People Still dont get this

My friend and her daughter caught cv last week when they met up in London. That is to say, they presume they have caught it as they had a high temperature (for three days) , still have the cough and tightness on the chest. Both feel very tired. Next Wednesday, their self isolation will be over and they will return to work. They are probably typical of how the virus will affect the majority of the population.

It’s three days since I went out to buy food, I have my normal stocks in the cupboard. I’ll go food shopping again maybe Sunday or Monday.

However, I’m going to a meal on Sunday at a pub. The landlord has assured us the tables will be spaced well apart and diner numbers will be down on usual.

On balance, I think I’m being more responsible to go out twice or three times in a week than those who are shopping daily, often in numerous supermarkets.

springychicken make sure you wipe down the door handles as you walk through into the restaurant then the tables, seats , cutlery and glasses........not to mention going into the loo. Or wear latex gloves and remove them before you get back into the car

It isn’t just about spacing it’s touching things that other people have touched.

As you have only been indoors for 3 days you could also be a carrier.

You may or may not be interested in how another country has cracked down. It is not as hard as the shutdowns Italy, Spain and France but can be increased under the state of emergency in place in Portugal. Not everything has been decided yet and many people think they are slow in deciding about flights in Europe. The road birders with Soain are shut but citizens csn still return home. Plus commercial transport are allowed in.

Now more details are in, it seems the new rules are sensible and proportionate and in no way amount to a "lockdown". It appears that , while the over 70s have been told to stay at home as much as possible, the idea of setting aside specific hours for them at supermarkets and pharmacies has been dropped. People should not drive around without a good reason, but we will not have to fill in forms justifying our journey as they do in France. Restaurants, bars and cafes are closed but bakeries, health food shops, pharmacies, supermarkets and vets can stay open. People can walk their dogs, but these walks should be kept as short as possible and you should obviously not stop for a chat with fellow dog walkers. People can go out for short walks or runs, even if they do not have a dog, but not in groups, and they should keep as wide a berth from other people.as possible. There is no curfew. People whose jobs cannot be done from home can still go to work. Socialising is discouraged, no meals with the family or friends, as is visiting the elderly, unless it is to take them provisions. Supermarkets will have reduced hours, but will be open. Distancing, especially in queues, is required, that's all, and maximum numbers allowed in any establishment have been reduced.

This is not a "lockdown" but we should all limit our outings from the house and interactions with people as much as possible.

If these rules are not respected, the government now has powers under the "Estado de Emergência" to make them stricter.

Boa quarentena!!

Thank you Oopsadaisy. Yes I will be very careful. My husband and I are avoiding all contact with people except for shopping and this meal. He doesn’t come to the shop with me. Yes, I could be a carrier, like anyone else who has been to a shop or outside. Perhaps there is an argument that once a person has been for a food shop, they should self isolate for seven days before venturing out again. But until it is a mandatory, people are shopping daily and feel justified because it’s for food. But it’s not justified if you are merely topping up the hoard.

Today in Portugal we have 1030 confirmed cases with 5 people have recovered. 6 people have died. The greatest number if cases are in the Lisbon area where unfortunately many people are behaving like those in Londin and not obeying the rules. But with the crackdown all restaurants, cafes and bars must close so they wont be able to socialise in public. A friend in anither town was looking down in the square outside her house and a policeman stopped and told her neighbour who was sitting on a bench to go back into his house.

This virus, despite what people say, is nothing like the flu. It is more contagious and has a higher mortality rate, for a start. If you are going to think flu, think Spanish flu which killed millions after the First World War. It is probable that the death rate was so high because that virus triggered a cytokine storm, where the immune system basically over reacts and kills you in the process. That's what is happening in many coronavirus cases.

On a slightly more cheerful note, I said to my DD that I would like to know how many old people recovered as well as hearing how many died. She said there are reports of people recovering in their 70s,80s and even 90s. So there is hope - but better to take no chances.

Well, I am pleased to tell you that there is no emergency in my local town. No face masks, no isolating, no two metres apart, car parks full, no shortage of people. Business as usual apart from the bare shelves and panic buying. Booze aisles completely empty.

