Pandemic panic

vampirequeen
I feel as you do. However, perhaps those who run things can foresee difficulties if and when a large percentage of staff are unable to get in to work, especially Hospitals, drive buses, trains, fire engines, etc.
My feeling is to just keep calm, do what is sensible and if you get it, sit it out at home. In fact I think I had a mild flu at the end of January. I was pretty ill and had all the symptoms described for COVID-19, including diarrhoea, and excruciating pains all over, but, living alone, I just sort of crawled through. I feel better knowing I managed, as I am in an at-risk group but honestly am not scared. I had really bad flu I think it was 1989 (?) so bad I could not turn over in bed and had strange bad pains for about a year following. I was supposed to be fit then. We had such a bad GP I didn't go to the Doctor!

Anyway, I do feel that there is a bit of hype going on about the new corona virus, but perhaps if they didn't take precautions we'd be complaining even more! I'm sure we will survive it. I have no reason to expect it to be like the Spanish flu 1918. It's a different virus and apparently quite mild, especially outside China, inexplicably.

Does anyone, like me, find pictures of very large sports halls full of sick-beds most disturbing and somehow incomprehensible? How are people supposed to be looked after in such a big place? Are there enough bath rooms? If someone is very ill, how can they make it to the toilet from across a room that big? How can they feed all those people? What is it going to smell like after a while?

I would move heaven and earth not to be put in such a place. It would make me mentally ill I think. it gives me nightmares.

We are all individuals, some people get Cancer, and die from it. Some people have bad Heart's and die from Heart Attacks, Some people get any cold or virus that is going around, others do not. I'm afraid in my mind it is "the luck of the draw", we can't all be super humans, some of us are prone to catch any illness going, and hopefully the majority of us if we do catch illness's easily, are able to shake off the virus, bug, whatever you want to call it within a few days of being sensible and resting, drinking and generally taking things easy until we feel a bit like our old selves. In my own opinion I am not bothered about catching Coronavirus, because I would hope that it would not affect me too much. My best wishes go to anyone who is genuinely ill or concerned about this illness.

Money is already being made on this virus scare - just look on eBay at the hugely inflated prices for hand gel . At least 100% increase in price on some brands. Sadly , unscrupulous members of society will be leaping on this bandwagon to the detriment of everyone.

I did the same, and checked about the pneumonia booster- Its up to date but supposedly the virus is a different kind of pneumonia -

Most of the people that own most of the stocks are old- ?

I phoned the surgery and asked if I need to speak to a nurse to make sure I was as well protected against pneumonia as possible. The lady who answered the phone was able to check and said I was up to date.

One of my friends is convinced that the virus has been ‘released’ so that the Stock Market will plummet and all the Rich People will be able to make a killing by buying shares up cheaply.
She may have a point!

What is "OK Boomer"?

It's a true "OK Boomer" moment if there ever was one- It's no conspiracy theory that this virus could wipe out a considerable percentage of us-

I think anyone who has a pre-existing medical condition is fully justified in phoning their doctor and asking how dangerous corona virus would be for them and what precautions to take.

Wear gloves when you go out on public transport and if you are worried cover your mouth and nose with a scarf that you wash when you get home.

The latest news here is that somebody more or less has to sneeze or cough on you for you to be infected - you can't contract the infection just by breathing the air they have exhaled.

I bought some Manuka honey when it was on offer. I have since read that it is excellent at healing damaged skin but once we eat it, it has no benefits! I don't know what to think now.

I am a little worried as I have low immunity and the medication I am on means I cannot eat citrus fruits or take honey. (and some other things). If I do go out I am very aware of my surroundings and have anti bac in the car and try not to touch doors, shopping trolleys etc. There are many people out there who dont care about sneezing fully into the atmosphere, so yes although I am not panicking, I am a little worried.

Liz , although signed up for online services, there is no facility for me to access health records . That would be a boon.

