Prepping for Pandemic... 14

[FuckThisWind]

OK folks, we have been prepping for a Pandemic for 13 threads now. And a Pandemic we now have.

I think we all know this has gone beyond prepping now. And most of us agree that the UK Government has not really stepped up to the mark. We have had shared advice here from our Italian residents and those in other countries who have taken much more stringent measures.

So this thread continues to be about us being prepared. But it is more than that. It is about support, sharing of information and advice. It is now a community. A community who acknowledged a long time ago that this was always 'Not Just The Flu'

I thank you one and all for being here. We have tough times ahead. But we are all still here. Please share, rant, whatever. The great thing about these threads is that they have always been supportive and non judgemental. I like to think it's a safe space for all of us who are concerned. And trying to do our best. For ourselves. For our loved ones. And for our community and beyond.

Oh @midsummermeadow, it will pass. The extremes - tonight - I mean. And the rest will ebb and flow - and possibly even lessen as the shock factor dissipates.

I totally understand. I have OCD and anxiety and it had taken a turn by the beginning of the year anyway. Throw in some physical health stuff that’s been wearing me down, a promotion (great when you aren’t stressed but quite challenging to live up to when you’re functionally nuts at the best of times) and now this...What I’m saying is that I understand.

Not to make it about me but maybe it’ll help... I’m actually considerably more relaxed about this than I was. I was literally crying off and on all day at one point (my office was closed early on and I’m WFH) and ringing my parents constantly (I live alone too). It’s still hard at times but the edginess has smoothed out a lot.

I think those of us who have these issues are going to bounce around our emotions for a little while. But a degree of ‘acceptance’ is likely to come.

@wherearemychickens it's on the department of health twitter page,

twitter.com/DHSCgovuk

This might take you to the actual thread,

Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) Tweeted: Schools will remain open for now.

The effect of closing schools is somewhat limited for this disease.

Closing schools may also have the effect of children going to stay with grandparents at a time when older people might be most vulnerable. t.co/85bcdPd8UQ twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/status/1238540946171625472?s=20

Hiya, sorry for being a lurker for a bit want to thank everyone for wonderful informative posts. To add to everything just want to say first that I am a front line paramedic for East of England Ambulance and have been part of the recent surge in cases for Covid 19. Want to keep anonymous for obvious reasons but to say that it is quite bonkers out there but we are holding it together and will be there for all of you. If I can assure all that it is under control I would but can't honestly say it is. The numbers given out by PHE and the government are woefully under the reality and we should all be cautious in believing how controlled it is , Having been in a queue of 14 trucks (ambulances) at A&E for four hours at Addenbrookes this afternoon with 9 out of the 14 with severe respiratory conditions and definite Covid-19 markers it can be safe to say that it is not under control.....

@JennyPrepper1 That does not sound good. But nor is it surprising. Welcome! And thank you for all that you do.

Fuck Jenny

Totally in awe of all frontline workers atm. Thank you and hoping it doesn’t get too shitty for you guys

Have suspected they have been fiddling/suppressing numbers and info. Total fucking fuck cunts

@JustMeAndMyTins Thank you so much for your message, it helps to know others understand. We’re all in this together, aren’t we? You’re right, I’m sure it will ebb and flow and I’ll no doubt feel better in the morning, things always seem worse at night. Take care of yourself. Btw your username made me smile 😊x

@BanKittenHeels -yes inevitable I guess 😖 I hope you’re all robust!

@MidsummerMeadow 🌷. Ive certainly been in the brink & could join you at any time. The only time I’ve ever felt anything comparable was after my Dad died. I don’t think they’re proper panic attacks as I’m able to control them - I need air, so I stand at the back door if I can’t face leaving the house. Then try to distract myself with a bit if some form of prepping (calms me more than trying to focus on meditating/yoga (neither of which I can do) or crochet/cross stitch, reading, or anything else.

I try to remember that fear/anxiety Is ONLY a feeling, it can’t actually DO anything. I control it, it doesn’t control me

I need to focus on getting some paperwork updated/sorted then try to worry less about dying. I’m not scared of being dead,but I’m scared of dying alone and of it being painful.

