The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

greenbee

Sorry to hear about your brother @thriftwizard. TBH I think I'll take whatever I'm offered whenever they get round to me - I'm hoping that the rumours about it improving long covid turn out to be true. 

As for the businesses, what's interesting is that I'm hearing about small retailers who successfully moved online over the last year who are worried that reopening will cause them problems - a lot of them have done better than ever. I think its frustrating for them that all the talk is about how bad things are, and no one is pointing out that there have been some real successes from people who thought about how they could adapt successfully. We should be celebrating those people more than we are. 

pollyanna_26

Sorry I missed your post about your brother TW. I hope he's soon on the mend.

Youngest and I both had the Oxford AZ. Youngest reacted badly and was flat out feeling fluey for a while . I was fine, not even a sore arm. We were discussing the situation concerning our 2nd doses and decided we would be happy to have the same vaccine again. Your brother was unlucky but the risks as we know so far are small. We'd prefer to get that second dose as soon as it's due. We were hoping we would get the Oxford long before we had our first jabs.

pollyx

euronorris

Sorry to hear about your brother Thriftwizard. I hope he's recovering nicely.

Not had an invite for first jab yet, let alone second. I'll take whichever one is offered, on the basis that the risk as we currently know it, is far lower than the contraceptive pill I take every day. Plus, I really want to do my part, I really want to be protected  I really want my DH to be less anxious etc etc.

I am more optimistic than most, it seems, about the roadmap out of lockdown. I know things can go wrong/change quickly, but so far the progress has been good despite the openings up so far. So I'm being optimistic and hoping it continues in a positive vein. And the economy does need something/a boost. Some businesses have thrived and adapted, but many others haven't/weren't able to. We can't afford furlough etc forever. So I really, really, really hope that we can successfully move out of lockdown and successfully stay out of it. Keeping all my fingers and toes crossed.

pollyanna_26

greenbee said:

Sorry to hear about your brother @thriftwizard. TBH I think I'll take whatever I'm offered whenever they get round to me - I'm hoping that the rumours about it improving long covid turn out to be true. 

As for the businesses, what's interesting is that I'm hearing about small retailers who successfully moved online over the last year who are worried that reopening will cause them problems - a lot of them have done better than ever. I think its frustrating for them that all the talk is about how bad things are, and no one is pointing out that there have been some real successes from people who thought about how they could adapt successfully. We should be celebrating those people more than we are. 

I often look at Charlotte Hughes;s site on Twitter she too is a long covid sufferer. You'll know much more than I do but there doesn't appear to be much publicity about the struggles many long covid sufferers are having. Apart from how ill she is she's a single mum on a very low income struggling to feed her daughter.

There doesn't seem much support for those in that situation, she's relying on foodbank help and the kindness of strangers.

Sheilding is over for everyone. Some local coucils are trying to support those in need but can't help everyone. Even if you'd wish to be a prepper there's no way you could if you're struggling day to day to put a meal on the table.

I know of two people locally with long covid under the cosh to go back to work or lose their jobs. I'm just wondering if you think enough is out there about LC for people to understand not everyone is fit enough to go back to normal everyday life yet.

pollyx

greenbee

polly - the long covid clinic have made clear to me that working full time isn't ideal. But I've also pointed out that not paying the mortgage isn't ideal. While I'm lucky to have a home-based office job, which is reasonably flexible, so I am managing.

There's been a lot more publicity recently, partly due to the support groups, and partly because medics and politicians have realised the potential impact. My brother talked to me last May about the possible long-term impacts - this time last year I was just completing treatment for a secondary infection and still in isolation with a spiking temperature. 

However, the evidence suggests that if I'd been able to take the time off when I got the original infection I may not have developed long covid - but I didn't have any sick leave allowance left and SSP won't pay the mortgage. My current job has no paid sick leave over and above SSP, and I've only just finished my probationary period - asking for sick leave in the first 6 months probably would have resulted in a week's notice. 

We have a culture that expects people to keep on working when sick, and sick leave policies that don't allow for long-term sickness or convalescence. I can't imagine many people can afford to take time off to recover - and TBH, for most people, the higher the salary the less likely they are to be able to adapt. The chances are they have a lifestyle that requires their salary, don't have the savings to cover it for more than a short period, and know that taking a long period off will impact badly on their careers - so they keep going. So regardless of income, anything that affects ability to work is going to be a massive issue for anyone. 

