Will you comply?

phoebe1989seb

We live very rurally so are always well stocked with food/essentials and tbh I rarely go out - too much to do renovating the cottage and creating a half-acre garden from scratch - apart from walking the dogs or the very occasional venture into the nearby market town. Therefore it won't make much difference to me.

Otoh, DH has a small garden design/landscaping business and is currently working - alone, peacefully isolated - in a huge walled garden that he is planning, planting etc for a non-resident client. It's a short drive from our home. He rarely sees anyone, except the occasional site meeting or delivery - which will no doubt soon come to an end as he was informed by an independent plant nursery on Monday that they have received official notification to expect lockdown in the next couple of weeks. He has months' of work to get on with and most of the landscaping materials/plants are already on site.

Currently he has no plans to stop working. Obviously if lockdown happens and everyone is told they have to stay home he would comply. He could help me here then 

nannywindow

Further to my earlier post. I took Dad shopping to stock up. He only bought £12 of rubbish   I could not get him to buy anything else and he still will not see the serious nature of this virus. I am afraid he is going to catch it and pass it along to others, before he knows he has it. I have a stock of goods or I can cook something for him if necessary, I can then walk to his house and leave it at his door ( it's only 10 mins away but then that puts me more at risk and passing it on DH too ), but I fear he is not going to stop going out until the shops shut or he's too ill. I have tried to shock him by saying he will die alone because I won't be able to be with him but it has fallen on deaf ears. I have given up for now though as my head is spinning and I'm very annoyed by his selfish attitude ( IMO )

Cheapskate

Absolutely would - what's a couple of weeks' slight inconvenience against  the greater good, as it were?  I know folk who are very much at risk: one undergoing chemo, who's been virtually housebound for months anyway (only mid-40s), brother is severely asthmatic, youngest grandson has chest issues, etc. We've a reasonable amount of food in the house, just running short of a few essentials, but could pretty much cope.  Kids would love being off school, I have a new allotment that needs child labour help, I'm desperate for time at home to do some art projects - only issue might be DH's income as he's self-employed.

School has cancelled tonight's parents' evening and Friday after-school youth club, other activities may be cancelled shortly.  Think I'll do that bit of shopping tomorrow, for Mr Justin Case, and then would be happy to hibernate - like that word better than isolate.  

A x

Sun_Addict

I broke my leg on 13 December so had 6 weeks of being stuck in the house going nowhere and not being able to do much. I had to get my shopping delivered.  I managed, I knew it was short-term.  I read a LOT of books. If we were advised to stay at home, I would work from home and there's plenty of decluttering, gardening and decorating to be getting on with.

[Deleted User]

As of today, we are fully prepared to have to stay in. We do not go out a lot anyway, quite happy most of the time in each others company, we have plenty of books and can keep in touch with things via the radio and internet. We also have a very large garden so can get some exercise outside. Freezer cupboards etc are stocked up. I have a delivery coming from Morrison next week, I make my own bread, so we are ready. Both my husband and myself have underlying heart problems, so really do not want to be exposed to the virus. I have already told my children to contact us by phone and the neighbour I visit and shop for I have also told that I will ring her everyday to make sure she is ok. She is 90, no way do I want to be responsible, how ever unwittingly, to pass anything on to her. I do think people are foolish and very short sighted to just pass it off as 'well we won't get it' you just cannot expect that you will be ok.

Rosa_Damascena

nannywindow said:

Further to my earlier post. I took Dad shopping to stock up. He only bought £12 of rubbish   I could not get him to buy anything else and he still will not see the serious nature of this virus. I am afraid he is going to catch it and pass it along to others, before he knows he has it. I have a stock of goods or I can cook something for him if necessary, I can then walk to his house and leave it at his door ( it's only 10 mins away but then that puts me more at risk and passing it on DH too ), but I fear he is not going to stop going out until the shops shut or he's too ill. I have tried to shock him by saying he will die alone because I won't be able to be with him but it has fallen on deaf ears. I have given up for now though as my head is spinning and I'm very annoyed by his selfish attitude ( IMO )

I think you've done what you can now. Keep in touch by phone and ask what you can bring to him for now. I can absolutely see his need to be out and about, if he restricts it to walks rather than anything social that involves him interacting with people that might be a compromise, and he'll enjoy the spring weather. Human contact could be maintained by telephone / Skype etc. It really is only close contact with people - within a metre - for a period of 15 minutes or longer that is going to be problematic.

Eta: encourage him to watch Bozo's latest statement - he has been clear there will be early deaths so if that doesn't hit home nothing will. 