The things that scare me about ‘being’ dead I can’t change (like my mum falling apart, so would probably do well to try to stop worrying about them & focus on trying to build up both my physical & emotional immunity.

Being awake at 4 am everyday isn’t helping.

@JennyPrepper1 I've got goose bumps, Thank you for your amazing work and for your honesty, I hope things don't get too crazy but its comforting to know people are there, gosh I'm speechless really!

that said, having also worked overseas before for Medicine Sans Frontiers in Colombia, Somalia and Liberia, there are certain things that I can recommend to deal with the potential forthcoming potential shitstorm. Firstly, bleach, bleach. bleach. If you can, buy pool shock (sodium hypochlorate) - it's available from pool supply companies for about £12 for 500 gms, can make up to 2000 litres of bleach/water purifier. To get through this think about bleaching every surface area, not Dettol or ineffective cleaners. if you are concerned about vulnerable neighbours/family you can make up a bottle of this to dilute as necessary. Cleaning surfaces and a regime of constant hand washing WILL get you through this. Please do not take lightly cleaning advice...it is the most effective barrier to infection and is the gold standard of infection control. Seondly, I;ve been noticing in supermarkets that all the standrad aisles are picked clean (pasta. rice, noodles and canned stuuf) but being Brits we've not considered that World foods aisles, which are generally still full of almost the same foodstuffs. Coming off shift this evening went to the polish foodstuffs aisle in my local Tescos and found noodles, rice, pasta sauces, pcikles...all unotuched. Worth considering.........Finally from a front line NHS emergency provider, please think twice about calling us unless it is really really an emergency, WE ARE AT BREAKING POINT but are committed to helping you guys in your hour of need, Stay safe, keep your personal hygiene tiptop and know that there are thousands of us there for you even if your government is lying to you......

@AmelieTaylor I think the distraction is a good idea. I’ve already told myself I’m going to do something nice this weekend and not just continually absorb CV news. What you said about it just being a feeling and that you can control it, it doesn’t control you, is really helpful. This anxiety we’re all feeling is about feeling out of control of things, isn’t it? Someone else said something similar earlier. So, as you say, we should focus on controlling the things we can, like exercise and our mental health and wellbeing x

Thanks @JennyPrepper1 and take care of yourself whilst your helping others x

PS please excuse my appalling spelling, should have checked before posting, we're all a bit knackered after 4 day 16 hour shifts back to back, if you see a crew on the road offer us a brew (gloved up of course), we'd really appreciate a strong builders. Keep strong guys

Thanks Jenny - the whole country owe a debt to you guys everyday but more so now than ever.

On a lighter note - this post on Reddit raised a smile...

"It is absolute hell being a teacher right now.....
As you can imagine the kids are bouncing off the walls and we're still expected to have them sat in silence studying plate tectonics or whatever. Half of them are licking light switches 'so we catch it and school shuts' and the other half are needing reassurance. No bugger is washing their hands and no extra site cleaning is taking place. Due to the time of year half of them have got colds which results in mass panic when Barry of 9G does a projectile sneeze and now we're fending off parents who are ringing up and emailing every five minutes because some knobber on Facebook has posted that their cousin's friend heard that Mr Bellend who teaches maths has been on a cruise to Peru with Tom Hanks. I have aged ten years in the past week."

We’re all in this together, aren’t we?

@MidsummerMeadow We really are. There’s comfort in that. Are you starting to feel a bit better?

This anxiety we’re all feeling is about feeling out of control of things, isn’t it?

For me, a lot of it definitely is. I wear myself out/down resisting and resisting and resisting. Life must be far nicer for those who can go with the flow! I’m working on it.

Interesting...

Let's just say May to July are going to be bad if this whole delay tactic doesn't work

@wheresmymojo That reddit post was gold. I keep talking about ‘licking handrails’ (London) - hasn’t thought about light switches. 🥴

Finally caught up with you all - in a slightLy ‘skimmy’ way - hope I haven’t missed a thing vital..I tend to catch up in one or two intense bursts of mumsnetting rather than on and off throughout the day so I’ve decided as of tomorrow I’m going to have to make notes as I go along so I can remember the posts I would like to reply to. By the time I get to the end my frazzled brain has lost half the info I’ve read and who I’ve wanted to reply to...

