If you're worried about this do your friends and family think you are being ridiculous?

[Comps83]

No one I know in real life is taking this seriously and think I'm overreacting. Fell out with DH as he doesn't understand why I'm worried and thinks it's just because I haven't got enough to occupy my mind . Friends don't understand why I don't want to make plans that involve possibly losing large amounts of money if this gets bad .
I'm not even stockpiling or locking myself in the house or anything extreme I'm just voicing my worries and constantly being made fun of for it .

I can't see the point of worrying about it constantly. Yes it is a worrying situation, more so if you or your loved ones are more susceptible, but I feel that if I take the recommended precautions then that is the best thing I can do for meand those around me. I can't control who gets it, or the stupidity of others who might knowinglygo out while they have it, just my own actions. I have enough food and provisions to last me two weeks if there is a lockdown. I wash my hands, use hand sanitizer when available and try and act sensibly.

Probably because they're either as anxious as you are and wish you would shut up about it because you're making them worse.

And / or if you're taking every precaution you can right now why are you still talking about it?

What is to be gained by rehashing your worries constantly when none of us know what will happen

You are driving people and yourself crazy and that's why people don't want to hear it.

My husband is much less worried than me, he’s going away for the weekend for a conference (hobby not work) and won’t consider cancelling, and he thinks I’m overreacting by keeping dc3 off school with a cough and 38 degree temp.

Thing is he’s only eight so why risk spreading anything? DD is doing much needed gcse prep so she is going in because that’s not without consequences.

My dad has a chest infection but is still planning to travel for his brothers 80th birthday party this weekend. We are all trying to convince him not to.

Yup, same here.
My entire family (inc mum who has high blood pressure and always been susceptible to coughs, and dad who has COPD - both in their 70’s) are totally blasé about the whole thing. Not worried in the slightest.
My brother makes jokes about it, and my DP also not bothered.
They are all very much of the ‘it’s no worse than flu’ mindset.

Well if you go on mumsnet you will get yourself into a tiz . Honestly the hysteria is ridiculous on here .

I’m worried - I’m pregnant

My friend doesn’t believe it exists. I find that quite hurtful.
Instead they believe it’s a psychological operation done to control the world using the powers of 5g which is being rolled out

My partner doesn't take it seriously but is humouring me to some extent. Doesn't want to stockpile tinned food etc as it makes the place looks messy . Still thinks this will just be like a bad flu season

I'm really surprised by a lot of people's reactions. Totally agree there is no point panicking but I've been told Italy isn't really on lockdown, life's still going on as normal, it's just scaremongering from the press. Only a very small minority of people have it and we probably won't ever know anyone who has it or come into contact with anyone who has it and am constantly told it's hype and an overreaction. Normally it's social media and people in general who are the ones hyping things up but this time it seems most people completely disagree with the official advice from WHO and other medical professionals and I just don't know understand why? Why would we be allocating such a large amount of money towards tackling it in the budget if it wasn't serious? Why are countries enforcing such strict measures if it's not a big deal? My husband will be working from home next week and his company have spent a fortune on making sure everyone is able to do this, all just for fun? I really don't understand the attitude of many people towards it and am genuinely baffled!

Instead they believe it’s a psychological operation done to control the world using the powers of 5g which is being rolled out that is funny!

I don’t understand why anyone feels they won’t be in contact with someone who has it

There’s multiple confirmed cases at a school here, a death at the hospital I visit weekly.
And even if you don’t know them personally well known politicians and famous movie stars have it.

It is a big deal. It’s a pandemic that is no small matter!

However I’m fine with people who are just taking it in their stride and not panicking. That’s okay with me.

I’m not okay with being coughed at by someone in the bus who can’t even be bothered though! Or being told I’m a panicker because I’m talking about it a fair bit.

I'm very worried about the stock market.
We have a holiday booked for May. No idea if we will still be able to go.

My brother is the most worried one in our family and has been pushing everyone to take it very seriously and make sure we have basic food in for a little while.

He's an epidemiologist working on CV with public health England so if he's that concerned about it, it would be a bit stupid of me to dismiss it as a bit of a cold.

I think my ex, my Dad and friends think I'm being 'too serious' and am conspiracy theorist about it. I don't think I am. Prevention is better than cure.

