Coronavirus virus fears causing panic buying

[Bletchleyite]

You can always hang your a*** over the bath and use a soapy cloth. I understand Indians do that as a rule (use a soapy sponge) anyway.

I did mention "Asian style" upthread. It's usually not soapy water, just water (but wash your hands properly afterwards!)

Going off topic a bit here, but I've long wondered why we do just wipe the dirtiest part of our bodies with just paper. Washing is much more hygienic.

 

[Meerkat]

I did mention "Asian style" upthread. It's usually not soapy water, just water (but wash your hands properly afterwards!)

Going off topic a bit here, but I've long wondered why we do just wipe the dirtiest part of our bodies with just paper. Washing is much more hygienic.

i reckon it’s because the washing version involves getting your hand ‘dirty’ and squeamishness about reuse of the cloths/towels.

 

[Bletchleyite]

i reckon it’s because the washing version involves getting your hand ‘dirty’ and squeamishness about reuse of the cloths/towels.

The "family cloth", as some call it, is a different method again. Let's say there is a reason why such countries culturally never eat or shake hands with the left hand.

But it is indeed squeamishness and little more - after all, many people wash and reuse nappies.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

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[Meerkat]

But it is indeed squeamishness and little more - after all, many people wash and reuse nappies.

it’s the towels I am dubious about.
I think washing nappies is different - thats an activity you are going to fully prepare for and even wear gloves

 

[Bletchleyite]

it’s the towels I am dubious about.
I think washing nappies is different - thats an activity you are going to fully prepare for and even wear gloves

I'm confused what towels you're thinking of?

"Family cloth" is treated like nappies, you bag it then boil wash it as described.

In India etc, you don't wash with a washcloth, you wash with water (either from a hose or splashed onto the appropriate place from some kind of container) and then wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Shared multi-use (before boil-washing) cloths are not involved in either.

 

[nlogax]

I had to laugh when I saw this earlier on Reddit,

"Sick of hearing how bad this panic buying is, I went to Tesco Express and bought 172 toilet rolls and 120 small bottles of hand sanitizer no problem. People need to get a grip."

Best joke comment I've seen online today..but weirdly it does actually sum up the mentality of a few.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I had to laugh when I saw this earlier on Reddit,

"Sick of hearing how bad this panic buying is, I went to Tesco Express and bought 172 toilet rolls and 120 small bottles of hand sanitizer no problem. People need to get a grip."

Best joke comment I've seen online today..but weirdly it does actually sum up the mentality of a few.

I think the other one was "I've brought 100 toilet rolls before the panic starts."?

 

[edwin_m]

Don't buy pasta so cannot comment on the latest situation in North Staffordshire.

I don't understand the shortage of pasta. It's really in-penne-trouble.

 

[bramling]

I don't understand the shortage of pasta. It's really in-penne-trouble.

Must admit I was a little hacked off this afternoon. Stopped off at Tesco's to pick up some cans of chilli-con-carne (something my household gets through at a pretty high rate!), having not been able to get any at the weekend thanks, presumably, to panic buying as it's not normally something that seems to be in high demand or sells out. This time they had plenty, but was infuriated to reach the tills and be told I could only buy five tins, which for us is insufficient. Suffice to say I went out and back in again, and since this is clearly going to be an issue I bought the whole stock. Sorry panic buyers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Must admit I was a little hacked off this afternoon. Stopped off at Tesco's to pick up some cans of chilli-con-carne (something my household gets through at a pretty high rate!), having not been able to get any at the weekend thanks, presumably, to panic buying as it's not normally something that seems to be in high demand or sells out. This time they had plenty, but was infuriated to reach the tills and be told I could only buy five tins, which for us is insufficient. Suffice to say I went out and back in again, and since this is clearly going to be an issue I bought the whole stock. Sorry panic buyers.

Try buying mince, vegetables etc and make your own (even if you use a sauce jar or packet). It's dead easy, tastes far nicer and you can make a bucketload and freeze individual portions.

 

[bramling]

Try buying mince, vegetables etc and make your own (even if you use a sauce jar or packet). It's dead easy, tastes far nicer and you can make a bucketload and freeze individual portions.

Nice idea, but not really practicable when one gets home from work at 2300!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Nice idea, but not really practicable when one gets home from work at 2300!

Cook it when you've got time (if you've got a slow cooker this can be zero effort - just shove everything in, stir it up and turn it on, though I prefer the taste from hob-cooking it). Put it in food storage boxes and in the freezer. When you get home at 2300, stick it in the microwave, same as you would the tinned stuff.

If you want to be *really* lazy, put the rice in the boxes too. Some people have a thing about reheating rice, but it's fine as long as you freeze it immediately after cooking.

As a single person I do loads of things like this - bolognaise, curry etc. It's cheaper than premium ready meals, far nicer than cheap ones/tins, and is just as practical. I tend just to do a massive vat of each in the first week after a monthly-ish big shop then spend the rest of the month eating it all up.

 

[The_Train]

Yesterday I witnessed a guy buying 20-30 bottles of some sort of spray disinfectant, the same quantity of air freshener and the same quantity of washing up liquid. It did make me wonder what sort of party he was throwing last night......

 

[Busaholic]

Yesterday I witnessed a guy buying 20-30 bottles of some sort of spray disinfectant, the same quantity of air freshener and the same quantity of washing up liquid. It did make me wonder what sort of party he was throwing last night......

The Ultimate Fetish Party?

 

[The_Train]

The Ultimate Fetish Party?

For cleaners only!

 

[Tracked]

Yesterday I witnessed a guy buying 20-30 bottles of some sort of spray disinfectant, the same quantity of air freshener and the same quantity of washing up liquid. It did make me wonder what sort of party he was throwing last night......

