Will life ever go back to normal?

[freddotalks]

I'm really struggling to deal with this anxiety. I just keep looking at my gorgeous baby and thinking what will his life look like. I just want to wake up from this bad dream and do normal things with him. I keep crying.

There are some people on MN spending everyday putting links to every bit of news that they can find even if they don't know its true. Its liike some people on Facebook They can't wait to very the first person to post.

Yes its serious but I agree people want it to be the worst possible scenario.

Stone people not everyone I meant I also believe stone people think they have more knowledge than the scientists and think they could advise Boris better.

Some not stone

gosh yes I remember that day really did feel like the world was forever changed and in many ways it was. It made me realise there were truly evil people walking amongst us

Were you too young to remember the Troubles in Ireland? 9/11 was bigger but it was still religiously justified male violence. Same old, same old.

There have been a few comparisons to the world wars. It's probably worth pointing out that the 1918 flu pandemic killed more people in Europe than WW1 did. This is bigger than a war. And yet, I didn't learn about the 1918 flu pandemic until I was in my 30s, despite being a biologist. We do forget and move on both individually and as a generation.

We have been overdue a pandemic for quite some time, at least the death rate for this is much lower than Ebola or SARS or MERS and we thankfully now have the computing power and knowledge of biology that enables us to fight it more efficiently. In 1918 medicine had very few tools at its disposal. We will never know how many this virus kills, it is not going to be stopped now and will be added to the round of viruses we worry about each year. There will be a vaccine developed (the first one is already being tested) and a test for antibodies and we will be vaccinated each year against it like we are against flu. Most of us will get it without knowing, just like swine flu (which was not a pandemic because anyone over 50 had immunity from being exposed to a similar virus in the 1960s).

It is very scary and the economic impact will be terrible but we will recover.

I don’t believe air travel will really change. Temporarily, yes obviously it is and boarders are closed. The major airlines will likely be bailed out and survive by putting air fares up once travel is unrestricted again. But the genie is out the bottle now. We are all used to flying overseas when we want to/can. We are used to using mass products imported by plane. I can see business possibly moving to less air travel (eg online meetings) for a while but I can imagine it will seep back in in a short space of time.

I would be interested to see what this will do registering vaccinations.
Either: an even larger conspiracy type movement who believe vaccines are all bad, “vaccinations didn’t stop the Coronavirus so it’s just the government lying to us blah blah blah”
Or: More people vaccinating, or potentially vaccinations becoming compulsory. Probably not, but I’m interested to see.

Yes, of course. I mean this kindly and not in a sneering way but is your baby very new and, if so, might your hormones be involved in this sort of thinking?

I was not myself for a fair few weeks (even months) after having mine and my emotions were on a hairpin trigger.

However bad it gets (and there's no reason yet to think it will be particularly dire in the scheme of things), it will pass, never fear. We've survived much worse than this!

Enjoy your baby, OP!

Of course it will. It went back to normal all over Europe after WW1 and WW2 both of which affected Europe far more than Coronavirus will affect us. It went back to normal in Berlin after the Berlin wall came down. Civilisation has been through worse.

Yes. The Spanish flu pandemic that killed more than all of WW1 and 2 together, which came in 3 distinct waves. It was easily spread but had the notable difference that it also struck down and killed those between 20 and 40 too.
Yet many people have barely heard of it - unless you watch Downton Abbey or Twilight.

I needed this thread. I was about to ditch MN as I am prone to anxiety at the best of times and it’s been messing with my mental health. But this is a nice reality check. Thank you.

@freddotalks please enjoy those cuddles and those early months. Don’t let this steal it away from you. I find keeping a list of “every brilliant thing” helps. Helps me focus on all the little positives- of which you have so many with your baby.

