The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

pollyanna_26

mothernerd said:

pollyanna_26 said:

Brilliant post as usual mothernerd. I still haven't remembered the stopping glasses steaming up advice.

If all else fails I'll go back to the original thread to see if I can find it.

pollyx

It wasn't the mask that was steaming my glasses up. The day was icy cold and the heat from my eyeballs on the inside of the glasses (it's condensation basically - cold on the outside and hot on the inside). Thanks anyway, I think I read that post too. The first three masks I bought are quite 'tailored' and I haven't had problems with those. I did buy some cheaper ones in a chemist's sale (bogof offer) and they had colours as well so I bought 2 pink and 2 grey for mum and several pale blue ones for me (my others are black). They won't last anything like as long as the others but are fine for a short wear and then in the machine and mum doesn't like them and rarely wears a mask anyway. Until last Thursday she hadn't been further than the post box and only a few people have been allowed in the yard - socially distanced of course.

The steamed up glasses were due to cold weather so condensation. It was way before we could have imagined a pandemic.

I asked the pharmacist early on about the mask she and other staff were wearing. I have a smallish face and found masks with ties or elastic didn't fit well however I put them on. They also seemed to trigger pain in the back of my head.

She said hers had soft ear loops . They're medical face masks and disposable. She showed me a small and larger box. Back then I didn't imagine how long masks would be needed but decided to get the larger box of 50. I've probably got about 20 left as I don't leave the house often. On Thursday when i do a meds pick up I'll be asking if they still have them.and buying another box if they do. We'll be needing them for as long as it takes and when and if things get to some sort of normal will still use masks at the Drs , other appts and shopping.

Youngest has some lovely fabric ones but apart from a few tiny walks around the block when all is quiet hasn't ventured beyond the back garden and with the winter arriving has stopped that too.

Among my Christmas presents from her and her bf was a black mask with soft ear loops and a little image of Freddie Mercury. Haven't used that yet in case people come too close if wondering where it's from!

I need a sprinkle of magic sleep dust. I've woken up three times since coming to bed. It's nice and warm in bed so can only think the howling wind is waking me.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

cornishchick said:

well, I have told work I am not well enough to come in till next week at least, and even then I will be sticking to my contracted hours of just 5 a day. 
Interestingly enough I had a call from my GP last week and not remembering much but seems I have signed up for a treatment trial,, I am getting to test an inhaler for treating the C19 symptoms. 

Looks as though I'm not the only one awake at this ungodly hour. Next week seems a bit early to be going back judging by the advice from those here who have had C19. Good you'll be sticking to contracted hours but please make sure you are really fit to work.

The inhaler testing sounds good. Youngest severely asthmatic has two inhalers and one of her worries has been the impact Covid has on breathing. It's reassuring tests are taking place to treat the C19 symptoms.

Hope you get some sleep, time for me to put the light off and try again.

pollyx

Nargleblast

Sounds like the beta interferon they are trialling at present, same drug that is used in MS. These ongoing research trials are really useful, it's how they discovered the steroid dexamethasone was somewhat more effective and cheaper than other steroids. It is also becoming apparent that convalescent plasma (transfusion from someone who's had Covid 19 and recovered) isn't that effective when comparing results with those people who don't have the plasma. Good reports are coming through about the effects of giving tocilizumab too. (I have frequent contact with the research people in my area who randomise the patients and select the treatments)

thriftwizard

Re the mental health toll of the epidemic, I've just had DD1 off for a week from her supermarket job with something that's fairly close to shell-shock. A combination of appallingly selfish & often aggressive behaviour from some of the public and thoughtless target-chasing from the management have meant her ending up on anti-anxiety meds. They're allowing far too many people into the store, to keep the tills rolling; shelf & store-room space have been added onto the floor space area calculation to allow more than twice as many customers in as in the first lockdown. The public are still happily shopping in family groups & coming in for a couple of hours to relieve the tedium of staying at home. I can't altogether blame them for that, but we're surrounded by parks, nature reserves, genuinely local beaches and beautiful countryside walks here. The kids, mostly unmasked, are all over the shop (literally) and delighted to meet up with their friends, and the parents are standing round in groups chatting. Most customers are avoiding other customers fairly well, but happily clambering over members of staff to do so. And pulling down their masks, face-to-face, to ask questions or complain. The store is close to a main through-route and unfortunately does attract a number of ne'er-do-wells anyway, which she's used to & normally copes well with, but their behaviour towards young ladies often leaves a lot to be desired and has resulted in the police attending a number of times; this has escalated since Covid became a thing, as at any given time some of the staff are isolating & there are fewer of them visible to keep the lid on things. She's so terrified, not for herself, but of bringing something nasty home to us, that she ended up shaking and unable to face work last week. But she's gone in today.

