I think we all need to get a grip.

[Bulb1976]

I know Coronavirus is scary, the constant media scaremongering hasn’t helped either. But let’s get this into perspective, the majority of us will be fine and whilst those of us who fall into the at risk category are anxious it’s still important to realise that there is still a good chance we can recover from this.
But the food stockpiling, sending your kids to school when you know you shouldn’t (yes I know people have financial obligations but if you are really worried about Coronavirus then surely the health of your kids comes first). The threads on MN are sounding pretty hysterical and we aren’t helping each other instead we are creating group hysteria.

Step away from the phone and just calm down and get some perspective. We can’t control this, just have to keep going.

[slipperywhensparticus]

Calm down it's only certain people who will die is not very reassuring

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

Yes, it is worrying and yes, we have to be prepared, but some, many even threads here just feeding the panic. It's spiralling down and the media are running with the big panic headlines.

I'm not denying it's worrying and have to work in frontline services as well.

Can we please all step back a bit?

[TheCanterburyWhales]

Are the "big panic" headlines untrue?

[IronNeonClasp]

I really can't believe that people play down and undermine the situation using the scaremongering card. The country as a whole is unprepared and uneducated with the pandemic. Our frontline medical staff are already struggling and this hasn't taken off yet.

You only need to do a very small amount of research to gauge where we will be in three weeks.

People are NOT getting the memo to stay indoors away from people. It really is unbelievable. It is very upsetting and an incredibly anxious time.

Please don't play the situation down. I do not agree that there is 'group hysteria'. Read some of the threads where we have been watching the virus spread and now at this unprecedented time watching it at work here.

Some people take comfort being on these threads and have empathy with their fellow posters.

The situation is grave and as PP said nothing we have ever experienced in our lifetime.. Many of us have been upset last couple of days and the fear and anxiety of the unknown is creeping up.

Thank God for being able to have a forum where we can discuss our feelings and thanks to all the people who work at Mumsnet to keep the platform going.

I agree there is a fine line between whack threads and genuine anxiety but we need to be able to unite and empathise with posters not tell them to chill the fuck down...

[Geepipe]

daisypond its possible every person in the world has it. He probably doesnt. Hes not going to stop smoking. If customers want to kick off about his smokers cough they can fuck off and isolate themselves if they are so worried rather than shopping in unessential shops can't they.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

I agree there is a fine line between whack threads and genuine anxiety but we need to be able to unite and empathise with posters not tell them to chill the fuck down...

At one stage there at least 4 treading threads in the topic with "we dying" in the OP. Is that helping someone with anxiety?

[DesLynamsMoustache]

I suggest anyone who thinks this isn't that serious look at the Sky News feature they've done inside a hospital in Bergamo. If you watch that and aren't frightened then there's something wrong with you!

[Number3or4]

Op, but you get to see cute things to. Don’t just focus on the negatives. For example, it have been very lovely to see people helping each other through Facebook and what not.

Yesterday, I even saw a neighbour being visited and spoken through his window with a friend. My neighbour was self isolating and his friend came round knocked the door and they were talking (not good for privacy as most people can hear their conversation) and it was funny and sweet.

[Chista]

The amount of false information out there, the scaremongering and the fools who forward on these messages without checking sources - its alo adding to the panic. Video of London riots shared as a coronavirus riot in Peckham, the imminent lockdown messages, the we are all going to die messages and my personal favourite - the one where the governments across the world will be dousing the population with pesticides while they sleep to stem the spread. People need to stop, take a deep breath. Yes people are dying and that is absolutely awful, but it's not helping anyone by saying we are all going to get serious life changing results or die or whatever the new one is today.

[Notredamn]

I think some are misunderstanding OP's point, I don't know if they're being deliberately obtuse but stating that the situation is grave isn't something anyone has denied. Directing her to Skynews and imploring her to more frightened misses the point somewhat.

