Pandemic panic

What is "OK Boomer"?

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

trisher regarding it being new, I think you are right. Corona viruses are a group which have spikes round them like a crown and there are many sorts. I believe Scientists say this one is 'novel' rather than new, because they have not identified it before, hence they've named it COVID-19. But they would acknowledge that it might well have been lurking around unidentified somewhere before. This one has been attributed to coming to humans via bats. You can look it up.

Hi I am enjoying this thread today Thank you all for taking the drama away slightly I am supposed to travel to Rome with my Daughter this being a Birthday present from her, however we are still dithering about it very undecided whethet to cancel or not.?I am a fit and Healthy 78 year old any thoughts anyone?

i dont think those people are able to go to the bathroom. they are bed bound, too ill and weak to move.
they are nursed in the bed.
some may be fed through NG tube, and/ IV fluid.
most need oxygen therapy, some with pressure machine.
that is why people are worried.
there is no spare capacity in the NHS.
some people dont seem to understand the realities of being very ill. it is different from being at home, however weak or ill one may feel.
not being able to breathe properly is not compatible with life. oxygen therapy as a minimum is required. this needs hosp care.
if only a small percentage of those with coronavirus need this medical care, that is still an enormous number.
where are they going to put them all. it does not compute.
it could lead to very ugly scenarios, if rationing based on giving care to those most likely to recover, not those who are most ill, comes in.
i am keeping away from as many people as poss.
i used vinyl gloves when shopping last sunday at lidl.
at that time, in a small urban branch there was plenty of stock on the shelves. but 90% of shoppers there are on foot or bus, they dont use cars that they fill up, they shop every other day, or en route from work.
i think it might be more sparse now re stock.
i am thinking of going again to get as much as poss.
i swabbed all shopping on return, and my money, keys, then discarded the gloves.
the idea of putting a scarf over mouth and nose is good. looks less odd than mask, prob just as effective, and more available.
please everyone, be careful, and do not under-estimate how this can ruin lives, even if its not your own.
we are approaching something like a war-footing. all events, services, transport, health, social care will be affected.
take no chances. cut down visits, to or from. insist anyone who has to enter your house washes hands, pref drying on paper, or separate towel.
lbc radio presenter just said it hit him when an expert told him that we will all probably know someone who does not get through it.

Or 60% proof Vodka and watered down Dettol then soaked into wipes! ……………..

If the pneumonia vaccine worked against this virus they'd be vaccinating everyone!
There is no reported treatment for this virus, apart from treating the complications. I feel very sorry for everyone who is vulnerable, I guess that's most of us, but some more than others because of medical conditions. There is so much fake news circulating it's probably best to stop reading social media........ The WHO site apart from giving advice, and myths about Covid-19 gives advice about dealing with stress!

humptydumpty #OKboomer was a thread on Twitter, where millennials and generation X had a good old moan about the boomer generation, ie us. Like how fortunate we are compared to them, how we have ruined things for future generations and our generally entitled attitude
There was a lot of vitriol thrown about.
I’ll see if I can find a link but it’s not pleasant reading.

It seems that this virus is like flu, and we hear that 81% of people will have symptoms but recover, and a smaller percentage of people will die than are killed each year by the 'standard' winter flu virus. Surely the only thing to panic about, if you must, is that it seems to be affecting so many people. It will cause disruption probably, but as people seem to recover in a week, and will then go back to work or school, and hopefully have some degree of immunity, I too am beginning to wonder what is being 'buried' while the media are trying to get everyone to a state of near hysteria. Or does anyone know something I don't about this virus? I am not trying to over simplify, but can't see why there is such a degree of panic.

Thomas67
I get the feeling I’m expendable when people state it’s normally just mild illness.
I gasped when I read this! I am so sorry! Poor you! It must be so frightening to feel you are living under a threat others are not taking seriously. I do hope I did not make you feel I did not take it seriously. Usually I try to calm down people's distress and fear about this new strain of flu. I do take it seriously and I think everyone here also does all the right things to avoid spreading it. While there is no need to waste our lives living in fear, we need to be sensibly mindful about the responsibility we have to others concerning our part in the spread of any disease. This has always been my argument about immunisation. I get extremely despairing when people do not see the harm they do by not immunising themselves and their children to diseases such as measles and rubella. They may never suffer badly but the baby or person to whom they give the disease might be maimed for life.

I think that you will survive this new flu. Just do all the right things, and don't allow yourself to feel anxiety. Should your husband become ill I am sure you will cope. It is not a long-lasting flu. Maybe have some easy to prepare food, soups, plenty of clear fluids, and for the two or three days if the flu hits, you will get through with those. Plenty of rest will be what you will need.

As for not being allocated help at the hospital, I would totally ignore such an idea. It is not the way any British Health employee operates. They never give up on anybody! So be brave, be bold and tell yourself this is something we can cope with!

Sorry that wasn’t quite right. Here’s the Wikipedia entry.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK_Boomer

i would not be going anywhere near an airport.
why take the risk.
though remote, the poss result could be enormous.
you can choose where whether you go at the moment; if you get affected by the virus you will have little choice control.

All we or anyone can do is plan for the worst and hope for the best. That's what the government seem to be doing. Not scaremongering just being as prepared as possible. Imagine what the headlines would be like if they hadn't made the plans they have.

welbeck - you should get a job as a newspaper reporter to really scare us all !

Rosina what is being 'buried' while the media are trying to get everyone to a state of near hysteria

Yes! Either that or the disappearance of Boris a few days ago added to the dearth of news to report.

I think it's a cover-up of the fact that getting Brexit "done" is more like the British people are getting "done" by the terrible deal or lack of which that dreadful man is messing up. The flu is certainly good news for Boris as far as his Brexit shenanigans are concerned. Boris' ballsed-up Brexit is going to have a far bigger and longer-lasting impact on our lives than this flu, no matter how much he tries to blame the economy on a virus.

welbeck. Sounds like the ideal time to travel to me! No queues, choice of seat, no crowds... Heaven!

I have Raynauds and even in summer early mornings I have to wear mittens. I cycle everywhere and have two pairs on each hand and wear them in shops as the basket causes blood blisters with pressure. I never usually get looked at but have seen people glancing thinking she’s paranoid. I’m thinking I’ve cycled here freezing hands whilst you’ve got out a car. Vent over,

jane thanks for the link.

Really we are a lot luckier than earlier generations in that we now have internet shopping (as long as hoarders haven't bought up everything...)