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Original poster

Is anyone else feeling like COVID is circling them like a vulture?

100 replies

Yellownotblue · 13/12/2020 23:44

We’ve been extremely careful throughout. Obeying rules. Doing lockdown. Wearing masks, even outdoors. Isolating when pinged by NHS app even when it made no sense.

But in the last week, we’ve had lots of close contacts who tested positives. DC’s classmates, then school bus driver, then my walking buddy. It feels like the circle is tightening around us, and it’s just a matter of time before we get sick.

I’m finding this very stressful as DH is abroad for work for several months. We have no relatives here. So if I get sick I’m completely on my own with DCs. They’re not tiny, but they are too young to look after themselves.

I know it’s not entirely rational but I’m very anxious about it. It’s almost like the tension you get from a horror movie. Every new WhatsApp from friends telling us they got the virus, is like a turning of the screw. It’s like the soundtrack to my life is ominous double bass, playing the Jaws theme.

Am I alone feeling like this?

OP posts:
Icanseeclearlynow12 · 14/12/2020 00:06

I'm feeling the same. The cases in my area have increased loads and my son is now self isolating due to his teacher testing positive. My place of work is not taking the tier 2 regulations seriously and I'm in contact with lots of people. After not being too worried for months I feel like it's surrounding me

pontypridd · 14/12/2020 00:06

No. I feel it too. I wish it would just piss off.

Have just read an article that says how bad this endless anxiety is for our health and our immune system in particular.

So I'm even more resolved to tell the circling Covid to piss off now. I'd rather suffer Covid - than health problems attached to the anxiety surrounding it.

AcornAutumn · 14/12/2020 00:22

OP “ Every new WhatsApp from friends telling us they got the virus”

Are they okay though? The under 60s I know had a mild illness.

RollyPollyPudding · 14/12/2020 00:33

@Yellownotblue OP I could gave written your post..this is exactly how I feel. Daughter in school so every day feels like the circle getting smaller. No family or friends to call upon so if me and husband both get it we are stuffed...I feel so scared and worried all the time..

Doodlepip23 · 14/12/2020 00:34

Yes. In tier 3 area here. I feel like I’m the only one in my family who is worried. Feeling quite worn down with it all.

RollyPollyPudding · 14/12/2020 00:44

I’m concerned that the vast majority seems to be ‘bored’ of the safety measures and carrying on as normal. Unfortunately the virus doesn’t understand boredom so will carry on trying to spread... I’m really worried about Jan...and my work wants us to come into the offices from Jan, that’ll be an additional worry for people like me..

ZenNudist · 14/12/2020 00:44

Do you actually know anyone younger who got it and was really ill? Probably need to put this in perspective.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 14/12/2020 00:45

I am the most worried in the family, Its very stressful because they give it lip service but have to be reminded. I feel like such a nag. We've only got to hold on for a few more months before we get the vaccine. I know things loosened up in the summer but there was so much less of it about then.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 14/12/2020 00:47

No not the virus is circling but that another long harder lockdown is circling us.

Just trying to block that out of my mind most the time.

Have you tried avoiding the news other than a quick 15 minute catch up a day. Also threads about virus on here. A friend is in highly vulnerable group and this is what she does.

Pieceofpurplesky · 14/12/2020 00:48

Yep. I'm a secondary teacher and feel like this every day.
And yes PP I do know under 60s who have been really ill

Stationfork · 14/12/2020 00:50

Sorry you're feeling so anxious OP. But I genuinely can't relate with this at all. Don't know anyone who had had it, and I know a lot of people. Maybe just been lucky.
But Leicester so apparently one of the bad places. But don't know anyone and everyone I ask doesn't either. Dd's school had some year bubble closures Sept time but she has never been off and myself, dd, and husband have never had to isolate as yet. Are we unusual?

RoseMartha · 14/12/2020 00:52

It is beginning to make me feel I must not go anywhere where they will be people, unless can not be avoided. I think perhaps now because of mixing with family at Christmas it has sent me into a 'stay away from others mode' more than i have been for the last nine months.

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 14/12/2020 00:56

I don’t feel like this but if did I would go for some practical solutions like making sure you have paracetamol in the house, some easy to prepare food that you know the kids will eat & some no preparation food. Teach the kids to work the microwave & toaster if they’re old enough. Book some food delivery slots if you don’t have any (that you can cancel if/when you do t need them).

My basic approach to life is to plan for the worse & hope for the best Xmas Smile

Original poster
Yellownotblue · 14/12/2020 00:56

Thank you to everyone who feels similar, it’s good to find my people. Though I’m sorry you’re feeling as anxious as me.

