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Coronavirus

What do you do to stay safe?

(42 Posts)
Nata Mon 16-Mar-20 09:04:03

What do fellow GNers do to stay safe during the pandemic panic? I know that avoiding public places and washing your hands is a must but what are your other tips?

Teetime Mon 16-Mar-20 09:18:03

The government advice is to stay well hydrated and not let your throat dry out so plenty of hot drinks.

curvygran Mon 16-Mar-20 09:20:38

No shaking hands, hugging or kissing in social situations. Can be quite awkward if the other person extends their hand/leans towards you expecting a handshake/hug but I think people are getting used to non contact . Don’t elbow bump- someone might have just sneezed/ coughed into their elbow ! I love hugs ( don’t we all?) so it’s sad to do without .

travelsafar Mon 16-Mar-20 10:04:25

Change clothes aas soon as i get home, wash hands singing Happy Birthday and trying to stay calm!!! That is not easy. I have been to the shops this morning at 8.30 after dropping car to have MOT and service, so only required a couple of bits as couldnt carry much. Went into the local supermarket and walked straight out, the queues of people with trollies piled high and the self service area was the same. The only place i could buy a bag of SR flour was poundland, none of the other shops in town had any but i did strike lucky in Wilko and got a pack of 6 loo rolls. Other items on my list i just couldnt get.

Hetty58 Mon 16-Mar-20 10:16:09

Nata, the greatest danger is from your own family. Read the evidence from Wuhan studies about the spread of the virus. It's a great shame that our own 'government' chooses to ignore the WHO recommendations - but we don't have to:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/15/uk-covid-19-strategy-questions-unanswered-coronavirus-outbreak

harrigran Mon 16-Mar-20 10:17:00

I haven't seen any family for a few weeks but I will not be hugging and kissing anyone if I do see them.
There is a family funeral this week and I am undecided as to whether to attend, I am expecting people to be critical if I do not go.

Hetty58 Mon 16-Mar-20 10:30:50

harrigan, you have a valid excuse to not attend. Let them criticise if they feel the need to. You are keeping yourself, and others, safe - what could be more important?

WOODMOUSE49 Mon 16-Mar-20 10:33:11

harrigran

I do hope those arranging the funeral help out with the decision.

We were going to one but the 'wake' celebration has been cancelled and is now being now planned for August or as soon as the family feel it is safe to do so. Immediate family are still going to the funeral service.

CathTheWise Mon 16-Mar-20 10:48:27

I drink a LOT of hot water and stay at home trying to avoid going out as much as possible. It is actually a good thing: I finally can do things I usually have no time for. I already did a big cleaning around the house and plan to do a video album with the photos from my DGD2 wedding day.

curvygran Mon 16-Mar-20 17:06:54

CathTheWise, how does drinking lots of hot water help ?

SalsaQueen Mon 16-Mar-20 18:01:12

Some of us (I'm 60) are still having to go to work - I'm Warden of a sheltered housing scheme, and also have a job delivering meals to a local school, so apart from not being near anyone who seems ill, and washing my hands a lot, that's it.

CathTheWise Tue 17-Mar-20 06:37:34

Curvygran, it helps you to stay well hydrated and that was among the government recommendations. Teetime mentioned it, too.
Drinking a lot of water helps even when you have a simple flu, there is a good article about it: healthengine.com.au/info/cold-and-flu-what-to-eat-and-drink-to-get-better-faster

Ginny42 Tue 17-Mar-20 06:49:20

Excellent reference, thank you CathTheWise. Seems an apt name!

curvygran Tue 17-Mar-20 08:54:46

Thank you CathThe Wise, some useful and sensible advice . It’s always good to stay hydrated anyway, especially to avoid the dreaded UTI’s that are so much more prevalent as we get older .

travelsafar Tue 17-Mar-20 08:59:50

I heard the virus doesn't like heat so maybe there is something in the drinking of hot drinks.

TerriBull Tue 17-Mar-20 09:22:07

Not going out to lunch, coffee, a drink, well that will all be enforced soon anyway. Staying away from crowded places, generally limiting contact. We saw my husband's grown up gc at the week-end, usually very effusive, kissing and hugging, so sadly none of that, also the same with our own younger gc. Was having a bit of snivel yesterday about the whole situation when my nearby son called round he ended up throwing his arms round me, probably not good. We are going to miss not seeing our nearest and dearest for a while, all of them, but most of all my youngest son who lives 50 miles away and is scared he will be putting us in mortal danger if he comes to stay.

