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Covid

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Are people you know IRL actually taking this seriously?

322 replies

HouseElfy · 19/03/2020 14:16

Because the people I know generally really aren't. There seems to be a massive disconnect between mumsnet, social media in general, the actual news and what people IRL are doing. Yes, a lot of them are working from home now but other than that they are going shopping, to cafes, seeing friends etc. Just had a phone convo with a work colleague and she said even though the schools are closed now, "of course" they will still have playdates and so on because "kids would go mad" otherwise. My 76 year old granddad and his wife are still queuing for their pensions at the post office and going to their bloody bridge club. My FIL is still playing golf. My father says he is self isolating but then is still inviting visitors round for dinner. My own mother seems incapable of staying indoors longer than a couple of hours at a time and is currently out mooching about the shops.

Is it just me and people I know?!?!

OP posts:
middleager · 20/03/2020 08:29

I agree forget toilet paper. If it's a choice between that or feeding the kids then I know what's more important.

The current system is actually forcing more people out, to visit shops every day, spreading germs and panic.

If you can drive then click and collect was a 2.5 week wait, not great I realise, but if you can muddle through until then.

alloutoffucks · 20/03/2020 08:32

I have booked a click and collect. I am hoping volunteers will be consistent enough until that. Of course I am also worried if we will get everything I have actually ordered.

I think it is easy for others to say people are not taking this seriously who are at risk. And some are not. But can't.

Orange89 · 20/03/2020 08:37

@Mrhodgeymaheg

Completely agree!

adaline · 20/03/2020 09:02

Not sure why the supermarkets don't just hugely overbuy.

Because their suppliers are struggling too? It's not that easy. They can put in big orders but if the stock isn't there, they just won't get it.

People are getting online deliveries here and they're not getting what they've ordered simply because they just don't have it.

alloutoffucks · 20/03/2020 09:04

Farmers grow a certain amount for people to eat. If people stockpile it, they can't grow more in a few days. So yes there is less food to buy.

starrysimon · 20/03/2020 09:04

Keep having to explain the same thing over and over to fucking DH. He keeps saying ‘well these people wouldn’t die if they didn’t have those health conditions’. No, you arse, they wouldn’t be dead if they didn’t get the virus. They have these conditions which make them more susceptible to contracting pneumonia if they get the virus. Honestly, I’m going to be the ‘I told you so’ person when all the vulnerable people in his family die

alloutoffucks · 20/03/2020 09:34

@starrysimon So many people don't seem to realise that those vulnerable are those working, with kids, etc. The conditions listed are very common. I have told multiple people they are covered and they have been shocked. I have heard so many time, but I go running, don't drink and don't smoke, etc. Sure but you still have bad asthma or diabetes, or high blood pressure, or kidney issues, etc.
This has included an ambulance driver and HCP who were shocked when I said they were vulnerable.

People seem to think it is incredibly frail very ill people who are only the ones at risk, and don't seem to realise it includes them.

BiddyPop · 20/03/2020 09:44

Yes, mostly in RL as well as here.

Work has far fewer people present in the building as many can and are working from home. Whether on device provided by work, or in some cases, using personal laptops etc. And many are also doing caring duties so not working.

DH is WFH, I am doing partial WFH and partial office based - but I have a single person office so isolated.

We have not been out to coffee shops etc for a few weeks now, and we would regularly go for a nice Saturday or Sunday brunch together. We are only going to supermarkets, smaller local food stores and pharmacies in terms of shopping. I had managed to set up a few online grocery orders but there are no more slots being released now - I have one for next Friday and then it's back to personal shopping. But the smaller local stores are also busy but respecting social distancing (only letting 2 in store at once, and space between those) and larger ones all have markings to show how far apart to stand that people seem to be respecting.

All clubs and activities have been cancelled for the present.

We are isolating ourselves - working and schoolwork, out for walks in non-crowded spaces, I am driving to work rather than using the (almost empty to be fair) train, but nothing else. We are keeping in tough with neighbours by SM rather than chats in person - which is unusual for our street.

The only thing I can see is that the college next to us had left the astroturf pitch unlocked, and that is quite busy in the daytime with a couple of groups of late teens boys - about 7-10 of them at each end, 1 group are well spread out, but the other were a bigger group and all in together.

