Prepping for a Pandemic... 15

[FuckThisWind]

A lot of us have been here before. We Prepped for Brexit. Some of us are Heathcare workers. We prepare for the worst every day. It's difficult to predict what will happen in our lives. In our lifetime. Will we get Cancer? Will a huge meteorite wipe the world out?

One thing is for sure, this new virus is either affecting us, or is going to affect us all very soon. You are all already onboard. I hope you are prepared and much as you can be. And in the meantime this thread is here to support us all.

This week will bring many new challenges. We are almost certain to have some sort of lockdown. Like other parts of Europe. We aren't special. We aren't different. We are all
fragile souls. But I hope we live to tell the tale.

God Speed.

@MissusMakerWell, that guidance was as clear as mud. I have asthma (amongst other things) so I should be social distancing as much as possible, but I have kids in three different schools. If I catch coronavirus from anyone it will be from one of my kids. I’m so conflicted about taking them out of school, eldest DD is especially worried about the work she’d have to catch up on.

Also, it says people with learning disabilities are included in the guidance, my son has special needs, should I be withdrawing him? ARGH.

I couldn't get on to the Ocado website earlier. We've enough food and essentials for now but we'll need to replenish in a few weeks. I also finally persuaded an elderly relative to let me get them a delivery and now I can't. They've got someone nearby who's offered to go to the local shops for them thankfully. It's worrying some people are going to be left without. I haven't heard of other countries having these problems - and they're in lockdown! Unless it is happening elsewhere?

I've realised some of the most vulnerable will be those with underlying conditions but not yet diagnosed. So officially they're not vulnerable, which might make a difference to accessing additional support, being able to take time off work, and of course perhaps not being able to get a diagnosis if outpatient appointments are cancelled.

So, next steps then, as I have developed an intermittent dry cough and am shivery this evening, and was in close contact the other day who is now properly ill with symptoms... do I just want to take it as easy as possible / sleep as much as possible / aim for good nutrition / keep taking the Vit D / Vit C / consider paracetamol but avoid ibuprofen, if poss?

I had to have a long talk with DD 6 and DH (seperately) about the need for us all to self isolate for 14 days total. I've done 5 days solo so it's now a further 9 days. They were both very resistant and lots of tears from DD who loves school. Unfortunately I had to explain to her in a bit more detail about how serious it was. Otherwise she just got angry with me and thought it was all my idea to keep her off school! Hope the anxiety and pain from this period heals for everyone in future, I am sure we will all remember this for a long time.

@wherearenychickens
Mine started like that. I would just trust what your body is telling you. Keep yourself busy if you can with low demand activities - tv/reading/radio progs/light gardening etc. Sometimes I just need to lie down in bed.
Eat what you fancy. I've actually felt quite hungry, which I think is a good sign?

So I am in the group that will be asked to self isolate but not because of a medical condition, it's because I have a BMI over 40.

If I follow the guidance we will go bankrupt.

WWYD?

I guess if I had severe pneumonia we'd be bankrupt anyway and better to be poor than dead...

@wheresmymojo where is the guidance about people with bmi over 40 self isolating?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults#background-and-scope-of-guidance

So MiL has made what I think is quite a good plan. She lives alone as does a best friend. They’re both going to now Totally isolate for 14 days. If they don’t get ill in that time they can assume they don’t have it. They’re then going to meet weekly twice weekly for walks together outside , they’re both very fit. Only problem is there are no delivery slots for food at the moment and MiL thinks she’ll need shopping in about 10 days...

The government needs to sort out the food delivery issue especially for vulnerable people. I think people should only be allowed to pre-book one slot in advance. Perhaps also only allowed to book one week in advance. Anything else could be cancelled to free up slots for those in need with nothing.

The financial knock on effect is so worrying. I know usually the government doesn't care. People who get sick are left in dire straits, which is awful and wrong. I think in this situation however it will affect so many people the government will have to do something. Public (and media) pressure will help get this going. We should use taxpayer funds to help those affected financially by the need to self isolate or in industries that are impacted like hospitality and travel. Divert from white elephants such as hs2. Perhaps also all MPs take a 5-10% pay cut to boost the Covid Emergency Fund.