I was actually asked at my RA clinic on Monday if I was vaccinated and if not, to get it ASAP. That's how I know I have already had it.
Mx

I am very worried about the whole business around this virus. Expert opinions change almost hourly and frankly telling people to just wash their hands sounds a bit feeble.
Do we insist that everyone who comes into our houses washes their hands. If not, why not?
It will be our WI monthly meeting next week. Do we insist that every member queues up to wash their hands. Do we take a supply of paper towels and hand wash? When they pay their monthly subs does the person taking them wear protective gloves? I hear false bravado statements everyday and those of us who really are worried fear being victimised if they speak up. We should all respect each other's right to their own opinions without others riding roughshod over them.

I can't take cold remedies like Lemsip or any of its ingredients because of meds I'm on for my heart condition. Last time I had flu like symptoms - in September I think - the pharmacist advised hot lemon and honey. It certainly eased the symptoms but I was in bed for several days- unusually for me - and the cough I had left me with a very sore diaphragm and ribs. I went to the GP once I'd recovered as I had been experiencing dizziness which hadn't cleared. She said she thought I had had pneumonia!...so my treatment must have been very effective. I'm planning to invest in Manuka honey as well as organic lemons if I get another cough!

Petunia I would ask that you actually don't mock your friend and her theories. I think you may find there is much more to this than meets the eye, and this virus may have been originally produced in a laboratory. In fact there was a book published back in 1981 which is still available to read, that is eerily accurate about what is happening now. She has a valid angle on all points and hasn't got an overactive imagination at all, including undesirable additives in vaccines and the money making world of Big Pharma. Personally I'm with her and would not mock one bit. None of us know, and we all have an opinion on what's happening.

Marydoll, I looked online at my medical record and on 10.9.97, it says 'pneumoc immunis adv in'. I think I have just had one pneumonia jab but had read elsewhere that there are two.

When we had the last flu out break people were cared for in general hospitals . So if corona virus is just like flu , ask yourself why are they putting people in highly infected wards , in specialist hospital . So I believe there's more to worry about then we are actually being told .

I have a husband with heart problems so yes I will happily admit to us upping our usual shopping lists to include extra pasta , rice , cous cous and tins , flour and general
items that would keep us going for a few weeks.
We usually go out to tea shops / garden centres at least a few times a week but will scale that back if / when it takes a good . We have corona virus about 30 miles away at the moment . I'd not class is as scaremongering , but being cautious .

Just found this on the British Lung federation site.

There are two types of vaccine available for pneumonia. They protect against the most common cause of pneumonia, the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. They aim to protect people who are at a higher risk from pneumonia, including older people and babies.

The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) is for people over 65 and anyone over the age of two who’s in a high-risk group. Most adults will only need to have this vaccination once in their life.

As a high risk patient I had the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine years ago at the same time as my flu jab.

I'm another one with bronchiectasis, asthma etc. Because of this, I am going out less and trying not to mix too much. OH and I go out for walks together and are together 24/7. We'll probably end up killing each other!

I had pneumonia even though I had the jab. Must have been a different type.

I have major untreatable heart problems. If I catch so much as a cold I will struggle to survive. I really hope everyone is careful with their hygiene and consider others who are high risk.
I get the feeling I’m expendable when people state it’s normally just mild illness. I wonder if only those statistically likely to recover will have access to a ventilator . I can’t look after myself now so what happens if my care person, my husband gets sick,
Best I don’t mix with people at the moment and don’t have visitors. .
When there are a few more funerals realisation will dawn-even if it is someone with an underlying health condition or old.

I remember the Sars virus, I was a lot younger but funnily I never took notice of it and I don’t remember anyone panicking. I recall swine flu too and the leaflet I thought yesterday how I have anxiety more than then maybe age related as I’d just moved and was obsessed making and decorating dolls houses, or maybe so much media is available now and news channels. I remember the papers a couple of years ago promoting shelters for World War 3. I’m glad there wasn’t the channels growing up like there is now.

I had a pneumonia vaccination. I am wondering if this would help protect me to a point. Oh I ran out hand soap next to my bathroom sink. Went to get some when in Sainsbury's yesterday...guess what...empty shelves.

A colleague said this is one way to get rid of all us old uns who are clogging up space the younger people want. Hadnt thought of that so there is another 'conspiracy theory' to be going on with till the next one lands! ?