New infections - 100000 per day?

Thank you for your kind response.

A few years ago, I suffered an allergic reaction to new medication and was rushed to hospital. Tests revealed that I had also had a heart attack. I had absolutely no idea that I had a heart condition.
Every scan showed I had healthy arteries, no leaky valves, low cholestorol and heart working normally. It was a complete mystery.
The conclusion was that diet and life style were not the cause and it was certainly not self inflicted. ( I have to admit to being pretty mad at the unfairness of it all) I was advised that there was no need for me to see a dietition or attend the cardiac rehabilitation gym classes, as I was already following a healthy lifestyle.

The cause could not be found. However, after six months of lengthy and some pretty invasive investigations, it was discovered that my RA had basically attacked my heart and caused irreversible damage, deep inside it. My heart is failing and there is absolutely nothing that can be done.

So you see, here is someone one, who tried to be responsible for her own health, but to no avail. Good living was all for nothing.
On top of this, I have chronic lung disease for over forty years, never smoked in my life, but it came out of the blue put me in ICU for six weeks, just after my wedding. The trigger was never found. I had never been ill up until then.

On reflection, I wish I had lived the good life, smoked, drank, took drugs at university, lay in front of the television, eating rubbish. It would not have made the slightest bit of difference to my health, but at least I would have had some great fun!
I took responsibilty for my own health, just like you have suggested, but actually, presently I feel it was a total waste of time. Some of us just have no luck in the lottery of life.

As for being required to shield, there is good reason for doing so. You don't just die quietly. Dying from Covid is horrific. One of my consultants explained what would happen to me, literally putting the fear of death in me. . Also he also informed me that if if caught Covid, there would be no point in admitting me to hospital, it would be a complete waste of resources, as I certainly wouldn't survive.

You are indeed very fortunate with your good genes, however, I think you are actually either very insensitive or just plain naive. There must be others like me on GN, who have read your posts and thought: Walk in my shoes for just a day.

I am certainly not sorry for myself and glad I did shield, wear a mask and do all that was asked of me. It was hellish, but I am a strong person and with the support of my family and friends, survived it.

I was only in Coronary Care for one night after my second heart attack in January, it was too risky for me to be there, so I was sent home. I saw frightened and worn out staff, on their knees, because people were dying in their care. Many of those patients, thought it wouldn't happen to them! That is why I was horrified to read of tradesmen working maskless in your home, during the pandemic. I'm surprised that was allowed.
The district nurse wasn't able to come into my home, due to the high risk for me, so I missed umpteen important blood tests.

If I hadn't done what I was asked to do, I think it is highly unlikely that I would be here, writing this.
I am not a fool, who blindly bows to the Government's demands, I am someone, who is well read and have a thirst for knowledge and I have made sure that I am up to date with all the latest developments.

I have to say, I wasn't shocked at your views, just saddened at your lack of empathy.

FRiends went to a wedding recently and 50% of the guests got Covid. Several of them now fighting for their life.

I'll meet you there JaneJudge!

I'm fat and rent a house, I will go directly to hell
obviously

Well I think you’re a miracle worker *MissChateline saving 33% of your wages, from, I would imagine not a particularly well paid job, sometimes residential, but with some overheads. But then you weren’t supporting your children when younger, or helping anyone else apart from you, except in your paid employment. I echo others views on your attitude, in particular to other people, I think you are most uncharitable, both in thought and deed, arrogant with it.
Leeds22 I don’t know how quiet your Sunday afternoon will be kick off isn’t until 8pm.
Meanwhile, back to the OP, I look at our local figures, both in our village, nearest town and County and what we know is happening where we live. We’ll continue to thoroughly wash our hands, mask up when it’s crowded or to respect others and support local business. I will be extending my current voluntary work.

Marydoll

*Miss Chatelaine*, obesity, which you mention, is only one underlying condition out of the many which made people extremely, clinically vulnerable.
What about the other conditions, which made shielding necessary? Do you feel they are also self inflicted? I am genuinely interested?

I’ve followed many of your contributions with awe and humility at how you have dealt with recent events and illness. I can not imagine being as ill as you have been. I have followed your progress regularly.
However I know I have been unbelievably lucky with my good health throughout my life. I suspect that this is genetic. My dad is 90 next week and I’m am arranging a family party for him. He lives 5 hours drive from me. He also has never had a days illness. He’s a bit stiff in the joints but that is it. He totally denied having received a shielding letter and continued to do his supermarket shopping and all other contacts. As he says to me “if I go now I won’t have missed much” which is a fantastic way of looking at things. I am however a very strong believer in that we are all responsible for our own health. My wife loves good food and wine and hates any exercise. She is seriously overweight and I worry daily about her health. She has worsening joint issues (new knee and hip) due to obesity and may well be pre diabetic (if not worse) I would do anything to get her to address these issues which I know will get worse in time but at the end of the day I know that unless she is motivated to do something nothing will change. So yes there are things we can do something about and other things which we can’t.