M0nica Tue 17-Mar-20 17:38:54

Follow the very clear instructions coming from the competent medical authorities.

MayBee70 Wed 05-Aug-20 23:13:44

Continue to stay at home as much as possible, Keep my weight down. Eat healthily. Sleep. Don’t go to shops. Don’t visit relatives or friends. If I do have to go somewhere (eg emergency trip to the vets) wear a mask and sanitise hands. Don’t use public toilets. Take VitD and zinc. Open doors/windows to get fresh air into the house. Watch/listen to relaxing programmes. Contact friends on a regular basis to check they’re ok.

3nanny6 Wed 05-Aug-20 23:31:53

I still keep all surfaces sanitised, do my hand washing and social distancing, wear a mask in shops etc;.
Have not done any family hugging and kissing but am okay with that.
I keep the house clean but have put off big clear out cleaning at the moment as far too hot in my house and so windows open and fan on most of the time. I still take exercise by walking and drink plenty of water mainly because this heat makes me thirsty.

welbeck Wed 05-Aug-20 23:51:41

i find i do more gargling/rinsing with non-alc mouthwash.
don't know if it helps against virus, but it helps me to stop nibbling all day. and night.
have covered my face going to shop since mid march.
restrict going to one shop, lidl, once a week. felt brave deviating into poundland last week for something extra.
use gloves. have not crossed anyone's threshold since march.
don't like hugging/personal contact anyway.

maddyone Thu 06-Aug-20 00:15:07

Only shop once a week at the most, get the rest via Click and Collect. Wear a mask inside public buildings. Hand washing, hand sanitizer going in and out of buildings. Stay at home as much as possible, only going out to parks or countryside for pleasure. No pubs, no restaurants, no cinema, no anywhere where there are many people. Sanitize worktops and shopping. Leave parcels to quarantine. No hugs or kisses with family menders. Very limited meetings with friends, only three since lockdown and all outdoors and socially distanced.

Franbern Thu 06-Aug-20 12:32:12

It appears as if I more pragmatic than most on here. I do wash my hands each time I return home, and before I touch any food items.
Have continued with weekly supermarket shopping throughout, and worn a mask there ( to protect others) for sometime now.
I have continued having lots of time with my nearby daughter and her family, including going there for a meal occasionally. We are not a huggie sort of family, so that has been no problem. As soon as I get there I wash my hands, that is about it
Have had other children and g,.children come to visit me, and did make one trip few weeks ago to suburban part of London to visit a daughter and g.child. In my own car, felt very safe.
Lots of fresh air and Vitamen D are some of my most ardent safeguards. Even when I am indoors I like to have windows open = do try to get out into fresh air most days - did this throughout lockdown time , mainly going to local park.
I do NOT wash shopping when I bring it home, neither do I use bleach very much at home,. Normal cleaning routines - as I have always followed.
I have sat outside and had coffee and cakes - helping local shopkeepers, had days out - all outside. Leading as normal a life as possible.
I am definitely not panicked about this virus - take normal hygiene precautions. My County reported 23 people in hospital with this virus, none of them requiring intensive care. Probably a lot more people of my age hospitilised at present by strokes, cardiac arrests, etc.
Will probably take slightly more care when the weather changes and everyone returns to work in September and October.

Jaxjacky Thu 06-Aug-20 13:10:11

Regular hand washing, shopping delivered, any small bits needed use local quiet shops, sanitiser in car. Family here once last week for bbq, no cuddles of GC’s since Feb, haircut outside, both masked. Used local pub a few times, appropriate measures in place, all the same friends, no contact. Read, watch sport, garden and walk, it’s tedious. I miss hugging children and GC’s, hugging and joshing friends, chatting in village. It makes me feel insular, which I’m not. Anyway, more rubbish through letterbox, bin and wash hands again, probably fifth time today and not been out yet!!

PinkCakes Thu 06-Aug-20 13:13:06

I wear a mask around the shops, and I keep my distance elsewhere. Just following orders. Apart from that, nothing really.

GrannyLaine Thu 06-Aug-20 13:13:58

Sounds very sensible Franbern We take much the same approach. I was taking a prescribed Vitamin D supplement prior to the pandemic and have simply continued. Tending not to go out as much as we did before Covid as it has all become such a faff, but we both have plenty to do at home and so far, so good.