Politics of fear and its side effects

Here the extremely vulnerable, very elderly (and I would guess people who cannot wear masks for medical reasons), can ask for the district nurse to do a home visit.

Mamie I agree that the obvious answer is to have a separate queue/ waiting zone or other system for people who cannot tolerate wearing a mask, to both keep them safer and to avoid others getting upset. Waiting in a queue when you are extremely vulnerable ( even outside where the risk is much much lower) is very worrisome for some.

Doctors surgeries are not really big enough to cater for mass vaccination programmes, especially ones where people may be infectious. I know of some that refused to take part because they knew they couldn’t do so safely and I was told that our surgery was like a superspreader event so we went to a vaccination centre that was in a much bigger building.

Yes I agree Maddy, one of my closest friends has complex mental health problems, she has certainly at times focussed her distress on a particular friend, not in an aggressive way at all, but it really is beyond her control.

Omicron is pretty much the same severity as delta in those who have no immunity from previous vaccination or infection.

People like my son who is severely disabled and no-one can work out how to vaccinate.

I’m cautious - for example I double mask on crowded places now, not because I’m gibbering in fear but because I am being cautious for my son. Also if omicron whips through his team he’ll have no 24 hour 2:1 support which is problematic.

I‘be not been terrified by Chris Whitty - I have a PhD in a relevant subject and have kept up to date myself and made my own decision based on the additional risks faced by my son.

I quite agree maddyone. And I still think a bit of sensible organisation could have avoided a stressful situation for both. Masks in the queue for everyone and a separate arrangement for people who cannot wear a mask. Not rocket science is it.

I feel sorry for the unfortunate woman who obviously was suffering from some problems that we cannot possibly diagnose without knowing her. I also feel sorry for Monica’s husband, who was also distressed by this experience. Perhaps we could all be a little kinder towards one another, and not be judgemental of either person because both deserve our sympathy under these difficult circumstances.

I was just thinking back to when I had my first two vaccinations 30 or so people were queuing outside most did not put their masks on until entering the building there was no need we were outside and socially distanced
Your husband did nothing wrong Monica and was probably more sensitive due to his recent experiences

Good post Cunco

Monica.... hope your DH wasn’t too upset about that encounter in the vaccination queue, he had done nothing wrong at all and the woman who ran off obviously had mental health problems.Anything that day could have set her off.

Whether there is politics of fear, there is definitely fear of COVID. I think we must, though, discriminate between variants and recognise that we are better protected that previously. Omicron does not appear to be as terrible as earlier variants. The indications suggest this is the case and my personal experience certainly does. My wife and daughter are self-isolating and two of my three grand-daughters are again testing negative after experiencing Omicron. Three of the four 'patients' have had only temporary minor symptoms, less than a severe cold, and one has had symptoms of influenza. Unlike previous variants, there was no fear of death in the family.

I am not suggesting for one minute that we should not wear masks, get vaccinated or take precautions, particularly if we are elderly (like me) or have pre-existing conditions. I am suggesting that the rest of society should not be put on hold unless the current variant (whatever it is) poses a widespread threat.

Surely the answer is to have signs everywhere saying that masks are obligatory and then separate, pre-arranged access arrangements for people who cannot wear masks for medical reasons.
Seems fairly obvious to me.

LadyWee He doesn't have a full set of lungs, one of them is only partially useable, and he has difficulty breathing a full lungful and a bit without a mask, even when just walking. Masks, to be effective, need to fit closely to the face. Of course it restricts his breathing, masks, restrict anyone's breathing, I am always conscious of it when wearing a mask - and I have no respiratory problems.

He has tried very hard to wear a mask, but can just about manage it for a short time if sitting. Wearing one in the surgery was for a couple of minutes, if that. The vaccination area was a room with direct access to the outside and each person only went in once the nurse was ready to jab, so he was inside, pulled his sleeve up, was vaccinated and was straight out, if they were as quick and as efficient as the centre where I had my third jab, he would have been in and out in about a minute. There was no sitting provision for 15 minutes after the jab.

Peasblossom Someone seeing someone at a distance of 15 feet and running away shouting 'I am going to get COVID, I am going to get COVID' is not being in a queue where someone becomes anxious and leaves

I think if someone was as anxious as this lady, then she would perhaps have been wiser to have someone with her. In her circumstances I would certainly not have wanted to be outside without someone with me. The chances of meeting someone unmasked, or, worse still having someone unmasked breaching the social distance rules is so high, it would be a risk I wouldn't want to take.

When DH first came out of hospital, I went everywhere with him, because he got easily distressed if things didn't go as intended. Now he is more robust and he was able to deal with this incident, although it still caused him internal turmoil.

Monica, Your husband did nothing wrong. He has had the most awful experiences in Lockdown. Unfortunately there are people out there that are so wrapped up in it all or struggling mentally, they jump to conclusions, it is of no help to your husband I know, but it must not bring him down, he has to concentrate on getting strong again.

MayBee70

I used to get anxiety attacks when in a queue: annoyingly they usually happened when it was almost my turn. It was the feeling of being trapped in some way. Used to happen in the theatre and cinema, too and I always had to have a seat at the end of a row.

