To have not done anything about the c virus?

[bingbangbing]

Despite a member of my household being in an at risk group?

We always washed our hands anyway.

We haven't bought hand sanitiser. We haven't started stockpiling. We're still going to work etc

I think the current coverage is irresponsible. It's mainly causing people with underlying anxiety issues to panic.

[Allyg1185]

Couldn't agree more! And we are the same. Doing nothing different and going about our normal life

[bingbangbing]

I'm utterly bemused by it all.

People are self isolating because they have a bit of a cold!

[TeddyIsaHe]

I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t read the news as much or what, but I don’t remember SARS/swine flu etc being this heavily reported.

I’m usually very blasé about things like this, but the media coverage has got me anxious about it! Which is madness.

[Bombaybunty]

Carrying on as normal here as well.
My only concern is that DS is coming up to A levels and if things get worse the school might close. I'm sure they have a master plan.

[PileofToss]

If you’re washing your hands then you won’t need sanitiser - soap & water are far more effective.

I’ve not been stockpiling either - if I caught coronavirus (as I would with the flu), I’d get what I need delivered.

Some people enjoy the drama I think.

[namechangenumber2]

Nope we haven't done anything. We've already got a few bottles of hand sanitizer - left over from DS's chemo a couple of years ago. Ready to deal with school/work closures if we need to. Fortunately I only work very minimal hours so can afford to take that time off to be with the children if school closes and DH is able to do the majority of his work remotely.

My only worry currently is that DS1 has his GCSE's in 9 weeks, but I imagine there will be a plan in place if schools end up closed.

[TheVanguardSix]

Concerned but totally living life as normal. DH is a GP who never worries about a thing but he is worried about this. How it will impact our daily lives at some point is of mild concern to me. But you can only live day by day and do the best you can. I'm more worried about the impact it'll have on more vulnerable people. I'm not worried about myself or even my own too much, but this will kill a fair few in due course and that doesn't sit easily with me. People will lose their loves, and that's a very sad thought.

[TheVanguardSix]

That's not a typo, by the way. People will lose their loves ... very loved people will die. And I don't think we stop to consider this. It happens in everyday life under all sorts of circumstances, but still, this aspect of the coronavirus bothers me the most.

[chocolatespiders]

I have not stockpiled but worried about getting hand soap when current one runs out in a few days. Morrison and boots soap shelves were empty last night.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

Quite right. Everyone knows that the Chinese are prone to making a fuss about nothing, and the Italians over-react by nature. Your sense of superiority and refusal to acknowledge any concerns will see you through.

[coffeeandpyjamas]

The rational part of me agrees with you and we haven’t been doing much different apart from me nagging DS & DH to wash their hands for the proper amount of time. But, the way that it’s all being reported is spiking my anxiety massively & I keep having to talk myself out of being crazy and buying £100 worth of canned food, pasta etc

[bingbangbing]

Hand soap?

You mean bar soap?

Bog standard soap will do. That's all we have.

[user1493413286]

The way people are panic buying is stressing me; there’s no paracetamol in our local shops and I’m recovering from an operation so do actually need it. I don’t want to now panic buy but when others do it the result is feeding into everyone doing it

[bingbangbing]

@Porcupineinwaiting

So what I should I do? Buy three hundred bottles of ineffective hand sanitiser? A hundred loo rolls?

Keep sniffling DS at home?

Tear my hair out?

[OlaEliza]

I'm not in the UK, there are some cases in our region, the most in the country I think, I haven't read anything about it, but I haven't done anything extra. It's no worse than flu, is it not? I.e. if you are healthy it won't kill you?

[Istical]

I'm not concerned by the virus. I am concerned about the potential impact it will cause. I have a few bottles of sanitiser (which now appear to worth more than their weight in gold), a car full of petrol and cupboards full of our regular food, but enough to last a few weeks.

[bingbangbing]

The panic buying needs to be cracked down on.

I also need paracetamol. Why are people panic buying that? Very wierd!

[TitaniaQoF]

I’m with you OP. Either it’s sensationalist reporting to divert our attention or there’s something else going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about. Either way, we are carrying on as normal.

[Shandied]

People are self isolating because globally there was a chance to halt the spread of it, like they managed to do with SARS (thankfully). That would mean that every winter it wasn't another thing on top of regular flu for health services to deal with and people to die from. I agree it's not worthwhile panicking, but it's naieve to think that the supply chain won't be affected. A key ingredient is only produced in China, who have halted shipping medicines; and people are buying more just in case, which is a perfect storm for a paracetamol shortage. If you use them for other things it makes absolute sense to buy a pack for the cupboard. Balance is key, be realistic but carry on until advised otherwise.

[Shandied]

Also people are buying paracetamol as it helps relieve cold and flu symptoms, and the likliehood is many people will catch this and have to stay at home.

[gamerwidow]

OP yours is a sensible approach. That isn’t to say that Covid19 isn’t serious or that the potential threat isn’t great but as an individual at this stage there really isn’t anything different you can or should be doing.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

Have you thought about waving a small Union Jack, I hear that helps?

Some of us manage a realistic level of concern and action but your bemusement suggests that that's probably not for you, so just do nothing. The more people like you, the better for the rest of us.

[JKScot4]

Some of the prep threads on here are beyond irrational, as said pp there was no panic like this over previous virus’

[bingbangbing]

Some of us?

Who is "us"?

@Porcupineinwaiting the implications of what you have just said are actually pretty horrific. However, I have a dark sense of humour so I won't report your post.

[DontBe]

I’m more concerned about if my children’s school closes and what on earth I’m supposed to do about going to work. As a nurse I can’t work from home.