[Notredamn]

Be more*

[daisypond]

not going to stop smoking. If customers want to kick off about his smokers cough they can fuck off and isolate themselves if they are so worried rather than shopping in unessential shops can't they.
And that’s a nice attitude... Says a lot.

[HorridReality]

Yeah, OP, just tell that to the poor people in Italy

[Swiftier]

No, it really is bad. Not just because of the impact on health, but also the economy. My DH is likely facing unpaid leave or if this continues, redundancy. This will dramatically impact many lives.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

I suggest anyone who thinks this isn't that serious look at the Sky News feature they've done inside a hospital in Bergamo. If you watch that and aren't frightened then there's something wrong with you!

I’m scared, but watching this is not going to help me.

So I try to stay calm, keep away from other people, as much as I can. A video played on a loop is not going to change that.

[Falangalangadingdang]

Notredamn I think people should watch that video. Society needs to see something truly horrendous to get a dose of wake the fuck up.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

Well, if people aren't checking sources and believing all the stuff that is spreading around, then really they need their internet privileges removing.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

There are many variables in the way different countries are affected, the situation in any one country is not going to be a carbon copy of the situ in another one.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

I think people should watch that video. Society needs to see something truly horrendous to get a dose of wake the fuck up

Wake the fuck up from what and do what?

[Miljea]

Actually, Bluntness and others, maybe, regarding a No Deal Brexit, people just might stop for a minute and ponder this:

This is what food shopping for essentials looks like when the JIT supply chain is more or less fully functional. This is how people act. This is what it feels like when there is no food in the supermarket.

Then imagine if that fleet of delivery trucks won't materialise overnight to fill those shelves.

The difference is we're living the former but haven't yet stepped over the precipice of the other.

I think if nothing else, one thing this situation has shown us is the visuals of an interrupted farm to fork supply chain, and it hasn't been pretty , has it? And we've only just begun.

Also, I think our Great British pluck, and all pulling together for the Common Good has been demonstrated to be rather lacking, too, hasn't it?

[Babdoc]

Applejaxx, it’s not quite true to say that nothing like this has happened in our lifetimes.
I was a teenager during the Asian flu pandemic in 1968.
3500 people died in Britain, and between 1 and 2 million worldwide. My whole family got it and survived.
There was nothing approaching the current hysterical media coverage - we just got on with things.
It maybe helped that our parents had fought in WW2, and were less easily daunted by a mere pandemic!
Let’s all remember that 98% of us are going to survive this, and focus on practical ways to help ourselves and our families and neighbours to achieve that.

[daisypond]

Miljea
Exactly right.

[HowIrresponsible]

People can do and behave how they like

Especially the we're all going to die, life will never be the same threads?!

You can say what you like but that doesn't make it ok.

I remember the Brexit threads and now look at it.

The wonderful harmonious EU we would implode without

All EU nations have sealed their borders, stopped free movement of people and blocked export of emergency medical equipment to other member states.

Poland has blocked entry to anyone but Polish nationals.

The EU may well be over. Also the EU as a whole didn't or couldn't stop them. So no real difference in terms of saying EU dictates what we do.

In fact we are the one of the only country who hasn't closed the border. I doubt other countries will give their borders back once this is over.

But people thought the world would end with brexit and now look at it.

[Bluntness100]

And your thread is being gripped by it now.

There is whole world of difference between people sharing empathy, concern or fear and discussing rationally and what we are seeing on mumsnet.

It’s unlikely to go on for years, it’s unlikely we will all die, it’s unlikely your kids will be orphans if you comply with social distancing and have no chronic under lying health conditions.

It is likely if everyone, or even the vast majority comply that a cure will be found in the coming weeks, which prevents the majority of deaths being seen currently. It is likely restrictions in that scenario will be lifted in the summer. It is likely that a few months after that a vaccine will be found which will prevent people catching it and being cured.

Telling people to watch videos and be terrified is really not acceptable. We all know what’s happening. We know what’s happening in China, Italy, Germany, and here in the uk. Predicting world ending scenarios and death for millions and millions of people helps no one.