Coronavirus and your wellbeing

Adrian_Scope

It feels a bit like there's no escaping Coronavirus-related news at the moment and it's understandable many of us are feeling worried, whether about the virus itself, having to isolate, or just having to find loo roll!

In this confusing time, Mind have put together some ideas to help with wellbeing.

This information is to help you cope if:

• you’re feeling anxious or worried about Coronavirus
• you’re asked to stay at home or avoid public places, for example if your employer asks you to work from home
• you have to self-isolate. This means you avoid contact with other people and follow strict hygiene rules. The NHS has advice about self-isolation in English and advice about self-isolation in Welsh. For how long to self-isolate, see the current government advice in English or the current government advice in Welsh.

And it covers:

• Plan for staying at home or indoors
• Take care of your mental health and wellbeing
• Checklist: are you ready to stay at home for two weeks?

You can find the full piece on Coronavirus and your wellbeing (MIND).

IrishManc

I live in the U.K. (Manchester) but had been hoping to travel home to my family in the Republic of Ireland in June, passing through North wales by TfW train & Irish Ferries ferry from Holyhead to Dublin - it would appear that the Irish government and the HSE are keeping travel restrictions in place in Ireland for the remainder of 2020, including in my home County in Ireland and regardless of the methods of public transport used, one restriction (that I have read on the RTÉ news app) in force being that Irish Rail & Bus Eireann staff are not handling cash for payment of fares (nor paper tickets), on foot of trade union instructions from the NBRU 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @IrishManc.
I'm sorry to read that. I hope you get to head back home sooner rather than later. How are you feeling about everything that's going on?

Jurph

Access to food is becoming impossible. I'm disabled, my carer is vulnerable and I can't find any supermarket that can deliver within the next 2 weeks.

I'm definitely not coping well mentally. Will look at the article. Thank you

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Jurph. It's a really difficult and quite unprecedented time. I know a lot of people (myself included) are finding accessing food and essentials increasingly difficult.

Some supermarkets (Iceland/Sainsbury’s) are doing an hour or 2 for vulnerable/elderly people so they can buy essentials. There are also some local organisations who are coordinating volunteers to get food to people who are unable to go to supermarkets. Do you use Facebook at all? There are lots of local help groups popping up on there.

Jurph

Thanks @Adrian_Scope

Yes, I've joined a local group. 

IrishManc

Adrian_Scope said:

Hi @IrishManc.
I'm sorry to read that. I hope you get to head back home sooner rather than later. How are you feeling about everything that's going on?

It’s quite chaotic and I’ve had to reschedule 3 previously cancelled job interviews to attend a course, which itself got cancelled on the 17 March, so scrambling around to find the relevant emails was a nightmare - the restrictions imposed by the HSE back home in Ireland are even stricter than here in the U.K. and without doubt, given that I’ve worked in retailing for most of my working life, I can sense that this virus will have a serious economic impact, so I’m bracing myself for this - already, according to thier website, several stores within the Trafford Centre have temporarily closed as a precaution and this could very well be the final straw for the already struggling parent company, Intu which is already facing bankruptcy, even given the recent investment in the Trafford Centre - I’m sensing further job losses and redundancies both there and on the high street, both here in the U.K and back home in Ireland - we have been here before, so another recession (economic downturn) is looming 

IrishManc

Adrian_Scope said:

It feels a bit like there's no escaping Coronavirus-related news at the moment and it's understandable many of us are feeling worried, whether about the virus itself, having to isolate, or just having to find loo roll!

In this confusing time, Mind have put together some ideas to help with wellbeing.

This information is to help you cope if:

• you’re feeling anxious or worried about Coronavirus
• you’re asked to stay at home or avoid public places, for example if your employer asks you to work from home
• you have to self-isolate. This means you avoid contact with other people and follow strict hygiene rules. The NHS has advice about self-isolation in English and advice about self-isolation in Welsh. For how long to self-isolate, see the current government advice in English or the current government advice in Welsh.

And it covers:

• Plan for staying at home or indoors
• Take care of your mental health and wellbeing
• Checklist: are you ready to stay at home for two weeks?

You can find the full piece on Coronavirus and your wellbeing (MIND).

Adrian_Scope said:

It feels a bit like there's no escaping Coronavirus-related news at the moment and it's understandable many of us are feeling worried, whether about the virus itself, having to isolate, or just having to find loo roll!

In this confusing time, Mind have put together some ideas to help with wellbeing.

