing in the city have yet to have anyone catch the virus, and that's where it first broke out. So potentially it's not quite as contagious as made out to be? I think it's made more difficult due to their Intranet vs the Internet to believe what's said. But personally I believe the information I gather from someone who speaks to their own family first hands whose actually living there.

There is a big difference between:

a) "I'm going to isolate and keep myself safe--why can't everyone else do the same? You people going to work and sending your kids to school are stupid selfish people"

vs

b) "I'm going to isolate our family as much as possible to help slow down the virus at the macro level, so that those who cannot work from home and keep their kids off school can be as safe as possible because there will be less crowding and fewer vectors."

I am not personally worried about CV myself because none of us here in my nuclear family are going to have anything other than the cold from hell when we finaly do get it. I'm trying to shut down social contacts (I am in a country with a lot more CV than the UK) because if we can slow down this virus we can reduce pressure on beds and healthservices and I am trying to help others stay safe. Trying to work with kids fighting and moaning in the background is a miserable experience and I would not be doing if I were thinking from a selfish point of view!

Aren't those opinions though being expressed by the ''entitled'' which goes across everyday life?

I have a bit of a chest infection and a snivelly nose. Still out and about doing what I need to do because it's a COLD.

I also speak as a front line worker who was spending over 90mins 'traipsing' through the bad snow storms/snow build up 8yrs ago to get to work. I'm in no way a 'hero' 😒 I just did what needed to be done, and that wasn't down to those living 20miles away to do. I can recall the relief of a 'pip pip!', from a female bus driver on the brow of the hill one morning, and a 'I'm heading back to the depot, I'll not take a fare'. There was me and 3 other front line staff huddled together on the bus with zero other vehicles on the road for miles. The driver got us near where we needed to go!... Because no matter how much the world goes to shit, there'll always be someone willing to just rock up and resume service as normal 😁

Sorry preppers you have not convinced me that I’m wrong. It might be 18 months before there is a vaccine. You’re telling me you’ve slowly built up enough provisions to isolate selves for 18 months and cope without any outside help for that long? I very much doubt that is the case. Most preppers would need a trip to the shops within a month. Other people will need to keep running all the services we all rely on in modern life.

The one thing I can't prep for is keeping the DC sane if school is closed and we're largely expected to minimise contacts with others...

I have craft stuff, DVDs, books, colouring books etc but they're 4 and 1 and 4yo loves school and social stuff and was foul when off with chicken pox last term...

We will have to get out on walks in less busy areas and hope the weather isn't too crap!

It might be 18 months before there is a vaccine

Yes but the peak of the outbreak may well not last very long. The number of new cases in China is going down.

I don't understand what you're getting so het up about, OP. Some people will try to minimise contact with the outside world. It's their choice and their responsibility to prepare themselves for that. Whatever their motives, it may help stop the spread of the virus. So what if they continue to use things like delivery services while they are still available? Everyone else who is not self-isolating will be using them.

I might not be able to isolate 18 months but I have better chance to fight the virus if I am given chance to recover. The weather condition matters as well. Delaying the virus so the hospitals are not affected by the flu virus at the same time gives NHS better resources. I am supposed that as a nurse you did not consider that as a better outcome.

I think there's a middle ground that is actually a good idea. I have done some prepping so that I can minimise unnecessary trips to the supermarket. I won't be out in public for entertainment purposes, cinema, etc. But I will continue to go to work, which will involve seeing clients who would be vulnerable to the virus.

So, in essence, I plan to isolate as much as possible in order to continue doing my job without infecting others.

@lazylinguist. So if factory workers producing essential drugs, care staff working in aged care homes, utility workers managing our water and electrical services, cleaning and catering staff of hospital decide its their choice and responsibly to minimise their contact with the outside world WTF happens then??? This is the OP issue.

Maybe I’m not making myself clear. I have no issue with people who are preparing for short periods of necessary self isolation.

I’m taking to task those who state they are going into isolation now, pulling kids out of school, not working, emptying the shelves. And that they will stay there until this is over. While expecting others to expose themselves to risk through stacking said shelves, keeping electricity and water running and caring for their elderly or unwell relatives and friends while they hole up. Plenty of those types were then vociferous in condemning health care workers (retired and otherwise) who dared to voice worries in other threads about risks and disruption to their own health and lives.

I don't think all the self isolators are acting on altruism, but the fewer interactions we all have the more likely it is that the spread will be slowed down and minimized. So they do benefit others, even if that isn't their main intention.

I think a supermarket delivery driver would be far less exposed than a check out worker after all

Thanks Londonlassy of course the whole country would collapse if that happened. And the isolated would soon have to emerge (grumbling and bitching) as they wouldn’t last more than a few weeks without heat, water, electricity, gas and new supplies of groceries.

Maybe I’m not making myself clear. I have no issue with people who are preparing for short periods of necessary self isolation.

I admit I didn't understand at first but I think you're right. Prepping for one or two short bouts of mandated self isolation = sensible. Prepping for 18 months of being cut off from everyone = ridiculous.

Agree with you op.
I really wish I could self isolate myself and work from home. Unfortunately my boss would not allow that.
I wonder what would happen if all school staff and NHS staff self isolated.

Only people with good reason to self isolate or but jobs are concerned about catching Coronavirus. It’s not dangerous to healthy people so the only reason to isolate is altruistic. Whereas it make perfect sense for the small portion of the population that is at risk to isolate in order to protect themselves.

I may or may not be able to continue working. As a teacher, I will work until schools are closed and will continue working well after that point- god knows I’ve got a couple of months I could easily do, let alone teaching any kids.

However, I very much hope all non essential workers do remain at home where at all possible. I hope our government finds a way to care for those left without viable income. What I don’t want is for the spread of the virus to run rampant because some angry person on Mumsnet decides it’s essential that places like Primark or Greggs or Soft Plays stay open out of spite, because if she has to work, so should everyone else.

@nellodee where did you get that from? I haven’t suggested that and nor has anyone else. But to close down all non essential services for a long time will be very challenging and frankly miserable. It may be necessary of course.

PyongyangKipperbang
Being a prepper does not = self isolating right now for 18 months just on a whim.
Prepping is not emptying the shelves thats panic buying.
Why cant anyone tell the difference?
I have read posts where people are high risk due to medical conditions saying they are reducing contact with others to reduce the risk to themselves and ultimately others and the nhs. Thats sensible but they are not locking their family away for the forseable future!
I have seen a couple of posts where the person has said that they have taken their child out of school now and one verbally abusive to anyone who wasnt but that was a one off.

Preppers are ready for when tshtf. If they have to isolate or somewhere is quarantined.

Preppers are not expecting anyone else to deliver things to them, they take responsibiltyf for themselves thats the whole damm point of prepping!
Nobody is saying they have 18 months worth of food etc and they are going into isolation right now never to leave the house again! They are saying they have a short terms worth to tide them over if they need to isolate for a couple of weeks/month.

Why are people unable to understand that all the posts saying "I'm all right jack i will just get tesco to deliver to me, friends or relatives can run after me if i have to isolate because i cba to take responsibility for myself now." Are not preppers they are self entitled people who think its someone elses responsibility to look out for them. They are the ones who will be fighting you over the last bag of pasta as they wont have anything as a black up at home. Preppers wont even be in the shop.