We didn’t let our guard down in the summer. I’m feeling exhausted from being on high alert since February. And now it looks inevitable that we’re going to have it anyway. 😖

OP posts:
DougRossIsTheBoss · 14/12/2020 00:57

10 of my close colleagues have got it
A whole ward of staff and patients in my hospital too
I think it's not so much circling as snapping at my heels.
I don't actually care if I get it as I reckon I'll be Ok
It's the guilt of potentially unknowingly passing it to vulnerable people I can't stand
Plus the tantalising hope that I could have seen my dad at Christmas that seems about to be snatched away. Worst case scenario he'll be on his own on the first Christmas after my mum died. FFS I can't even contemplate that but what can I do if we get it and we aren't safe to see him? I don't want to kill him off too.
He says he'll go for a drive on his own and eat a pork pie. I just have no words for how much I don't want that to happen.

MarshaBradyo · 14/12/2020 00:58

Not so much Covid (fingers crossed) but demand for closures seems to be circulating again

Original poster
Yellownotblue · 14/12/2020 00:58

@Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons, thank you that is good advice.

OP posts:
nancy75 · 14/12/2020 01:01

I’ve got a teen in secondary school & feel very much like this at the moment. Every email from the school my heart drops. In my head if I reduce how many times I leave the house it evens out against how many people she’s mixing with at school (I know it doesn’t really make any sense) I’m working from home & only going out for food shopping - nothing else. Life is miserable

BlueBlancmange · 14/12/2020 01:37

@RollyPollyPudding

I’m concerned that the vast majority seems to be ‘bored’ of the safety measures and carrying on as normal. Unfortunately the virus doesn’t understand boredom so will carry on trying to spread... I’m really worried about Jan...and my work wants us to come into the offices from Jan, that’ll be an additional worry for people like me..
Why can't they just wait two or three months at least?
lovelemoncurd · 14/12/2020 01:49

I caught it March this year. I knew very little about it then and then a week later I couldn't breathe. But no. I don't feel it circling and could have happily got on with my life. Cue all the people saying 'but we don't know if you can get reinfected' - where are all these reinfected people then?

AmelieTaylor · 14/12/2020 01:50

The numbers rising was making me really anxious yesterday. Plus I did something really silly that's made me more anxious.

I'm spending Christmas on my own, which is fine by me.

I'm CV & hoping I'll get the vaccine in February

I can cope with lockdowns/being at home on my own, but Dec has brought with it more worry about getting it & dying alone

HighlyOptimistic · 14/12/2020 02:46

Yes you’ll probably get infected if you haven’t been already.
We’ve had it.
We know older people who’ve had it (in their 40s, and in their 60s). One half of the 40s couple didn’t catch it, the husband did but had no symptoms. He got it from his elderly father who died from pneumonia but Covid mentioned on death cert.

The older couple in their 60s he was very ill but survived it, his wife not ill at all with it.

Our son under 12 was positive. He had a high temp and bad headache first day of symptoms but was well enough to play on his Xbox and his normal chatty self during the 14 day isolation.
I was cuddly and breathing his breath in effectively day of symptoms starting as an idea of how tactile a typical mum and young son are, yet I tested neg a few days later.

A couple weeks later I feel under the weather, but Test & Trace said don’t re-test son after isolation as he’ll still show positive for 6 weeks after, but won’t be infectious after 2 weeks isolation.
So none of the rest of the family tested.
Husband continued to go to work, he didn’t isolate as required by law. That surprised me, but I’m furloughed on very low pay, and someone needs to pay the bills. So if he got it, he’s probably passed it on.

This is why it will be endless, when even ‘responsible’ people like us (I’m responsible, DH isn’t) and my neighbours next door who work in a doctors and a care home yet continued to have visitors round during the original lockdown....

Most people will get infected, some will die, most won’t, we’ll learn to live with it, it’s here forever probably like the common cold.

Live through this, Get used to it. It’s not World War Two. Get some backbone. It’s horrific but it’s doable. You might be ill, or made redundant because of Covid, or lose people you love, it’s all part of life. Just crack on. Must remember to namechange before posting. You know you’re all thinking the same way you just won’t admit it on a public forum.

Crumpetycrump · 14/12/2020 06:57

I was feeling like this a month ago when cases in Bristol were really high but thankfully they have dropped since lockdown and bring in tier 3. The Christmas mixing is madness though - I wish the government would have a change of heart on that.

BefuddledPerson · 14/12/2020 07:01

@ZenNudist

Do you actually know anyone younger who got it and was really ill? Probably need to put this in perspective.
This is why it is worsening again in the UK - people are pretty blasé.

I feel things are improving around me as rates are falling but it is a cluster issue and one friend said exactly what the op did - they know a lot of people recently tested positive.

Unfortunately the careless/unconcerned are taking risks so to avoid it you just have to keep your distance.

BefuddledPerson · 14/12/2020 07:02

Agree the Christmas mixing is madness. Deaths in late Jan/early Feb will be grim.