The majority of people seem genuinely terrified

[thewheelsonthebus23]

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.

I am coming into my 7th week of respiratory problems with this virus. I have no underlying health conditions. It is indiscriminate unfortunately and that's what is frightening people coupled with the lack of medical support unless you're actually admitted to hospital. Look at the Lungs Theeads and 40/50+ Days threads on here to see how it is affecting normal people, a lot of whom are very active and fit.

Luckily I have good sick pay from work and they have been understanding but not everyone will have that.

But the vulnerable will have to
Continue to stay in. Whether lockdown continues or not.

This virus is here to stay whether we shut ourselves away or not

Those that can have to restart the economy. Or we will live poorer and shorter lives

"It's only on here that I see fear. No one I know gives a shit. I work at 3 sites with over a hundred people. No one is bothered and no one has had it."

This is part of the problem imo; people who place too much emphasis on their own anecdotal experiences and lack the imagination to understand that others are having different experiences. Or they don't care because it doesn't impact their lives.

"I'm in agreement. I'm more terrified of the economy tanking then getting the virus."

That's only because the risk of overflowing hospitals and morgues has been curtailed, so now we all have the luxury of looking to address the economy.

"I completely agree. I think what this situation highlights is how weak we are mentally and how little resilience we have."

I agree with this but for different reasons. Not because people are scared but because of the pathetic bowls of protest from some about coping with the stress of lockdown, even though we retained lots of freedoms compared to other European countries.

Total misuse of the word ‘terrified’. Terrified would be when you are in danger of imminent of death or severe physical injury. I have only been terrified twice in 65 years. Scared would be more appropriate.

A lot of it depends on personal experience and vulnerability. Both DH and I are in categories that are higher risk and both have lung issues.

In our cul de sac of 24 houses we have had 2 homes affected. First one (good friends of ours) wife had been in hospital for op and recovering normally at home, became ill and confirmed Covid. Taken into hospital and died 2 weeks later. Husband also confirmed positive but didn’t wait to see what would happen and took his own life.

Another lady, bit older, recently developed cough and high temp and advised by 111 to ride it out at home was taken by ambulance late last night when husband noticed her nail beds were blue when cutting her nails.

I wouldn’t say I’m scared of loosening lockdown but I am certainly ‘cautiously concerned’ and will probably remain so for quite sometime tbh.

The issue here is very similar to people that leave reviews for hotels.. Not many people post or leave a review if they are not fussed.. You only get the extreme views that are posted and in this sense they will always be the people that are scared.... In real life I actually know very little people that don't want things to go back to normal...

In real life I actually know very little people that don't want things to go back to normal...

Normal is a very, very long way off.

I don’t know anyone irl who admits to being scared of it except those who expressed reasonable concern for shielding relatives but within the scope of plans to keel them safe as opposed to expecting the whole world to lockdown forever.

I think some people are much more anxious in general usually owing to events from their pasts.
We need to all be patient and understanding.
Saying things like "otherwise intelligent people" is unhelpful. I'm very intelligent, I also have serious anxiety issues. Can people not have both?

I will not be doing my job "normally" for a long time, not only for my own health but also that ld easily become a "super spreader", and my job is not essential - or at least not essential that it is carried out in the "normal" way (although it achieves better results if it is).
I can also see myself using click and collect and deliveries much more for the foreseeable future.
The main difference that easing restrictions would have is, that I might drive a bit further to carry out my exercise somewhere quieter (rural car parks are all shut here at present).
The other is that my DD could see her friends - who have been socially isolated too.

I agree, it is scary and it's shit but we left it too late to lockdown and so will have to live with the consequences. We cannot just indefinitely stay in lockdown, it would be absurd to do so and impossible for the economy and infrastructure of the entire country!

Lots of people I know haven't even left their house and accuse those of us who do go out of not taking things seriously. It's not the case at all but then you get other idiots completely taking the piss!

I'm fucking terrified.
I work in a care setting and these last two days we have (so far) 5 people tested positive. More test results are due in at anytime. I have spent up to 12 hours a day with these people and although I feel like a dreadful person I seriously don't think I can go back to work when I'm due back on Saturday. I don't know how we'll manage on a reduced income but I really don't care at this moment in time.
Absolutely terrified I've caught it.

I want to stay cocooned at home as long as possible.

You are right OP.

The number of deaths is larger than the population of my home time and 23* greater than where I currently live. Yes, I am scared about getting it and dying and leaving my children with one parent.

We have a ridiculously high death toll for a supposedly not lethal virus. Even if you weren't concerned by the virus itself, it's concerning to be in the UK with the virus. That's said, I don't know anyone who thinks they will certainly die. I do know people who have been extremely ill for a long time and may have ongoing issues as a result. I don't know how scared they were beforehand but it doesn't seem relevant. Other countries around the world are appalled by our performance and wouldn't want to be here. Anyone who isn't at all concerned reminds me of one of those frogs sitting in a pan of boiling water. Look at the death toll. Be thankful we locked down when we did. If you're ok, it's probably down to the closure of the country, not because there was nothing to worry about it the first place. And try out your post on one of the many families who have lost front line workers to this incredibly low risk illness. You don't sound rational at all.

My DH’s nan was petrified of the sound of planes flying low over her house ever since the war @RosesandIris

I suppose for many people this is a whole new phenomenon an illness you can catch with no real cure. We just assume if we get ill there is in most cases a treatment. Cancer frightens people when they get it but you can’t give it to someone. Also you can have this virus and not know it and pass it to someone else.

