Are the media misreading our mood?

Callistemon
I guess you’re right, people who are not currently suffering from cancer are most likely to not be put on ‘the list’ for shielding. GagaJo is sensible though to shield herself, list or no list.

Barmeyoldbat
Thanks for your advice, I think I’ll order some masks to have ready for whenever we’re allowed to circulate again. I really wish my hand was better because I can sew, just not at the moment.
I’m really upset at the moment over masks, because my son in law, a GP, did a shift on Sunday night and he only had two masks! And he visited nine different care homes with Covid patients! If I could still sew I’d be making masks for him and my daughter.

These are animal viruses. This one came from bats as they live in huge colonies. Easy for the virus to spread and mutate.

Human viruses generally don't kill us. Killing the host is useless to them or they have no one to infect.

Its not really virul intelligence, its just evolution.

Other coronaviruses have come from human stupidity, like battery farms. Keeping animals in such close quarters easily allows viruses to spread and mutate. They mutate when antibodies are made to them. That's a large part of why we need social distancing, to try and stop the virus mutating and reinfecting people.

Same reason we must finish a course of antibiotics when we need them. Leaving even a small amount of disease cells behind is enough for them to develop immunity to antibiotics and then spread to someone else.

Just simple evolution on a very basic microscopic level.

Maddy, at first I used homemade mask, 3 layers of material, then I was able to buy some disposable ones. Thirdly I ordered on line through Wowcher two masked and a 40 filters, they took 2 weeks to come but are here now and being used. I have also ordered another batch of filters. I still go out and use the car and shop. We have detoll spray in the car for wiping everything down and doing our hands. I wear gloves and live in my own little bubble. I am also taking vit D and some tablets my Dr recommended to help with my immune system.
Why not order from Amazon, even if delivery is the end of May, it will soon come around and we will still be in this mess.

maddyone
Those undergoing treatment for cancer at the present moment, or awaiting it, are on the shielded list.
I think those having had cancer and who have been successfully treated are not on the shielded list, but perhaps should take extra care.

Starblaze
the virus is not intelligent
I think that viruses are as they always seem to be one step ahead of humans.
They invade, replicate and then mutate.

As you say Gagajo, if people don’t leave the house, they have no need of a mask I assume.

Thanks Gaga, so quite possibly the masks available on Amazon would be useless, and in any case they have a delivery date towards the end of May.
I think you’re right about the shielded list, my daughter insists I should be on it because I use a high dose combination steroid inhaler for asthma and she sent me the information received by GPs, but it also includes people with cancer. Anyway as you say, being extra careful and not going out should shield anyone who does that, list or no list. To be honest I’ve started to go out this week, but only for a walk with my husband, and we steer well clear of anyone else. I’m not going near any shops for a long time.

Ah, maybe then maddyone. I don't know. I've never had a letter or any contact saying I am. Doesn't make a lot of difference really.

I ordered masks about at the beginning of March. It was obvious where this was going so... I ordered two types. One of them is useless. They're a useless fake of a better design. The other one is more useful. It's a fabric one with a space for a filter, some of which came with it. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it's better than nothing. BUT currently it doesn't get used. We don't go out at all. Not for exercise. Not for shopping.

We do all that aswell Gaga but I would have thought that as you’ve had cancer you should be on the shielded list.

Where did you get masks? We haven’t got any and I’m not sure whether I trust the ones on sale on Amazon. I can’t sew any as I had hand surgery in January and am still struggling to get full use back in my hand.

Barmey, I'm with you. We are shielding despite not being in that group.

We have masks. I wash the chill/frozen groceries in soapy water. We 'quarantine' the drug goods / cans groceries for 3 days.

I don't trust them. I don't believe them. I honestly don't really even think they KNOW what is safe.

I don’t listen to the daily briefing anymore either, but I do watch the news, BBC and SkyNews daily. They précis what’s been said anyway. I say it in almost every post, but I’ll say it again now, as Barmeyoldbat says, we didn’t go into lockdown quickly enough. We all need to do as Barmeyoldbat says and do whatever we can to keep safe and to not spread any infection. Not so barmey after all, are you Barmeyoldbat!

Well to be honest I have stopped listening to the daily briefing and news. I am fed up hearing the same old thing over and over again. They made a huge mistake with lockdown starting to late and now they are trying to decide whether we should all wear masks. Well I am not waiting, I am wearing one and will carry on doing everything I can do for myself to stay safe. Rant over and done with.

When the average is 13 years for men and 11 for women, it isn't even accurate. It makes it sound like mostly very poorly people who only had a short amount of time left. We now know that is not true.

Having a fun evening?

"That was vile saying people would go before their time."

But People will sadly go before their time. is okay?

I guess I may have liked something along the lines of People will sadly go before their time. These are the steps we have implemented,which I am now going to present to you in a clear and concise and honest way.

*paddyanne *I remember that, I remember it well. And I didn’t agree with it.

@coggie, are you saying that you believe it to be possible under any circumstances, that no one would have died from Covid-19 in the UK?

That was vile saying people would go before their time.

Sorry paddy, as if you don't have enough to cope with.

Can I just set you straight Granny gravy I'm not gloating ,I'm not enjoying it at all.Today I heard my friends daughter in law lost her dad ...last week two of my daughters friends lost their dad,the week before two of my sons friends lost their mum.A lovely woman who used to work for us died at the weekend .the "4 nation strategy" we were compelled to agree to isn't working . Th FM wanted lockdown long before it was agreed to and a lot of lives might have been saved IF she had been listened to at those 5 COBRA meetings bojo skived because he was sorting "personal issues" Bojo of course wanted and is still continuing with the herd immunity proposal he decided on at the start .Remember him saying a lot of families would lose loved ones before their time? It wasn't a prophecy it was a plan The flights STILL arriving and unknown numbers heading north ,unchecked untraceable worries me sick .

It would certainly be good to know why some are SO badly affected, even without underlying health problems, and some have no symptoms at all.

GrannyLaine it's so worrying, I've read a few things that are unconfirmed. Permanent lung damage, permanent blood vessel damage. If it also turns out we don't become immune to this it will be devastating long term

Oh sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about shortened life expectancy for survivors when the disease has been severe, but that's a thing as well.

I think it means those who die, so horribly upsetting. All those lost memories and time.

I've seen people talk about how x disease causes more deaths than coronavirus.... Cancer and diabetes etc aren't contagious. You don't breathe in heart disease. I don't understand the attitude some have to this, "oh those people would die soon anyway" when that simply isn't true. (not that I have heard it here)

I'm guessing that would be those worst affected Starblaze, who were probably ventilated and end up with permanent lung fibrosis from what they call the 'cytokine storm'? Its a grim prospect isn't it?