University life for freshers (2019/20) - we're hopping towards Easter with a pandemic to avoid **Title edited by MNHQ**

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simbobs , I am in a similar quandary re underlying health conditions, plus also DH and I are both teachers so being told we have to go and work with germ spreaders. DH included.

If Dh is one of those who has to stay at home fro 4 moths ,I have no idea how that affects the rest of the family.

I don't mind admitting that I am really scared.

I have family in Austria. Over 65s have to self isolate, schools and uni closed until after Easter, only garages, pharmacies and supermarkets to stay open plus restaurants until 3pm. Grandparents are banned from childcare.Gov are paying those that lose out financially.

Piggy I'll admit I'm scared too.

Thanks jan : it's hard to say on some threads but I know no one on here would judge.

Benji - groups of 5 or more banned in Austria too according to the BBC website.

Piggy, the lovely thing about this thread is it's very supportive and calm compared to many others on MN.

I wasn't scared initially but I am now.

Surely 'at risk due to health issues' teachers should be exempted from the 'carry on regardless' rule?

We’ve had to cancel our trip to Denmark at Easter- at least refunded now due to FCO advice. It’s very unsettling though personally I feel worried for my DDs and their university year and GCSEs and not me. DH and I are not in a vulnerable group and would be paid if we self isolate. But I’m well aware that we need to take an overview and not be selfish. I’d like to see the unnecessary gatherings and leisure travel stopped, vulnerable people (including teachers that are over 60 or have underlying health conditions) being able to stay home without financial loss. I wonder if it’s possible to have a halfway house where schools remain open but with fewer staff and children.

I say this because I’d be happy to carry on working- I cover teacher PPA, but I have a couple of colleagues that are in vulnerable groups. There are children with health conditions too. Obviously that’s a logistical nightmare though. Do you think they’ll maybe close primary schools only or all?

That's a pity @Benjispruce but good that you got a refund.

I guess once they start allowing certain children and teachers/school staff to self-isolate, matters will gain a momentum of their own.

I would have thought it would be easier to close secondary schools given that the cohort don't need supervising in the same way. Also, they can carry on learning online.

Yes I did consider that. I was thinking along the lines of the closeness and questionable habits of little ones- at my school anyway! On Friday straight after a talk about hygiene, I witnessed a year 2 wash his hands, dry them then put his finger straight up his nostril before wiping on his trousers. Oh the joy of key stage 1!

Got a bad week ahead. I am trying to think positive: we have a bidet! And several loos!

Yep, I'm scared too. Oddly, in a way, as mostly managing to be pretty calm about the much much worse odds if my DH's brain thing does turn out to be secondary lymphoma.

As I may have said up-thread, I have something cold/flu-like at the moment so am self-isolating as much as possible within the house. Going round with alcohol wipes constantly, touching things like kettle and taps only with kitchen towel, etc. I have odd sort of scratchy sore throat, occasional bursts of high temperature (only for an hour or so every day), tight chest and breathlessness, and new symptom of fluey aching legs, but the cough I've had for a few weeks is oddly better than it was. No idea if this is covid 19, but only thing to do is act as if it is.

At the moment DH still thinks he's going ahead with the lumbar puncture on Tuesday, unless hospital cancels it. My worst immediate fear is if the results mean he has to have chemo now. But if they did do it I suppose it would be in an isolation ward.

I have become a bit of an arm-chair psychologist about the different sorts of fear coursing around at the moment. I think the on-going fear about DH's brain lesion is horrifying but it has a clear structure - around scans and results - and is sort of measured out for each short period. We try not to think too far ahead until we have clearer information. The scary thing about the corona virus is that no-one knows anything, there is no clear protocol, and even though the risk to each of us individually (even with risk factors) is not enormous (and way way less than the risk my DH is otherwise facing) the likelihood is that we will each know someone who is seriously affected. Of course, we each already all know someone who is closely affected by cancer, or the death of people close to them, but it is the fact of all being together in this state of uncertainty that is unprecedented for most of us.

I understand that @schrodingerskitty. I think we only have a capacity for so much worry and the old adage of putting one foot in front of the other is very apt at times like this. I hope your DH gets good news, my DM had lymphoma(Non H )xx

I think that’s right, @Benjispruce: the one major positive I discovered with DH’s last bout of lymphoma is that the brain can’t stay in a state of constant terror. I was amazed at how well I slept after the first few horrific nights - just completely conked out. I’m sure it’s an evolutionary mechanism to keep us going, but it is very helpful.

So sorry for those who are scared. I agree @SchrodingersKitty, it’s the uncertainty that makes for worry.

I am a similar position to you @Benjispruce - not quite old enough and no underlying health conditions but both DH and I are teachers. I too am more worried for the DC missing out on uni atm.
I would be happy to keep working as I think I would go mad stuck at home!

Also, having been in a complete state of terror for the first about 18 months of DS being ill, I am a bit more relaxed about what might happen.

We’ve got used to just hunkering down already as a way of handling the anxiety, so self isolating is not feeling too different. My recipe is nice fire in the wood burner (very well seasoned kiln-dried wood, of course!), hot drinks or booze, upbeat Netflix comedies or engaging dramas, and always a jigsaw puzzle on the go. The last one is key - everyone can do a bit as they pass (not me with my lurgy at moment, though) and it is amazingly absorbing and good for emptying your mind.

Serious illness lends a sense of perspective for sure. I remember talking to my DGM about living in central London throughout WW2 and how she just focused on strong everyone clean and fed as her way of coping. Of course, she didn’t have the information overload that we have. I’m a radio lover but think I’m going to have to abstain for a while.

Getting not strong !

I'm taking much comfort from this thread - thank you all.

Yep I think the war - particularly the early weeks - is probably an apt analogy. And one of the ways Britain got through it was very tight centralised control of the media messages people were receiving. I think that’s a form of self-isolating I definitely need to do: much less news. Anxiety is hard to control but there is absolutely no use in our panicking.

What’s so strange for people our age, I think, is that until recently we have been so lucky with the historical events we lived through. The generations before us In the twentieth century had wars and uncontrolled diseases and many immediate threats. We had the Cold War, but I think most of us are too young to remember the Cuban missile crisis even (though my DH does). Things have got so frightening so fast over the last few years, but this sort of fear was probably pretty standard for most human beings for most of history - and for many people in many other countries in our lifetimes.

My sainsbury's order (not stockpiling but with a greater range of essentials than I may normally put on the list) will be delivered later on. It's missing at least 30% of the items (including loo rolls, butter tinned tuna, tinned tomatoes and flour). Luckily the cats will be okay. This is the order that was rescheduled from Tuesday. I despair.

So much for saying that online shopping when self-isolating is the way to go.

We were wondering how quickly and easily formalised rationing could be introduced? Anyone got any ideas.

Agree that the tail end of Babyboomers onwards haven't really known hardships experienced regularly by previous generations.

It does amaze me that there are not better contingency plans that were made in such eventuality. I know that all councils have 'disaster planning committees/personnel (one of my best friends' dad who was ex-army was employed in such a role).

I've advised DS to tidy up his room as much as possible and to bring home all expensive kit and clothes in the eventuality that the rest of this academic year goes 'virtual'.

I grew up next to a nuclear submarine base and we did drills. It was very scary but I was a child. I bet my parents were actually terrified at times.

I think online shopping is being too relied upon for this emergency situation. Then someone mentioned local shops. We don't have any!

I am going to get some jigsaw puzzles.