Prepping for a Pandemic - Thread 16

[Sprayitall]

I don’t know why another thread hasn’t been created yet , so here you go. Now as we prep ourselves to the peak of this pandemic, let’s all face it together and appreciate how fragile our lives are and how we need each other to survive and flourish.

@AlohaMolly here's a recent news article www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/coronavirus-woolworths-ask-customers-to-keep-one-trolley-apart-limits-fresh-milk/news-story/40bc31476f269cd166e290006736499b

And we're not even in lockdown here yet...schools open, restaurants and cafes open, people still going to work. Most families have to visit multiple stores to get what they need and are shopping more frequently which is not helping the whole "social distancing" strategy our PM is pushing.

It's utter madness.

@Sprayitall - Ok I have received the generic surgical masks I ordered from weldricks but it’s not individually packed nor the outer cover is sealed fully. Should I bother returning them or can I use it as such?

I bought some surgical masks - described as sealed on Ebay, yeah they came sealed alright, in an Asda freezer bag! They didnt cost a lot but I've held on to them as I figure its better than nothing if needed. I've opened up to 'air' them and also put in the freezer for a day. Now wrapped in clean tissue but thinking of popping back in the freezer again. Not sure if any of this actually helps though and if I should really chuck away.

Thanks again luciey

And thanks to all of you that said I could pay my cheque in via my app - you were all right!!

My friend is a radiographer in my local hospital - she confirmed that we only have 10 ITU beds and they aren’t isolated. She says there are 2 isolation beds in ITU, 4 in HDU and maybe 4 on other wards. That’s bad isn’t it?

@BlackeyedSusan it's two items per category. There isn't any restrict on some categories including fresh produce, yoghurt, canned fish, meat (except mince which is limited 1). Other things are limited to 1 like toilet paper, baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, rice and that's IF you can find any of that stuff on the shelves.

But some of the restricted categories are quite broad i.e Bakery Products. So a loaf of bread and a pack of bread rolls and that's all you can have from the bakery. Even if you go through the self serve checkouts it beeps and flashes at you if you scan more than 2 items for a category.

@HuggedTheRedwoods Dh says don’t return it yet and may be have it as a backup and use only if we need it. I am the one who doubts everything and with that cost I expected it would come atleast totally sealed (I didn’t even expect it to be individually sealed) as it’s from weldricks pharmacy. It looks like it’s half sealed using a lighter or candle lol and half the bag isn’t even done. are they used ones I wonder??

So DP is happy to tell you not to prep, but at the same time eat most of it? Reminds me of the little red hen story for kids.

"Who will help me? "

Ridiculous behaviour.

For the posters who have carefully prepped but DPs/DCs now merrily tucking into the stocks, have you anywhere to physically hide some of your stores e.g. car boot, under car seats or a very trusted family/friend/neighbours car boot or shed?

It must be worrying to see your hard work and forward thinking being undone.

@Sprayitall Its crossed my mind if they have been used but looking at mine, I dont really think so. I think it more a case of an eBayer breaking down a bigger box into smaller lots to maximise profits. But obviously that has meant handling them. Thats why I've aired and frozen in case they've been touched by unwashed hands but who knows, I could be preserving germs or infecting the freezer with something! Oh god, I'm scaring myself again now!

The surgical masks we use at work just came in a box, not individually sealed. You will know if they've been used as they won't go all flat and concertina like again.

Had to wear them a few times this week, forgot how annoying and uncomfortable they are! We have ffp3 ones but not many and no one has been FIT tested yet.

@HuggedTheRedwoods

I live alone, but also mainly prepped for my mother, two sisters and brother at uni who has now come home. The food wasn't hidden at all when I was back in London and stayed with them I also found myself saying "you're not allowed" or "you can't have that". Despite being very thin my brother is always hungry and my sister's also helped themselves willy nilly. I just replaced the items then and bought him protein powder and protein shakes which should hopefully arrive this wenesday, so hopefully will keep him/them feeling fuller for longer.

After also making fun of me for prepping for Brexit my father finally got the message about prepping yesterday (after seeing for himself the empty milk and bread shelves at out local Tesco.)

