Thanks @usernameishistory

For anyone feeling really very very anxious and panicked at this point, this website has some useful self-help resources. This section is focused around anxiety. www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Anxiety

@yorkshirepudgf I'm sorry about your friend. He did everything by the book by the sounds of it, which is great.

I'd be interested in whether the system worked for him and the others, did they get tested immediately, or was he first and then they were tested. Did they get fobbed off like others appear to have been?

We are here slagging off the system and how it doesn't seem to be working with misinformation etc., but maybe it does.

Thanks for posting all the links on the first post, it really helps.

Dispatches from the Pacific Northwest of the US:

All friends in Seattle report it is a ghost town today. Friends in any jobs who can work from home at all have been instructed to do so, many for at least one month's time.

All up and down the region, and even into California, panic buying is reaching a true fever pitch. We have been well-stocked for some time, thanks to a well-timed order at a restaurant supply store (they often keep much more food on hand to restock with than a Costco, surprisingly -- or perhaps not, considering how much food restaurants need to buy at a time versus a regular shopper!).

The thing that has gone missing most completely in the stores is toilet paper, which is quickly becoming a running gag. While we've bought some extra, it wouldn't be enough to last us nearly as long as the rice, beans, pasta etc. that we've got as emergency rations. 90 days of TP seemed...like a mountain. Instead, we've stockpiled, additional to about a month of TP, several dozen white, bleachable terry cloth small washcloth-size towels at a cost of about 4 for $1, to be used as "reusable TP," bagged up and washed (with bleach) in the sanitize cycle of the washing machine. If the threat passes and it turns out not to be such a big deal that we ever use it, well, you can never have enough cleaning rags. We also got a few extra jugs of laundry detergent, since this plan would require a fair bit more laundry, and a supply of cloth diapers so we don't have to keep months' worth in the house.

Seattle is telling all people over 60, pregnant women (like me), and many other at-risk groups to stay home as much as possible until this is all over. "Until this is all over" could be months away. We are trying to stay very positive, especially around the children. My older child is fascinated by medicine and we have told him in a child-friendly, non-anxiety-provoking way that there's a new germ that people are getting sick from, and that we may have to stay in our home and garden while the scientists and doctors work very hard together to find a way to stop it from spreading.

We are very fortunate to work from home. Many family members, including several who are medical personnel, do not have this luxury. I expressed to one of those relatives my feelings of guilt over having the ability to stay home when so many people are simply needed out and about to keep society functioning, but she put my head on straight.

She did it by pointing out that in a situation like this, the fewer people that are out, the better. If the streets are 80% emptier than usual, it's that much easier to keep a 2m distance between each other, there are fewer germs on every elevator button and doorknob, and so on. The people who have the easiest time isolating are the ones who ought to be doing it first...it makes sense, but it doesn't totally assuage the guilt, IYSWIM.

The biggest thing we want to know is how long the virus can survive on surfaces! If it turned out that 3 days in the sunshine was enough to wipe out the coronavirus, we could take package deliveries in our side yard and just bring them in when the requisite time had passed. Harder, though not impossible, if we're talking about 10 days. I'm honestly dismayed that the shipping companies aren't equipping their drivers with the protective equipment they need to keep themselves safe. They should be given a medal and instead they're probably not even making overtime.

Womb “ I'm honestly dismayed that the shipping companies aren't equipping their drivers with the protective equipment they need to keep themselves safe”

What could they be given?

I think staying in for the duration is unrealistic.

My mother had a Tesco delivery and the driver was wearing gloves. She said he told her they'd had advice from the company about being as careful as possible although he didn't go into detail about what that consists of.

world health organisation WHO advice for the public

Checking in. These threads really do help.

Regarding toilet paper, I am not worried about this. I used washable wipes instead of baby wipes when the children were in nappies, and We still use them everyday. My children have gotten into the habit of using them after a number 2, much like those flushable washlet things people use. It stopped them using half a roll a time and blocking the toilet. We have a bucket with liner and lid. They get washed on a hot wash every couple of days. I bought more wipes in and they will last us years. Similarly I kept all my Muslins and I think I will use these instead of kitchen roll if that runs out too.

Morning. I really don't want to travel on the bus for an hour this morning to get to my course.

I don’t get why people want schools closed so much. Do you think all these kids will self isolate? No way. So what’s the point? Most of them will be off on holiday soon as well

It seems to me it would be sensible to issue some guidance that people who can work from home should. That would be pretty low hassle and might slow the spread. I think a lot of companies would respond to an an advisory message on this from the government.

Morning @Bercows.

I saw somewhere that the travel advice had been updated but can't find it again??

I'm even more concerned now, without giving too much info but, a close family member came back from a close neighbouring Italian Village that was initially put under quarantine, 2 days before the 'official' date and his wife is a senior medic working in ITU at a major hospital. Neither are displaying any symptoms.

My extended family who are still in Northern Italy say the situation there is dire. Hospitals are unable to take any new admissions.

On a positive note, Boots online had hand sanitiser in stock for either store pick up or home delivery at 03.30 this morning.

I’ve heard from 2 different sources that someone local to me has been ordered to self isolate. Is happily taking 2 weeks off work but as they feel quite well happily trotted off to the local, massive shopping centre.

And this is the problem...people who are denying the seriousness of the situation won’t take quarantine seriously, won’t take hand washing seriously...

@Charlesthekingcavalier, well as someone who works in a big one, in quite concerned about the spread. I have noticed some very poor shows of hygiene in recent days.

Walking to work yesterday, rather self consciously wearing my woolly gloves, a lady got off the bus and said "isnt it awful" I presume she clocked the gloves.
my dm says that is what she will do when travelling by bus, however I have reminded her not to touch her face with her gloves.

Looks as though cases might tip over 100,000 globally today

It seems to me it would be sensible to issue some guidance that people who can work from home should.

In my opinion this should have been done at least a week ago. If people can work from home, then making them go into work is deliberately providing opportunities to spread the virus.

@hankyspanky Boots online don’t have any stock of anti bac hand sanitiser left. Thanks for the heads up anyway.

I don’t get why people want schools closed so much. Do you think all these kids will self isolate? No way. So what’s the point? Most of them will be off on holiday soon as well


If you look at the swine flu graph it decreased rapidly in the school hols. This and the school corridor crush 5 times a day which I haven't seen at any other work place.