Do we need a reality check about covid?

[TheSilence]

I’m so quiet about this in real life, and bite my tongue but I’m so sick of hearing certain things and it’s making me despair of the human race.

I am no scientist, nor do I especially understand research/data or statistics.

But in a nutshell, I am sick of people minimising this virus. I’ve seen and heard it for 7 months now and am most frustrated by these kinds of comments:

“It’s just flu but they’ve renamed it”
“Flu has a higher death rate”
“For 99% of people it’s just like having the common cold”
“All nurses ever do is film tik Tok videos”
“Long covid doesn’t exist”
“Masks cause severe neurological damage”!

This is just a few because I don’t want to rant too much, I haven’t even covered the vast amount of conspiracy theories I’ve read.

From my understanding, all of those statements I’ve said are wrong, but I’m aware that my understanding is wrong.
I know some people might be reading this thinking I’ve got it back to front and that people are over estimating this virus, but that hasn’t been my experience at all.

Bottom line is, the single most important thing about covid that makes it a severe threat is that it’s brand new. The people who understand these things barely understand this. When going into a battle or war, knowing and understanding your enemy gives you a huge advantage. It’s the same with this, and tbh I can’t get my head around the statements people make with such certainty, such as “I KNOW for a fact if I or my family get it we’ll definitely be fine” or “Long covid is DEFINITELY the same as any post viral syndrome”. How can these people be so ridiculously sure when scientists aren’t?

I hate the arrogance and huge egos of people in this country and other western countries.

And yes I’m struggling with severe mental health issues that I can’t get proper help for because of covid. As I know I sound very ranty and possibly angry.

I’m just saying - please take this seriously.

I totally agree with you. As a mum and a teacher. Most of the teachers too on Mumsnet would agree with you too, I'm sure. I'm sick of the minimising and of the denials.

I’m glad it’s not just me @monkeytennis97 (I love your username btw, is it an Alan Partridge reference?!)

I really do feel for teacher and I can’t stand any kind of teacher bashing, it’s another thing that makes me see red!

You're right OP.

I think some people are convinced it only affects The Others. It's disproportionately affected the poor, urban areas, BAME communities, and the disabled and elderly.

So some people think they'll be ok. Morals aside, they ignore the fact that's it new and still mostly unknown. Long Covid has been largely overlooked. We now know it's affecting many patients who had initially mild cases. Who knows what might come to light in the future - what hidden damage might show up several years down the line.

There's also the economic damage. The economy simply can't operate properly without containment. Yet still people fail to admit, recognise, or accept that.

I don't know, to be honest.

I have been taking it seriously so far and I'm still concerned for vulnerable people.

But I'm starting to think we need a reality check the other way - that actually we need to realise that there are lots of things that pose a danger ot our lives, Covid increases the danger of some of those other things and we need to be a bit more proportional in our response to Covid over and above everything else.

I think if the response to Covid was more measured and proportionate, without incessant media scaremongering and constantly changing government advice, (and not adhering to their own rules, which they claim are incredibly important) people wouldn't be making comments like that. It's natural to feel sceptical given this kind of environment.

Agree and yes it's a new virus but the biggest threat is to vital services. If the numbers get out of control, there won't be an NHS for anyone. That's the whole point of locking down.

Try to contain the virus and when that fails, as it did in March and is doing now, a stricter lockdown to mitigate that. Limit the damage. There are people who caught it today who will die in November, that can't be stopped now. Just hope it doesn't collapse the hospitals for too many.

Some people on MN think it's all a big joke, repeating the same inanities over an over again, as they've done from the start. Until someone they know dies I suppose but then who know what goes on in their tiny brains

I agree wholeheartedly.

I see far more minimising of the negative effects and experiences of restrictions than I do minimising of the virus itself. “You’re just being asked to sit on your arse and watch Netflix” “why did you have children if you didn’t want to look after them?” “There should be no exemptions for masks, how hard is it to wear a bit of cloth over your face” “people are so selfish that they will prioritise keeping a roof over their heads over the risks of transmitting a virus they might not have” “how feeble are we as a nation if people’s mental health can’t cope with this”

And I do take the virus itself seriously. my husband is a secondary school teacher, so we are fully exposed to it and realistic about the risks, I have vulnerable loved ones and I have lost someone close to me due to complications of Covid, and yet my “tiny brain” can understand how people are feeling from different points of view

I agree

yet my “tiny brain” can understand how people are feeling from different points of view

I wasn't referring to people with a different point of view. There is nothing wrong with polite debate. I was talking about posters, and it's a tiny minority, who constantly roll around in fits of laughter as if they were in a circus. This crisis, and the restrictions we've all been asked to follow, is literally one big "joke" to them. Just one long snipe at the ones who do want to follow the rules. It's all they do

I think they're probably scared deep down inside and that maybe it's some kind of coping mechanism, macabre humour or something and we all handle things differently. But when you get a thread by a poster pouring their heart out, who has just lost someone to covid or because the health service is struggling, and then the very next thread, on the very same board, is just one long massive piss take. It just seems so thoughtless

Totally agree op

I agree fully op.
FWIW to my ear you didn’t sound ‘ranty’ in the slightest. Calm, rational and well put!

