The little things no one is thinking about.

[ThanksForAllTheFish]

Ok it’s almost 4am and I can’t get back to sleep. Stumbled into the Coronavirus topic and safe to say it’s not helping me any. Now I’m thinking about all the little things that might arise out of this that no one it talking about.

We all can see the big picture. We know that we should have in food and general supplies to keep us going for a couple of weeks. Schools may close. Work places may close. Areas may go on lockdown etc. But what about the little things?

For example: what happens if your MOT is due on the car but you are unable to take it to a garage because you are isolated? Would you still be fined? Will your insurance be invalid?
Or
What happens if someone has just had a baby and can’t make it in the allotted timeframe to go and register them? How would they get a birth certificate and would they also be fined?

I know you generally have plenty of time to do these two things but a lot of people do leave it to the last minute. So someone could feasibly have their car booked in for an MOT 5 days before it runs out and then get put in isolation. Or a family might have taken a long time to decide on a name for the baby (for various reasons) and a week before the deadline end up in isolation.

Any more examples of these type of things you can think of?

I thought about the bins. I bought more bin bags incase we don’t get collections.

Another thing I thought about was radio stations and the TV. Will no one be broadcasting live?

What about it? It’s sorted by machines, people in gloves and masks anyway.

It’s not a nuclear war!!!

Hairdressers, and I know it's shallow, before anyone decides to point it out.

I do worry about all the above as well, what with two dogs and what not.

i dont spose the council are immune, ie bin collectors

I was thinking about MOT too, mine are not due until September. Perhaps it would be sensible to get it earlier if it's due quite soon even if you lose a couple of weeks' validity on it.

One thing that does concern me is if the internet goes down. I hope the BT and Virgin Media engineers are looking after themselves. The internet is pretty crucial these days if people are going to WFH (and not go mad being stuck at home, at least with the internet you can entertain yourself). We still have paper books and DVDs but if you rely on streaming for everything..

I’m taking my car into the garage for repairs today and leaving it there for a few days. This is in another town to us as that is where the dealer is. Worried I might not see it for some time.

I was worried about the vets too. We get the dog food from them too.

Some families are being host families for boarders at DS’s school who can’t go home over the Easter holidays. Think their guests may be staying longer than planned.

I was also wondering about insurance, have a renewal coming up soon.

The people you really need to worry about are the utilities workers. If no one is there to man the water plants and the power stations- never mind no internet, let's see how far we all get if there's no electricity.

I had the vet thought too.

Some things won't be an issue, my local garage is just one guy, he can still service and mot cars if customers keep their distance. Walking the dog isn't an issue, I'll just walk around the fields. The sorts of people like plumbers who repair things can keep their distance too.

The people you really need to worry about are the utilities workers. If no one is there to man the water plants and the power stations- never mind no internet, let's see how far we all get if there's no electricity.

Of course we realise that, this is a big worry though, not what this thread is about.

I’m worried about the children I work with who are on Child Protection Plans and who may no longer be monitored if social workers have to stop home visits.

Deadlines will be extended , declaring a pandemic opens up new avenues to deal with things

Lots will be cancelled and unavailable. Skeleton services only but it’s manageable if everyone complies
At the end of the day people come first and so much may have to be put aside for the time being and when things improve everything can be sorted out

Will the bins be emptied

My MOT was due on 19th march, I had it done last week as knew it needed some extra work to pass. I must admit that I also thought it would be less likely to catch coronavirus from mechanic in what was then the early stage if the outbreak. Also put in request for repeat prescription yesterday as don't fancy going to pharmacy once this really kicks off. Am thinking about getting hair cut this weekend fir the same reason.

I know a couple on holiday in italy atthe moment buses trains still running ships still open

I booked a hair appointment for today as I did wonder this and was due a trim. There seemed to be less choice of appointments available. DH did offer to trim it for me though

We won't have everything closing down. It may happen that a vert for example says they will only see urgent cases because of workers off ill in the practice. So routine treatments like neutering may be postponed.

If you are self isolating and need things like MOT done, put a notice in the windscreen and ring relevant Government Department. It will be fine.

@TheCoolerQueen DH works for a utility and he talked me through just how easily his little bit of his network could be affected if just one of them gets it and what the wider impact of that would be. It’s really serious.

By the end of today I will have two weeks worth of supplies, all the powerbanks will be charged and all repeat prescriptions refilled, both cars filled with petrol. If you’d told me at the start of this week that I’d be doing this, I would have laughed at you,h but it suddenly feels very serious indeed.

I am curious about how people will be expected to top up their gas and electricity meters. I know shops will more than likely be open, but many people on meters either can't afford to put a large amount on, or a lot are vulnerable and shouldn't be risking going out. I can do it for my brother I'm guessing, but not everyone has family nearby.

@pelirocco123 They are closing the shops today. In my town the bus service is still running but fewer buses. I haven't taken the bus since schools have been shut.

@Ohdeariedear I think that sounds very sensible.

I had the vet thought too

Me too. I foster rescue cats and if all our volunteers self isolate we can't get to the vets, can't pick up cats that need rescuing, can't host people wanting to adopt, our first fundraising fair of the year is in a couple of weeks and if that gets cancelled, that's a big hole in our budget this year.

Plus for dogs, people still need to walk them regularly or else the dogs might develop behavioural issues due to lack of exercise and what you don't want in a confined space is a bored/over-energetic/understimulated dog.

I'm hoping any restrictions don't prevent distant contact where the risk is almost non existent, so if you stay 1-2 metres away from other people, especially outside, don't touch things that other people have touched and keep washing your hands, the risk is virtually non existent.

Cooler

Power stations take surprisingly few people to run them and as vital infrastructure they'll be well practised in running under emergency conditions with skeleton staff, so that's something I'm less worried about. Plus demand should be lower if people work from home, shops, restaurants etc close.

@Thumbwitchesabroad My DDs school (in the UK) have been issuing us with a list of countries that if we go to the kids cannot return to school without 14 day isolation. This has been in place since Feb half term.

Small number of boarders at the school have not been allowed to go home or have visitors. DDs friend hasn't seen her parents since Christmas, and she's been told if she goes to see them at Easter she can't come back.

I'm not sure other schools are being this pro-active though, my sisters kids school just have posters reminding them to wash their hands!

I think most places like mot centres and registry of births will all have been briefed and taken a position, so we just phone them up and get their advice.