I think there will be changes in the way we live but not necessarily in a bad way. We are in lockdown in Austria and already people are re-thinking aspects of their lives:

Shopping habits- what can you do without?
Food waste - we are using every bit of leftovers to avoid having to go to the shops
Travel - Is it essential?
Spending time with family is the centre of everyone's day now rather than the bit you squeeze in around work, school and other activities.
Companies are seeing that people can work effectively from home
People are seeing that homeschooling is not the exclusive activity of religious nuts and anti vaxxers as people tap into any homeschoolers they know for advice and information

The biggest threat to humanity is climate change brought on in large part by the rampant consumerism we have seen over the last 30 years. This pandemic may make us all pause and think about what we actually need and make changing our habits seem less daunting.

The change in air quality in affected areas on China with no air travel is amazing.

I think a lot of people would think twice before booking flights in advance knowing they won't get their money back or insurance if something like this happens again.

This pandemic will kill a lot of people which is awful, but its net contribution may be to help us stop climate change which is a far bigger threat to us

Sorry - I realise that may not have helped with your anxiety OP

What I should say is that we are in lockdown and it is not so bad.

We are enjoying inventive meals of whatever is in the freezer and cupboards
Our kids get to be with their parents all the time which is actually really nice
I don't have to put on a bra as there is nowhere to go and no chance of visitors popping by
We have lots of free time as our schedules have totally opened up. Lots of sex, talking and getting jobs done in the house.
We don't have to rush at all for anything

ignore @YoursTunbridgeWells they have been hoping for a real life horror movie since this all began. i actually think they will be disappointed if hundreds of thousands do not die!

@DrMadelineMaxwell struck down and killed those between 20 and 40 too

Lets not forget that in 1918 life expectancy was 50 so anyone over the age of 35 would have been very high risk anyway!

This is bigger than a war really? WW1 killed 40million people

So far were on 6000 deaths world wide. in 3 months

for a bit of perspective everyday 4000 people die of TB

Things will go back to some semblance of normality in a few months. How society might be changed, we do not know.

Headline news in July 2009

Swine flu could kill 65,000 in UK, warns chief medical officer

It was 457 in actual fact.

citybumpkin I'm so sorry, that is shit especially in these times. When I was sick, I was always looking for good news stories about people in my situation so if it helps, I was mid 30s, with a 7 month old. She is now 12, and I've had no recurrence, and I had a very aggressive form.

I recently told my dd about it, and she now thinks I'm a superhero for going through that when she was a baby !

Yes. And collectively I hope we hang our heads in shame with our behaviour. But we won't. However it's proved just how much as a people we suck.

Life will get back to normal. I can understand how you feel though, I had just had my first baby when 9/11 happened, you do wonder what world you have brought your child into, but I am sure every parent has thought that. Try to keep positive, help each.

I knew a couple of people who had swine flu and they are all still alive now.

@tootyfruitypickle Thanks. I just can't see anything positive at the moment. I'm stage 1 triple negative which is both good and bad. Plus to have it with a baby and now coronavirus. Why me?!

@supersop60 why are you sad? You should be proud that you brought your daughter up to use her brain. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to bring children into the world. We need more people to feel that way.

We may get back to normal, whatever that is, but the future holds climate change problems, water and food shortages, rising sea levels etc.

@supersop60 it makes me think about bringing children up in this world
I think things will go back to 'normal' but it won't be for a very long time

Posters talking about swine flu etc. None of the things happening at the moment such as cancellation of just about all sporting events, concerts etc, restaurants closing, schools possibly closing, self isolation etc happened then did they?

I was very much of the view that we were all supposed to panic about swine flu, ebola etc and really nothing changed in the slightest. I don't know anyone who died of any of the supposed things that were going to wipe humans out. In fact I don't know anyone who even had swine flu except me. It wiped me out for a couple of months but, obviously, I survived.

I am not panicking but am now realising this is different. It's much more serious or else all the measures abroad would not have come into force.

If things do ever go back to normal it won't be for quite a while. This is going to take a toll on so many businesses. Airlines will likely go bust. The same with many restaurants, hotels, cafes etc.

With all that we are almost certain to go into recession which will likely last quite a while

This will all be a bad dream by the autumn