COVID-19: Your Thoughts and it's effects on you.

[Pat Murphy]

Well I'll start this off then. It's fairly obvious what this is doing to my business, barely a booking in a week, plenty of cancellations, no different to anyone else in the hospitality sector. Welash Assembly Gov need to climb down off there political horse and give small businesses in Wales, the same Rates holiday as England. My increased rates bill arrived the same day as the budget.......
On a personal note, I also have elderly parents to consider. They are considering locking themselves away.
The panic buying is disgusting, get a grip people.
I'm torn on the lock-down or managed infection issue. How do you manage this? If we lock down society, will it just pop up again? Can we develop immunity?

So many questions, not got any answers I am afraid . Over to you........

[Robin]

Hi.
In one way or another, everyone has their problems, I live on my own and in in two weeks time I will be 81, I am diabetic, had a heart attack a few years ago and am due to go into hospital on Friday for an operation, otherwise I am fairly fit and am just keeping my head above water, washing my hands, keeping away from crowds and trying to live my life day today . There are a lot more people in the world worse off than me. Our leaders do not seem to be able to make up their minds about what to do for the best or who to believe what course of action we should take. For instance, my friends daughter teaches English at a school in Spain and on Friday flew into London from Madrid, on arrival, no health questions were asked, no temperature checks were made, it was if it was a normal day and not a Country in crisis. If ever miracles were needed, it is now. The good thing is that I have two wonderful daughters, one lives fairly close, but the other lives in Canada and they both keep in regular contact, that is what telephones are for.

[Tim Laurence]

My sister, 39, was feeling fine yesterday. She woke in the night with severe chest pain and now, 24 hours later has a fever, flu-like aches and a cough. Scary how quickly these symptoms have developed.

My father, 72, was doing a grocery shop in our local Waitrose. He was reaching for one of the last three bottles of anti-bacterial hand wash when a person half his age, literally grabbed it off of him, along with the other two on the shelf. My elderly parents now have no soap. My father was not panic buying, simply doing a regular weekly top-up. Why can't everyone look out for each other.

The real virus is not Covid-19, it's the greed and self importance in our society.

[psquiddy]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/nl6tTwxzCi8

This was posted to me by a friend who is an NHS doctor - it helps with understanding the current government response.

[verreli]

So far, I've been affected non-medical thankfully (including associates). Work has been affected. The hotel last week was dead and company travel is banned from next week making the job harder to do. Many in the gig economy are concerned about the short term work potential. Far fewer taxis and support services are needed so those most in need will be most effected. My holiday is also affected. I had committed to Beale airshow and with the recent USAF announcement together with the govt ban on UK travel to the states, the trip is looking highly doubtful. This will no doubt have an effect on the airlines which operate on tight margins even before this unfortunate event. Hopefully that will be the limit of the effects however, I suspect there's something less good to come. The only positive is that there will be an end and the majority will come out the other side.

[boff180]

Over the past 5 days I've deferred one holiday to 2021 (have to say P&O Cruises have been superb) and completely lost the other to the States, I'm waiting to hear if BA will issue me a voucher (filled the form in, got a webpage saying thank you but no email confirmation) for the value of the flights valid for 12 months and I'm making a claim from my Travel Insurance for the hotel - the car is another story - don't use Budget.

As a side-line to that, UKAR lost a review article of Luke AFB Airshow and of Pima Museum with its Boneyard Tour. Which I know is a tiny issue in the grand scheme of things.

My big worry is my parents, I live with them, they're both over 70 and both with significant underlying health problems. My job means I have to visit residential property and often the living conditions aren't great or the people are ill which, they don't warn you about. I am petrified that I will pick something up on one of these inspections despite taking all the precautions I can and bring it back to them.

Andy

[Agg]

Like I said in the "airshow"-thread, Norway is in a state of lock down, so both me and my wife will be working from home for (at least) the next couple of weeks.

It really bugs me that a lot of people don't seem to be taking this seriously though, even though we get new horror stories from Italy every day. I'm not that worried about myself as I'm still fairly young and don't have any underlying medical conditions, but I'am worried about my parents who are in their sixties.