One that only he's invited to, I'd expect.

 

[al78]

The hype about Covid-19 is staggering. Far more people die from 'flu and TB (yes, TB!) than from this virus. The government and media hype is creating a self-sustaining downturn in everything, including panic-buying and medical stock-piling that is both unnecessary and incredibly selfish.

The issues are that it is a highly contageous virus with roughly a 2% mortality rate for those who catch it (biased towards the frail), and people can be walking around with it before they know they have it. The latter is what makes it potentially very nasty because it provides the ideal conditions for spreading it. Given the dense populations many people live in, the conditions are ideal for the virus to propagate exponentially through human populations, unless measures are taken early to try and nip it in the bud. You don't wait for disaster before taking countermeasures when you are aware what the risk it. If you have tens, or hundreds of thousands of people catching it, that will equate to a couple of hundred deaths, but many thousands confined to hospital or isolation. Firstly, do we have the capacity in our hospitals to deal with this if it starts to get to that level. Secondly, with all these people in quarantine, who is going to take over and perform the jobs and services necessary for a functioning society? Perhaps it is best to try and stop it getting that bad, which means repeated public awareness, and hammering the hygiene point home.

 

[AM9]

No, the water companies will be complaining about water shortages with everyone washing their hands for two rounds of Happy Birthday every time they move from seat to kitchen to table to seat.
Two hours isolation is enough to know there is nothing worth watching on TV.
I note Amazaon keeps running out of Survivors DVD's - A TV series based on the release of a deadly virus and the subsequent collapse of society!

Can't speak for where you are but in the south, there is pressure for everybody to be on water meters. Add that to the fact that water tables and reservoirs are as topped up as they can be, the water companies are keen to sell us as much water as we can flush down the drains. That's if the drains don't get blocked with non water-soluble tissues.

 

[Bantamzen]

Cook it when you've got time (if you've got a slow cooker this can be zero effort - just shove everything in, stir it up and turn it on, though I prefer the taste from hob-cooking it). Put it in food storage boxes and in the freezer. When you get home at 2300, stick it in the microwave, same as you would the tinned stuff.

If you want to be *really* lazy, put the rice in the boxes too. Some people have a thing about reheating rice, but it's fine as long as you freeze it immediately after cooking.

As a single person I do loads of things like this - bolognaise, curry etc. It's cheaper than premium ready meals, far nicer than cheap ones/tins, and is just as practical. I tend just to do a massive vat of each in the first week after a monthly-ish big shop then spend the rest of the month eating it all up.

Sorry but home made, slow cooked chilli is by far the best option, especially if prepared the day before . I often make it when family & friends are coming around, and I know its good because I have to portion off some for myself of it otherwise I won't get a look in! That happened once, and chef was not amused!

And talking about spicy food, I know the government is considering asking anyone with fever-like symptoms to self-isolate, but coming from a city renounced for its curries, how will any of us know if a fever is a real one, or just the after effects of a good session and a curry….

 

[Grumpy Git]

Sorry but home made, slow cooked chilli is by far the best option, especially if prepared the day before . I often make it when family & friends are coming around, and I know its good because I have to portion off some for myself of it otherwise I won't get a look in! That happened once, and chef was not amused!

And talking about spicy food, I know the government is considering asking anyone with fever-like symptoms to self-isolate, but coming from a city renounced for its curries, how will any of us know if a fever is a real one, or just the after effects of a good session and a curry….

Joking apart, if you have never had 'flu, you certainly will know if you do get it.

 

[Bantamzen]

Joking apart, if you have never had 'flu, you certainly will know if you do get it.

Yeah, I have had it once & it is not nice at all. Does always make me laugh though when colleagues have flu for a couple of days...

 

[DarloRich]

Does this suggest people in your neck of the woods don’t normally use soap??

Maybe. I never wash my hands.

Perhaps more likely people have seen the government advice and started consuming soap at a much higher level than usual.

$**%, I nearly entirely agree with a post by DarloRich. Times must be bad.

most kind

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yeah, I have had it once & it is not nice at all. Does always make me laugh though when colleagues have flu for a couple of days...

What they mean is "man flu", which is typically overtalking a mild common cold.

 

[Meerkat]

What they mean is "man flu", which is typically overtalking a mild common cold.

i don’t think that’s really fair. Flu is in common usage as meaning a severe cold (as opposed to sniffles) - ie feverish and knackered but not to true flu levels. The difference between an inconvenient cold and a debilitating cold. When they mean flu people tend to say “actual” or “real” flu.

 

[miami]

Don't forget the female equievelent of "man flu" -- bird flu.

 

[nlogax]

Don't forget the female equievelent of "man flu" -- bird flu.

Oof. I believe that's your coat over there

 

[Howardh]

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To open the bowling for Lancashire!!!


What???

 

[Howardh]

Joking apart, if you have never had 'flu, you certainly will know if you do get it.

Nora virus. Probably the worst illness I have ever had; grief it was awful, felt like my innards were trying to escape my body. Got no sleep for 36hrs as I was permanently on the toilet (and had a bucket). Started with shivering and not feeling so good, thought it was just (just!) flu but my boss at the pharmacy sent me home, and by the heck I'm glad he did.

Wend down from 10st 10 to just over 10st in three days.

 

[Howardh]

Don't forget the female equievelent of "man flu" -- bird flu.

Two doctors are walking along a pavement when they notice a 23-yr-old busty blonde on the surgery roof. She jumps off, flaps her arms a bit and falls splat onto the pavement in front of them.

"That's the worst case of bird flew I've seen this season" said the doc.