We are currently in a very unsettling and worrying situation with regards to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
What we have to remember about the people on this forum is that we all have different ways of coping with any situations, not just this one.
Some people deal with their feelings with humour, which could be deemed as misplaced and in bad taste.
Some people become more anxious and scared and their worry and panic may be seen by some as ‘going over the top’ or unnecessary.
However any of us deal with the news about the Coronavirus outbreak, and the consequences for anyone with a chronic condition/disease, should be respected by us all.
If anyone is posting and replying to information about Coronavirus on this forum, you must ensure that it is factual and that you can supply the source of the information, misinformation is what spreads panic, and panic is something that we do not need.
Advice from the medical team at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital for people with MPNs was posted a few days ago on this forum, and is also on the MPN Voice website, it is advice that we should all be following.
Thank you Maz. I want to be able to deal with the current threat without being made to think I am being silly. Respecting people's fears goes a long way x
As always, your point is well made. It is so easy for any of us, myself included, to be unaware of the different levels of anxiety which group members have; and their various ways of coping. Thank you for your timely and gentle reminder of this.
I totally understand people dealing with (COVID-19)in
different ways, ie, playing on their minds and making them more anxious. I personally am not concerned as yet as I believe the advice given by the Government and other medical bodies is sufficent at this present time. More concerning is when misinformation is put out there which then leads to more panic and anxiety. Atb, tina.🤗
As you say we need to all remain vigilant while also responsible. COVID-19 is a serious global issue, and any one who might have a compromised immune system needs to be a tad more cautious than perhaps is usual...
I cannot believe people who have an MPN would stop so low and treat as a Joke i do not think that the poor relatives who have lost 5 members of their family think it is a joke and will find it funny so to all the people think it is funny put yourself in the poor people's relatives shoes who has lost a loved one do not think you would find it so funny the ones who are laughing are sick and disgusting sorry message being an angry one Maz just how i feel
Hi Scottishterrier. The (COVID-19) virus as to be put into perspective before things get out of hand. As its been said,people react differently to all kinds of situations accordingly,some with humour, others with anxiety,that is the human psyche. The people who have died had underlying health conditions and would have been expected to succumb to most strains of flu given their age and health. This happens every winter but because the chinese tried to cover up this strain, it is being reported on worldwide. I don't believe anyone on the forum is sick and disgusting but just that it's their coping mechanism during this time. Now Maz as explained that this could be construed to be misplaced and in bad taste, i'm sure it will be respected by all. In the meantime we have to be cautious and follow the Government and NHS advice and trust only respected news outlets and try not to let all the misinformation out there lead us into panic. At the same time lets try not to forsee what the Government is thinking of implementing next until it actually happens,as this leads to unecessary panic and anxiety. Atb,tina.🤗
The people who made the humorous posts were innocently trying to cheer others up. Now they are being made to feel bad and have probably been put off making future posts. I thought twice about writing this for fear of being criticised for speaking up . I bet anything that some of you who are being critical smiled at least a little at those humerous posts, I did and I am NOT sick and disgusting. What I do find disgusting is the way those fellow members have been made to feel bad. It was reasonable that Maz requested no more jokes in case they offended anyone but there was no need for the rest of you to start criticising the way you have.
I think it is about time that the elderly, or people with underlying health conditions, be supplied with a bottle of hand sanitizer every time they get their prescription filled. At least this way, the people who are most vulnerable and need it the most will be able to get one bottle.
Their will soon be no hand santitizer in my area, most of the supermarkets have been stripped bare! Its not just sanitizer, I couldn't even purchase my Radox yesterday as even that was sold out! Thank God,common sense is prevailing and around here the supermarkets are now restricting a lot of goods that people are bulk buying, this includes, hand gel, anti-bac wipes,uht milk, dried pasta, children's medicines and dry milk powder,certain tin veg,baked beans and obviously toilet rolls. My daughter told me her local morrisons delivery driver said the deliverly before her had 24 different hand gels in his shopping! Deliverly man was dumbstruck and rightly so. These people do not realise or care that other people will have to hunt around different supermarkets just to get the bare essentials. I dread doing my main shop tomorrow and looking at the half empty shelves. Atb,tina.🤗
I know, no matter how early we go to the shop there is never any hand sanitizer and we have very little left. We have come up with a plan that we will take hot water in our large thermos and some hand wash when we go out. Better than nothing at the moment.
What a good idea Jill. I spoke to a lady in Boots yesterday in our town centre, she said they filled up with hand gel overnight, opened at 8am and within 3 minutes it was all gone!
