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Original poster

To think that not everyone is scared

425 replies

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 03/01/2021 18:19

Of catching Covid....?

I'm sure I'll be flamed to within an inch of my life but never mind. And yes, this thread may have been done to death before but hey ho.

Having read countless threads today about schools closing/not closing and cases rocketing/going down, can I get a sense check of who is terrified about catching Covid (and why) and who is not?

For balance, I also read a thread the other day from a person who is clinically vulnerable and whose DH had just tested positive and she was terrified. Almost the entire thread was filled by other clinically vulnerable people who had had Covid and told her not to worry.

So, while we can all agree that yes, this is a novel virus and yes, people will die because that happens with any virus, is this the virus which we should all be terrified of?

OP posts:
JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 03/01/2021 20:22

Well quite @Grenlei I think flu is the best comparison, the NHS struggles in a normal winter because flu kills so many people and I don't recall anyone ever being advised to stay at home?

stuckinagut · 03/01/2021 20:23

Was a bit wary at first, of course, like all new things. But there have been 1000s of papers produced on it now and I am completely amazed at the continuing hysteria around it. Literally, what do people see that makes them think it's a good idea to completely destroy the rest of society outside the sacred NHS?

ZenNudist · 03/01/2021 20:24

I don't want to catch it, nor my dc, so am apprehensive but not bunker level isolating. Just going about as normal, lots of outdoor meet ups, nothing much inside apart from supermarket church and gym. FaceTime elderly relatives.

Don't think we can spend our lives terrified. Realistic about the vaccine not being a magic bullet so we are going to live with it for another couple of years. Tier 4 will do for so many businesses, school closures are inexcusable and should be a last last last resort but I won't bang on.

Regularsizedrudy · 03/01/2021 20:24

That’s a very individualistic way of looking at it. I’m not terrified of getting it but I’m still going to do all I can to prevent that and protect other people.

polkadotpixie · 03/01/2021 20:26

I'm not scared of catching it myself, neither is DH. We are both mid 30's and statistically we will be fine

I'm somewhat afraid of passing it onto my Mum, she's healthy but 66 and I'm afraid of giving it to DS as although he's even more likely to be fine than me, he's my baby and the fear of losing him to anything or him being seriously unwell terrifies me in general

I'm also scared of being cooped up with a 2 year old if we have to isolate

NaToth · 03/01/2021 20:26

I remember looking out of my bedroom window in March and thinking that I,would not see my lovely 85 year old neighbour again. At that point I was terrified. I expected people to be dropping dead in the street.

After a lot of heart searching, DH and I went to a funeral the week before lockdown. Twelve people who were there got ill, including us and one person (60s, no underlying conditions) died. I was ECV, but I was in bed for a week and then OK, although still, nine months later, cannot taste or smell anything. DH is fine too. I ha e subsequently tested negative for COVID.

Since then I have not been afraid. We have obeyed the rules as far as we can, but neither of us are afraid. I have been in and out of hospital without incident and I have hugged a friend this morning, contrary to Tier 4 rules, because we both needed that contact.

Topsyturvy1 · 03/01/2021 20:28

I lost my mother and father within 5 days of each other in the week leading up to Christmas to COVID. My mother was in the ITU and the majority of patients there on ventilators were ages 40-60 so it's made me a bit more paranoid that if I get it it could have a more serious effect on me

AbitSceptical · 03/01/2021 20:28

Its good to see some sensible posts on this thread. I've been worried for a long time about the implications of the political and social response to this virus.

OwlBeThere · 03/01/2021 20:29

Cautious, not terrified. A neighbour of mine died from it last week, a friends father currently in an induced coma with it, both in their early 60s, so not old. So it’s worrying. I have a parent with COPD and a blood cancer which puts them at massive risk, so most of my concern is her.

hamstersarse · 03/01/2021 20:29

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I know two people who have died and they were both diabetics.

Ah well, that's alright then. Serves them right.

Without wanting to pour fuel on a fire, if these people were T2, then this is entirely reversible through diet.

There are 3.8million people over 40 who are T2.
The government could have reversed this number almost entirely since last March, had they the will.

Lockdown won’t help T2 diabetes, and as it is 24,000 a year will continue to die from a completely reversible disease (the number is rising)

Given diabetes is a big risk factor for COVID, I’d say it’s actually negligent of the govt not to have delivered a campaign to reverse this risk factor. You can do it in a month to 3 months.

WumbenWimpundWoomud · 03/01/2021 20:30

I think I’m proportionately scared. The idea of me or a loved one catching it and dying or having long COVID is scary but doesn’t worry me massively day to day. A close family member was diagnosed with cancer last year, and withered and died in a matter of weeks. No quality of life. Right now that possibility scares me more.

AcornAutumn · 03/01/2021 20:30

@Regularsizedrudy

That’s a very individualistic way of looking at it. I’m not terrified of getting it but I’m still going to do all I can to prevent that and protect other people.
And so going forward, you will do the same with flu, pneumonia, diseases that many of us get very severely despite our vaccinations?