[Ken Shabby]

The Irish government is asking pubs to close until April - this is getting serious isn’t it?

Having been unable to buy any toilet rolls, I’m looking for alternative items to panic buy when I’m next at Sainsbury’s. I’m toying with tomato ketchup or bird seed. I want to stand at the check-out with 85 bottles of TK in my trolley and rebuff any curious glances with: “Well, you can’t take any chances, can you?”.

Or 60 bags of bird seed: “My pigeons are self-isolating”.

[Georgeconna]

[quote="Ken Shabby"]The Irish government is asking pubs to close until April "

Not Asking , Instructed to close. Fierce messing in Dublin pubs last night.

Rumours the Army are being mobilised on Tuesday for complete lock down. From something I joked about over the last couple of weeks this is now taken a massive turn for the worst. I had a lads weekend booked in Hamburg for my 50th but I can kiss that good bye.

My thoughts are with My eldery parents now and how we can get through this without casulties. Loads of Jobs gone here with hotels and pubs closing.

I work in Shipping and we talking about charters now to bring in stuff given the reduction of flights. not sure what tack work will take, Reduced hours or worst case PFO.

Glad this is not a more destructive strain where we could all be at risk , not just the vulnerable, just think of the outcome....

Hope you blokes already posted get through this ok.

[vandal]

When you hear on the news that some person was attacked for their toilet roll that they'd just bought, you know something's not quite right.
My Wife is on Immune Suppressants so we're just as worried as everyone else who has a relative or loved one with an underlying medical condition. Worried too about the whole Over 70's (Elderly) self isolating situation. If anyone has to go into self imposed exile for 4 Months, who pays the bills, does the shopping etc? Pretty sure this age group are not going to be too willing to just hand over their bank card to someone to pay the bills - would assume not everyone uses Internet banking, in the same way as Local Councils etc are not going to say "Yes, that's understandable that you're not in a position to pay your rent/ mortgage / council tax until the Summer."


Government wanting to pass legislation to give the Police powers to arrest anyone who appears ill but is not self isolating - where are they going to put them? There's little enough Police to tackle crime as it is, unless our Government are going to make good on their pledge to recruit 20,000 Police Officers, but that would have to be now.

Lack of information, but plenty of scaremongering. It's one thing stockpiling toilet paper & hand sanitiser, but if you can't get out to buy any food, what good is that going to do?

Clarity & honesty from the Government wouldn't go amiss either - if things are changing daily, and they are, we should be advised as such.

[5944]

My train to work is normally full and standing, probably a couple of hundred people standing up. Today, there are plenty of seats and no one standing, it must be about two thirds full at most.

My parents are 69 and 71, so they might have to self isolate in a few weeks time. Both are fit and generally healthy - my mum goes line dancing several times a week so probably gets more exercise than I do! It's her 70th birthday in a couple of weeks, and we're all meant to be meeting up, but it looks like that might not happen now sadly.

[Mooshie1956]

in the same way as Local Councils etc are not going to say "Yes, that's understandable that you're not in a position to pay your rent/ mortgage / council tax until the Summer."

I'm just going to pick this part out. Do you honestly think any judge in this land will make an eviction or court order for payment with these unprecedented conditions falling on us. Likewise if you have been told to self isolate for 4 months then it is government actions that have forced you to be unable to pay, unless you are getting relief money to pay essential bills. The most anyone you owe money to can hope for will be deferred payments, and I would suspect most including finance houses will be offering that. This will of course affect the economy but there's not a lot anyone can do about it.
This one we really are all in it together, so stay safe everyone and lets hope we all get through this.

[vandal]

in the same way as Local Councils etc are not going to say "Yes, that's understandable that you're not in a position to pay your rent/ mortgage / council tax until the Summer."

I'm just going to pick this part out. Do you honestly think any judge in this land will make an eviction or court order for payment with these unprecedented conditions falling on us. Likewise if you have been told to self isolate for 4 months then it is government actions that have forced you to be unable to pay, unless you are getting relief money to pay essential bills. The most anyone you owe money to can hope for will be deferred payments, and I would suspect most including finance houses will be offering that. This will of course affect the economy but there's not a lot anyone can do about it.
This one we really are all in it together, so stay safe everyone and lets hope we all get through this.

