Coronavirus spring clean

MayBee70

It’s often interesting to look back on old threads. I’m the biggest pessimist going but even I never thought we’d still be in the middle of a pandemic now.

I remember dismissing my daughter’s “gloomy” prognostications in March 2020 that we could be in for 6 weeks or more . If I’d known then it was going to be two years I’d have crawled back under the duvet! I was afraid of a breakdown of society, which didn’t seem to happen right away, as we were ( or so we thought) “all in it together”. But I had no idea of the repercussions two years later, which are more frightening. Our “mañana will do” WFH “work” ethic, the frightening rise in inflation, (I suppose I should have foreseen that) , but the short-tempered antagonistic nature of behaviour in general which seems to have succeeded looking out for each other.
There was that urge to spend the time usefully, like tidying out the fridge, freezer and inevitably the knicker drawer.
Thankfully that passed as did any urge to learn Spanish

It’s very interesting to read back, I am the OP.
I was asked what will it achieve staying home and avoiding public places?

Well obviously this was before we were locked down, I think we made the right decision, we had a pregnant daughter at the time who lives 200 miles away, we needed to stay healthy so we could support her our SIL and granddaughter, we took sensible precautions throughout the pandemic and have been fortunate enough to have remained Covid free.

Let’s just hope and pray the Monkeypox virus doesn’t spread cause and mutate.

It's so interesting to read these old messages. People were thinking they just had to isolate for two weeks and now it's been two years. What a very strange time it has been.

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It’s often interesting to look back on old threads. I’m the biggest pessimist going but even I never thought we’d still be in the middle of a pandemic now.

Interesting.
I’m at home with the dreaded COVID. OH is continuing to go to work doing daily testing. I was one day short of my booster, he had his a couple of weeks ago! I will as soon as possible get back out and continue as I was. We really do need to just live our lives as best we can.

How naive we were, the OP was before the first lockdown!

An old thread but isn’t it interesting to read back how folk were thinking at the start of the pandemic. Maybe I was being naive but I certainly didn’t think we’d still be living with covid 19 for this length of time.

I feel very thankful for the vaccination programme and although we’re not out of the woods yet hopefully the worst is behind us.

Missfoodlove, warmer weather won't kill the virus. It just means that people spend less time in poorly ventilated indoor conditions - where transmission is highest.

There has been a spate recently of resurrected threads. Rather irritating.

An old thread but quite amusing to read the earlier comments - how innocent we were in March 2020 about how the pandemic would affect us!

Perhaps LucasHarper is a time traveller ?

LucasHarper this thread is 18 months old most people are vaccinated now and we are mostly being careful.

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Unfortunately I have to go to work in our Supermarket

I did restock my store cupboard/freezer last week, because I had planned to do so anyway. Stuff in the freezer from when my son still lived at home and spices in the cupboard dating back to 2006! Never sorted the freezer because I needed to keep it full anyway for efficiency. However, since then I've not been feeling very well and all I want to eat are rich tea biscuits [which I didn't have because I don't keep biscuits in the house]. Getting a bit annoyed with all the loo roll etc jokes on facebook. By the end of all this we will all have known someone that has died from this virus .

I am aiming to get my full spring cleaning done if covid-19 gets closer to home. I am already stocked and have masses of hobbies, I can start sowing seeds and get my potager into shape. I have a dental appointment in a small town later this week, preceeded with a lunch out with dd and that is it. It is about preservation of life, mine and others

I will get myself outside, solo cycling and in the garden

Those over 60s without underlying problems should not be complacent, this is the cut-off age for various components of the immune system, this is why children are barely affected. There is a scientific reason for that age, it is complicated, too much to explain here