I do really hope hand washing continues. Some people only seem to have discovered it in march.

And I really want people to stay at home if they are ill!

AbitSceptical · 03/01/2021 20:30

Topsyturvy1 That must have been terrible. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Considering what you've been through, your reply is very measured.

gallbladderpain · 03/01/2021 20:33

Not worried about myself getting covid.
I would be worried about vulnerable DC getting covid as we have spent a lot of time over the years in emergency situations in hospital with the common cold.
But what worries me most is hospitals becoming overwhelmed and not having timely access to emergency care for non covid related things.
We've needed ambulances on multiple occasions but one In particular stands out....it felt like 30 minutes until the most amazing paramedic stepped into our house to help our extremely poorly baby ....in reality when I looked back on the call time (we were on the call the entire time until the paramedics arrived) it was under 5 minutes. The thought of having any delay at all with these services as a result of them being overwhelmed and backed up at emergency departments is far more worrying to us and its the reality in some areas now.
So while covid may not affect you the consequences of covid may well impact on you if you become otherwise unwell

maureenfrombarnsley · 03/01/2021 20:34

I certainly don't look forward to getting it but I'm not scared. Nobody in my circle is, that I know of. I have elderly grandparents whose attitude is that if it gets them, hard cheese (their words).

The few younger clinically vulnerable people I've spoken to are understandably more concerned.

Regularsizedrudy · 03/01/2021 20:34

@AcornAutumn I will continue some things that have been instilled from this pandemic yes. I am going to carry on wearing a mask in crowded places and during flu season. But of course, unless you are a simpleton, you know full well COVID is not the same as the flu.

Iheartmysmart · 03/01/2021 20:35

@AcornAutumn Could agree with you more about the hand washing and staying home if unwell. Hopefully if anything good comes out of this whole thing it will be hand hygiene and less of the soldiering on culture many employers have.

missingmum · 03/01/2021 20:36

Not too worried, this could be as I've worked throughout and my children (young primary) have attended school the entire time.

Last year I lost my mum who had just retired as a primary school TA to cancer. She died within 10 days of being admitted into hospital, she was only going in as they thought she had gallbladder issues.

I am more fearful of the damage covid is causing and feel the cure is worst than the disease. That's not to say I don't stick to the rules. I have and will continue to do so.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 03/01/2021 20:38

Like someone else said further up the thread I'm not scared of covid as such but of any illness where I cant take care of my 6 year old as I am a single parent.
Chances are it will just be mild symptoms but if it is more like flu that will be tough .
Once I had a very bad flare up of endometriosis , super heavy bleeding and pain and we moved to my mums for a week as I was struggling
That won't be an option with covid

DeeCeeCherry · 03/01/2021 20:38

I'm not terrified of Covid at all. I avoid (as much as possible) all the anxiety-levels raising scaremongering and conspiracies and Covid-vigilantes hysterical/dictatorial gumpf. I might catch Covid. I might not. It may kill me. It may not.

I wear a face covering, maintain hygiene standards and social distancing. I eat well, watch my weight, I don't sit on my arse day after day without exercising, I go for walks sometimes, and I don't obsess about Covid.

That's as much as I can and want to do in terms of staying healthy so if Covid does come my way hopefully I'll withstand it. If I don't, then it was meant to be I suppose. But I will not blight my life with perpetual worry about it. Can't be asked.

missingmum · 03/01/2021 20:39

@Topsyturvy1 so sorry, that's is truly awful.

Oblomov20 · 03/01/2021 20:40

I'm not scared. I don't 'get' the fear.

AcornAutumn · 03/01/2021 20:42

[quote Regularsizedrudy]@AcornAutumn I will continue some things that have been instilled from this pandemic yes. I am going to carry on wearing a mask in crowded places and during flu season. But of course, unless you are a simpleton, you know full well COVID is not the same as the flu.[/quote]
But will you continue with hand washing and staying home if ill?

These are very important. I realise employers can be a nightmare but too many people go to the pub etc with a cold. It would really help of they stopped.

I follow all the rules btw but I'm always very big on hygiene so some of it is not new to me. At the start of this, everyone I know was calling me for spare hand sanitiser!! A former colleague even got in touch to apologise to me for cleaning my desk with disinfectant wipes every Monday morning. I never understood why people found that weird, the cleaners don't do it as they didn't disturb people's desks.

Every temp job - I cleaned the phone, the mouse, the keyboard. The same people who told me I'd kill my immune system - law of averages suggests many of them will be cleaning their shopping and quarantining post now!

Superfoodie123 · 03/01/2021 20:44

I'm not scared, I think there's alot of fear in the media and government. Some are buying into it others not so much.

AcornAutumn · 03/01/2021 20:44

*apologise to me for taking the piss, that should say