I wouldn't like to think so, but you'd need co operation from Banks, Local Authorities, Landlords etc. It's just the logistics of it. A lot of elderly and vulnerable in our communities can't get the help and resources they need as it is without a Pandemic looming, and now being told there may be the possibility that they have to self isolate for 4 months. Have the Government / Banks etc given any assurances should the 4 month isolation come into play? Granted, this is unprecedented in our lifetime, but with other things like Universal Credit and the delays to payments and the stress and worry that has caused, people are / were threatened with eviction, do you really think the elderly or anyone else on their own who has to self isolate for 4 months are not going to worry about this?

There really needs to be clarity on this, it's not as simple as take 4 months out, we will sort it out later.

If / when the 4 Month thing comes into play, is it UK wide, or will it be a 'rolling' thing, depending on how severe the Virus is where you are - Ireland have closed Schools, Scotland have banned gatherings of more than 500 people - should the whole of the UK not be singing from the same songsheet?

Like I've said, there needs to be clarity. With only getting bits & pieces of information, that in itself is a worry.

[AlexC]

They were saying a several days ago that if we caught this bug it would be just a few days of feeling a bit unwell and then we'd be back to normal. Is this still the case I wonder, if not what has changed? Incidentally, I was in London for four days late February, early March including a couple of trips in crowded tube trains, and I did have a bit of a mild head-ache for a few days after I got back home, but that has now gone. Have to say, I was very glad to get out of London.

[tache3]

Any teachers on here? I know that among the bigger picture of serious illness, or death, in the general population that this may seem trivial but I'm wondering what the effect of 16 week closure of schools/universities etc will have on student exams (and the corresponding entry to six forms/colleges later in the year)? GCSEs are due to be sat in May, would these be postponed? Would the kids even be able to sit them if they have missed two months of schooling in the run up? How would this work?

[rdchawk]

Any teachers on here? I know that among the bigger picture of serious illness, or death, in the general population that this may seem trivial but I'm wondering what the effect of 16 week closure of schools/universities etc will have on student exams (and the corresponding entry to six forms/colleges later in the year)? GCSEs are due to be sat in May, would these be postponed? Would the kids even be able to sit them if they have missed two months of schooling in the run up? How would this work?

I've heard that if GCSE's are not done then the pupils get their "predicted grade" for each subject.

[Mooshie1956]

Vandell I would agree the government do need to be more forthcoming with advice. My doctor told the wife a month ago to have minimal contact with anyone, yet we are only now being told to self isolate if your old or at risk. I have a feeling they know more than what is being said and just riding it out in the hope not to many die.
Yes and am extremely worried for the wife she suffers with COPD and has had a chest infection for the last 4 weeks that refuses to clear, as I write this we are waiting on yet another visit by our GP, no one is showing any other symptoms as yet but I fear it's only a matter of time, I can do no more than limit my trips out to the shops and disinfect as much of the house daily as I can. I might be going over the top but at the end of the day I will do all I can to try and keep the wife safe.

[farnboroughrob]

I feel the UK has two options..
option 1 do as we are doing at the moment, keep life running as much as normal. People should still go to work and school unless they have symptoms and the old should stay away from people as much as possible. Yes we will end up banning events until around June. Businesses will suffer plenty of people will lose their jobs (maybe 10%) and maybe 10,000 people will die. However, we will come out of it in a ok position
Option 2 we do what the Spanish have done, or others that are even severer. So probably 25% of the country has no income over night, how long can most people last with no income, a month or two max? People evicted, massive debts taking 10 years to pay back. The entire UK hospitality, hotel, airline and sport industry collapses along with loads of retail. Limited food in the shops being policed by the army. You will end up with food riots and looting after a month or two. Maybe half the number of people die?

Ok option 2 may be an extreme example but it could happen. I will add I am in the vulnerable group as I have Asthma but will be taking sensible precautions by being unsociable and not seeing people very much. However, I will take my chance with doing as we are rather than going on lockdown.