As I’m a member of the high risk group being both Diabetic and suffering from Heart Lung problems, I’m following the advice to self isolate as much as possible for the foreseeable future, as is my husband. I do go out for a ride in the car, but never get out, I’m cancelling all non urgent routine appointments such as my annual eye check-up next week, and likewise my six monthly blood check up can wait until later in the year. My freezers are always well stocked anyway, and a supply of long life milk is normal for us, as is a weekly online shop delivery, although if needs be, we could manage for a longer period of time without that.
The most difficult part will be having to explain to our Grandchildren and their Mum why it’s not a good idea for them to visit us each evening straight out of school. Our daughter is a manager of a local nursery, and as such is exposed daily to many members of the public, dropping off or collecting children, making deliveries, or even other staff members and their families who work alongside her. Once an outbreak has been confirmed local to the Schools in the area, a programme of lockdowns and closures will take place, but by that time, the virus will have had chance to spread and infect others.

As there are as yet no cases of corona virus in my area I am continuing to lead my life as normal, but with enhanced hygiene precautions (hand washing etc.

As the disease creeps nearer - if it does get nearer, I will tweak my strategy accordingly.

I was in the process of having a spring clean/general sort out anyway, so I'm going to continue to do so. I must admit to suffering from cabin fever terribly though, after being surrounded by flood water on and off throughout the winter. I am going to avoid the gym, buses and the cinema for a while. I'm very much looking forward to a holiday with my children and their families at Easter [first time we've all been together] and I'm terrified that something will prevent it.

We are carrying on pretty much as normal (we both have immunity problems) but not booking any theatre/cinema tickets. I went shopping in Cambridge last Friday - the shops, café and bars were empty. I got a seat on the train both ways. I usually shop on line for groceries etc. We will be going out for walks and I may play golf on Wednesday. Played on Saturday and everyone talked about not hugging or kissing after the game but we did it anyway - its just part of our routine.

None of us want to catch the virus, pass it on, however, can I ask you to consider people that need to use food banks that are running low? Look in your cupboards for items bought/received that you will not use, toiletries, etc. or add an extra item to your shopping list. Long-life milk, pulses, pasta, dried or tin food, soap toilet rolls, sanitary products. Most supermarkets or churches have collection points at the entrance. People needing foodbanks will have to go out to collect their token and visit the foodbank center. I am deeply concerned if they get isolated they will no means of getting supplies as one has to collect food in person. They do not have the luxury of staying indoors or full cupboards.

BlueBelle, I’m very aware this will last more than two weeks
The point I’m making is that if we use Italy as an example then the next fortnight is crucial, if we can delay the spread we could avoid an epidemic here.
I do not want to catch it or unwittingly pass it on.

I will be carrying on pretty much as normal. I use public transport, and where possible will avoid travelling in the rush hours, but I will still travel, and will do so in rush hours if I have to.

I have some work organised over the summer, which involves attending a very busy place and being in close proximity to others, but I have no plans to cancel.

I always shop online and 'top up' from local shops, and will continue to do that unless panic buyers force my hand. I won't be buying unnecessary items of any kind, but will ensure that I have enough of the things I usually use (eg pasta and rice) to last for a couple of weeks in case we have to self-isolate. If I see mini hand sanitisers anywhere (unlikely) I will buy a couple so that my husband and I each have one to take out with us, so that we can keep our hands clean and lessen the risk of infecting others if we pick up any germs ourselves.

I have a group of friends who live locally, and will continue to see them, either out (eg in restaurants or coffee shops) or in one another's houses. I will also continue to meet up with farther-flung friends in the city centre, and will attend social and cultural events as normal.

I have non-urgent hospital appointments which I will keep unless I am asked not to. My plans are to holiday in the UK, and I don't intend to cancel unless travel becomes restricted (we are going by car, so that seems unlikely).

I can't think of anything else that will change or stay the same, really. I am at the younger end of old (age 60) and have underlying conditions, including respiratory problems, so consider myself medium risk.

I hadn't realised how often I touch my face until now, though. I will make an effort not to do that, but old habits die hard.

Ginny42 However, apparently when the weather warms up the virus will die out.
The virus is spreading in Australia and it's their late summer there. Sydney still 23 degrees.