This information is to help you cope if:

• you’re feeling anxious or worried about Coronavirus
• you’re asked to stay at home or avoid public places, for example if your employer asks you to work from home
• you have to self-isolate. This means you avoid contact with other people and follow strict hygiene rules. The NHS has advice about self-isolation in English and advice about self-isolation in Welsh. For how long to self-isolate, see the current government advice in English or the current government advice in Welsh.

And it covers:

• Plan for staying at home or indoors
• Take care of your mental health and wellbeing
• Checklist: are you ready to stay at home for two weeks?

You can find the full piece on Coronavirus and your wellbeing (MIND).

This is quite shocking what’s going on given the posts from others on here - I’ve already had telephone appointments with my jobcentre which I was only advised of this evening via journal message - I’ve not yet been instructed to stay at home and have not contracted the virus so have no need to self isolate, so following the guidelines rigidly 

RikiM

(Removed by moderator)

Chloe_Scope

Just to let people know that we have been in touch with @RikiM and have offered support.

Thank you for your concern @Hart86.

Dotty123

If you have asthma diabetes hi no do you need stay in 

poppy123456

Dotty123 said:

If you have asthma diabetes hi no do you need stay in 

Hi,

Everyone has to social distance their self and only go out for essentials. If you are in the most vulnerable group then you would have received a letter advising you to stay home for 12 weeks. If you haven't received that then you won't be in this group and can go out for essentials or once a day for exercise.

Topkitten

I am getting more and more fed up with the sheer panic that is going on and, tbh, am sick of the hypocrisy too.

I have been declared "Housebound" for 2 years (I know others have been so longer than me) and until the last 2 weeks ago no one gave a flying wotsit about being stuck indoors. Now, suddenly, it's a major problem that needs solving!

The situation regarding food is utterly and totally pathetic. I have to make special arrangements to get deliveries within 3 or 4 weeks and even then it would be left outside my front door. I cannot manage to pick it up, let alone carry it through to the kitchen and put it away. I have no choice but to overmedicate to control the pain in order to go and get small amounts I can manage just to keep going. Fortunately I don't eat much anyway because my home situation is so bad. However, the smaller stores that were not being hit hard by the stupid idiots hoarding are now getting hammered too and so it will get worse and worse. I have suffered very heavily for pushing myself thus especially in the face of stupid and idiotic doctors that will not medicate me properly in order just to cope indoors. I have also noticed the homeless, who were supposedly going to be housed temporarily, are now gathering around food stores staying very close together and back to begging now that the city and town centers are empty and closed.

Now I am going to be controversial, so I will explain first. Covid-19 is not genetically related to influenza as it's more closely related to SARS and a few others. However, despite the fact that it is supposedly more dangerous the death toll from Covid is (so far) less than last years influenza strain which claimed the lives of 56,000 Americans and around 150,000 world-wide. The death toll from Covid is around 3,000 in the UK and is showing signs of slowing fast. In fact in Italy (where they were hit harder than us) around 10-15% of the deaths were related to insufficient facilities within the health system rather than the virus its per se as almost every western country has been cutting back on health services and now people suffer because of it.

I would like to point out also that, like almost every virus variant, the best defense to the next strain is to get and survive the previous one as each iteration is almost always stronger than the last. Research has never managed to produce any new anti-biotics in the last 50 years so we are left with the original 6 all of which people are becoming too used to, having had it thrown at them over and over to deal with more minor complaints. Any new "cure" will involve using survivors blood/plasma to generate a milder form which will help build up the immune system of any that do not get it. Social distancing does precisely 2 things.... it reduces strain on the health services which have no chance of coping with outbreaks any more and secondly it helps frighten people into complying in order to save the government the cost of dealing with such an outbreak. Coping with a dangerous virus with immunity from a mild one is only just so effective as the influenza numbers show and yet no one is ever concerned about "getting the flu" very much.

I fully expect now to have people complaining that risking death is not for them. The hypocrisy of that is so ridiculous when so many of the most fearful are probably the same group calling for dealing with overpopulation and immigration. Keep the numbers down but don't risk me or mine. Pathetic!!!!

As for "keeping in touch" using the internet....... it is painfully obvious that the ISP's are totally unprepared for the current usage and the constant disconnections and drop-outs are becoming abysmally predictable as everyone settles down to read, download, game and stream over the internet. As I am totally reliant on the internet because of using Virgin and because some idiot disconnected my aerial I am getting sick and tired of the artifacts and loss of both online and TV signals more than 6 times a day during the week and hourly at weekends. I have tried to report and complain but, ofc, the support centers are shut and I cannot even move to a better supplier.