I'm very worried about the stock market.
We have a holiday booked for May. No idea if we will still be able to go.

People are dying...but let's worry about your fucking holiday

Christ

I also think that whilst people have to go out and about (to work, for instance), it’s harder to mentally take it as a serious threat. As in, if you have to commute every day at the moment and then work around other people, you probably need to rationalise to yourself that the risk isn’t too terrible and you’ll be fine. Otherwise your anxiety would rocket and you’d struggle to get on with each day. And I know some people are already worried or anxious and having to commute etc, but I feel like there’s possibly a coping mechanism for many people by not admitting/believing that this is really serious for them. Because there isn’t much they can do about their own risk factors until either their employer or the government tells them to stay at home, if that happens at all.

I am finding a struggle as my entire family lives in Italy and some of dh's family keep posting frankly offensive stuff like.. It's all hyped, hysterical media reaction. They dont seem interested in the facts at all and they keep going on as normal.

They are supposed to visit soon but I don't want to see them as they will upset me at a time when I a super worried about my elderly parents in particular and the prospect I could lose them both.

DH thought I was over reacting a fortnight ago. Now it’s affecting football he’s suddenly changed his tune.

About six months ago I mentioned I was going to buy a litre pump bottle of hand sanitizer in case it would be useful at some point. He thought that was ridiculous. Now he gazes at it very fondly when he fills up his little pocket bottle from it.

In my personal experience the ones who can’t easily limit their exposure are the ones being blasé so I suspect it’s a psychological defence. That may just be in my circle.

Just because younger people aren’t dying from coronavirus doesn’t mean they aren’t becoming ill / disabled because of it. In the news today from an NHS doctor helping in Italy is that there are a lot of younger people in ICU.

Dh and I are worried. My family are worried. My parents are both high risk. We're still carrying on with our lives but we are aware.

Dh parents are completely blasé about it. Fil won't accept that he's high risk (older, underlying health problems).

My worries are my parents catching it, the NHS being unable to cope, being unable to get essentials because of the panic buyers, the schools closing and how I'll be able to work.

@Barbararara you expressed it so much more succinctly than I could!

I am worried but until the government decides otherwise, there is nothing we can do except wash our hands and try not to touch faces as we still have to go to work and school. Basically if we get it we get it and we have to hope for the best.

My biggest worry is the NHS not managing to cope. Years of running it down is not going to be quickly fixed by a lump sum of money. If things go badly it doesn't sound like there will be enough vital equipment, let alone staff. Very worried for anyone who gets ill (from anything) or has an accident if this does happen.

Mine did when I bought masks and hand sanitizer in January. I was paying close attention to reports coming from China of a viral pneumonia of unknown origin that was decimating lungs with “ground glass opacities” and leading to multiple organ failure.
Now they all want go know where they can get masks and hand sanitizer.

As crazy as this may sound to many I actually think the UK media have played it down and not emphasised just how serious an illnesses this can be. In instances of world emergencies the media are only allowed to report what is pre-approved, they’re bound by red tape. Our TV news is massively censored, even in comparison to the likes of Spain who get full on gore and graphic piles of dead bodies at 6pm.
This is why we have the “its just flu” camp. At least until last week it was only if you really did dig deep and read the WHO reports and articles/testimonies coming out of China and Italy from January onwards that you’d even really know the severity of SARS Cov2. And its not reported here as “SARS 2” very often, its been more just “a flu like illness”. Lots of people say they have “flu” when they just have a cold, so again its downplayed in peoples minds.

Also people are so used to the media overhyping things that a) people are immune to it now and b) this time they’ve maybe had to tread carefully so as not go be accused of crying wolf. But also theres been far too many over-hyped articles about bog roll shortages for lots to take it seriously and get truly concerned. This is why we have so much apathy and people accusing those who did the research and started sounding alarm bells “hysterical”. Then you have the social media echo chambers where everyone is telling each other they're “not bothered” or that “flu kills more people”. They collectively brainwash each other basically and people believe what they want to (its called confirmation bias) so then anyone who actually is concerned is seen to be “fear-mongering”.

Then other aspect is that people defer to a coping mechanism called “normalcy bias”. Worth reading up on as it really does explain a lot.

I think a few ppl who originally laughed at me are now starting to worry too
DH is certainly taking it more seriously