But on all the walks we've done etc, we've seen a lot of small family groups (a nuclear family) and couples and singles, but very very few larger or multi-generational groups -maybe 3 on a long walk on Sunday.

And the city centre is almost empty. Just people going to work really and getting groceries/pharmacy items, the other shops are almost deserted.

HouseElfy · 20/03/2020 09:48

I just went to our local convenience shop (which was mostly very well stocked) as only two things came in my sainsburys delivery this morning. In the queue people were standing so close together. I asked them all to leave more space. They ignored me.

OP posts:
zafferana · 20/03/2020 09:57

I think if the government wants people to stay out of pubs, cafes, etc then they need to close them down. If they're open, then people who are used to going into them will do so. The young know they aren't really at risk themselves and the elderly are often bored and socially isolated and going out to their local pub or cafe is the highlight of their day. If you give people options to continue doing things the things they enjoy and don't force them to change that behaviour, many will continue on as normal.

As for 'going shopping', how the hell else are we supposed to get food? You can't get a delivery slot for love nor money around here and under-70s are being asked to give up their delivery slots for older people - fine - but that means the rest of us need to go shopping as normal.

Doggyperson · 20/03/2020 20:05

I started a new job this morning. When I walked in they were all coughing and laughing, all stood close together, I was Shock of course we all need a laugh but lots of people have died!

I returned from Spain yesterday where the whole country is on lockdown so those of us who are there are taking it very seriously. otherwise, nope most I know aren't.

TheLadyAnneNeville · 20/03/2020 20:35

@Doggyperson. Should you not be self isolating having just returned from Spain? I could be wrong...there’s so much confusion.

Keep well. (Some) People are not taking this seriously.

Jellykat · 20/03/2020 22:01

Doggyperson Anyone i know that has returned from a 'red zone' country has self isolated immediately..
You haven't been through the incubation period yet!

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 20/03/2020 22:04

Well Doggy you aren’t taking it seriously either...you return from Spain and then rocked up for work WTF??

WaxOnFeckOff · 20/03/2020 22:20

And that's pretty much how I ended up with it, my NHS worker DH having to be off work for 2 weeks, me missing a week at work and a colleague ending up in hospital with pneumonia caused by CV. Guy at next bank of desks came back from a holiday in Italy and didn't opt to work at home, even though he had the facility to.

Devlesko · 20/03/2020 22:31

Doggy

Was it Benidorm by any chance and are you the blond on the clips?

catsjammies · 20/03/2020 22:46

Most people I know are taking it very seriously. We have a lot of local friends and no one is meeting up for play dates at parks or anything. All wfh unless not allowed.

Doggyperson · 20/03/2020 23:17

I returned with my sister and niece who work in a hospital and they were told they were fine to go back to work, they work in a hospital!

I am taking it seriously, maybe not seriously enough but as someone said there is so much confusion.

I know my post sounds contradictory but where I was there were less cases than here.
I think we'll be going Into a complete shutdown over the next few days anyway, this is exactly what happened in spain, the pubs all closed then a gradual shutdown. Then a complete shutdown.

Orange89 · 20/03/2020 23:38

I think we'll be going Into a complete shutdown over the next few days anyway, this is exactly what happened in spain, the pubs all closed then a gradual shutdown. Then a complete shutdown.

Me too. My friend has already said they’re just going to have to drink indoors so with a large number of people doing this along with all the workers and kids at school and people with essential appointments still out and about I think they will need the extra push!

TackyTriceratops · 21/03/2020 04:54

France: schools closed last Friday 13th.

Lockdown the next, Tuesday, 17tj.

ellanwood · 22/03/2020 08:11

People seem to find it SO hard to understand what's being asked of them. Lots of people i our commuter village have interpreted it as 'stay out of London' and are still buzzing around the village shops and cafes.

DH has a ritual of going out each day to buy dinner for the evening. Works from home so it gets him out of the house. I had to practically shout at him yesterday to explain that going to the supermarket seven times a week puts us all at seven times more risk of contracting the virus than if he goes once a week. I'm going to make him replace that ritual with a walk in the countryside as far from other people as possible. But I hate having to battle with people and be the killjoy. Hmm

alreadytaken · 22/03/2020 11:38

If people are not giving you enough space try to cough, they may decide to retreat then.

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