Coronavirus - Strange times

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all new Phil
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sun 13 Feb, 2005 00.04
Location: Next door to Hell

Everything feels very weird right now. I’ve got the tv on and it feels like I’m watching the news coverage from a disaster movie. We’ll probably talk about this moment in time for years to come.

However yesterday I spent the day washing my towels and making a casserole. I feel like I should be acting or feeling differently.

How is this affecting all of you?
thegeek
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2005 12.35

I don't know where the line is between REMAIN INDOORS and carrying on regardless. I'm young (enough) and fit and will most likely be fine, but my parents don't exactly fit that description, and I'm worried about some of my best mates with underlying health conditions.

It's notable that the media and public seem to have been critical of the government for not going far enough, and they seem to have taken heed - with regards to large gatherings, at least. I reckon we're only a week away from school closures.

Though once we're though all this, the economy's still going to be fucked.

How was the casserole?
all new Phil
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sun 13 Feb, 2005 00.04
Location: Next door to Hell

thegeek wrote: Sat 14 Mar, 2020 12.55 How was the casserole?
Delicious. Garlic and lemon juice are the secret ingredients you need.
Philip
Posts: 1133
Joined: Fri 22 Feb, 2008 21.23
Location: Merseyside
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I tried to book a restaurant for someone's birthday yesterday, but they were fully booked, so had to go elsewhere. That restaurant was also busy by the time we left around 7pm. So, like you, it feels like people should be behaving differently but it doesn't seem like it yet.
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thegeek
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2005 12.35

It is heartening to see things like WhatsApp groups springing up to help out vunerable neighbours, amongst the shitstorm of panic-buying.
cwathen
Posts: 1309
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 17.28

I think just a little bit of perspective is needed and missing, particularly with the rush of panic buying nutters. Just as people chronically over-estimate how much food and drink they need for Christmas to tide them over for a 2 day public holiday (and increasingly just a 1 day shutdown for shops), people who might possibly (but probably won't) need to self isolate for 14 days do not need hundreds of toilet rolls, a crate of hand wash and more pasta than an Italian restaurant will use in a year to do so. Those who normally do a weekly shop just need to do a double one and maybe have a few extra staples in reserve than they might normally have. That's about it.

What I have noticed over the past couple of days is that supermarkets do seem to have a handle on the great national toilet roll shortage, but I am wondering if supermarkets ordering extras is resulting in less space on the truck for other stock items, stock seems to be thin on the ground at a few supermarkets near me on all sorts of items.

Personally, I have been happy to call out the panic buying as being unnecessary, but it eventually becomes a problem to everyone - I genuinely was down to my last bog roll and my last quarter of an inch of handwash. The only toilet roll left at my local sainsburys were 4 packs of uber-premium Andrex Skinkind with Prebiotic Lotion no less - at the better part of 3 quid a pack when I normally pay the same for a pack of 16 more modest rolls. Handwash was unavailable completely - I resorted to getting up at 7AM on my day off where there were people out first thing in the morning blindly stocking up on their maximum ration of 5 to go on top of their bed of toilet paper and pasta. It's ridiculous.

I am really concerned about people living week to week or even day to day, or those who have underlying medical conditions which requires them to need things like hand sanitiser and face masks, or who have specific nutritional requirements and can't buy what they need to buy because of the twats stockpiling.
Andrew
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 18.18

Like you say there are two levels of panic buying

Those who are buying enough stuff to last until Christmas

And then those who having seen the shortages, are buying one more of stuff to have in stock. For example you’d be taking a big risk leaving it until you are on your last roll of toilet paper before thinking about buying some more at the moment. I won’t deny that I was in this group today.

Shortages today included frozen veg, tomato soap (there was loads of chicken!) and any sort of cleaning product.

One thing, I’m surprised they are still selling loose items at the in store bakery, as this isn’t that hygienic at the best of times.
Philip
Posts: 1133
Joined: Fri 22 Feb, 2008 21.23
Location: Merseyside
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Andrew wrote: Sat 14 Mar, 2020 18.06 Like you say there are two levels of panic buying

Those who are buying enough stuff to last until Christmas

And then those who having seen the shortages, are buying one more of stuff to have in stock. For example you’d be taking a big risk leaving it until you are on your last roll of toilet paper before thinking about buying some more at the moment. I won’t deny that I was in this group today.

Shortages today included frozen veg, tomato soap (there was loads of chicken!) and any sort of cleaning product.

One thing, I’m surprised they are still selling loose items at the in store bakery, as this isn’t that hygienic at the best of times.
What supermarket? Apparently Tesco are plastic wrapping loaves of bread from the in-store bakery that are usually left loose.
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Martin Phillp
Posts: 1469
Joined: Wed 11 May, 2011 01.28

I'm guilty of the one more than usual at the moment.

Otherwise, I'm still doing my normal activities, still able to travel and have appointments on Monday which haven't been cancelled, so until I either have flu-like symptoms or are enforced to stay at home, it's business as largely usual except for the trip to the supermarket resembling a mix of Supermarket Sweep and empty shelves.
TVF's London Lite.
gottago
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu 29 Jan, 2009 19.50

I've been Skyping my friend who lives near Milan a lot this week. He's not got the virus but like the rest of the country is quarantined. Unfortunately he's alone in a one bed flat so has only his own company for at least the next fortnight. It all sounds like a miserable and absolutely bizarre experience.

Going to the supermarket is a particular hassle. 100 people are allowed in at any one time, everyone else has to wait in a long queue outside while they wait for the one in, one out system to play out. Everyone must have a trolley inside as it acts as a form of distancing between customers. A staff member stands on every aisle to make sure no one is stepping too close to each other.

With so many people out of work food isn't being produced on anywhere near the same scale so they're having to limit the amount people can buy even further. He said some supermarkets are now requiring evidence that you live in that town as they're limiting it to locals. So if your local supermarket is poorly stocked you may not be able to go elsewhere.

I'm certainly not advocating massively over buying till Christmas but it would be very foolish not to be stocking up on food at all, and that shouldn't be vilified, especially at a time when supermarkets are still able to be regularly restocked. I don't really see how we can't be heading towards an Italian style lockdown. Spain is about to do the same.
simonipswich1
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat 30 Apr, 2016 00.24

Our little Asda has a notice up outside the public toilets that due to the constant "theft" of bog roll, there is no bog roll in the toilets. If you require bog roll, go to Customer Services and they will supply you with some sheets! LOL!
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