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Original poster

The majority of people seem genuinely terrified

457 replies

thewheelsonthebus23 · 06/05/2020 22:53

I keep reading threads on Facebook and elsewhere, I will also include my own mother in this. There are so many people genuinely petrified of life returning to normal right now.
I can’t get my head around this. Yes, it poses a threat to some, but the survival rate is incredibly high for most of the population. It seems a lot of people think lockdown will eradicate it completely and it also seems that they believe if they get it, they’ll almost certainly die. I know that’s what my mum thinks. She’s adamant if she gets it, she’ll end up on a ventilator.
Someone posted about sending their child back to school and said something along the lines of: “I’d rather pay the fine, than pay for her funeral”.
Has the media been really irresponsible here? I feel the mass media has a lot to answer for.

OP posts:
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7
Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:14

Yeah, Jaxhog you are just so more caring than me etc.

effingterrified · 08/05/2020 19:15

Ilets - ta, thanks for admitting you are happy for the elderly to die as you apparently have no elderly relatives left yourself.

And you don't care if your friends elderly relatives die.

Why am I not surprised that you only know 100 people! You clearly have no friends.

Most people are not like you though.

Most people know a lot more than 100 people.

userxx · 08/05/2020 19:15

@effingterrified I once ate chocolate laxative because I was craving chocolate so badly. Those odds wouldn't worry me.

TheGreatWave · 08/05/2020 19:17

If I said, eat this chocolate bar, there's a 10-20% chance it would kill you, it tastes nice, would you eat it?

This analogy only kind of works if that was the only food available.

Vynalbob · 08/05/2020 19:18

I think it's reasonable to not want to infect (possibly fatally) people some of whom will be young and healthy AT LEAST until there is a decent treatment.
Unfortunately when you're young you think you're indestructible and nothing bad will happen to you & yours.
It's more dangerous to ride a motorbike
Yes that's why I chose a car it's a choice.
The virus is more like a hit and run.....other people's choices decide your future.

It may be out of proportion but (like in the Prisoner) we are not numbers we are real people.

Not going mad just feeling safety has a lot going for it.

dustyparadeground · 08/05/2020 19:19

Personally here in North London have been out yesterday to take my Key Worker OH to work by car (avoiding the tube and a bus) and shopping today. We put masks on and my OH had gloves to push trolley. Cannot believe the number of people still not even wearing a mask and there was one particular guy in the supermarket didn't seem to be aware of any social distancing. Definitely a mixed message from the Government. And I am one who would accept we have to make some kind of compromise to avoid wrecking the economy.

Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:19

People both matter and don't matter if I don't know them.
I am not a great person
I didn't donate to the ebola research or crisis fund (I probably did,but it wont have been as much as I could have)
Children are starving to death today who I could send funds to help, but haven't
I always meant to send funds to help fight the fight against malaria, which I know is one of the world's deadliest diseases but my efforts have been non existent
I sometimes fund vaccine programmes in developing countries but I can afford to do more

There are a million ways I don't do enough to help. And I do feel sad about those deaths but it still doesn't make me give more

How's your effort to save people, jax?

effingterrified · 08/05/2020 19:20

TheGreatWave - lovely straw man you have there.

No-one is suggesting an endless lockdown, they are suggesting what every other European and Asian country has done, namely get death rates drastically falling and nearly down, and only then open a small amount, cautiously.

The UK added over 600 more deaths to its total today and over 5000 newly diagnosed.

We are miles from being ready to end the lockdown. Because our government's response has been SHOCKING.

The British Government's response has been a laughing stock across the world. Other countries are running articles querying why our approach is so shit.

Mummadeeze · 08/05/2020 19:20

I am not worried for myself as I have had it but I am bloody worried for my parents who are fairly old, diabetic, obese with heart and lung problems. Despite all these factors they still have a life they want to lead and are not just a statistic to the people that love them. Thinking it’s fine, only a percentage of people will die doesn’t make me feel better as should they be unlucky enough to catch it, they will pretty much certainly be in that percentage and if that can be avoided by them staying at home, that is what I want for them.

Taliya · 08/05/2020 19:20

llets
What a truly awful awful thing to say. One day when you are old you will realise ...you are still a person.

TheGreatWave · 08/05/2020 19:21

Hardly anyone wears a mask, I am not sure why that surprised you.

effingterrified · 08/05/2020 19:21

We also have no track and trace program because our government refuses to use the secure system other countries are using, in favour of developing its own app to steal all our data. Hmm

BeltaneBride · 08/05/2020 19:23

It is not 10-20%!
In under 45 years is a tenth of 1%.
I've had it -not pleasant but the whooping cough I had 4years ago was far worse and far scarier and lasted 6 weeks, not 10 days.
And new evidence that obesity is the best indicator of complications.
Even do is is elevated to 2 times a tenth of 1% -ie a fifth on 1%.
And still people are cowering under their duvets and telling the rest of us we are murderers if we don't do the bonkers same...

Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:23

I have a fair number of elderly relatives. As their odds are about 15% of dying, 85% of surviving, as I have less than 10 they'll probably be ok. If they aren't, it's not exactly a life cut too short is it? Better to die of cancer or alzheimers or mnd or just old age? In their opinion,not. They're not scared, why should I be?
I think perhaps the people I know are a bit more stoic/less cowardly to be honest

effingterrified · 08/05/2020 19:25

Ilets - do you go and deliberately, knowingly give Ebola or malaria to people?

No? Then you're fine there.

But for some reason you seem to think it's just fine if you and others go around spreading a disease in your own country that can and does also kill people.

Why is that?

effingterrified · 08/05/2020 19:26

"If they aren't, it's not exactly a life cut too short is it?"

Oh get back under your bridge.

TheGreatWave · 08/05/2020 19:28

There are people who want lockdown to last for an undetermined period. New cases will go up as they are testing more people, so it is obvious that number will increase.

Very few are calling for an end of lockdown right now, instead saying that there needs to be a plan, but you are totally shouting those people down with accusations of not caring for anyone. (We do, we desperately care about those who need health and support services up and running again)

Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:29

Who genuinely on this thread has done as much as they could to eradicate other diseases in other countries? You've all had 30 years or so to do so so far. Some of you might but I bet most of you just make the odd token gesture if that. So this is not about being altruistic, is it, sacrificing yourself for people you don't know. You only had to give money, after all. This time you are just worried about yourselves. It's ok to be selfish, we all are really, but be honest with yourselves.

cadburyegg · 08/05/2020 19:29

I care about the elderly a lot actually. I also care about children who live under the poverty line who haven’t eaten a decent meal in 6 weeks. You can’t preach about how much you care for the elderly when youve conveniently forgotten such children who have been affected by the school closures. especially when children are extremely unlikely to be affected severely

Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:32

I've had it already. I have had worse colds. I'm not spreading it, in fact I am helping protect others with my immunity

You can clap for me next Thursday if you want

Let's look again at your post, effingterrified, you don't think you might have been a teensy bit exaggerating?

"Are you happy for all your old relatives/friends/co-workers to die, cadburyegg?"

Emphasis mine. There was quite a bit more hyperbole but that's the thrust of your argument

cadburyegg · 08/05/2020 19:33

Also my parents are 70+ so if I didn’t care about the elderly I’d be visiting them. I am obviously not. My dad is also 85 and has dementia, he can’t remember who I am and certainly has no clue about social distancing. If anyone’s at risk, he is. It’s about looking at the bigger picture.

userxx · 08/05/2020 19:33

@BeltaneBride shame on you, it's a death sentence don't you know! You must have had the very mild "version" to have recovered and not needed a ventilator, watch out for the second wave.

TheGreatWave · 08/05/2020 19:35

We also have no track and trace program

Until the tests are reliable that is an absolute waste of time. Chucking a kit through a car window and expecting people to self swab who have never done so before is not a good approach.

I was showing symptoms, I have had a negative test, NHS says I can go back out and about, I am sticking to the original 7 days, I don't trust their advice, and I do bloody care that it may have been a false negative and I don't want to risk others.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 08/05/2020 19:38

I really cannot fathom people at all.

People saying you've got more chance of dying in a car accident (have you? Care to quote the stats that back up that claim?) or stating that only the vulnerable or elderly are at risk and simply need to stay at home - well, maybe I'd be more reassured if they were actually planning on letting the vulnerable stay at home, but they aren't are they?

I'm shielding but my husband is an essential worker so it's very concerning. What would make me feel less scared?- proper testing, tracking and tracing, plus early medical assistance for those who need it. What I am scared of is catching it and being left at home gasping for breath until.im blue enough to be admitted.

Despite so many of you clamouring to be let out on threads discussing the tracking app the majority are refusing to agree to it in order to keep infection rates down. So seemingly some want to just get back out there, refuse to have an app that might protect people and couldn't care less about the people who might get sick and die because they're likely elderly or ill anyway.

Ilets · 08/05/2020 19:42

The UK might (fucking finally) be using the global app everyone else plans on using. That might increase acceptance of an app
Shitshow from start to finish, the UK handling of this