I too have considered trying to filter out COVID19 AND only having information from one trusted source once a day but FOMO on important info and it bleeding into to every media source surely makes it impossible, unless you isolate yourself completely (this is just as dangerous). For example, I get Google push notifications to my phone, messages when you open YouTube, news bulletins interrupt watching TV, off topic mentions in your favourite TWIT show and other pod cast streams. Yes I feel the stress too.
In West Australia I am finding media in general, and specifically government officials that the messages are inconsistent. Yes I know the COVID19 status changes daily so direction and the messages given will change sometimes daily too - I get that. The problem is people are not trusting the message or thinking something is being “hidden” from them, so they assume worst case is going to occur. The stock piling toilet paper I think is one of the worst case things in peoples minds (yes it make no sense too). The possibility of city wide lock downs I feel is contributing to the panic buying. NOT ONCE have I heard an explanation of lock down. Lock down from what I have gathered is extreme case eg Italy or are there degrees of lock down (eg only permitted to go to shopping allowed nowhere else). I simply don’t know as there is no talk describing this and when will it be triggered (e.g. X number of infections or, X deaths etc). We are currently in “please practice self isolation whenever possible and social distancing” mode, not quite the Italy lock down mode which could still happen as infection rate is still climbing in my Australian state.
Remember you can always go back to washing with water, it would be your left hand if you lived in India :-), followed by your normal wash your hands with soap. Quite a normal practice in Asian culture.
Welcome fellow sandgroper! Nice to see another West Australian in here
I’m in a very privileged position where I’m not feeling too much stress yet. My wife is feeling it a little bit with uncertainty around the kids education and her work in retail.
I think the kids will be fine and are far more resilient than most adults give them credit for.
The Australian response so far has been interesting. Individual states seem to have some sort of plan, although their communication could be improved. On a national level however it’s a bit of a farce.
Yesterday when trying to explain why the government were not shutting down schools; the Australia’s Chief Medical Officer was arguing about how there was not enough data that shows children were major spreaders of the virus and it was agreed to keep schools open at a meeting of all the state-based Medical Officers.
Yet some of the state-level Medical Officers in that meeting are advising their State leaders internally to shut them down. Two of the states are going to shut down schools from tomorrow and the leader of another state flat out told parents today to keep their kids home.
In Western Australia, the state government is towing the National line for now and keeping schools open; but there’s a lot of pressure to just shut them down. Many parents have already stopped sending their kids to school and we will likely do the same this week.
Anyway, that’s enough rambling from me. Stay safe and well.
I just heard from a friend who lives near Trentino in Italy. They are in full lockdown, but Lombardy is worse. There, they are making the decision who is worth intubating or not, because they just don’t have the capacity.
He and his wife are in lockdown. They have meds for 3 months and food for 12 days (he is diabetic and has asthma). They can phone an order to the shop in the street below and pick up their supplies once a week, the stuff is then isolated in the bottom of the fridge for 72 hours or at the back of his office. They also spray their shoes with disinfectant when they re-enter the flat.
Thanks. Yes I noticed your observations too. Probably a lot of sad faces today as AFL NRL sport season suspended (does not bother me though). Casinos: finally they close can’t believe it took so long especially since many pensioners are attracted to those venues. Be well to you and yours too.
I watched it right to the end. Quite interesting discussing fear, not all of what he said was accurate in his interpretation of past history. On subject of complex modelling (relevant to COVID 19 virus) and discussing the assertion that climate models are incorrect (latter part of video), I will just say I agree to disagree because the risk is too big to ignore.
Right now, I am watching TV (ABC’s Q and A - @andrewmelder ) discussing computer models because UK have closed schools based on their model but Australia is not closing schools citing “different” computer model. Not sure I even believe that is real reason.
Yes @Mistershipwreck I’m feeling the same as you.
I have Emphysema and I take Methotrexate which lowers my immune system, so now I’m waiting for my letter ordering me to shut in for 12 weeks! Just cancelled my June holiday to Gran Canaria, and Our holiday with best friends in Croatia in October ( our friends are laid off work). I’ve haven’t seen them for 2 weeks, can’t see Mum and Dad as they’re high risk, 1st time out in 2 weeks and I got thrown out of chemist because they only serve one at a time… I do work from home now, but I’ve nothing much to do…running out of podcasts so thank God for Audible. I’m steering clear of the news, even celebrities are getting increased airtime cos they’ve picked up the “virus”, no mention of the 80 year old who died all alone because her family weren’t allowed in… just too depressing.
