life with coronovirus around

[watervole]

 I personally  know three people in my town who are self isolating as they believe they've caught it.  Given my relatively small social circle, that's fairly high.

Oswin's friend Sam's dad has it, so she won't be able to play with him for a couple of weeks.

We haven't done any panic shopping.  We don't eat much in the way of ready meals (can't remember when we last had one, if we ever have...) so just relaying on our weekly veg box delivery and our usual supply of tinned beans.   Have not bought any toilet paper...

Our main response to the virus has been to update our wills. Saw the solicitor this morning - probably her last face to face appointment -and gave her all the details. She'll email us a draft and we'll work from there.

My morris team has stopped practice for the duration, but my sword dance team is a much smaller group - max of six dancers (three of whom are living in the same house) - so we've decided to carry on for now as the risk in such a small group is low - and exercise is important for maintaining health.

Next week will be a big change in our lives, as Oswin will no longer be able to go to school, so she'll be with us much of the time.  That means thinking about teaching her as well as playing games and going out for walks.  Luckily, she's already a fluent reader and enjoys learning about things. How many kids can be bribed to eat their tea with - "Eat that bit and I'll talk about anything you ask me" and it can be anything from owls to canals, with many interesting digressions to all kinds of things.

Lack of contact with other children is concerning me - not sure what to do there, but she's certain going to miss her friends.

Comments

[watervole]

I remember reading about asymptomatic carriers. It's a very real problem - and I've no idea (and don't know if anyone else has) whether children fall into this category.

I don't see how we can test everyone. That would require tests in the millions, and we'd have to keep retesting all the negatives. I think we're past the stage of clusters - it's too widespread in most countries now (though I think there are some places where it would still work)

It's easy to think that if we catch it and recover, we'll be fine, but I note what you've said about the long term effects from the '57 flu.

[kotturinn]

True - the most reliable analyses will come later, possibly not until not only this first wave but the second/third waves are past. We have no real idea of how many are infected etc.

At present I simply know that friends & acquaintances who work in medical/medical related areas are taking this extremely seriously and have been for some time before the general population. One thing about living with a major hospital and various research centres locally is the number of people working in relevant fields. It's both scary and reassuring!

Please take as much care as you can. A family in my street, where one parent is a research virologist, are currently in a self-imposed self-isolating period, not because any of them are showing symptoms but because they wish to short circuit any risk of their school age children being transmitters.