Is this the end? :(

[tollyfeeder]

I genuinely can’t help but worry that this is going to be the end of life as we know it.

I’m petrified that we’re heading into the next apocalypse.

I’m picturing food shortages, water shortages, no gas or electricity, crime, pretty much scenes from the walking dead.

I have a 4 week old baby I’m just so heartbroken that this is what her future could be.

I’m on maternity so I have the option to stay at home, but my husband has to go to work.

I’m asthmatic and I’m so worried I’m going to catch this and leave my baby without her mum :( :( :(

OP - saying this kindly as someone who's been there - please keep an eye on your mental wellbeing. While post-natal depression is very well publicised these days, post-natal anxiety is also an issue and absolutely bloody awful (I've had both - one with each child) even in more "normal" times.

Realistically it's going to be utterly shit for a few months, there are going to be more deaths from vulnerable people than they are most winters with the usual seasonal suspects, and then there will be an utter load of blamestorming - and then things will eventually reset to the usual level of fuckeduperdry. I'm angry as fuck of how the govt are handling things and worried for elderly relatives and DH who is a walking tick list of cautionary factors... but I do tend to try to rationalise it down (I have anxiety problems anyway) that viruses that are absolute killers are really crap viruses as they just kill themselves by killing the means of transmitting themselves on - hence why our usual virus suspects are NOT generally very deadly because otherwise they burn their own virusey bridges, and that raw numbers sound bad, percentages sound much less terrifying.

DH works in the energy industry so I know the planning that goes on there and that bit doesn't scare me at all. I tend to prioritise my worrying these days (taken me years to get a handle on that!)

Coronavirus has a 1% kill rate and it mostly kills the over 50’s .
I presume as your baby is so young, you are 40’s at the very oldest and more likely 30’s. Sweetheart, it’s normal to worry and I can’t promise you anything. But honestly, you’re very much more likely to survive than I am, and I’m late 50’s and diabetic, and I’m not worried.

Enjoy your beautiful baby, be sensible as in avoid crowds, wash your hands frequently, use anti-bac gel when you are out, don’t let strangers touch your baby, buy some detol room spray, it smells nice and kills bacteria.

I bet you two digestive biscuits that you’ll be fine.

No, this is not the end.
Sadly, there will be some tragic losses but the world as we know it will continue. And hopefully, a few lessons will be learned.
You’re in a good position - you’re at home with your new baby and you don’t need to go out much if you don’t want to.
Re HV’s, baby checks etc. I would be ringing up and asking what safeguards they’ve got in place.
Consider online shopping or click and collect.
Make sure your DH is meticulous with his hand washing/hygiene when he arrives home. I’m asthmatic too and I’ve ordered a nailbrush to scrub hands.
Also, consider limiting visitors. The more people you’re exposed to, the more you increase your risk.

I’m still much more worried about the climate crisis and ecological collapse.

Where I am in Australia the bushfire crisis felt more apocalyptic and a sobering taste of the future. This virus will be a blip on the radar in comparison.