Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

What weird shit might happen?

490 replies

GreyishDays · 22/03/2020 20:52

So far I’ve thought of:

Drug addicts that normally shop lift to get money, what will they do?

People living a double life, they’ll have to choose one family to isolate with.

Err that’s all I can think of, but surely there’s more?

OP posts:
GabsAlot · 23/03/2020 00:13

I might actually lose weight if im rationing my food

CrystalAlligator · 23/03/2020 00:18

I’ll be surprised if there is a baby boom. I don’t get why people think there will be.

There was one after the war because the war was over, there was less access to contraception and people were reunited with their partners.

Currently we’re not even in the thick of it, it’s barely begun. We don’t know when it will end. Everybody has access to contraception other than those in abusive relationships where it is withheld, and terminations easily. I don’t think it’s as simple as ‘cooped up so we will have unprotected sex’.

If anything I predict a reduction in the birth rate. People who were already trying, many have stopped for now due to fear there won’t be the resources for pregnancy care or a safe labour, fear of their babies becoming unwell or them, terror over the economic situation or one or both of them having lost their jobs and eaten into savings earmarked for a baby. I’m sure that fewer people will actively try for a baby in these circumstances than how things were a few months ago and don’t think that societally and medically we are as prone to unplanned pregnancies.

Am I missing something? Happy to be disproved...

StoppinBy · 23/03/2020 00:18

People have started stealing chickens near me.

I guess eggs and perhaps the meat are valued at the moment.

Petiolaris · 23/03/2020 00:22

I remember during the miners strike in the 80s everyone chickens and ducks were stolen, greenhouses were robbed and potatoes dug up in the middle of the night. People turn to crime when they’re desperate.

Devlesko · 23/03/2020 00:25

Dolphins and fish in Italy's clearer blue waterways.

A better work/life balance for those who prefer it.
Nicer gardens, less waste.
I'd like to say nicer people but so many awful stories coming out. Maybe that's just the media though and we hear fewer good ones.

Blakes77 · 23/03/2020 00:27

The birth rate will go way down for a while. Bring cooped up with kids is not an aphrodisiac..teenage pregnancy will plummet too.
Our kids will either grow up super resilient or super anxious.
Re drug dealers- they already do deliver! They could also courier. Trust me junkies will always get drugs.

GabsAlot · 23/03/2020 00:30

what im saying is blakes if there is total lockdown they cant tel the copper that just stopped them theyre dlivering their drugs can they

ProfessorPootle · 23/03/2020 00:31

In the near future:

Entrance exams for secondary school will have lower pass marks as kids missed the last year of primary school.

People will avoid going to GP and A&E.

Kids will have terrible haircuts at home. Long haired dogs will have long hair badly brushed or terrible haircuts.

Homegrown will be in fashion, leading to less imports and more food security in our agriculture industry in future.

Everyone develops eczema on their hands from over washing.

Longer term:

People will continue to avoid A&E and GPs at all costs.

If ever a new virus appears all countries will immediately stop all flights and travel to/from that country isolating it completely within minutes.

Less overseas travel.

Less socialising.

Physical shops become a thing of the past, high streets are repurposed for housing.

Kids appreciate school.

Hollyhobbi · 23/03/2020 00:31

@FannyCann are you sure there were no Corona Virus patients in the hospital two weeks ago? The first time I was brought to the hospital I was told there was a patient being treated there. This wasn't common knowledge at the time. The second time I was told two members of Dublin Fire Brigade were in self isolation as they had transported a patient who didn't tell them they had symptoms of the virus. This wasn't public knowledge until a few days later either.

Hollyhobbi · 23/03/2020 00:33

@FannyCann meant to give Flowers for you and your mum especially given the Sunday that was in it.

Quarantino · 23/03/2020 00:45

Some YouTube vlogger/ wannabe will fake getting a positive test

thecatneuterer · 23/03/2020 00:48

@alloutoffucks Reduction in unwanted pets as most breeding will stop. Oh if only! Sadly the opposite will very much be the case. Most breeding is not exactly deliberate - it's just because people don't think about/can't be arsed to/don't like the idea of neutering. Vets are now in very short supply and are cancelling all routine appointments, including neutering.