All this in an area generally considered to be "very nice" and aspirational... DS1's tales of parties and on-street gatherings in SW London are also hair-raising under the circumstances.

IzzyBee

I feel for your DD and everyone working with the public there are some selfish people about 

Karmacat

Thriftwizard, I'm so sorry to hear about what your DD is facing  

VJsmum

My DD has also had some of that - although she works in non-essential retail so is once again furloughed.

The general public are pretty awful as a whole.  She's had people in store thinking they have an excuse to remove masks, One even began to vape!  The utter rudeness of people is astounding.  Her management too have let too many people in - as a result, we think she has COVID that can only have been caught at work (she tested negative but has been suffering with breathlessness and a dry cough for 3 weeks now - we've ordered an antibody test to see if it was or not).

euronorris

I'm so sorry to hear of those working retail (or any keyworker role for that matter) suffering at the hands of idiotic, thoughtless and/or selfish behaviour of the general population. It's not acceptable, so I'm sorry they are experiencing it! Though, sadly, not surprised either.

Serendipitious

euronorris said:

I'm so sorry to hear of those working retail (or any keyworker role for that matter) suffering at the hands of idiotic, thoughtless and/or selfish behaviour of the general population. It's not acceptable, so I'm sorry they are experiencing it! Though, sadly, not surprised either.

I'm just back from the local shop. Half a mile away and I go once every 4 days or so, and am generally in there for less than 20 mins, it's about the longest I can manage in a mask, I'm just saying this for context.

Today as I approached a till, staying 6 ft away, the man in front had no mask on. Fair enough, he was probably exempt, but he was telling an anecdote to the masked lady on the till, I got the impression they knew each other. He seemed very animated, loud, and happy. It reminded me of the 'old normal' and so it was refreshing in a way, BUT I could only imagine the aerosol clouds! Fortunately, I was redirected to another till just opening and I was grateful as I didn't want to spend any time at all in the space he would  be vacating.

I don't mean to come across as a bit precious, I became hyper-aware of potential aerosol spread at my previous place which had lifts and shared corridors. But it seems to me there should be a bit of guidance for the mask-exempt folk, maybe they could at least keep their mouths closed while in-store. I really feel for retail staff.

MingVase

Not going to get any better anytime soon  - this from the Guardian today:

A British freight company director with more than over 20 years’ experience has told how EU hauliers and transport companies are turning their backs on UK business because they are being asked to provide tens of thousands of pounds in guarantees to cover VAT or potential tariffs on arrival in Britain.

The financial guarantee requirement did not exist before Brexit and EU transport companies who previously provided a shipping service for small and medium-sized firms have decided they do not want the extra financial burden, according to Colin Jeffries, who runs Key Cargo International in Manchester.

“We’ve got people that are trying to bring textiles in from Italy but we are being told there is no haulage availability on that. Nobody’s willing to touch anything because of these guarantees. In Poland, we’re trying to get masks in for PPE in the workplace and we can’t get anyone to bring them over.”

Jeffries, who has been in the freight forwarding business for 24 years, said his business nearly came to a standstill last week because of the sudden trade barriers erected on 1 January.

He said it was “absolute carnage out there” trying to get EU hauliers to come to Britain, because they underestimated the gravity of the financial guarantees, known as T1s, that now apply to goods being exported to the UK.

A truck with a £200,000 cargo would need cash or a T1 financial guarantee document for £40,000 in VAT alone, he said, a significant burden for transport companies with multiple trucks going to the UK.