I suffered those attacks too, and for the same reason. I even used to get them sometimes simply by going into a shop. I was agoraphobic also at the time, so even getting to the shop was often a real challenge.

I lived alone with my small son at the time and became so ill that in the end, I couldn't even set foot outside the front door - I even fainted on one occasion when I attempted to do that.

Back in those days, mental health services were more readily available and my GP arranged for a Psychiatrist to evaluate me at home (I doubt that ever happens now). I had absolutely no idea what was wrong with me and thought I was suffering some kind of 'madness'. He - the psychiatrist - told me I was suffering from depression and that the attacks were a result of that, and it all gradually made sense. Unfortunately, he chose to prescribe some very dangerous anti-depressants (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) which had the potential to cause fatal reactions if consumed with certain types of food - but they were effective, very, and within a couple of weeks I was back to normal and able to slowly wean off the medication.

I'd completely forgotten this episode in my life until I read your post as I never suffered from it again. But remembering, I wouldn't wish this type of anxiety on anyone - it was absolutely crippling - and I really think that you have to experience it to understand how awful it is.

Goodness only knows how people cope now with mental health services stretched beyond the limit. I understand that suicide, especially amongst young men, has been steadily rising over the years, there just isn't anyone to help those who are affected.

I was lucky, and I know it. I sympathise with the woman in the queue mentioned by MOnica, and her husband. who was, quite naturally, distressed by what he witnessed.

As Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said earlier this year, “The extent of the mental health crisis is terrifying, but it will likely get a lot worse before it gets better."

I still don’t see why this means he can’t wear a mask. The evidence shows it has no effect on oxygen saturations so unless he is on portable oxygen and cannot get the mask to fit over his oxygen mask he can in fact still wear a mask.

Riverside visors are worse than useless, they give no protection against COVID because the virus floats in the air and will just float behind the visor and offer no protection to others as the virus will just float out round the open sides. This is why it is made clear that a mask must be a close fit to the face, so that any breath, in or out, is filtered through the material it is made of

Monica the reason I suggested a visor, which I know are not very effective, was that it might save him further distress if he finds himself in a similar situation. The woman concerned, for whatever reason, didn't take into account that face coverings are not necessary outdoors and your husband was no threat to her.

We can't worry too much about what other people think and what their actions will be but it could prevent further distress to your husband, if he's going to worry about a repeat performance elsewhere.

I have to say, I really do struggle with the ‘mask exemption’ folk. As a retired medic, there really are very few conditions that would genuinely mean someone would be unable to wear a mask. As others have said, a visor, even a scarf up high would at least show some effort to try and make others feel comfortable. This lady, for whatever reason may actually be very susceptible to Covid. Perhaps she has not mounted a sufficient immune response? Perhaps she has many conditions that put at her at risk. Perhaps she is hugely immuno suppressed on her cancer treatment?Perhaps she has lost several members of her family to Covid? Rather than blame her, and assume she has mental health issues (maybe, but maybe not and even if she does, let’s not judge and stigmatise) let’s try and see the bigger picture. We are still, despite what the government say, still
In the middle of a global pandemic, which has killed many people. Whatever the government say, the evidence is clear that masks play a role in reducing transmission. What ever the government say, omicron is a new variant which we do not fully understand. The reason for no restrictions to this point is very obviously a political ploy and is not in keeping with the rest of the world and has been against a lot of the medical advice. SAGE, Whitty, JVT, the entire public health department etc are experts in this field. There will be a lot of people are feeling anxious and scared . As I said, we are still very much in the midst of a global
Pandemic which has killed thousands, with huge vaccine inequity and therefore a lot of potential for more strains to develop. I think they have a right to be anxious and to expect others to at least try and show some consideration and wear a bloody mask!

Your husband wasn't at fault you don't have to wear a mask outside, perhaps inside the surgery your husband might have got some dirty looks where mask wearing is compulsory, I don't know what the answer is other that holding up a sign that you are exempt. I've seen articles in the news about fights breaking out because of this. Anyway silly woman missing out on her jab but perhaps she has other issues.

Peasblossom

No, nothing at all to do with him.

I left the cinema a few weeks ago because very few people were wearing masks.

It wasn’t about any individual.

I've done that exact thing myself PB.

I used to get anxiety attacks when in a queue: annoyingly they usually happened when it was almost my turn. It was the feeling of being trapped in some way. Used to happen in the theatre and cinema, too and I always had to have a seat at the end of a row.

I left waterstones the other day because everyone was getting on my nerves l

I’m totally at a loss to understand how being in a queue where someone becomes anxious and leaves is then interpreted as a distressing personal attack, when he’s not even near them and has no contact with them whatsoever.

Galaxy, very true - and her anxiety may have nothing to do with alleged 'fear tactics'.

No, nothing at all to do with him.

I left the cinema a few weeks ago because very few people were wearing masks.

It wasn’t about any individual.

And it may not have been anything to do with him. It might just have been that being in a line of people triggered her anxiety.