The hoarding is definitely out of control and it as been announced that foodbanks are now running low,it shows in times of trouble just how selfish some people are! People should question their moral behaviour and think of how other disadvanged and vunerable people are going to cope if they are unable to access essential items. Atb,tina🤗
Where did you get your recipe from? I thought the alcohol content needed to be at least 60% to ensure effective virus kill. Are the quantities for the alcohol and aloe vera the right way round?
This recipe is what I use. One can follow it or not. It’s not been testen in universities or clinical trials, if that’s what you’re looking for. My pharmacist finds it great. I also mentioned one can used alcohol directly.
The teatree oil is the most important component and not the alcohol. It is much more potent. The lavender calms the strong aroma of the lavender and has a quieting effect on the psyche, which many people need right now. One can put in as much alcohol as one wishes, but it will be watery and will irritate the skin. It’s also not good to kill the good bacterias on our hands, just the bad bacterias and viruses. I use tea tree oil in all my cleaning products, shampoos, damp toilet paper and in my toilets and bath when cleaning. It’s amazing. No chemicals come into my house.
Thank you for confirming the quantities of each chemical you are using in your recipe for home made hand-sanitizer.
I thought I should confirm that the NHS in the UK and the CDC in the USA both recommend that in order to inactivate viruses like Covid-19, hand gels should contain at least 60% alcohol.
Your formula has an alcohol content of less than 10% and will not inactivate the virus.
Everyone needs to be following the recommended advice for hand hygiene in order to minimise the spread of Covid-19 and seasonal flu.
Yes-I'm inclined to agree .I think Maz's post is spot on and the title is not completely, reflective of what's she's saying . Humour is a wonderful way to get through bleak times . I thought it was a very typical British and/ or Scottish thing to do. It in no way suggests laughing at people who have misfortune with their health . That would be all of us on this site presumably who have varying degrees of difficulty regarding health . Coronovirus is extremely serious .I have my concerns about it like most of us . I certainly don't laugh at cruelty or unkindness in any form and certainly not at the misfortune of people who are suffering or families who have lost loved ones. But I ll be very happy to have a smile brought to my face on social media at anyone attempting in kindness to bring humour and warmth into our hearts in these bleak times. Stay safe and well everyone 💙
I think those who are anxious, including myself, would like their anxiety treated with respect and support and not shrugged off as inconsequential. I think I have a wonderful sense of humour and will laugh with the best of them but sometimes I want people to be mindful of what they say so they don't, unintentionally, make people feel silly about their fears.
I don't think that is what people are trying to do, being overly serious does not give people the monopoly on being anxious or show they are truly worried.
I had two funerals last week, people very close to me. I joked if they are on the same day I would have to take a picnic! In actual fact they were a day apart and I chose to go to only one because the emotional pain was too much! I have been unwell since. Does this mean I'm a thoughtless person? No it does not
Nobody is calling anybody thoughtless. I am not going to argue on a forum that has always been so helpful. If you choose to believe I have called you or anybody else thoughtless than that is up to you, it certainly wasn't implied and I send my sympathy regarding your double loss.
Thank you Maz for your wise words. A lot of us are trying to cope with real anxiety over the virus and don't appreciate jokes about it, however well meant. xxFran
This whole conversation has left me a little dumbfounded. I thought everybody realised, as I do, that you don't have to read or open every post, just whatever interests you. Maybe funny posts could have the tagline "Caution: May make you smile"? Oh, I'm sorry, there won't be any further funny posts. So in light of that, I wish you all well and bid you goodbye.
Oh guys, please no one leave the forum because of all the trouble that has been stirred up by the scaremongering press and some politicians. I have found the serious posts somewhat supportive but also they could raise anxiety in other folk. I honestly thought the jokes (and I admit I laughed at some) did not show disrespect for others who were anxious but were trying to lighten the mood. Every time I laugh, I feel better! I apologise if my laughter has offended anyone but I was in need of cheering up and at the same time perhaps the “anxious posts” could cause more anxiety.
The main thing is whether we are laughing or fretting, we are not laughing at anyone but laughing with those who want/need cheered up. If we are fretting, it means we need support which is always available on this forum. Don’t let this spoil what we have got - a wonderful, supportive, empathetic forum of friends, many of whom may have never met but still help one another. It is the most supportive group I have ever come across and my love and gratitude goes out to you all.
Well said to the above 2 sensible people! Having re read the posts regarding corona virus & tbh wondering what all this fuss is about - at no point have any ‘sick or disgusting’ comments been made, and certainly not towards dead or dying people. I’m a little perplexed that this connection has been made in the first place.
As ‘Hidden’ said its not essential to read every post. I pick items that interest me & avoid the ones that I no won’t help my frame of mind.