[Mike]

We were told that Brexit would allow us to take control over our borders in a way which we couldn't whilst remaining in the EU

Yet we now seem to be pretty much the only country in Europe with wide-open borders and no control over who is coming and going whilst the remaining EU countries are moving towards almost complete lockdown. Boris' message is still "Keep calm and carry on"

Ironic, isn't it?

[farnboroughrob]

Boris also has a 'get out of jail free' card on any Brexit related ecomomic problems and they coul be insignificant compared to Covid impact.

[vandal]

Vandell I would agree the government do need to be more forthcoming with advice. My doctor told the wife a month ago to have minimal contact with anyone, yet we are only now being told to self isolate if your old or at risk. I have a feeling they know more than what is being said and just riding it out in the hope not to many die.
Yes and am extremely worried for the wife she suffers with COPD and has had a chest infection for the last 4 weeks that refuses to clear, as I write this we are waiting on yet another visit by our GP, no one is showing any other symptoms as yet but I fear it's only a matter of time, I can do no more than limit my trips out to the shops and disinfect as much of the house daily as I can. I might be going over the top but at the end of the day I will do all I can to try and keep the wife safe.

I share your concerns, & wish your Wife a speedy recovery.

Disinfecting the house daily isn't really necessary, it's just a case of basic hygiene - if you touch a door / shopping trolley / petrol pump / whatever, then at the first opportunity, wash your hands. Regular soap should do the job, wash thoroughly for 20 seconds. It's good practice to wash hands upon return home too, on the off chance you may have come into contact with a contaminated surface. Maybe carry a pack of Flash wipes in the car - wiping down the door handles / steering wheel etc. Really any surfaces that you touch that you can contaminate should you be unfortunate enough to have touched something.

Ultimately, you know your own hygiene, but not that of others. Therein lies the problem. You can avoid all Social contact, but touch a dirty surface - that's just as bad.

[Wrexham Mackem]

I didn't think that it would ever be possible for Johnson to achieve a dirty trick lower then I thought him capable of. Yet he's just stood there and told people to avoid theatres and bars, but has refused to close them. Because if he did they could claim on their insurance. This way, they'll just go bust. What an utterly contemptible act.

[Ewart]

Government wanting to pass legislation to give the Police powers to arrest anyone who appears ill but is not self isolating - where are they going to put them? There's little enough Police to tackle crime as it is, unless our Government are going to make good on their pledge to recruit 20,000 Police Officers, but that would have to be now.

Lack of information, but plenty of scaremongering. It's one thing stockpiling toilet paper & hand sanitiser, but if you can't get out to buy any food, what good is that going to do?

Clarity & honesty from the Government wouldn't go amiss either - if things are changing daily, and they are, we should be advised as such.

The 20,000 new cops is a thing, however it takes time to recruit in those vast numbers and to have the training infrastructure to back it up. It's not as easy as saying, heres you baton and cuffs now go arrest some bad folk. I know Police forces across the country were having to give at least weekly updates to the Home Office on how the recruitment is going.

There is plenty of clarity on https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response and https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

What probably doesn't help is the media focusing on the negative stories, 'supermarkets bare' 'fit 38 year old paramedic died after telling his wife he was fine' and 'government to introduce a lock down from tomorrow/next week/next month/next year.'

I know pain and misery sells papers/hits on websites, however more positive stories would probably help to lift the international mood. Stories of kindness and warmth, of a disco from peoples balconies in Italy, neighbours helping their older neighbours.

[timuss]

This is a living nightmare i fear for my job at the moment, i work in a hotel and these latest restrictions are massive for me. We have a restaurant that's going to suffer massivley, reduced hours for me equal no money, just devestating

[jalfrezi]

They were saying a several days ago that if we caught this bug it would be just a few days of feeling a bit unwell and then we'd be back to normal. Is this still the case I wonder, if not what has changed? Incidentally, I was in London for four days late February, early March including a couple of trips in crowded tube trains, and I did have a bit of a mild head-ache for a few days after I got back home, but that has now gone. Have to say, I was very glad to get out of London.

I believe that is still the case for most people (80-90%), however for some with underlying health conditions or other factors it may develop into viral pneumonia - it's this that kills people.