How typical is MN of real life when it comes to Covid?

[Warhertisuff]

I'm thinking the average poster generally a lot more concerned and anxious than the average person, but that might just be my biases at play.

IRL my social circle think I’m chilled out. On here I can vent my anxiety (secondary teacher).

What has amazed me is the number of pandemic experts on here. Quoting facts, figures based on their "own research". Sorry, reading an article from the Daily Mail isn't research.

Also the amount that know someone who is a top virologist, epidemiologist or "high up, dealing with covid". I'm surprised no one has claimed to be Chris Whittys mum.

"I'm surprised no one has claimed to be Chris Whitty's Mum"

I’m going to be brutally honest here, I think a lot of people on this site are just a bit bored and like to argue, so they exaggerate the truth / tell lies in order to get a reaction from people. Covid related posts are absolutely mental on here - every other person is “CEV”. In real life I know maybe one or two very elderly people that might be in that category.

@PhilCornwall1 Chris Whitby is my father’s, aunt’s, third cousin, twice removed and word on the street is that he’s bringing out a new line of virus themed face masks to tie-in with his upcoming “tell all” book. (There’s also word of a talk show “Whitty’s Wisdom”) This is absolutely true as my hairdresser’s mother has a daughter in law in PR and leaked it to me yesterday while I was having my highlights done. 😉

Chris Whitby 🤣

[quote Savannahnanana]@PhilCornwall1 Chris Whitby is my father’s, aunt’s, third cousin, twice removed and word on the street is that he’s bringing out a new line of virus themed face masks to tie-in with his upcoming “tell all” book. (There’s also word of a talk show “Whitty’s Wisdom”) This is absolutely true as my hairdresser’s mother has a daughter in law in PR and leaked it to me yesterday while I was having my highlights done. 😉[/quote]
Please tell me he's going to be on Strictly Come Dancing next year!!!

Well now you come to mention it, my cousin's friend's auntie is a producer on Strictly. I mustn't give too much away, but...

MN is definitely a parallel universe for me where covid is concerned. I know about 3 people who followed all the rules during the lockdowns. I don't know how those people feel about masks because I haven't spoken to them about it, we don't see/talk to each other often anyway. Everyone that I see/speak to regularly is just getting on with their lives, has ditched the masks, and is not in any way worried about catching it or rising cases etc.

@PhilCornwall1 shhhh!!!!

@Sparklingbrook

I think MN is miles away from my RL where Covid is concerned. I don't know anyone in RL with a Covid agenda that bangs on like a broken record even though nobody is listening.

I have never heard the following in RL thankfully-

Let it Rip
Locked in the house
Killing grannies
Baked in deaths
Face nappy/muzzle
Sheeple

And other ridiculous phrases.

I would agree with the list - never heard people in rl say any of them.

But as to the rest of the post, and other posts on here
My life is full of mask wearing, rule accepting, isolating if necessary, rather concerned, not going out much still, and a bit anxious, individuals.

I comply with rules, but am trying to be as free as possible.
But I am even still blocked from entering some family, and most friends', houses. grr. Not just me personally, they are not allowing anyone, bar essential people, in either.
They have ditched the washing of shopping though!

The people I know in rl have a much stronger aversion to self isolating than a lot of the people on mn.

Well this is the Coronavirus topic, so you'd expect people with some interest in the subject to post here. It's a bit like going to the Litter Tray topic and asking do 99% of people in real life have and love cats too like the posters on that board do.

Other than that, I find the people I know in real life take a more balanced view in general. No one is cowering behind the sofa (to quote an MN cliche) but no one is throwing all caution to the wind and going clubbing every night either.

I do know a couple of people irl with mumsnet levels of covid anxiety but they are few and far between.

I think I'm fairly representative of the people around me.

I'm living life somewhat normally just a bit more cautiously. Most people I know are doing the same, as in happy to go visit friends / family, but may test before visiting someone vulnerable, happy to go restaurants but uncomfortable about being in extremely crowded places.