I think we could be more proportional in our response to covid if people took it seriously. The truth is the draconian measures are being put in place because people don't want to wear masks and keep their distance. That's all you need to do, but people just can't seem to manage it in the UK without a lockdown.

Agreed, OP. There is also a deep vein of anti-science commentary embedded in these posts, and I find this especially disturbing.

I agree OP. We followed, and still follow, the rules. But there is lots of pressure to bend (well, break) them from family and its starting to cause tension. As my dad has had covid he seems to him that not only that he's immune but that he can't now pass it on. But what about the other dozen or so people he wanted to invite round foe drinks? Iy just takes one infected person to end up with many infected people a week later.

Through my DHs work we are hearing of more people catching covid than we did first time around. Mostly in their 40s and 50s. Some fairly poorly. People need to wake up to the fact that this is not a virus tat affects only other people. We are all at risk and at risk of serius illness. 4

I agree that this virus is new and unknown and we should take it seriously. But, I find it annoying that there are also unknowns that people (media & government included spout as fact) that we don't know and that take away from having a more rational debate about how best to manage it:

"Less than 10% of the population have had this"
"The other 90% are still susceptible"
"There is no natural immunity from other coronaviruses"
"Asymptomatic people transmit as much as anyone else"
"There's no immunity/ long term immunity"
'Immunity only lasts a few months"
"Without a lockdown there will be exponential growth and huge numbers will die"
"Of course children spread this as much as adults"

When actually none of these things are KNOWN and could change the course of the pandemic if not true. So whilst of course I believe we have to be cautious, I also think we shouldn't be so sure we know how this will play out, especially when people's lives and health are at risk from the lockdown measures themselves.

And because there are so many unknowns, noone should be accused of having a "small brain" when they have a different but measured view on thr situation.

Totally agree but I don’t know what the answer is, we can’t keep locked up forever. A lot of people are on their knees trying to keep a roof above their heads and food on their tables. So unless the government starts getting thinking outside the box ie provide everyone with a basic income or suspending mortgage and rent payments we have to keep going the best we can
I know this is radical and probably unfair but I do think the vulnerable should be financially compensated to allow them to shield if they want to.

I’m sure Covid is not the only new virus. And I think it’s actually being taken very seriously. So seriously, that people who would most probably (according to statistics) have it very mild have ruined their lives for decades to come. I am actually quite upset of how a lot of people minimising this fact. Just like it’s so easy to lose everything, to lose ability to keep a roof over their head and feed their own children.

Well, I'm a teacher and I don't agree with you I'm afraid.

I don't think it's flu. I do know it's a new virus and I do know it can be lethal to some people.

It can cause 'long covid' but then any virus can cause the same kind of extensive ME type illness after.

I don't think this virus is now worth the absolutely horrendous financial, medical, educational and mental health ramifications. And I'm "ECV"

Sorry . You can't speak for all teachers in afraid.

@OpheliasCrayon fair dos. To stand up for myself I did say 'most teachers' on Mumsnet but I could be wrong...

@TheSilence absolutely a Partridge reference... currently listening to From The Oasthouse podcast

You did @monkeytennis97
I'm well aware how serious it can be. But I still don't think it's worth the fallout that's happened and is now carrying on.

Mostly because I think yes, it was worth it initially. It was new and we had nothing to treat it with etc no vaccines in the pipeline

So my comment doesn't come from me thinking it's suddenly fine but we've had what? The best part of 6 months and all they have is a total failure of a track and trace system.

If we had quick on the spot testing (in Germany it's 4 hours ), quick track and trace managed by competent people (who haven't been previously outed as a total failure..Dido Harding).... And appropriate financial support for those who then had to isolate, we wouldn't be in this mess.

It needs dealing with but the government have failed. And so, I don't think the fall out is worth it because the gvmt SHOULD have sorted the above out. People I'm sure would isolate if they wouldn't lose money.

@OpheliasCrayon yes and yet people are saying that all lives matter, do those lives ruined by lockdown, losing jobs and homes and the missed education of children and the crap the economy is going to be in after all this not matter? Yes we may save lives by doing this but will life really be worth living for those who will be affected by the fallout?

Oh and the old chestnut that health is more important. Well yes to an extent but health is interlinked. You need to be able to eat etc to have good health not just be protected from Covid, which is going no where

I don’t understand why folks take such issue with it being compared to flu. Flu is actually very deadly and has a ten percent death rate when unvaccinated. It is way more fatal than Covid. People seem to think thr flu is some benign thing, it’s not, that’s why they vaccinate.

And the biggest symptom of Covid is no symptom, and yes for the vast majority of folks it will be mild. But for a small percentage it will be serious, uo to fatal or may have lasting impacts.

In addition the doctors are clearly having some success in treating it.

It is important to get it right, but that’s neither minimising or exaggerating.