Shit should I be worried?

[ShouldIBeWorrieed]

A list (not sure how reliable, its in the metro) of the places with the highest coronavirus infection rate in the UK put the top 5 as

1 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Lancaster
3 South lakeland
4 Ashford
5 Gateshead
I live in one of the top 5 places. I looked up how many cases and its alot more than I thought it would be. It says its a rate of around 500 cases per 100,000 people. How worried should I be? I'm starting to panic a bit.

That's one in two hundred people. Not desperate odds by any means.

You can only do your best - take reasonable precautions such as hand washing etc., and then don't worry about it too much.

If you are mixing with a lot of people, not practising social distancing and have significant risk factors (old age, heart disease etc) then yes you should probably be a bit worried. Are you having to work with the general public?

Are you in a vunerable group? Either way, odds are strongly in favour of you being fine!

I'm not mixing with anyone other than husband and my toddler. No visitors. Husband working from home and I'm looking after my toddler. Have grocery food delivered so don't go to shops. Only go outside with toddler for exercise. Is there any chance of it being on the food that is delivered or items I order online (via the post)? I'm in my 30s. My only risk factor is my asthma.
Should I start wiping down my shopping with something? I leave my mail and parcels for two days before opening them - is that enough?

Here’s a list from the Guardian, about halfway down the page.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/13/coronavirus-uk-latest-deaths-confirmed-cases-and-which-regions-are-hardest-hit

The North East does seem to have a lot of cases per 100k but deaths are dropping.

Some people wipe down their fridge shopping and leave the rest of it in the garage for 72 hours. I’m not doing that and I have asthma and I’m in my 50s. I do the shopping as a divorced parent and I go for a walk every day. You don’t sound particularly at risk, tbh.

Is this a pisstake?

Wonder why the North West is effected the most. Yeah I'm not very high risk but doesn't it effect the lungs?. I'm worried about reading it can do possible long term damage to the lungs, and my asthma seems to be getting worse.

How is it a piss take? I live in an area with one of highest amount of cases per 100k people which I'm surprised by so I'm genuinely worried about catching it. Especially when they open things up more and a second wave hitting.

The Lake District does attract a high number of Chinese visitors hence this may explain the high infection rate...

I think you live near me then. It’s been widely reported that the reason we have such high figures is that the Morecambe Bay Health Authority (which both Lancaster and Barrow belong to) have carried out more testing than any other authority. So being so high up on the list is actually a good thing!

The north east is more affected than the north west, though?

Cumbria had a lot of early cases when community testing was still a thing so more cases will have tested positive. Remember these cases are a total, and will probably have peaked weeks ago. Do remain vigilant though.

The top 4 according to the Guardian article are Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Middlesbrough, then Brent.

Elderly ex Shipyard workers have a predisposition for lung problems and so that's thought to be a contributing factor in Barrow at least.

Deaths dropping away in the North West as well.

I use this source, which updates daily. The list/stats are slightly different.

Remember, this is cases and not deaths. For many, it will be mild.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-uk-tracker-how-many-cases-are-in-your-area-updated-daily-11956258

The Covid Symptom tracker uses a different data set. It says, for example, that 1 percent of people in Birmingham are reporting symptoms. That would be more than 10k people.
This is based on the reporting of symptoms and could include those with colds, tonsillitis etc.

We’re shielding so we wipe all our deliveries down. It only takes ten minutes and makes me feel a bit more in control.

Don't panic!
If it makes you feel better to wipe stuff down, do it.
Is the asthma getting worse because you are getting more anxious? Seasonal allergies or both? My asthmatic niece tends to panic this time of year because her allergies make it a bit more difficult to breathe.
I predict that instead of waves, we're going to have "hot spots." In a way, that's positive, because we'll be able to isolate the virus and take extra precautions and/or isolate/quarantine for a time.
I get that it's not too appealing when you are in a hot spot, but we'll get better at containing it as we move forward.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things!
I am not trying to be condescending, but it does sound like you are ruminating a bit too much and may be sending yourself down the rabbit's hole.
Do reach out to others (read: professionals or really calm family or friends. No hysterical people or Dementors/joy-suckers).
Glad you are getting some exercise! Good for you and baby!
Calm mommy = calm baby =happy family

All the listed places have large densely populated and deprived areas. Lots of Ill health and limited opportunity for social distancing. I used to live in gateshead and someone I know, living there, has mentioned that buses are really full, at times, just with people getting out to the shops. Car ownership is low (cars not usually needed) and large swathes of the bus route that was mentioned are not in walking distance of any supermarket at all.

Risk rating data.

I live in one of two areas most at risk, based on factors such as health care, deprivation etc.
It's consistently rated the biggest risk.

www.progressive-policy.net/covid-19-local-area-risk-rating-6-may-2020

@middleager, that’s almost identical to the Guardian data I linked earlier, which also updates daily. Cases are dependent on the number of tests carried out, obviously. Deaths are a clearer measure, even though some are missed due to where they occurred.

Sorry, cross post, your earlier link, I meant.

@movinggoalposts
It only takes ten minutes and makes me feel a bit more in control.

Good for you for being so self-aware! It's a small thing, but it is so valuable because it boosts a person's mental health!
Washing my hands all the way up to the elbow (after shopping, before cooking, etc.) makes me feel good!

Do exactly what you are doing now, yep I would wash down the shopping. Also are you taking piriton, my asthma is worse highest pollen count for 70 years which is causing a lot of problems for folk. If you line dry your bed linen can you stick it in a tumbler for a few minutes to kill the pollen. You are doing well. Hotspots move around the country it will be someone elses turn in a couple of weeks.