I spend a lot of time on the covid boards. I'm not particularly scared of covid from a personal view, I don't have any vulnerable loved ones and I'm not vulnerable myself, but also I appreciate that getting out of this and protecting all in society is a collective effort, and I kind of have a bit of a twisted fascination in regards to some of the members of society who come onto mumsnet who can't see that, and trying to comprehend the mentality of those who see their need to not wear a mask and to not isolate because they don't want to as more important than the spread of a disease.

Everyone I know is still wearing masks and not over the moon about crowded places but otherwise generally leading their lives, working out of the home etc. Lots also doing LFTs for work and so and and would consider themselves to be following the rules and not Covid sceptics at all.

However they have also all deleted the app, and in a conversation at work about checking in at venues we all admitted hardly ever doing it unless forced to. I highly doubt anyone is self isolating for coughs either. You can think Covid is real and serious and also think the current state of affairs is OTT - on MN it seems you either self isolate at the drop of a hat or you must be some kind of Covid denier. Nearly everyone I know is bang in the middle.

The people on MN are MUCH more worried/cautious than my IRL. Everyone I know, bar one person who's slightly lost the plot about it all, is mostly getting on with things now. And they all seem happier for it.

I love this thread💜

I have two friends who are massively paranoid about it. One acting like we’re still in lockdown (only meeting one person outside) and neither are on MN.
I’d say that I am middle of road - neither massively worried nor hiding away.
I would rather not be in a crowded place atm as would be v difficult for dh to SI workwise.
I’m prob the person it would impact the least in the household currently.

People on here mostly sound completely bonkers to me. The stasi-like reporting of neighbours/friends/family during lockdown, and now the hysteria over the one person they know who isn't vaccinated, and the nasty, nasty judgements of people who don't wear masks. And anyone who tries to put another view is immediately hit with the 'you're killing people' hammer. I rarely come across these attitudes in real life, thank god.

I suspect that MN is just so incredibly middle-class that people here haven't realised that the people who deliver their groceries and amazon orders and make their takeaway meals and clean the streets and dispose of the rubbish and keep the buses running and the streetlights working and all the other things have been working the whole bloody time while they have been safely enjoying their gardens. They can't understand how anyone could want to just 'get on with life' because for wealthy middle-class people, lockdown has been more like a holiday - lots of time at home and in the garden, everything delivered, saving money and doing online yoga.

Then you have the people who've just been absolutely terrified by all the propaganda and think that if they stand too close to someone in the post office queue, they're going to die. It must be exhausting to be so anxious all the time. I never meet those people in real life - I assume they are too scared to come out the house.

@JustMeAndWheatley

People I know in real life are much more anxious than on MN. Almost nobody is just getting on with things (which I’m go find a bit frustrating).

Same here - I read all these gung ho posts on MN about getting rid of masks, deleting the app and being anti-lockdown; but when I go out and about everyone here is still wearing a mask, distancing and looking quite anxious. And not as many people out as I would have thought. Everyone I know is complying with pings and being very cautious.

The vast majority of my friends/family/work colleagues are in health related fields and/or have lost someone or care for someone who is extremely vulnerable. They are more cautious but less aggressive/antagonistic about it. I honestly don’t know anyone who just ignores it and carries on. I only know one persons who’s anxiety seems beyond rational.

I suspect that MN is just so incredibly middle-class that people here haven't realised that the people who deliver their groceries and amazon orders and make their takeaway meals and clean the streets and dispose of the rubbish and keep the buses running and the streetlights working and all the other things have been working the whole bloody time while they have been safely enjoying their gardens. They can't understand how anyone could want to just 'get on with life' because for wealthy middle-class people, lockdown has been more like a holiday - lots of time at home and in the garden, everything delivered, saving money and doing online yoga

👏

Well you’re clapping at that, but equally lots of people with “middle class” jobs where you can wfh have not been allowed to take furlough, for example. It’s not quite as class-stratified as you seem to suggest.

@Warhertisuff

I'm thinking the average poster generally a lot more concerned and anxious than the average person, but that might just be my biases at play.

Yes, polls (and take up demamd) demonstrate that vaccine hesitancy is quite low in the UK. I think the extreme anxiety around vaccines is more prevalent on MN than in real life.