@BanKittenHeels - I’m so sorry to hear you’re self-isolating - hope all turns out well. Many, many thanks to you, your DH and all your colleagues - so much admiration for those of you coping with the usual, and not so usual, worries around this whilst also working yourselves into the ground trying to keep us all safe.

That goes for you too @JennyPrepper1 - such a tough job at the best of times. I can’t imagine how hard it is now. We’re all so grateful. Your post was terrifying yet I’m sure we all suspected this is the true behind the bluster and obfuscation. Thanks also for the advice re cleaning. pool shock on the list (though a little scared of it!). Are sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite the same?

@CookiesAreForEatingNotStoring I’m so sorry to hear the news about your MiL. You are already having to cope with so much.

@MidsummerMeadow, @Graphista and well, everyone really,

So much more I want to write but so tired...

Wishing you all a restful night...

Waving to anyone hunkering down or self isolating. DS is definitely unwell but not severely.

At the risk of sounding like a loon because I’m awake at 2am my sleep button is very good.

Just caught up on the posts from last night. Went to bed at 11 after a 3 hour battle to get the toddler to sleep, and was awake again by 2.15. Gave up trying to sleep and got up at 4.30! Going to need matchsticks today!

Yesterday was quite good for me as I distanced myself from the news for most of it, and had other things to distract me (going to view a house as we need to move before baby #2 arrives!). Also managed to pass a few more tests for freelancing work, so got quite a few things up my sleeve to earn a decent second income now and when on mat leave. I know I won't be able to distance myself so much every day though.

I saw the link a PP posted earlier about Wales cancelling non-emergency outpatient appointments. That explains why my maternity appt with a consultant in early April was cancelled yesterday. Will be interested to see whether my growth scans and GTT are also cancelled, or whether they are considered urgent/essential.

A bit of light relief - I'm sure anyone who has elderly relatives who often mix words up will be able to relate - called my nan earlier to see how they were and if they needed anything. She said she loves all her kids, grandkids and great grandkids, so we musn't take offence, but from now on her and gramps are 'self contaminating' so they don't want any visitors... I told her if she was really self contaminating then I didn't want to be anywhere near her

just to add, rather annoyingly (although it's not really annoying), the toddler has been soundly asleep since 9.45pm and will stay that way until about 8am - it's just me that can't sleep!

Oh bloody hell. Just replied to several people & lost the post 😖🙄😖damn it.

@SingingBabooshkaBadly I’m not sure if I replied to you at the time, but I’m glad your DH changed his mind about going to the group the other day. I hope he’s been behaving himself since then 😊

@JennyPrepper1 thank you for all that you do 🌷💕 & your honesty. I don’t think it will have come as any surprise to the vast majority of us on here, but it would be great to get that message out to the people STILL banging on about it being ‘just a flu’

Do you really think the 4 products Dettol have stated believe will work -are useless?!

I’m using Dettol spray & wipes a lot on hard surfaces & the All in one on soft surfaces.
And spray bleach occasionally - is the spray bleach (bought like that) any good?

I’m concerned that bleach will destroy things that I’m happy to use the wipes on?! I’m not concerned about painted surfaces & stuff but I’m worried about things I might not be able to replace during the crisis (keyfob/iPhone/taps/heating controller - stuff like that. Also concerned about getting the ratio right. 😖 Any advice?!

@Bankittenheels - 🌷🌷 could you ask on FB if anyone would walk the dogs?

I'm also low carbing. My diet is pretty rubbish at the moment - nuts, eggs, cheese, meat, some veg, far too much milk in coffee.

@MidsummerMeadow - I hope you got some sleep.

@JennyPrepper1 - take care. Thanks for the advice about pool chemicals - we have tubs full of the stuff that I hadn't even considered!