Coronavirus in Ireland/N Ireland

[beanaseireann]

The first case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Northern Ireland.
A passenger travelled from Italy to the North via Dublin.
I don't know how we will cope in the Republic if we have large numbers ill with the virus as our health service is already at breaking point.

Ds wants to bake today, so we will be making a cake for mothers day for tomorrow. Do you think it would be ok to make a second cake and leave it on my sisters doorstep? Where do we stand with eating food others have prepared?

@Dk20 I'm not sure- really we don't know who has touched any of the stuff that's being delivered in shopping. I'd certainly risk the cake.

I went with dc to drop off groceries to my mum & dad yest & we ended up sitting on separate summer seats on either side of the drive & mum left her tin of baked goods on a high chair in the middle & we went & took something. In hindsight I think this was even too risky, especially as neighbour drove past & then hobbled down the road to join us! I had to shout 'no!' When my mum said 'sit at the other end of the bench & I'll get you a cup of tea'

Saints preserve us!

Was there a predicted curve (I've now forgotten the word for it!l). Would we know from the actual figures if the curve in Ireland is flattening in any way?

Modelling - that's the words isn't it?

I'm so lucky I can still see my parents. I always saw them regularly anyway, like three/four times a week so when the covid 19 happened we had been together anyway if that makes sense. We
also live in a rural town, well I do, they are in the country, I cant see anyone else though and it's hard.
I think the cake is okay, I assume you dont have it so you wont be coughing all over the items.
@buckeejit my mum keeps trying to go shopping, yes we are in a county with low numbers but she still doesn't get that some people might be Asymptomatic.

@buckeejit that was nice that you were able to spend time together

@iblinkedandiamold
We have done the same as you. We live in the country as do my parents, so I travel between our house and theirs and that's it. We have had to keep away from everyone else in doing this which has been hard, I feel sorry for ds (6) as the only sibling he has is a baby so he has no one his age he can play with, we've said no to any play date invites and he cannot see his cousins either. But I know this is necessary and it will pass with time.

@Squigean I think it's too early to tell because the social distancing was really only implemented last week, and the incubation period is up to 2 weeks.

Must be something wrong with my phone, it is just showing a normal map... thank you all the same, but maybe I have enough information

@dk20 good point.

Has it only been a week!!! I say that but i was thinking the other day about Anne Frank. I mean i'm finding social distancing has a bit of an effect on me mental but still cannot comprehend her situation, many people and a small space and having to remain quite during the day. (And that's laying the traunatic reason for her isolation aside.)

Sorry, bit of a tangent there!!

@squigean

Yes the schools have only been closed for 1 week and 1 day so far!
I completely agree, this has really felt like the longest week of my life. I am withered already and we are facing months of this
I must order a few craft projects to start on.

For anyone with Dc. Well actually anyone could do this. I decided today that I will try and save £1 for every day we are in isolation (we started last Sunday) and when this is all over and we can go out to places again we will use the money saved to have a meal out (very rare treat for us anyway!) and go to the cinema or whatever the DC pick. I have two Dc so they can pick something each. I’m going to put a calendar on the fridge so they can see the £ adding up. We mightn’t be able to manage £1 a day but I’ll do my best. Something to look forward to.

That's a good idea Juan. Especially in an effort to create a more positive mindset. Add to it being able to focus on your home - sort out the presses or wardrobes you've been meaning to sort for ages.

@DK20 Thanks for that map, thought it's not 100% accurate as my county has one confirmed case and it's not appearing up on there. I'm not sure how to add it either 🙈

I was also thinking about Anne Frank.

And recently I read Tomi Reichental's book where he wrote about his relatives hiding in a tiny basement - literally the size one bunk bed - for months and months during the war.

A week, it's only been a week. We have at least 6 more ahead if us like this. That's being optimistic.
Watching Alaska Bush people, I might get some ideas on survival.

Apparently in ROI it will take another week to identify if the schools closures are actually flattening the curve cos the combination of: incubation period of the virus + wait for testing + wait for results = well over 2 weeks when you think about it.

But it is fairly quiet here. Though yesterday I had to stop in a Centra for milk on the way home from work (am a nurse) and it was a bit too cramped for comfort so I won't be going there again. It wasn't really the shops fault - these garage shops are just too small and the footfall is disproportionately high. They had marks on the floor and they had the scanner and the card reader on a table in front of the register, like in front of the crisps. And you scanned the product yourself and were encouraged to tap rather than use coins. But people were just standing too close & it was too busy.

DH went to the supermarket yesterday for something and said that they had a big sneeze screen up in front of the till and there were marks on the ground and the younger generation were being great but the older ones were a bit clueless and didn't even notice the marks on the ground and were actually leaning in to the desk around the side of the sneeze guard to have a chat "AH MARY IS IT YOURSELF!"

But on the whole there is a marked diffence between what I see locally and what I see over in the UK, where people still seem to be out and about.

Btw one craft/hobby recommendation I picked up on the r/Ireland subreddit (which is very good for up to date news) is painting by numbers kits from Amazon.

I've ordered one, cost a tenner. Very excited, though with the kids and work I don't know when I'll have the solitude to do it!

Most of the local non essential shops here have closed yesterday or today, I think last nights boris announcement WRT employees salaries etc has helped them make that decision. All local eateries have gone take away only. But one local beauty salon and a pet shop are saying “we’re not closing until we’re directly told to”. Really galling TBH. Do they want a call from bojo himself?

Hope you feel better soon, kayaking.

A large gathering of teenagers were told to go home by the police in Carrickfergus. 95% were respectful of this, so hopefully their parents will keep them at home in future.

There was a crowd of them in Helen’s Bau as well, apparently.

Beauty salons really need to close, think pet shops may be allowed to stay open to sell food only.

DD has been called into work do it must be busy, she works in a toy shop .
She got me a thousand piece Disney Princesses jigsaw .

Toy shops are doing great trade as people are buying stuff to keep kids entertained.
Similarly arts and crafts for kids are having a boom at the minute.

Do you think the Late Late with be suspended?

Did anyone see the video of people playing Bingo in the flats in Irishtown in Dublin yesterday? A couple of people with a PA system at one end and everyone out on their balconies. It looked good.

There's some fella in Rostrevor going to do a live streamed pub quiz this evening. Thought that was a genius idea!

From his house I hasten to add. Not from a pub!

No, we caught a few minutes of it and it's just Tubs in the studio Skyping with people.

He had Daniel and Majella on from their big Room To Improve house. Daniel was looking very well I have to say, I think he's been at the Botox. Either that or he actually is immortal.