Leaving my children was a total act of selflessness. I had not a single maternal instinct and they were far better off with their father than living with me in a loveless marriage or in a squat down the old Kent road once I started uni. My darling daughters thrived. They got degrees, are happily married and I have a fantastic relationship with both of them. But women don’t do this do they…. They are not honest to themselves and what they really want. We were programmed to do what was expected of us and if we deviated from this norm we were demonised. Do you have the slightest idea how hard this was?
My daughters now In Their 40’s admire me for the courage I had to do this and may I assure you starting uni on the same day as my eldest daughters 7th birthday knowing I might never see her again was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
I now exist on a state pension and a small work related pension. My only vehicle is a 25 year old campervan. Certainly nothing flash. So please don’t make presumptions.
I’ve certainly not suggested that many COVID deaths were preventable but as our great leader states that obesity is certainly an attributable factor and the obesity epidemic needs to be addressed in our society.
And Germanshepherdsmum, I’ve actually liked many of your posts and agreed with them but please look at the statistics regarding obesity levels. And yes I am delighted that this conversation is virtual as I can not abide those who have to demonstrate their presumed moral superiority at every instance.

The lockdowns were never going to stop the virus. They were only designed to protect the vulnerable and the NHS hospitals. Which is what the vaccines appear to be doing. We have to learn to live with this virus and they are continously working to find better treatments for both the long a d short term effects.

crikey

Miss Chatelaine, obesity, which you mention, is only one underlying condition out of the many which made people extremely, clinically vulnerable.
What about the other conditions, which made shielding necessary? Do you feel they are also self inflicted? I am genuinely interested?

Miss Chatelaine, I remarked on your selfishness in an earlier post on this thread. Leaving your very young children to embark on a degree course proves the point. It’s almost as if you boast about having been so utterly hard and selfish but perhaps you did them a favour. As for your smugness , I and I’m sure many others like me have worked extremely hard for many years. I was fortunate to have a very highly paid job but I’m very aware that many on GN probably survive on a State pension and were prevented, perhaps by lack of educational opportunity or family responsibilities, from saving a third of their income as you did. I don’t brag about the house I live in or the car I drive or any of the other trappings of a long and bloody hard career. Nor am I so ignorant and unfeeling as to suggest that most of those who die with Covid do so because they are overweight. That is just one of a host of ‘underlying conditions! the majority of which, like my own as I said uptbread, are not preventable or curable. You take the biscuit for the most selfish, smug and unpleasant person I’ve ever encountered - and I’ve known a few. I’m just glad the encounter has been virtual, and so should you be.

Hi, I’ve been out most of the day so have missed much of the fun. But as there are some interesting and rather personal comments made I thought that I would answer some as various contributors seem somewhat sceptical.
I have had a very interesting life. I would describe myself as a survivor (not of anything horrible but in life in general) I have always managed to land on my feet from rock bottom places and come up smelling of the proverbial roses. As a teenager I was written off by my parents as a drug addict and would never make anything of myself. Well they were wrong.
I took myself off and got a degree when I was 36. I had to leave my young daughters aged 7 &5 with their father to do this and in the 80’s abandoning your children for an education wasn’t the done thing……I never went back.
I became a residential hostel worker with abused women, alcoholic men (some of whom had active TB) serious drug users, runaway teenagers, and criminals. (Not all at the same time) I went on to specialise in one of the areas and may I assure you there isn’t much of the hard side of life that I haven’t seen. I worked in courts and on the streets. Until at the age of 60 (6 years ago) I ran out of empathy and decided that it was time to look after myself and those close to me. I came out as a lesbian when I was 36, regained my relationship with my now grown up daughters (many years ago) and along with my wonderful wife decided that we were going to enjoy our retirement.
I worked sometimes 7 days a week in hostels, then my day job and often at weekends supervising community service projects. I saved 33% of my wages for more than 20 years squirrelled away in an ISA. I did without many things but I did manage to spend my holidays backpacking through SE Asia which I really miss now. But I saved enough to buy my quirky house in a lovely small town 15 years ago. No my workmen didn’t work for free (what an odd idea) the whole project cost approximately 50grand. I’ve loved every minute of it. And I believe that I deserve to spend my own money.
Moving on……I am quite smug that I didn’t fall for much of the nonsense spouted by this government. I am smug that I didn’t let myself become anxious and frightened. That I didn’t so scared that I had to iron my newspaper, sanitise my partner and quarantine my shopping. I am smug that I was able to support my daughters, help with the grandchildren (yes I have 3 honestly) and hug them. I am smug that I have come out of this awfulness sane and relatively unscathed.
Throughout the pandemic the phrase “underlying health conditions “ is often quoted. Obesity was the second highest indicator for serious illness. Growstuff are you really saying that this isn’t caused by the individual not taking responsibility for themselves and is not preventable? I think it is and if I come across as being smug for preventing this for myself then so be it.

