Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Machupicchu14]

Trying to do fun things to get my head off the situation in the world at the moment.
So I have begun learning poems, an enjoyable hobby and helps the memory keep active. It's sometimes a challenge, especially with the long poems but in the end it is totally worth it

[number 6]

It's good exercise for your brain, Maria Esther!

[IceMaiden]

I'm fed up. Really thoroughly fed up. Winter seems to have lasted forever, spring seems to be taking a lifetime to arrive, everywhere's damp, wet and miserable and this coronavirus fiasco is hanging overhead like a blanket of perpetual doom. I need some sunshine!!

[number 6]

We are all in the same boat, IceMaiden, but I understand how you're feeling! It won't be long before the warmer weather is with us, though. Just hang in there. You'll be fine.

[Courtenay]

This is a lovely gesture someone's thought of: Postcard bid to help self-isolating neighbours I love the motto under the original Facebook post — "Let's make kindness go viral."

(I don't know anyone who's currently self-isolating, but two of my colleagues who are currently overseas (in different countries) will be required to self-isolate for 14 days before they can come back to work — as a care home, we're taking extra serious precautions. I'm so glad I got back from Australia when I did — not that I would object in principle to having two more weeks off work, but two weeks in total quarantine can't be much fun.)

[Boatbuilder]

I saw that article earlier, Courtenay.

I drove back from my daughter's a short while ago and the young lady next door, who is a teacher at the local Academy, came out of her house after I pulled onto the driveway and said to me that following the government announcement this morning about the possibility of the 'over-70's' being requested to self-isolate for up to four months, that if we needed any shopping should this come about, then she would happily do it for us, which is very kind of her.

She did tell me that she had heard there had been a couple of cases at a local primary school which is a 'feeder' to the school where she teaches and that it is possible they may have to go into lock-down soon. However, I haven't yet seen any further reported cases in Suffolk since the very first one from about a week ago, although the actual locations of the last national update (+232) reported a couple of hours ago haven't been detailed. However, the Eastern Daily Press has today reported the first four cases in nearby Norfolk.

[Machupicchu14]

I'm trying to spend the afternoon reading and writing and just relaxing because these days are truly being stressful. I'm frightened and I'm worried.
And that's why I'm keeping up a routine in order to distract my mind from all the current news. It was comforting to see today the sun shining out bright I spent some time in the garden letting the sun rays warm my face. Such a lovely feeling.

[Chris_jr]

The unanswered question to over 70's and others more at risk being asked/ordered to stay home for months is just what provision will there be for shopping and collecting prescriptions?
You may feel staying out of circulation helps but some may need to get out themselves even if for limited periods if nobody is available to fetch such essential supplies to you.

[Boatbuilder]

I am beginning to wonder about what information we are being fed by the government and Public Health England (PHE). The figure quoted in my previous post of 232 new cases is contradicted by the PHE figure published today which states 330 cases and a total of 1390. As PHE's total figure yesterday (Saturday) was 1140 cases in that same paged linked above, that would mean that 330 cases should make today's total 1470 cases. Even the figures published on Wikipedia at this web page don't agree with PHE, but with the figures being quoted elsewhere, which claim they come from the same source.

Somebody is feeding us misleading information or they are changing previous 'daily figures' to suit their needs as yesterday's daily figure reported by PHE was the same as that reported on the Wiki link of 342, which PHE now say was 264 as shown in the bar graph.

[IceMaiden]

We are all in the same boat, IceMaiden, but I understand how you're feeling! It won't be long before the warmer weather is with us, though. Just hang in there. You'll be fine.

Yes I know, it just seems to be extra long this year. I do try not to let things get to me or worry about things that I can't control as what's the point? Que sera sera and all that, but when you go in a shop and every newspaper has images of people in masks or protective year splashed on the front page and the radio announcing on the hour every hour there's x amount of new cases and more deaths it's not helpful. In fact it probably makes people panic even more as it reinforces there is something to panic over.

[timv]

I'd advise people who're feeling too panicky at all the endless gloom and contradictory figures on the broadcast media to restrict the amount of times they listen to the news each day - and ditto all the endless discussions. I did this during the countryside foot-and-mouth crisis in 2001, and am doing the same this time. As this crisis looks like going on for months and estimates of when we will reach 'peak point' can only be guesses, we will just have to hope that a long spell of warm weather will cut the spread of the virus naturally.

But I think that given the timescale questions will need to be raised about the psychological effects and potential exacerbation of panic in vulnerable people by a constant bombardment of speculation and expert (or non-expert) opinion. Imagine the effects during World War 2 of the present level of constant worrying figures and speculation on national morale - wasn't this called 'spreading gloom and despondency' and discouraged by Churchill? once the basic facts and precautions are established and people know what to do, providing some welcome distractions may be more useful to the public - and having less endless 'coronavirus specials' on TV and radio. (And why not encourage people into some escapist reading of authors like Enid...?)

[jubei]

Stay healthy guys. Are we going to have separate corona virus thread? I like to read first hand report from our member here , maybe update on their local scene. Right now it is hard to separate misinformation and the truth. The panic is a bigger part of the game. This is going to be a hard time for us ahead.


Recent posts about COVID-19 have now been split off from other topics and given a thread of their own. - Anita

[number 6]

You're absolutely right, Tim. Nothing more to add, as I think you've hit the nail firmly on the head!

[Machupicchu14]

(And why not encourage people into some escapist reading of authors like Enid...?)

That's exactly what one of my friends and I have decided to do! A good dose of Enid Blyton is what's really needed!

[Jack400]

I remembered a leftover Christmas pudding that I'd seen in a cupboard (best before end March 2020) and had it with some rum last night. It certainly took my mind away from coronavirus.