Yes we do all deal with things differently, I do think that the initial posts led to the correct advice in reply’s, I myself posted the info from MPN voice as a reply.
I don’t think anyone intends to make others feel silly or that they are over worrying.
What ever we do in life we need humour as long as it is not aimed personally at anyone don’t see any issue with that.
Perhaps we should all respect each others ways of coping.
I can smile about issues, does not mean I dont anxious about the same issues.
I find it such a shame that ‘someone’ has felt it necessary to leave the forum, I ask you to please reconsider your decision.
This corona virus certainly has emotions running high, and people obviously deal with issues like this in different ways, whether that be humour or seriousness. I haven’t been offended by any of the posts, but, I do respect the views of those that may have. Let’s not forget that we have diverse personalities, sensitivities etc. This is what usually makes this forum work so well, balanced argument and diverse views.
This forum is first and foremost a supportive place where all views should be respected, even if we don’t necessarily agree. Likewise, I think Maz has a particularly difficult job trying to monitor and appease all forum members, I wouldn’t want her job! It would be really lovely if we could put this behind us and support Maz and each other.
I find it incredibly sad that anyone should feel the need to leave. We all need this forum so much. I do often deal with things with humour, but so many don't. Most of us are probably on social media like Facebook and that is probably a better place to let off humour steam. This forum is too precious to let anything come between any of us x
I am removing myself from health unlocked as I do not think was out of order with what I said regarding people using Humour was trying to back what you said i received text that we have not to attend our medical do not think it is funny as I was up there twice last week and dad who has dementia had the nurse paramedic practitioner in also it is worrying but i am not laughing so as off now i am removing myself from healthunlocked will keep in touch with you via e-mail as having to update msp as I still do not think we have a replacement for Jean who was supposed to be replaced over a year ago
Please dont leave the forum. I think this has blown up because of anxiety, feeling vulnerable,, etc, etc on both the humour and non humour posts. No one has accused anyone of anything and as someone has already said we are unique beings therefore we deal with things in different ways and just because a person writes humour, it does not mean they are not anxious or scared. It is their way of dealing with their feelings and also trying to cheer others up. I know when I personally face new medical issues I can.laugh/joke about them but it's my way of coping and receiving not the best diagnosis to symptoms I put up a front and breakdown once I'm on my own
As far as I'm aware, no one has been disrespectful of anyone else and if offence has been taken this has not been meant.
Sending love, E hugs and respect for all. Kindest regards Aime x😻😻
I don't think anyone said you were 'out of order' but I think your choice of words 'sick and disgusting' were a bit strong and personal to other forum members who may have raised a smile in a difficult situation. At the same time we are all adults and must respect each others views. You might have had a bad week and reacted to that but so will other people and kept their own counsel regarding their own situations and yes raised a smile or 2 in a worrying time but I don't think some of us are behaving like adults at present by throwing their toys out of the pram and threatening to leave the forum over what should have been an healthy debate over how people deal with (COVID-19) instead reacting like spoilt kids who can't get their own way. Like mary said, I suggest you reconsider leaving the forum. Also I agree with mary when she said she wouldn't like to do Maz's job by trying to appease everyone. Atb,tina.🤗
We’re almost at lockdown in Austria. We are advised to avoid any form of social contact for the next weeks or even month. Yes. I’m a little worried. I almost didn’t make it through the swine flu. I will be praying for all of us to stay healthy, sane and happy. 😘
Hi Anag, very worrying times for us all, but especially if you on the verge of a lockdown, quite a scary thought, I am hoping that you and all of us and our families and friends stay healthy and happy. Maz x
Thanks very much. I feel psychologically better today. I’m ready for whatever comes. There’s time for family and that is wonderful! We’re all home watching the Harry Potter Series each night. Fun! Especially since my husband has never seen it, at 58. He loves it! 😁
All best wishes to you too! Thanks for all you do so elegantly and full of empathy. ❤️
Come on folks, we are all here because we have a similar health problem, we are all here for support and understanding, we all make mistakes or blunders in life not intending to offend or upset but sometimes do.
Let’s accept that not everyone thinks the same and strive to carry on with each other’s support for all existing and importantly all newcomers who may be put off by these misunderstandings between us.
I Truly believe that no offence was meant by anyone. Acceptance of others thoughts opinions and way of dealing with things is key to this forums success.
So sad to see this happening to this wonderful and supportive group.
Agree 100% but like I said we should all be acting like adults and not spoiled children, beginning to feel i'm back in the playground at school. Atb,tina.🤗
Hi Maz thank you for doing a difficult job well as always. I missed that message out of my last posts. Best wishes to you and your team. Kindest regards Aime xx😻😻
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