Worried about Coronavirus - thread 31

[Jenasaurus]

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I don’t know MrsHoho I’m still waiting for those radio press conferences like yesteryear

Here has helped me see the numbers though

@Calmonthesurfacebut If you're rural, I've seen young farmers organisations offering to help people out with food shops- might be worth a try?

I can't get service users in my care home tested. I've begged, as if they are negative nearly my whole staff team can come out of isolation and we'd be ok. As it is we are tbh fucked.
So I don't know who is being tested with the 'extra 25000 test a day' but they don't seem to be available around us.
It's ludicrous actually.
And I'm beginning to think we are being lied to quite a lot.

@lmerc I mean, I live in a town, so there's about as much space between people as anywhere. Maybe a bit more than London? But we're a bit of a tourist trap, so it gets rammed in the summer usually. I'm also a teacher, so have to go into school on a rota, so can't avoid all social contact.

Tbf I'm not really worried about me- more the vulnerable and elderly already in the county.

Realistically, it's pretty unlikely you'd get killed if trespassing. Animals are probably the bigger risk and e.g. a lone bull may not be immediately visible as you go into a field. People operating large machinery also might not be able to see you.

If you need to cross private land for some reason, the best thing to do usually is to contact the landowner and ask- often if it's safe they will give you permission!

@MurrayTheMonk That sounds awfully stressful- are any of them showing symptoms and likely to be hospitalised?

If you've got the energy, could you raise this with your MP?

In Scotland it's the norm to walk through fields 🤷

May i have a quick rant? It's vaguely Covid related, and I don't want to burden my friends when they have enough on their minds. DM is a 'difficult woman'. She's been moaning to me about all her problems and worries- yes, Covid is going to be inconvenient and indirectly cost her money. But she won't end up on the breadline. She's complaining because no one (apart from a neighbour, her daughter that lives near, and a young woman from weightwatchers) has offered her any help or support. Yesterday she went to the town centre for an essential optician appointment- fair enough- and popped into a shop to try on a coat.

I've set up a local support system for isolating people. If any of them sent me on an errand after having been in the town centre trying on coats yesterday, I'd be really cross.

So much awful stuff, so many people in such perilous circumstances, and she's complaining about really minor stuff, and yes, it's getting me down!!!

I have thought that when looking at property outside the city, unless a detached house with woods nearby then is it really much safer at all. I really don't care if I catch it either, it's the worry about other people. It's good to know this about land, I've really hardly came across privately owned fields in my life. Really noticing recently how much nicer it is out there

This is all really starting to get to me now. I tried to not read about it but it's everywhere & now the news of new symptoms (loss of taste/smell & D&V) has really got me worried because they keep focusing on only temperature & a cough. I keep reading that a lot of people with it have had runny noses. I just feel there is so much conflicting info. I saw a tweet from The Independent about the NHS having guidelines on who should be treated when they become overwhelmed & that messed me up. As someone pointed out in the comments the article will cause stress which makes a lot of underlying health issues worse!

No-none of them bad enough for hospital. They could just have regular coughs and low grade fevers-both got one of the main symptoms but not both-and yet PHE told all staff that had been near them that they'd need to be off for 14 days. Putting 8 other service users at risk as they all need specialist care.
Two tests would be all it takes...
MP aware. Can't do anything. Which is why I don't believe there is the extra testing capacity talked about tbh...

Murray have you thought about putting surgical masks on everyone still working as well as the residents

Pickle-yes your DM is being annoying...it's really vexing that half the nation is being sensible (optimistic) and the other half are swanning about like idiots. I saw on the news today the lots of coastal towns were really busy as the weather is nice. What the hell is wrong with them???

Yes-they are all wearing masks and gloves at all times. (Fine until they run out). We have about two weeks worth left.

I'm going to lose my shit with acquaintances on WhatsApp chats soon.

Lots of people I really would rather not be stuck in a lift with but have effectively got stuck in chat with. I'd leave but I have to deal with these people in the future. God help me.

They had no clue. None about what's happening, why it's happening and what they need to avoid. No idea of what's coming. No idea of very much at all.

It's stunning.

We are doomed.

It's mind boogling.

I've read that this type of mask is most effective at preventing contamination from an infected patient. Ive also read that doctors are reusing masks, as the virus wouldn't still be intact on them after several days

I mean most effective worn by the infected

PHE ordered the staff home. Over the phone. At 8pm on Monday night. Im a care manager not a bloody magician!
I've got 3 staff living in there til next tues. camping out in the only available space-the tiny ressy lounge. We usually have 4 at any given time. They are exhausted already.
I'm at home, sick and stuck in til mon 30th and trying to sort this from
Home, and I feel so guilty I can't be there. But also like just running away as I can't see how this will work. The following week they will all need a week off-and I can't see how I can backfill their shifts whilst still having all the others off SI.

I'm not the only home with this issue. With no testing and PPE running out all over the shop, it's really really not good.

The service users that will tolerate masks have them on. They are all high needs LD, no capacity. Most also physically disabled. Lots of challenging behaviour.
They don't understand the need to wear masks or stay in their rooms. They can't tell us how they feel. It's impossible.

Also you could be contagious for quite a while I think

Sounds like a nightmare Murray

Murray that's really odd that PHE told you that. I'm a front line HCP and advice for us is that we don't have to self isolate, even if we've had contact with a confirmed case, let alone just someone with symptoms, unless we become symptomatic ourselves.

I don't see why the rules would be any different for care staff?

@Horehound Scotland has the right to roam, which is very different to the rest of the UK. I imagine farmers and landowners also behave differently because of this!

They don't have interested families most of them-so there isn't even that fall back...
My poor staff-it's so intense for those staying there..

They had no clue. None about what's happening, why it's happening and what they need to avoid. No idea of what's coming. No idea of very much at all.

same with any news or public announcement really. how some people can function in daily life I don't know.

That's what they said to the staff. And I queried it and they stuck with it.
local authority later rowed back on that advice but by that time the damage was down and panic had spread. Lots of staff have kids, parents that are vulnerable and they don't want to risk it... and for £8.47 a bloody hour can you blame them?

I've persuaded by company to pay them £9.50 for now and those staying over are getting a lot more than that... but still...