Oh, btw, it seems that after only a couple of weeks the isolation in Italy is being relaxed so that people can go out for a few hours a day. However, do that here and it would get worse as so many have been terrified into isolation and would suffer when it gets relaxed. Also, I would like to point out, it will still be possible to contract the virus from supposedly healthy carriers and also from some of those who have recovered from it and also become carriers. So, if you never want to ever get it, you will never go out again ever and nor will you ever allow anyone into your home because you are still AT RISK!!!!

People need to get over it and stop living in fear because living in fear is no life at all as some of the housebound even on here do not go out due to fear and not necessarily physical restrictions. I am sure some of them would agree but if not then hey ho!

TK

Chloe_Scope

Just wanted to check in with people, how are you all?

Ails

Hi Chloe, on the whole been dealing with things ok.  Have had the odd "wobble", but find it helpful to minimise watching the news and daily updates on Coronavirus as this just makes things even more scary and depressing.  Finding keeping busy with various activities helps and the weather is getting nice now for the garden so that's good too.  Thanks for asking.  Hope you are coping all through this too. 

thespiceman

Hello @Chloe_Scope   Thanks as always for asking best thing about this forum.

Staff like you care.

I am OK as you know coping best way. I will try to cope have an appointment Friday so anxious going out.

On line NHS says can go out appointments will find out usually send me texts appointments confirmation.

One other will put some more foodie ideas and products on forum. Member might not realise can get to use store away and are useful.

Freezer meals and some other aspects essential .

Always concerned for members and team after all.  I live a lonely isolated life and rarely see any one.

Got a shop today need my fruit, veggies and breakfast stuff does help pad the weeks out.

Got to admit has been a struggle very much anxious over availability of shopping delivery slots so looking other retailers another ideas to put on.

We need to be  positive nor negative depressed and do not watch the media, if you have to catch up look on line.

Understand even me looking at five minutes. Become emotional and anxious.

My heart goes out to families  those devastated by this in my thoughts and prayers.


@thespiceman

 

IrishManc

I think that I am starting to become used to the lockdown, only looking at the UK and Irish news once a week, only checking out latest info about benefits in between my online courses and food shopping and sending out job applications where reasonable - evenings are spent contacting my family back home in Ireland and focusing on being as prepared as possible for the end of this, as our world will have radically & fundamentally changed in many areas and on many levels, there will be things that we learned during this that will become new social norms not previously seen before - for retailing in particular, it will be a more challenging time, but perhaps working from home and being a “clean freak” will not be seen as so strange anymore - improved services for online deliveries will be given greater importance, air travel will have less priority as opposed to other forms of public transport, social etiquette do’s & don’ts will change as we move forward - I suspect that the changes that are coming will be even more radically far reaching, yet more subtle and less obvious than any of us could possibly have previously anticipated as I pass the age of 50 on 2nd Oct next 

Chloe_Scope

IrishManc said:

I think that I am starting to become used to the lockdown, only looking at the UK and Irish news once a week, only checking out latest info about benefits in between my online courses and food shopping and sending out job applications where reasonable - evenings are spent contacting my family back home in Ireland and focusing on being as prepared as possible for the end of this, as our world will have radically & fundamentally changed in many areas and on many levels, there will be things that we learned during this that will become new social norms not previously seen before - for retailing in particular, it will be a more challenging time, but perhaps working from home and being a “clean freak” will not be seen as so strange anymore - improved services for online deliveries will be given greater importance, air travel will have less priority as opposed to other forms of public transport, social etiquette do’s & don’ts will change as we move forward - I suspect that the changes that are coming will be even more radically far reaching, yet more subtle and less obvious than any of us could possibly have previously anticipated as I pass the age of 50 on 2nd Oct next 

Thanks for this @IrishManc, I'm glad to hear you have been able to keep occupied. What kind of courses have you been doing?

I hope you are doing well today.

IrishManc

Thanks Very Much, Chloe - I’m grand today and I’m currently doing a course with Maximus training about stress and mental health/wellbeing, just finished the first unit on stress and stress management, so currently on the 2nd unit of awareness of mental health (there are 7 units in total, covering substance misuse, personal safety awareness, awareness of healthy eating and drinking and alcohol awareness (very important for an Irishman lol) Best Wishes, Michael 

dkb123

https://www.ridc.org.uk/news/covid-19-our-third-survey-impact-disabled-and-older-people  goo survey on the effects of CoVid

m_burrell82

Definitely not good for Mental Health to be so lonely. Couldn't help thinking, looking at the News: The virus statistics seem low enough to me, to ease lock down for folk. Maybe the risk has gone so low rite now. If you have a person lonely, under safeguarding and/or just living alone. Wouldn't it be a great idea to try to pair that person up with someone else who is lonely under safeguarding and/or just living alone!!!??!!