Rosa_Damascena

Sun_Addict said:

I broke my leg on 13 December so had 6 weeks of being stuck in the house going nowhere and not being able to do much. I had to get my shopping delivered.  I managed, I knew it was short-term.  I read a LOT of books. If we were advised to stay at home, I would work from home and there's plenty of decluttering, gardening and decorating to be getting on with.

Who knows, COVID may increase the level of global literacy!  I hope you're fully healed now.

PasturesNew

I would comply.... however, I am not currently in full control of my environment.  

I am lodging with a home owner who is not hygienic. At first I was using the microwave/fridge/freezer minimally - 4-weeks ago I stopped even that minimal use 99.9% of the time, I have a secret kettle and am living on cold peas and pot noodles.  This person is already somebody who SHOULD have self-isolated a month ago when they flew in from a high risk area, but they didn't; they were out every day socialising and going god knows where. I was pleased they weren't here, but fearful/aware that "they walk among us".

If we all had to self-isolate I'd be trapped in a house with somebody who I see as a liability and unable to read the riot act about cleanliness, hygiene and maintaining a safe shared kitchen. 

In my own home I'd be stocked up, able to cook/wash up freely, able to not be concerned about hygiene and germs in general and 100% isolate for weeks/months if needs be. 

Many others are "worse off than me" without the ability to live on cold peas and pot noodles... without a secret kettle - and, perhaps without realising that the kitchen's never, ever been cleaned/bleached/cleared.... so they'd be in there doing their thing and picking up god knows what as they prep food.

As for self-isolating, it doesn't mean "stay in" for everybody.  What it means is "stay away from everywhere, touch nothing, stay away from other people, don't go inside buildings, don't go out shopping/socialising".  It doesn't mean you can't go walking alone ... or even to a beach if you're close enough.... so long as you know where you're going and can ensure that you never come closer than 20-30' to other people, touch nothing (no car park machines or bins or public loos or doors or barriers) and can just go out, go home. 

hollydays

I find myself in the position of being on my own , and not prepared to fly to get out to my partner .This house wasn't well stocked , so I've added some stuff to the freezer and cleaning materials. As from today, I'm not visiting my usual cafe haunts, and just getting the house organised should I fall ill.Ive been through the medicine box to discover lots of stuff that was out of date , and topped that up. I spoke to an aquaintance today Who had a bad cough, but , knowing him, he will not consider self isolating as he's too self important and cynical.i just gets text him and asked him, he just said " nah, I'm ok" Im looking at the positives that ill get stuff done at home and read all the books I've been meaning to read, I dont work and don't need to go out. I'm trying to keep healthy by walking and eating well and keep my immune system as good as it can be. Just ordered some kefir grains to make that as its supposed to be good for your immune system. This article has a few theories https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/mar/08/how-to-boost-your-immune-system-to-avoid-colds-and-coronavirus

greenbee

PasturesNew said:

I would comply.... however, I am not currently in full control of my environment.  

I am lodging with a home owner who is not hygienic. At first I was using the microwave/fridge/freezer minimally - 4-weeks ago I stopped even that minimal use 99.9% of the time, I have a secret kettle and am living on cold peas and pot noodles.  This person is already somebody who SHOULD have self-isolated a month ago when they flew in from a high risk area, but they didn't; they were out every day socialising and going god knows where. I was pleased they weren't here, but fearful/aware that "they walk among us".

If we all had to self-isolate I'd be trapped in a house with somebody who I see as a liability and unable to read the riot act about cleanliness, hygiene and maintaining a safe shared kitchen. 

In my own home I'd be stocked up, able to cook/wash up freely, able to not be concerned about hygiene and germs in general and 100% isolate for weeks/months if needs be. 

Many others are "worse off than me" without the ability to live on cold peas and pot noodles... without a secret kettle - and, perhaps without realising that the kitchen's never, ever been cleaned/bleached/cleared.... so they'd be in there doing their thing and picking up god knows what as they prep food.

As for self-isolating, it doesn't mean "stay in" for everybody.  What it means is "stay away from everywhere, touch nothing, stay away from other people, don't go inside buildings, don't go out shopping/socialising".  It doesn't mean you can't go walking alone ... or even to a beach if you're close enough.... so long as you know where you're going and can ensure that you never come closer than 20-30' to other people, touch nothing (no car park machines or bins or public loos or doors or barriers) and can just go out, go home. 

I've had some people say I shouldn't got out for a walk or a run, but as you say, as long as you're not at risk of coming into contact with others it's fine. The guidance says don't use public transport, it doesn't say never leave the house! Obviously there's a difference depending on whether you're in a very busy urban area or a quiet rural one.