Together with some other posters, I worry about the rising infection rates, and will continue to wear masks in shops and restaurants. I will avoid crowded places as much as possible, even though I am delighted to be able to get my hair cut or go out for a meal, after so long! Both my husband and I have had both doses of the vaccine, but also have underlying conditions that put us at risk.

Miss Chateline you say you are not particularly well off although that does contradict what you say as in a post you state you had possibly over 30 tradesmen all working on a house renovation for the best part of a year. Were they working
for free if so that was pretty decent of them as we know tradesmen even have to charge and thirty of them would not have come cheap. To me you sound smug and sanctimonious saying you saved hard all your life the thing is so did I and I just about manage a gardener with my money. Many of us do our best to stay healthy and even if we have not been confined to bed with serious illness we can still have illness enough so that our lives can be difficult.
I had to stop nursing because of a back injury and need to walk at least 5 miles a day some days I find it hard to potter around the house (that's my worst days) and still I refuse to give up and would crawl on my hands and knees rather than give in to becoming immobile. You sound like you have done better than anyone else and others have got what they have because they have not applied themselves enough.

Just met friends in a pub for lunch, first time since first lockdown. Pub was well run, very clean, sanitized. Four happy people UNTIL the only other people in our part of the pub, sit at next table, no way 2 metres away!!
In our 60's and looking after elderly parents at home, we will stay masked up when needed and not go to indoor locations for near future, see what occurs

MissChateline

growstuff

MissChateline I hope you have a good counsellor, if your risk of mental health problems is greater than that of being ill with Covid. Seriosly!

May I assure you that my risk of mental health problems is exceptionally low. Maybe because I reduce my stress and anxiety levels through exercise, healthy living and looking after myself. But thank you for your concern.

You're welcome.

It's somewhat patronising to claim that Covid has caused others mental health risks higher than the physical illness caused by Covid. It might surprise you to know that there are many others who have made every effort to look after themselves through exercise and healthy living. I hope you don't think those who have died were responsible for their own deaths through negligence of their own well-being.

I just wonder why you are motivated to gaslight people in this way.

Miss Chatelaine, unfortunately for those of us, who have tried very hard to be healthy by design and hard work, it doesn't always work out that way, no matter hard how we try. People become ill through no fault of their own.
I'm afraid, you do come across as smug and I can understand why some posters do find your comments patronising.

Gabrielle.....thats a bit presumptuous and rather rude. For your information I have 3 lovely grand children, live in a northern mill town am not particularly well off and have spent my working life caring for others in a professional job. However i saved hard all my life so that i can afford nice things now im retired. Smug not at all. Healthy by design and hard work. Happy now.

growstuff

MissChateline I hope you have a good counsellor, if your risk of mental health problems is greater than that of being ill with Covid. Seriosly!

May I assure you that my risk of mental health problems is exceptionally low. Maybe because I reduce my stress and anxiety levels through exercise, healthy living and looking after myself. But thank you for your concern.

In response to the OP I will continue to do as I am now. Wearing a mask, washing my hands and keeping my distance. What I wont be doing is going to crowded places,or using public transport. I will not being going to restaurants/bars. Fortunately I can work from home and am thankful. I did a largish supermarket shop yesterday and that will be it for now. I intend to go back to on line shopping for my food. I do not want to be like this and I would love to get back to normal, but having a compromised immune system prevents this and I do worry about some of the restrictions being eased, especially the face covering. I admit I am scared that should I catch Covid I could become extremely ill or worse. It is shocking to see so many people at the large gatherings for sport not really take much notice of any social distancing guidance and that the increase in infection may be coming from them. So .....may I wish those of you, who will go about your business without having a care for other people who may be vulnerable, well and I do hope that you stay healthy and have no ill effects should you come into contact with the virus.

percentage wise in a population of 60 million it's not too bad

Goodness me.

This is all a bit febrile, even for me.

growstuff - do you have the figures for the number of mental health issues experienced by young people?
Their teenage years have been put on hold, their education is being damaged and they've had a limited social life for the last 16 months.
Those numbers are very likely much higher than those affected by illness from covid.

MissChateline I hope you have a good counsellor, if your risk of mental health problems is greater than that of being ill with Covid. Seriosly!

It’s not scaremongering GardenofEden. The Government is taking a big gamble, and it depends on how risk averse you are as to whether you support that gamble or not - but the infection rate, hospitalisation rate and deaths are the facts. The press are speculating on best and worse case scenarios, all within the realms of possibility, but they aren’t wrong to do that as to make informed choices people need to understand what could happen.