Anyone still stocking up, I recommend Jakemans throat and chest for some of the symptoms I've had (though haven't been a confirmed CV case, I should add)

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/263136235

Also plenty of squash/drinks. My mouth and throat have been dry and frequent sips of water or squash helps

There doesn't seem to be an exemption for keeping your child off school because you are a stubborn asthmatic. I wheeze almost all day. Just mildly so I don't like to take a steroid inhaler anymore and I signed myself off at the docs for it a few years ago. But that doesn't mean I don't have it. It's there I just live with it. If I get poorly it flares up badly which is why I'm scared of Covid 19. But had I have taken my steroid inhaler for 34 years I could now keep my child home with no repercussions. But because I'm a stubborn fool I still have to run the risk of fines/legal proceedings etc etc. I'm regretting that decision now :( Hurry up and shut the bloody schools Boris FFS....rant over. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom?

I’m baffled by this. So we’re supposed to avoid social contact but pubs, clubs and restaurants can stay open? Where is the logic in that? So all the sensible people will stay at home while the twats continue going out, in fact living their lives as normal. I picked up a random thread on FB just now and people are STILL posting stuff along the lines of it’s all a fuss about nothing, we didn’t have this with swine flu, no-one’s going to stop me celebrating Mother’s Day (even when said mother is 75 with a heart condition).

Girlguiding and Scouting have suspended unit meetings until further notice.

Did I hear on the news that the over 70s can only go out for walks /exercise purposes however cannot go out for food?

Thanks @CakeOnMe .
I have asthma so should be working from home and social distance where possible. But I work for the nhs (office job). I could easily do it from home. But been told I have to come in 🙄

Now that supermarkets have brought in limits on certain items, people are getting round it by booking multiple delivery slots. For example if you have a Tesco delivery saver plan you can have as many deliveries as you want. Someone on FB was bragging that she’s got around the limit of 2 bags of pasta by booking 5 deliveries each with 2 bags of pasta. This is why there are no slots available.

Please someone advise me.... I’ve listen to the full news at 6 and read the gov.uk thing but I still don’t understand.

Family of 4. All fit well and healthy barr 8yo DS who has controlled asthma. Hasn’t had an attack for 3 years because he isn’t exposed to the trigger (cats). Has daily preventative inhalers.

Am I meant to carry on with school open? Send him in? Isolate just him? Isolate us all? I am so bloody confused.

@MrsFezziwig They are not making any of the things they have advised as law. It’s because, if they did the businesses can claim their insurance. Now in this case they will be denied insurance as it’s not law yet.

This is all just so depressing.

How do I get on the WhatsApp group?

@Nomorewineever we are in a similar boat. I've emailed the head for now and will try not to panic for now as it's still early days. We have had him off since Friday

@bobbbbby so sorry you're dealing with the worry of this so directly. Hope you all stay healthy.

Re 5 a day and fresh produce - some foods are actually MORE nutritious or release certain nutrients via processing/preserving.

BUT you can only count fruit juice or smoothies as one portion per day no matter how much you have and ordinary potatoes don’t count as they’re basically just carbs

they are listening to scientists. They’re literally following scientific advice but WHICH scientists? “Science” is a broad church.

Just as with medicine specifically there are many and varied specialists and they will give advice most likely based on their field of interest.

I’d like to know they are specifically getting advice from well qualified AND field experienced virologists, epidemiologists and pulmonologists.

I’m concerned they may be erring towards listening too much to behavioural scientists and scientists with little practical experience in the spread of infection.

When IS the supply chain likely to catch up? I have been asking SO Many people this in real life but nobody seems to know or want to comment.

I agree it’s an issue the media should be investigating and reporting if not the govt.

It’s also really appallingly bad of the govt NOT to set rules about things like theatres and concerts as unless the govt bans such gatherings they can’t claim on insurance and are therefore more likely to go ahead with performances.

None of the govts decisions (if we can even call them that) Make sense - either healthwise or financially/economically.

@VenetoResident reading that drs experience really hit home. I’m asthmatic and have various other lung issues/history I know how it feels being unable to breathe and how terrifying that is. I really wouldn’t wish that feeling on anybody and it greatly saddens me that so many are going through that.

Johnson AGAIN today just vague vague vague! Bloody useless man!

Unless and until he grows some balls and a spine and TELLS the country to:

Close the schools, colleges and unis
Close non essential businesses where crowds gather - pubs, clubs etc
Everyone who can work from home does
Those at higher risk self isolate
Stop all travel in and out of the country

We’ve got bugger all chance of both:

Preventing serious illness and death

And

Maintaining a reasonably stable economy

And it’s the latter that puzzles me the most, the pensioners and business owners are the ones most likely to vote Tory, letting them down so obviously surely is self defeating?

I have absolutely no confidence or faith in Johnson and his govt on this. None.

VERY, very worrying