Watching the media these days has the feel of the first 15 minutes of an Apocalypse movie. Panic is in the air, stock markets are tumbling and cruise ships are being refused entry into ports. The only thing to add really is either zombies or alien invaders to make the scene complete – roll cast list…..
I am torn though. Obviously things are serious and people are dying – quite a lot of people are dying but it’s good to put things in perspective. Here in the UK we have around 17,000 deaths from flu each winter. After having had flu twice I can vouch for the fact that it’s a killer – at least it felt like it could have killed me given the opportunity. That’s one disease I respect and never, ever, want again. As to coronavirus (Covid-19) so far we’ve had over 25,000 tests, 319 confirmed cases and 5 deaths. No doubt that will go up, by how many is anyone’s guess but it’s not the end of the world which is how some people seem to be reacting.
One of the first things to disappear from the shelves of stores across the country was sanitising hand-gel. I checked again in my local supermarket and they’re still out with a whole shelf empty. Likewise it’s increasingly difficult to buy toilet paper (the supermarket near my house has sold out twice in two days) and, apparently pasta and beans. I can only assume that people are presuming that either the supply chain will fail or they’re going to be self-isolating in their homes for weeks on end waiting for the whole thing to blow over.
Inevitably we have a plan at work if things get bad – essentially work from home with laptop and mobile. That wouldn’t be a problem for most people including me. Hopefully that won’t be the recommendation before I actually retire in less than 3 weeks. I just need it to hold off until then (selfishly). After that I can easily isolate myself considering I’ll probably be spending 80% of my time alone anyway – until things adapt to the new post-retirement reality. The only real change on the personal level (work associated) is that I wash my hands now both when I get into work and when I get home after using public transport. I’m also much more conscious of touching hard surfaces that other people will have touched. I’m trying not to touch my face, and especially my mouth and eyes, as much as normal. After a few days that’s becoming second nature. Also at work we’ve been provided with anti-bacteria wipes so people are wiping their desk surfaces down either when they arrive or when they leave (we hot-desk/desk share so I for one bounce around like a ping-pong ball in our office).
People are getting very germ focused though. Every time someone coughs you can see people staring at them and frowning. A friend of mine had a coughing fit (on the bus) last week and the person in front of him got up and walked to the front of the bus and stayed there for 4 further stops before getting off. This is not unusual these days. I haven’t seen anyone wearing a mask yet. Of course the paper disposable ones are essentially useless to protect you again Covid-19. In fact wearing them for hours at a time probably increase your chance of catching something rather than protecting you.
So far we’ve had no cases in the immediate area. There’s been, I think, 4 cases in my local city about 6 miles away and another about 20 miles away. I do actually know someone who knows someone who has been diagnosed with the virus. Luckily for him they haven’t physically interacted for months and I haven’t seen my gaming friend IRL since Christmas. Small world though! I think the odds of me catching it are presently slim and will reduce further in a few weeks when I’m not using public transport as much. If I catch it? Well, I’ll just have to take my chances. I’m at the lower end of the danger age range and I don’t have any underlying health conditions so…. My immune system is pretty good so if it’s of flu like intensity I expect to have the stamina to fight it off. But we are heading into the Spring which should slow it a bit. No doubt it’ll be back over the Winter 20/21 and I think that’s when it will probably peak. By the time of Winter 21/22 comes around they’ll have a vaccine and it’ll probably be incorporated into that years flu shot. But we’ll see how everything unfolds. In the meantime keep washing your hands and stay safe…..
7 comments:
We at the library are bracing ourselves...public spaces like ours lend themselves toward the spread of diseases like this.
good advice... i hope i don't have to follow it...i'm way into the danger zone agewise but i'm not smart enough to pay any attention. there have been several cases in Portland and the Seattle area, but none here that i know about; they'd probably keep it secret anyhow...
We have four known cases so far in Maryland. We don’t know anyone personally who has tested positive, yet. Our state system of universities and colleges are going online for two weeks past our Spring Break this week. I work 100% online and isolate socially just as part of my personality so I am at low risk for being exposed. When I go in public, I have a tube of Clorox wipes in my car to wipe my hands, phone, and anything else I’ve touched. That said, the danger isn’t that it’s any more lethal than the flu, it’s not, so far. The danger is how much more contagious it is. Think about when a number of people you know come down with the same sickness at once, like a stomach bug, a cold, or the flu. You cover for them at work, school, home, wherever, but now think if most people you knew were all sick at the same time. That’s what this virus could do. Hospitals are already overwhelmed in some hard hit areas, not enough beds, doctors, medicines. Now think of all those people’s jobs not being done because those who would have covered for them are also sick. Garbage wouldn’t get collected, there would be a shortage of fire and police personnel to respond to emergencies,etc. That’s the danger, the rampant spread. Stay safe.
Our first reported case here in Nebraska (in mine and Eleanor's city no less) is a woman who just returned from the UK. She was sick about ten days before worsening and going to the hospital last Thursday. Prior to that she was at an event for the Special Olympics in a nearby town, then at local events here throughout the city. I think it is only a matter of time before schools are closed for a while here also. I am thankful that it seems to be sparing children, but I worry so much for my grandparents, who have health issues, and need to go to the clinic or hospital regularly. It is terrifying in that regard.
@ Stephen: Yes, customer facing areas must be a nightmare around now!
@ Mudpuddle: I think the big problem ATM in the US is lack of testing plus the confusion over cost. Here, AFAIK, as a public health issue all tests will be free even if (I presume) you simply ask for one.
@ V V: There's talk here now of going to the next stage and closing places like schools. It'll cause a lot of problem though with people who work so one person will either have to stop or, if possible, work from home.
@ Sarah: I'm strongly considering not going Home this Christmas as I don't want to be responsible for giving it to my family 'up North'. Especially my Mum who's 84 this year.
I think that is 100% valid. The school district I work for is currently on spring break the rest of this week, but we received an email tonight from the superintendent saying schools will remain closed next week as well. I am praying that this is enough, and that these preventative measures will make up ground where trump lost it by being an idiot and denying that anything was wrong. I am hoping my grandparents will be able to communicate via their computer with their doctors for the next couple weeks.
Thanks for the update from your personal space and viewpoint. We are fine here. I am in the risk category by both age and health issues, so I have been staying home for two weeks now. I don't think it will be too bad in the US but you never know. It took forever for it to sink in and for things to get somewhat organized in my country. What a circus of privilege, false info and the generally selfish nature of so many Americans.
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