Are people you know IRL actually taking this seriously?

[HouseElfy]

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?!?!

This site always goes completely off the deep end about things (Brexit eg) and they never come to pass.

Well brexit hasn't actually happened yet

Do people not watch the news?

No, most people don't.

@InASense No a lot of people do not watch the news

@alloutoffucks I understand it isn’t easy, I have chronic depression and it’s so easy to fall into a big despairing hole but it’s important to try and keep your brain occupied as best you can.

You can still go for a walk if you aren’t sick and know a nice open space away from others.

Being stuck indoors for weeks will be difficult but I’m more amazed by the people who say they can’t even cope with a few hours let alone days and weeks.

We have to learn to adapt to a new way of life unfortunately.

@Justmuddlingalong I agree. But for those who don't really understand why this is all happening, as far as they are concerned it does start at the weekend.

No not at all.

A close friend of mine said last night that she won't stop doing anything until she is forced to stop because things have closed. I am very disappointed in her and not sure how much longer she will be a close friend. She knows I have vulnerable parents but is pestering me to say whether or not I will meet up with her as usual this week.

Not sure why some people thinks the advice does not apply to them. She thinks we are all OK to put our own interpretation on it.

Not really, everyone is still going to work, doing the shopping and my kids nurser is staying open completely. Not socialising, simply because most places are closed. Most still think its just a cold.

I told my 64yr old dad with health issues to stay inside and he said "Oh shut up" and went out to a computer shop!

Hundreds... thousands of people will have this attitude. They get given orders and they do the opposite on purpose "No one tells me what to do". Like a bunch of Kevin the teenagers.

In fact my 3yo is taking this more seriously. This morning he announced "We have to all stay inside until the virus has gone" and will disappear and wash his hands and brush his teeth without being told whilst really concentrating. Eldest (7) is doing as he's told too without complaint (so far!). I'm really proud of both my boys at the moment. I expect there are some children handling it really badly - not their fault.

@EmpressSuiko I do understand we have no choice really. But it is tough. I have always been a bit prone to depression, but getting out to work, seeing people, being busy and socialising makes an enormous difference to me.
I do know there is nothing I can do about that, it just is tough. Tougher than I think some realise.

My boss said we all need to be in as unfair some people can’t work from home , so no one should .

My DH, who works in London, is taking it v seriously for him and his staff. They are all WFH now. I know of 4 DC in isolation after their dads fell ill, all working in central London. My relatives ooop north are taking it v seriously too. Unfortunately the pensioners in the affluent place I live are out in droves, in the coffee shops and restaurants. I’ve seen an upsurge in pensioners exercising outside too which I suppose is OK. They are not listening in great numbers.

The main problem with going to work is most people don't have a choice. If your workplace is open and you're not in isolation or sick, you're expected to be there, else you won't get paid.

Most people can't afford to just not turn up to their jobs.

Yes. I had a christening party the 8th of March (before everything went crazy in Denmark) and asked everyone to use the hand sanitizers provided by the buffet, drinks and cake, as there were several immunocompromised people attending, including 2 cancer patients, one terminal and one in recovery, as well as a person with diabetes. People listened. Now 11 days later, we are in lockdown (have been for a bit more than a week). DP works from home and we only go out to take out the trash or like today, a brief stroll with the pram for some fresh air, but keeping our distance to everyone else. Even food we order online. My grandparents are staying indoors, only going to the hospital (and not using public transport) as it's necessary with chemo therapy. My mum is also not visiting her grandkids even though she misses them.
I think most people are listening. At least the ones I know.

North eastern US. We are in full isolation. No play dates. Playing in the back garden but not the park. Schools, Universities and restaurants and all shops are closed. All our local museums have shut. Literally everything is closed.
And yet, my mate who is an anaesthetic at our local hospital (one of the biggest in the country) says that the ICU is fast reaching capacity.

We have had v v clear instructions at a state level on what to do and what not to do. Everyone is working from home (unless they are key workers/doctors etc), all educational institutions and pretty much everything is shut. People are genuinely maintaining distance even outdoors. No one is hosting dinner parties and play dates. I have to say the contrast between our lives and my friends in the UK is quite stark.

EmpressSuiko
Some of my friends and family have been less than smart about it (e.g: Cheltenham races🙄) and shared the attitude “it’s just the flu” “it will blow over by summer” etc.

DS1 went to the Gold Cup & is now off sick with what sounds very like Covid19 (though could just be ordinary flu of course)

I hope (but doubt...) he's learned a lesson from that

School run roads are way less busy but the industrial estates are still busy, shops, playgrounds busy, usual elderly dog walkers about, jogging club still on, ....nothing looks any different apart from the shop shelves are decimated in every store in town.

Waiting at school gates today usual groups of parents chatting, teachers chatting to parents, zero ‘social distancing’ going on.

None of the shop workers are wearing ‘protective’ gloves and cash sales still occurring with a hint of coronavirus on every other coin given out as change, who knows !

I’m really surprised by how ignorant most people are. I can understand French being a bit rebellious at being told what to do, but the Brits? They clearly don’t like their freedom being took away.

@MamaDane Do your shops have more capacity or are people simply not panic buying. Because I couldn't get an online slot to order food delivery until a month's time. And I tries multiple supermarkets. So here a lot of people do have to shop.

Yes. I met someone at our allotment last night who'd been told to self-isolate because a work colleague had been exposed to the virus. Turns out she's been coming down all week (for solace) opening and closing the gate when many of the plot holders are pensioners. I couldn't believe it!

A lot of people I know personally are listening (in Glasgow). The vast majority of folk are now working from home and limiting going out. I have had to go into work the past couple of days because they still needed to source a laptop for me to wfh and my building (university department) is almost empty. Public transport is much, much quieter and people are keeping their distance. Shops look quieter now.

But on my journey home I’m looking at cafes and bars full of people. Selfish fuckers. Though my route home does take me through one of the most stuck up, entitled, arsey areas of the city so that might partly explain it.

@Mumski45

I have the exact same issue. She said to me today when I said I’d rather not up ‘ok then’ really bluntly like she thought I was overreacting dispute her knowing I have to take my poor dad to hospital this week. I feel like I can’t even talk to her about it anymore as she said she doesn’t want to hear about it. This friend is also continuing with gym etc!!

Do people not watch the news?

astonishingly many people don't.

Haha, yeah that was mostly rhetorical.

You'd think you would refrain from giving out the latest advice if you didn't watch the news and didn't know the advice though, right.

Everyone I know is taking it very seriously. There are a lot of cafes round our way, they are pretty empty.

@Reallyhow122 that's funny - in our office there was one person who couldn't work from home so the managing partners decided that everyone else should work from home, to reduce the risk to her from us all travelling in.

In the end we figured out how to have her WFH as well, so we closed the office last week completely and now we are only virtual. 15 fewer people on the tube. There is no question that we are less productive at home though, especially now that more and more of us are also having to homeschool their kids at the same time as working. Mine are getting a lot of screen time...

Just seen an aldi worker subject to a barrage of abuse because he was asking for contactless card payments where ever possible. Accused of calling someones money dirty.

I was paying with cash and the guy wasnt refusing he was asking everyone who CAN to use them. Guy was screaming and swearing and claiming mental health.