And with many rescues closing their doors, more and more animals will be dumped. Many of these will be unneutered and will either die on the street or end up breeding.

And rescues, which deal with collecting stray (and usually unneutered) cats and trapping and neutering colonies, will likely be severely restricted in these activities.

This is the aspect of this whole thing that's giving me sleepless nights.

alloutoffucks · 23/03/2020 00:53

@thecat So sorry to hear I am totally wrong about that.

WomanIsTaken · 23/03/2020 00:56

As routine medical appointments are suspended for a long period, people may forget to reschedule things like smear tests or mammograms or vaccinations, leading to problems later on.
I'm worried that any environmental gains will rapidly be neutralized once the immediate danger has passed, as people feel entitled to 'reward' themselves following long hardship with gratuitous spending on resource heavy consumer goods and travel, thinking they've sort of 'banked' the goodness of avoiding activities which produce emissions.
Also breaking my heart for the African continent, likely to suffer immeasurably in the coming months.

PyongyangKipperbang · 23/03/2020 01:02

This is the aspect of this whole thing that's giving me sleepless nights.

Really? Cats. Cats having babies that might die is what is giving you sleepless nights?

Get a fucking grip. People, ACTUAL people not pretend fur people, are dying and the only thing worrying you is cats?

I despair, I really fucking do.

thecatneuterer · 23/03/2020 01:04

@PyongyangKipperbang Yes I knew someone would pick that up. Yes. Because that is what I dedicate my life to and what I would in fact give my life for. Animal welfare is what matters most in the world to me.

HooverVacuum · 23/03/2020 01:14

I think people will become more socially isolated in future.

We are already in a weird world where people used to phone each other to arrange a meeting or speak. Now every one texts and has a lot less face to face contact.

Many jobs that ruled out working from home as impractical or unworkable will realise actually its not and there will be financial advantages to persisting (smaller business premises, lower overheads if everyone works from home).

It will stick and more people will keep working from home. We willl all be in little boxes barely connecting in person - all online working -online dating - online friendships.

SonEtLumiere · 23/03/2020 01:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Foghead · 23/03/2020 01:17

I think there’ll be more people heavily addicted to their gadgets.

FlushedZebra · 23/03/2020 01:23

What's happened in Venice so quickly is nothing short of incredible www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/20/nature-is-taking-back-venice-wildlife-returns-to-tourist-free-city

One of the (very few) upsides of this is that it will give nature a fighting chance.

Let's hope we don't just go back to our polluting ways in a few months time.

Air pollution has also reduced - the speed that these things have happened (a matter of weeks) is amazing.

Lowprofilename · 23/03/2020 01:24

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

PyongyangKipperbang · 23/03/2020 01:25

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Gingerkittykat · 23/03/2020 01:27

@NoName33 You have my sympathy. I have not had an eating disorder for a long time but have started slipping back into that mindset over the past couple of weeks. It is partly triggered by my massive sensory issues around food (currently in the middle of an adult ASDA assessment which will obviously be delayed now). I am not worried about a lack of food but rather not getting my safe foods, most people will say to get over the fussiness but the thought of putting a lot of things in my mouth makes me so anxious it is impossible. I am very carefully rationing what I do have and considering full fasting.

People will get really unfit, already after a few days of self isolation I am noticing a difference.

On a lighter note, loads of pale faces as fake tan salons and tanning beds are closed down, no more of those horrible inch long fake nails.

Cars are going to get filthy, mine was really grubby when I went out earlier but car washes are closed, I considered the jet wash but didn't want to be touching the wands after other people have used them.

Will ultra cheap air travel be a thing of the past?

And yes, animal rescues will suffer. My local cat rescue is not rehoming right now due to not being able to do homechecks and shutting down visitors to the rescue centre because the owner has health concerns.

Mohster · 23/03/2020 01:28

So far it's all been a bit weird.

thecatneuterer · 23/03/2020 01:30

Where have I said 'fuck the humans'? Animal suffering happens to have a greater emotional impact on me. Everyone is different.