Personally, I've found lockdown has helped, as there is no expectation that I'll do anything other than work. I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with it ending. 

pollyanna_26

Thank you so much for taking the time to make things much clearer greenbee. Pretty well everywhere in the world has that culture re work. Not always helpful even in non covid times but it's the way of the world.

I know many who work with chronic health conditions and struggle to get sick leave when needed.

I'm glad you are able to work from home at the moment. Your final paragraph sums up the feelings of many including my youngest dd. She managed a tiny walk to the village and back with me on Friday but I could sense her anxiety. She felt safe under shielding, nurses etc in full ppe were doing home visits but that wont be happening now. She's still ECV but no longer has the protection. She's had virtual appts as previous appts were pushed further ahead for obvious reasons. Her GP has been wonderful and supportive but he hasn't seen her for over a year. She's been on 2 weekly face to face appts for years which enables him to stop physical deteriation or inject a steroid to stave off the need for barbotage. He's heavily involved in the running of the vaccination hub but I expect a call soon from the practice manager as he'll need to see her.

I know the surgery is covid safe, I just have to convince her. She was ordered to stay indoors before the letters went out and hasn't been in a shop since. She waited outside the little SBs while I went in on Friday .

I wish you well greenbee. Sorry everyone for the typos today, my hands are all over the place.

Take care all

pollyX

pollyanna_26

I  daren't risk trying to edit my last post I'd probably send it into the ether. I've been having problems with the large spaces between paragraphs in the last couple of days.

greenbee i forgot to mention I see quite a hopeful future for smaller local buisness. Many here have sold from the farm gates etc and then also online. All sorts of others have built up loyal followers.

My eldest dd sent me some lovely organic sleep products produced in her Yorkshire village. Two ladies making their own products who now have a large online presence.

I doubt I'll ever enter a large supermarket again. My little Coop has served me well throughout the past year. They also do click and collect for many online companies.

We have a large high street and a smaller shopping area. We've lost four large department stores never to return. M&S is struggling and it's only the food dept that's kept it going. It looks as though it will become food only if it survives.

The closed department stores are beautiful victorian buildings. Planning has just been passed for smaller retail units on the ground floor of one and apartments on the upper floors.

Other smaller shops which have been boarded up are due to become more individual shops. I used to visit here as a child. There were individual shops selling many different things. I vowed to live here one day and moved here in the mid seventies it now looks as though I may see some of the type of shops that made the town a place to shop.

Biggest joy is a bookshop that has been handed down through generations has survived. On cold days they light a roaring fire in the old fashioned fireplace on the ground floor. Myself and my children looked into those flames many times and it's somewhere I'm longing to revisit.

The thing I've discovered is my bank is likely to close on the high st. We used to have one near me and three in town which was a bit too much. Now we're down to one. I;ve managed without through lockdowns but am aware some people prefer areal building.

I'm quite looking forward to the changes but should point out there has been a huge government grant awarded. Conservative MP who sits and nods on the back benches. I've never voted for him but although he's known locally as the invisable man he's finally managed something to benefit the town.

pollyx

daz378

Ive got one more shift tomorrow  .then a week off annual leave....but on my last day of annual leave  im due  my 2nd jab...my first jab   i had a sore arm....will the side effects be worse.?  Do i ask  or warn work..for another day of annual leave...on the off chance im not fit.....take care stay safe

greenbee

Daz - I think the advice is to plan for rest after you jab. It seems the first is generally the tough one with Pfizer, the second with AZ.

polly - I’m planning on work remaining the same for a long time! I’ve proved I din’t need to get on a plane to do it, and it save them tens of thousands a year, so hopefully they’ll agree. If not, I’ll move on. Hopefully at some point I’ll have the energy to do more than just work and maintain a basic level of hygiene in the house. I certainly won’t be joining the mad rush to go out. It’ll be nice to see and talk to a few people, but I’ll be limiting myself to one visitor a week just as I limit myself to one outing (dentist, optician, blood test etc) to conserve energy.

Si_Clist

FWIW I'm mid-70s and with the first AZ vaccination I was perfectly fine for the first twelve hours, then felt exactly like I had flu for the next 36 - at one point even taking to my bed with the shivers and shakes.  Second one I just got a sore arm.  What I suspect helps is to take it very easy for 24 hours or so after Covid vaccination so as to give your workings the best chance of sorting themselves out ASAP.