I am doing the shopping for my 88yo DM who has a heart condition along with a few other issues. I am dropping it at her door and then stepping over to the other side of the road to talk to her. At the moment I don’t think I will be rushing into her arms, as much as I want to, once lockdown restrictions are lifted, because if I pass the virus to her, and I could have it unknowingly, there is a very high risk she would die.

I missed my nan’s 100th birthday party as I will still in the 48 hour period after suffering a bout of norovirus. There was no way I could risk her health or the other residents in the nursing home. In the same way I wouldn’t visit my dad when we had colds or felt a bit under the weather when he was undergoing cancer treatment. It’s such a difficult call.

Maybe once it has been around for a long time after lockdown it will be something we will just accept. A bit like the people did in WWII. When war was declared many children in cities were evacuated very quickly either to the country or abroad, but after some time many of those in the country came back. I am sure when the bombs first started to drop people were petrified to go about their daily lives waiting for the siren to wail, but again it then probably became more the norm (didn’t mean they wouldn’t be scared when the bombs were actually falling).

We are just at the start of this process and having to come to terms with this killer in our midst.

I came down with symptoms on the 17th of March and only now after 7 weeks do I feel pretty much properly well again. It's a very unpleasant illness and can be worrying to deal with. I still feel that the press is as out of control as ever in this country and I loathe their scaremongering.

I am not terrified, but I am worried. I want lock down to be over, but under no illusions that the virus has gone. We will be keeping social distancing as much as possible and all the new hygiene improvements. We are also a bit overweight so I am addressing that as of today. There is a high chance we will get it and a high chance it will resurface, possibly worse, in the flu season.

Beebityboo

I'm not stupid, I just feel a bit traumatised sad.

No, you’re not and of course you are, any compassionate person would be.

Most people telling everyone to calm down haven’t suffered personal loss or had to treat sick people and watch them die. Very easy to feel relaxed if you have no personal vulnerabilities.

In real life I actually know very little people that don't want things to go back to normal...

I think some of the extreme views come from people with a different experience. Do you know anyone in real life that:

• works in a covid ward?
• works in a care home or in care?
• has underlying health issues?
• is obese?
• is shielding?
• has lost someone to the virus?
• is waiting for news of someone they know in hospital with covid?
• works for the police force?
• or anyone else at risk during this pandemic?
• has MH issues

Do they want life to return to normal now while hundreds of people are dying daily and the number will increase again when lock down is eased?

Or do you only know people who are bored not being able to go out for a meal/work and don't realise how much they and their loved ones/colleagues have been protected by the lock down?

Getting back to normal will and should take time.

That's what happens when you tell a whole nation to sit in their houses and have 24 hour rolling media. News that is dominated inevitably by bad stuff.
When lockdown was announced I understood the need to flatten the curve and make sure that there was enough resources so that the large number of people needing specialist help could access it. It was always a fact that that could not go on for very long and still have a business to go back to.
The fact that this has turned into people competitively isolating, judging others and calling for the magic money fairy to allow them to stay at home indefinitely is not surprising.
Fwiw, I get no furlough pay and have no income at all. Fortunately we have some savings. My friends parents have been picked off weekly and my Mum is self isolating. I think there needs to be a 2 week period for businesses to get ready to sort as many going back as possible. Non essential shops should be able to reopen tomorrow with minimising numbers in shop at an time etc.
Financial support focused on those shielding for medically proven reasons. Schools phased returns but with a caveat that parents can exercise their own judgement until end of summer term without consequences ( but will have to accept that stuff online will be limited).

I think it’s not helpful that the idea of “we just wait for a vaccine” seems to be banded about as a realistic answer forgetting that there is no guarantee of one (we don’t have one for hiv for example) and even if we do the 18 month timeline is very optimistic (previous quickest vaccine was four years). I think some point countries around the world will have to shift to a “how do we live with this threat narrative” but I cannot see how they do that given the high sense of fear it’s def going to be a challenge

Most people I know are not terrified of the virus, they are more worried about their jobs and livelihoods. The only people I know who are concerned, are over 70 and they are being sensible, not going out hardly at all. Oh and the people on mumsnet are the only people I know who think we should all be on lockdown until we find a vaccine,

@WeAllHaveWings I know people in eight of those categories. I can’t believe that’s unusual. Why are some people so desperate to go to KFC or B&Q? I could happily go a lifetime without visiting them.

I think the true answer is that people are as divided on this as they were on Brexit. And just like Brexit, most people mix in circles where people tend to have the same view as them and assume the view is universally held.

Covid-19 isn't quite like other viral illnesses. For a start, it's new, so (probably) no one is immune, though children don't seem to catch it. An individual's chance of dying of it is pretty small, but at the same time the fact that most of us will catch it increases the risk - with flu, for example, there's a small chance of dying if you catch it but in any given year most people won't catch it.

Although the illness is mild in most people, about 20% of people who catch it will be hospitalised, which isn't an insubstantial number. And we know that there are particular groups at risk - not just the elderly, but people with underlying conditions such as heart problems or diabetes. In this country we have a lot of people with underlying conditions. We also know that people from ethnic minorities are more likely to die, even if they were previously perfectly healthy. And men too, of course.

So I think it's reasonable to be worried. I also think there are massive downsides to continuing with the lockdown, such as people with other illnesses not receiving the treatment they need. I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think it's black-and-white.