Coronavirus - the lecture

Update: DD FaceTimed this morning, and suggested, in a mildly forceful tone, that we shouldn’t visit in 2 weeks’ time.
She also asked whether I had thought of online grocery shopping, but in a rhetorical question sort of way.

Unless all the private hospitals, etc. are taken into public ownership for the length of this panademic, do not think that 'delaying' is going to help much in easing up for NHS.
As there is such a shortage of beds, even larger shortage of nurses, there is now no time of the year that NHS can 'be better able to cope'.
My mind says, if I am going to get it (and maybe due to age, etc. need medical care) probably best to get it sooner rather than later.
Do wish that all the news reports which so happily tell us of how many new cases each day, and how many fatalities would also include the numbers of those that have made a total recovery from this virus. At present they just seem to be fuelling the panic.

Yes, it is a public health strategy and seems sensible.

not really sure what this isolation thing is about - appears to me just to be a delaying tactic.
Isn’t that the point Franbern, delaying the spread until the flu season is behind us and the NHS is better able to cope?
The “sombrero” graph?

No, not really. Phone call from my son yesterday which started with 'are you well' which was a bit odd. Later on in the conversation he said that I probably shouldn't be going out, which is not too difficult!

To clarify, I haven't had lectures, rather, when I told DS that I was going to a funeral next week, he said 'you may want to re-think that'. I did rethink, will sit at the back and not go to the wake.
DH has had advice to cancel meetings but nothing as yet from U3A.

Juliet27, I feel for you .Both my sons in Australia are keeping in touch more regularly,which is wonderful. But oh how I wish they were closer. ! They are more worried about us than themselves and feel the distance between us too . They’ve both had to cancel visits to us for this year which is hugely upsetting. So to those who are being ‘lectured’ by their children ( if they are nearby) I say ‘please appreciate how lucky you are that they aren’t the other side of the world and that they care!’
Stay well ,everyone!

Baggs we are supposed to be visiting family in the Midlands in 10 days’ time. Like you I’m dithering (but will probably be ‘advised’ by DD)
My concern is that while we have no confirmed cases in Northumberland, the GC, like other children, could well be not only symptomless carriers but also so-called super-spreaders.
I don’t want to bring it back up here & pass it on to others.

I am still rather confused about this isolation thing. If, as is being said, 8 out of 10 people are going to get this virus, before it all starts to get better, not really sure what this isolation thing is about - appears to me just to be a delaying tactic.
Feels like sword of Damocles hanging over us. How long are we older (more vulnerable) people expected to go into this virtual self-isolation? Four months? six months? a year? And when we do 'emerge' what then?
Would anyone explain how this 'delay' tactic is supposed to work.

Update on my mum, see my earlier post.
She is refusing to budge. Says she has plenty of food and is staying put. Her choice.

We’re in Spain. Yesterday afternoon one of our daughters rang to ask are we booking a flight back or staying? Yesterday evening the eldest rang to ask the same question.

If we stay we can hunker down in the sun ? and avoid the train then the airport. If we go back we need to avoid the grandchildren! Decisions, decisions.... I can dither at the best of times as it is.

Spain has just closed all their schools. Himself has just been over to the supermarket for a baguette. He said the shelves were decimated - well all those schoolchildren will need lunches at home now! There’s talk of bars and restaurants closing for 2 weeks here as has been done further along the coast in Valencia and Benidorm.

A week or so ago, one of my sons during a phone conversation regarding our pending visit to Seville, which we have now cancelled, "I think you might need to rethink that" but on the upside tells us more frequently now when he phones "you are two of my favourite people, love you lots, please take care of yourselves". I think maybe because he and girlfriend are working in central London we are not going to have such regular visits

Yes, my son in Australia is checking most days that we're washing our hands regularly, taking Vit D, 'have you stocked up enough tins and frozen food', 'the sooner you all keep yourselves to yourselves the better'. I guess this all brings home just how far away we are and there's little he could do if we were ill.

My 3 are all so different ...
DS is very caring but wouldn’t dream of telling his mum what to do
DD1 can be quite bossy but in a kind way and is messaging me with ... you’ve done what ???
DD2 doesn't usually interfere and just lets me get on with things. She likes to keep tabs on what I’m doing though and keeps quiet unless she thinks I’ve stepped out of line ..?

Middle daughter told me I was in a vulnerable group and then laughed like a drain! I assume she thought it was a daft thought!

No lectures from mine yet. I was going to visit DD1 & family this coming week. I don’t think I’m particularly at risk from Covid19 but I don’t want to be a carrier for when I go back to work in a week or two because most of the people where I work are in the high risk category.

Other considerations are that my shoulder is still very painful. It will be six weeks since I broke it next Wednesday. It’s disrupting my sleep pattern. This is easy to deal with at home I can get up and make cups of tea and eat chocolate or whatever at any time in the night. I can do this at the DD's too but I’ll be afraid of disturbing people. It’s not a big house and any visit is a disruption to their normal pattern. Not that they complain; they’re always very welcoming but I don’t want to be a nuisance or demanding visitor.

Similarly my activities are restricted because of the shoulder. At home again this isn’t a problem because I can adapt in ways that aren’t so easy on someone else’s house.

Mr Baggs thinks I shouldn’t go. I’m dithering.

no-one needs to nag me, I am a scientist and know what is needed. I nag them

I've already had the lecture from my DH and three children.

Although I have told them to stop fussing, they are probably right!

My 92yo mum seems to think she’s impervious to coronavirus. I’ve done an online grocery order today for her as she was going to be going to the supermarket tomorrow. She doesn’t get on with the internet and I don’t think she’s really quite got the full picture from the TV news.

My son’s IL’s had to told point blank not to fly across America to visit DS, DIL and family. It was a risk they didn’t need to take, either for themselves or my son’s family.

My 89 year old Dad rang me this morning:

"What are we doing about all this advice not to meet up and not to go on cruises?
Are we just ignoring it?" (!)

He has a cruise to Norway booked for April.
I recommended he phoned the travel agent.
His cruise is cancelled and a full refund on its way.
He's disappointed but I pointed out that the ships are not being allowed to dock, so there's not much point going anyway!

No lectures from ours - yet. There is a noticeable increase in texts of the ‘you ok?’ variety. Certainly no pressure to change any activities. As for ourselves we think there’s more cause to worry about our daughter in law who has a heart condition.

I made the mistake of telling DS what my plans are for next week

However they are not set in stone.

DD and DS know we are taking all the necessary precautions so we haven't heard anything from them other than, 'We can't help worrying about you.'

TBH we are in a safer place than they are. We live two miles from anywhere. The only person we see every day is the postman!!

I'm more worried about them!

Maw, I ‘d rather they thought that way than if they didn’t care.

They wouldn't dare.