Obviously, I shall not be returning. And to judge by the funny looks at my covered face they will all be thinking, ‘Good riddance.’

shock

There was an item on our local news about people with second homes fleeing to a popular seaside town from cities. This particular town has a high proportion of second homes and it's business as usual there with restaurants and hotels open.
Many of the regular shops are open too. That should help then!

Doesn't look like you'll be going to the pub for that meal on Sunday, after all, SpringyChicken, now that all pubs, restaurants, bars, swimming pools and leisure centres are closing as from tonight.

Lupin I'm in that position (living in a seaside town) and we dread people arriving from up country. We're furious that the local tourist office has given the impression that it's business as usual. I'm interested to see if all the pubs and restaurants obey the closure order.

Gaunt47, I believe that they will have to - or face prosecution.

That’s right Patsy, lol. We’ve had a call from the pub.

I was furious at my friend today. She's older than me. She happily texted to say how many books she'd bought up at a book shop the far side of town. When I remonstrated with her she said she was in town anyway as there was a good sale on for men's shirts for her son (who'd just been sent home as his workplace was closing down). A long bus journey for her too. She thought I was joking when I told her she shouldn't have gone out.

They should start by infringing on the rights of the private nursing homes, and requisitioning them. Not paying them obscene amounts of money to borrow their facilities.

90 days, More like 290

lock down will be next, all brought about because of selfish thoughtless people, Boris is doing all he can , i commend him

The Government set off on the wrong tack with the herd immunity theory.

They have been forced to change direction quite drastically in the past week thank goodness, but judging by the numbers of people at beauty spots and on beaches today clearly not maintaining safe distances, the message hasn't struck home.

Some people must still think it's enough to keep washing their hands and that only the elderly are at significant risk.

Ginny, I'm angry with those people who are carrying on as normal. They're putting everyone at risk. If the spread of the virus goes unrestrained, people will die unnecessarily - just due to lack of available medical help.

Tonight’s News was a shocking eye opener of the idiots who are having a fun day out in the sun, potentially infecting huge swathes of the population - could be you or me - sharing outdoor fitness equipment , playing full contact football, crowding on to beaches or to outdoor markets. Have they got one brain cell between them?
BJ needs to impose a lockdown as (some) people are clearly not capable of doing it themselves ??????

As I said on another thread . I’m so worried about my DD and her baby. She’s a single mother , very frightened and alone . I am considering bringing her here with DH and I but she has been landed with a dog (long story) not even a very nice dog and DH is very allergic .

I don’t know what on earth to do for the best .

I do not know your circumstances gillybob but would it be possible for just you to go and stay with your daughter,awful to think of her frightened and coping alone.

I can’t go and stay with her rosenoir as my DH is quite vulnerable and I couldn’t leave him alone. She is very frightened and I feel so torn .

As we are in a time of crisis, perhaps your daughter should consider giving up the dog for re-homing. I say that as an animal lover and I have a dog (and cat) myself, so I know it won't be easy.

Last Monday Macron advice the French that their freedoms would be curtailed from noon on Tuesday. We have to self certify if we want to go shopping or for a walk. The gendarmes are on the streets checking peoples certificates although my OH hasn't been stopped on the occasions he went to the chemist or shopping.

We, and everybody we know, have been self distancing since then. However, as in England, lots of French people have been heading for their holiday homes or to stay with older families. Unfortunately this puts pressure on the shops and health services that are geared up to deal with a certain number of people. Also they may be spreading the virus.

IMO the sooner BJ restricts the movement of people, surely the quicker the virus will be dealt with? I was shocked to see the numbers of cars parked along the road to the Snowden centre. Apparently they have had more visitors this weekend than ever before.

Daisyboots We Brits have different characters to the rest of Europe. We just don't like to be told what to do. As a consequence they were out in force yesterday - in parks, at the coast and at the countryside. Photos on the news of people sitting side by side on benches on the front at Margate eating icecreams. No distance between them at all. It's possible that they were all thinking that it was their last opportunity to get outside before the rules tighten.