89 more cases in wales overnight

I also just wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to post on the Brexit threads, and for all the support I received over the months and I know some of you also had a lot of trouble for rationally explaining everything that could go wrong with our supermarket system.

Wishing all of you are safe.

@Gammeldragz I've worn them for diy'ing in the past and remember how uncomfortable and hot they get. Must be tough for you having to wear them for working in all day. Do you discard after the first wear? I am wondering if its safe to recycle for the same person - say after freezing or spraying something.

@Orangecake123 I'm sorry they still dont get it but with all the news reports about the shop shelves being empty you'd expect even the most hardened deniers to be realising its not so easy to restock. Little kids I can understand, but your sisters and brother sound old enough to be thinking it through for themselves now. Hope you're looking after yourself too.

Re masks I've sewn a batch for us, lots of tutorials etc available online. Double layer cotton with an opening inside for a disposable 'filter' layer if needed - apparently a dry wet wipe, or even piece of plastic bag etc if you were in a situation with people coughing etc, would stop liquid transmission (yuk). Not like a proper surgical one of course, but would at least stop you touching your face etc, and can be washed. I've put each one in a separate plastic bag, easy to keep in pocket for when you need it.

Annoyed with MIL who has left it very late to get food in, despite me telling her for weeks (and re Brexit). I showed her how to order from Tesco online, told her to book slots as far ahead as she could, allow substitutions or she might get nothing .... might as well have saved my breath. She's been swanning about going out for coffee, to the hairdressers, for lunches etc, but not a thought to food. Now DH is talking about driving 3 hours to leave a bag of OUR shopping on her doorstep. Yes, I know IBU but it's pissed me right off!

Wish they could get a grip on the supermarket issues, it’s obvious that a lot of people are not going to behave reasonably so they need proper procedures. I think everyone would calm down a lot if they knew they could get the basics that they need, which seems to be the case in Italy according to VenetoResident.

I haven’t needed to go and do a proper shop for about three weeks thanks to these wondrous threads, but I bet it’s even worse today after the directive yesterday - alcohol is prime to be sold on at inflated prices. I do feel really sorry for people with larger families or elderly relatives who do need larger quantities of stuff.

No, you're not BU @ginghamstarfish.

Tell your DH that he is welcome go out and buy hat she needs it he is not having your stuff you've bought for you. She knew, she is an adult who chose to ignore advice.

Disclaimer: I am stuck two weeks in a flat with Autistic children and getting snarky but finding we are using some things faster than others. No way would I risk my shopping for someone who couldn't be arsed.

What she needs

The past couple of days I do feel like they''ve grown up a little and the missing items were mainly just chocolate crepes, chocolate and biscuits so not exactly essentials.

I saw someone else post this link somewhere else- they have meat and other vegan items still in stock and also do delivery:

www.musclefood.com/

BBC news special at 2pm including Boris’ news conference

BBC one

Thank you whatthefox

We have stuff that's not exciting in our stash, so that it was easier not to raid it.

We have a few tasty nibbles in the freezer like slices of cake, so they can't be eaten all at once.

It's the only way 😂

No Boris today

Today's press conference was a whole lot of blah. Only one I've been able to watch all week and it was rubbish.

DH and I just inventoried the prep freezers (him doing the hands on and me writing as cold hands hurt me, he has asbestos hands!). Have enough meat for a month in various forms, but no chicken nuggets, much to DD's disappointment. May have to make some.
Month worth of bread. Short on frozen veg though I have 3 bags of raspberries (will see if next door want some).
Should inventory the cupboard stuff next, I know we only have 4 tubes of tomato puree which is making me anxious!

Need to do some meal planning next. DH cooks on the 3 days I work and usually does 'freezer food' like nuggets, Kievs and burgers so will have to get him to work out what he will cook or help me bulk batch cook. I'm only doing 3 days a week now but as nurse I expect to need to work more soon, hopefully some kind of community role as I've not done hospital work!

@preponderings

Luckily my DC are of an age to be able to communicate with friends by phone & Xbox. They miss their friends but they're OK. We've also got a really big garden so they can get out. Normally I resent the gardening. Now I'm grateful for it.