Sorry… on a lighter note I’ve booked two holidays for 2021…438 days to go!
My main stress right now is that I’m due to move home in the middle of next month. Australia isn’t on lock-down, though pubs and clubs have been closed for everything apart from takeaway food.
Should a lock-in be implemented, will I still be able to get movers to move my furniture, scrap collected etc.
Other than that, it is fairly business as usual. The train and streets in Adelaide are definitely quieter, but that kind of helps with social distancing. I’m careful to wash my hands and sanitise. Though I can do 95% of my work from home, the state government department I work for has not called for it (though VPNs are now installed on all department laptops and they are in the process of provisioning more devices and VDIs.
So work-wise and lifestyle-wise, there is no current stress. The stress comes with what may come in a few weeks when I have a lot going on.
I was going to suggest there was a good supply of virtual, until I realized the popular ones all require flash and I don’t have a browser with flash enabled. Then I came across this Verge article which implies bubble wrap itself may becoming a dinosaur:
The city and county I live in just issued a shelter in place today - Starts tomorrow… Only essential businesses open… Bars, restaurants and church gatherings were already closed last week (just delivery and pick up orders for food)… And, no groups over 10 people allowed… All that has already in effect since last week… Now the rules are even stricter…
But, I work in another county, so I still have to go to work…
I went to the grocery store a week ago to stock up. I’ve gone outside since then, but just to get the mail and take out the trash. Then on Saturday, I went for a drive (and to entertain our son with a car ride) and I was VERY disappointed at all the people I saw out and about as if it was a normal Saturday. People parked at strip malls, people going into H&R Block as if their taxes were still due April 15th, people lined up for ice cream… I was mad! The only things different were the empty parking lots outside restaurants and gyms. The fact that people aren’t taking this seriously means this is going to last A LONG TIME.
We had more groceries delivered today and they left them on the front steps. We brought the items inside, threw out the bags, and will have the items quarantined separate from our other stuff for at least 3 days. (Special shelf in the fridge for the milk and special drawer in the pantry for the rest.)
We’re really trying to isolate ourselves as much as possible, but it’s hard with a 22 month old who drinks a ton of milk and demands fresh fruit and veggies! Doing our best though.
After 14 days separated from everyone, we’re hoping to find some friends who have also been isolated for 14 days and get together…because only then would it be safe.
I was discussing this today when a politician implied “all will be well after your 14 day isolation.” I just want to remind everyone… if you isolated and did not catch the bug, that doesn’t mean you cannot ever catch it… you did not gain any immunity. You could be on day 13 of isolation and have the misfortune to accidentally come across it then and then it could be mild and you could be a carrier thinking you’ve done everything right. The reality is you either need to catch it (and survive it) or get an eventual vaccination to no longer have it be a risk to your health. Since the vaccination is at least months away, I don’t think you should assume this will be over in just 14 days.
More specifically, there are three classes of people right now:
Those already recovered from it.
Those who have it (or think they do) protecting from spreading it to others.
Those isolating to avoid getting it (until they can get vaccinated.) They’re “leveling/slowing the curve.”
I’m not assuming that. What I was saying was that if we’ve been in isolation for 14 days and someone else has ALSO been in isolation for at least 14 days, it’s safe to get together…but if even one person in that group goes to the store, post office, or DMV, they’re out of the group for another 14 days.
Our glorious leaders are doing what many managers and CEOs do.
Rule 1:
Always look and sound like you know what you are doing, while hoping someone will explain it later, and the other people that understood it are doing something about it.
Rule 2:
Never turn your back to anyone, so they cannot see the stain in the seat of your pants.
Rule 3:
If things look out of control, blame someone else quick.
This makes them slow to react correctly, as it would show how powerless they are.
Too much TV and the belief that modern medicine and science can pull the rabbit from the hat before the pretty lady dies.
I do believe that some of our leaders had every faith in their wealth and resources being able to save the day.
Maybe they should have wondered if they had the same faith in the public to do the right thing when asked.
Yes, Iceland managed to test their whole population and they found a very high percentage of asympomatic carriers. The Chinese, Italians and WHO had only reported very low figures, but China hadn’t tested that many people, compared to their whole population. South Korea was also reporting high numbers of asymptomatic carriers.
