Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
There's no denying that the effects of lockdown have had a huge impact on people with complex mental health conditions and on their ongoing care. There's not much focus in the UK media on this but I know from personal experience that it's happening and often with tragic outcomes. It's so hard to get a balance between total isolation and severe economic repercussions and relative freedom with the resulting escalation of the virus and increasing death rates. Who/what gets sacrificed for the greater good? Who decides?
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
On the other extreme, I've seen people wearing such things in totally unwarranted situations, such as driving around in their own cars with the windows completely wound up, and my immediate thought was 'what the hell'!!
Ah, now I do that. Simply because if I've been to a shop or whatever, as I return home I prefer to keep it on my face until I can safely remove it and wash my hands/face upon getting there.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pulisa
There's no denying that the effects of lockdown have had a huge impact on people with complex mental health conditions and on their ongoing care. There's not much focus in the UK media on this but I know from personal experience that it's happening and often with tragic outcomes. It's so hard to get a balance between total isolation and severe economic repercussions and relative freedom with the resulting escalation of the virus and increasing death rates. Who/what gets sacrificed for the greater good? Who decides?
Great points, P. Our systems are not set up to handle on-going emergencies. They can barely handle emergencies that last a couple of days.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pamplemousse
Ah, now I do that. Simply because if I've been to a shop or whatever, as I return home I prefer to keep it on my face until I can safely remove it and wash my hands/face upon getting there.
Obviously your prerogative, if it gives you greater peace of mind.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
Obviously your prerogative, if it gives you greater peace of mind.
Does it give you greater peace of mind though, PM?
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pulisa
Does it give you greater peace of mind though, PM?
A few weeks ago I received an email and a text message from my GP practice telling me that if I am indoors in say, a shop, then I should wear a face covering. So I do. I didn't before, but I find it does help my peace of mind considering that the trip to the local Co-op just now was beset with people not really social distancing and I was the only person in there with a mask on. I'm not even sure they limit numbers now but there were only four people in there, I reckon.
People are starting to behave like it's all over. Give it a couple of weeks, when we're back to daily cases in the low to mid-thousands and the death toll starts to rise again and then maybe - just maybe - the bell-ends who think it's all a hoax because Karen on Facebook told them so or some random headcase thinks it's all part of the New World Order will think again (but I have little faith in humanity anyway).
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
So long as you feel safer and have the confidence to go in shops albeit with a face covering/mask then you are just following your GP's advice and these are very sensible precautions.
I think therapists will be booked up for months with Coronaphobic clients though..Good business for them but a horrible legacy for those who are unable to live without constant terror and whose lives have become severely restricted.
It may not be as dire as you think, PM? I just hope that those people who need the NHS desperately for medical reasons other than covid will get an opportunity for timely treatment if there is a second wave thanks to the morons who think it's all over.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
Have you got contact tracing apps available to use in UK or USA? They keep a record of where you've been in case there's an out break there and can contact you. It's another safety measure, we're still using ours here in NZ.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
I wouldn't say it completely helps, Pulisa; I am still terrified to go past my front gate and amongst people (Friday was really difficult for me whilst I was in Harpenden) but at least if I have to, it gives me a small crumb of comfort even though I know the efficacy of the face coverings is low. Interestingly, the messages received from my GP practice were emphatic about using face coverings and not conventional masks: I assume this is because most industrial masks have non-return valves which do not impede exhaled breath or coughs in the way a covering would.
I know from some people who work within the NHS that they are very scathing about the whole coronavirus issue and in some cases it has led to people being too frightened to seek help and aggressive cancers have already ruined their chances of treatment because of the delay with assessment.
My sister gets very animated about this subject; she's angry that people are becoming panicked whenever they hear a cough, become aggressive towards those who don't follow distancing guidelines or building occupancy (I've had a strip torn off me over that for having a go at someone in a shop), finds it ridiculous that people jump off pavements into the road whenever she approaches them and is convinced the whole business has become over-hyped. I don't think that's a very good attitude myself, but we've agreed not to discuss the matter to save family tensions. So she can laugh at me in my masks and in return I ignore her.
Yes, I think there will be a lot of people left very wary of coronavirus for a long time to come and it will take a toll on the mental health of the nation.
Re: Covid-19 discussion thread
They have some contact tracing apps here available if you want to use them. I believe they're in beta right now. But they're gearing up for lawsuits here because of our 4th amendment right to privacy, like PM said.
Honestly, I haven't made up my mind about using the contact tracing apps either. I can see both sides of the issue.