Coronavirus: Should I Be Stockpiling?
I don’t know about you, but I tend to ignore the news once it starts to panic about flooding/cold weather/train strikes (or insert other disaster here). And generally nothing happens when I do. But today, I went out to the supermarket, and found it nearly empty. Of course, we all know why this is, unless you’ve been living under a particularly large rock for about 4 months.
A recent survey carried out by Retail Economics found that up to 1 in 10 UK consumers was stockpiling supplies. Predictably, canned food and medicine is being hoarded, as well as toilet roll (bizarrely). Major supermarket chains have started rationing products to ensure fair distribution. So, you might find yourself asking – should I be hoarding?
In short, no.
Having said this, it’s fast becoming clear that coronavirus is having, and will continue to have, huge impacts on our life as schools close and more and more people begin self-isolating. However, it is unhelpful to rank diseases by how much we should worry about them. Instead, in this article, I’m going to try to dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions about the coronavirus and give some advice about how to keep yourself safe. However, it is important I say – I’m not a doctor. I’ve taken some advice from the NHS. This being said, if you are extremely unwell, please talk to a medical professional (via NHS 111) and don’t put full stock in me.
Firstly, the statistics. Worldwide, there have been approximately 216,994 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Of these, about 8,900 people have died [as of 9am 19/3/20]. So overall, the death rate is about 3%. It is important to read into this a little bit however. The mortality rate for people below the age of 50 is still less than 0.5%. The death rate for older demographics is considerably higher, but this is also the case for flu. It’s reassuring to look at the recovery rate – of the 100,000 infected, approximately 60,000 have made a full recovery already.
So, what is there to say about this?
Well for one thing, in terms of mortality rate, the coronavirus is considerably more dangerous than the seasonal flu. The flu can be extremely dangerous, particularly if you have any underlying health conditions. So yes, you should definitely be aware of it. If you have any elderly relatives, it’s really important to take steps not to spread coronavirus to them. This may involve avoiding seeing them if you are unwell. If your relative is in a care home, then it is a good idea to discuss with the care home their plans for preventing the spread of the disease within the home.
The coronavirus is, rightfully, something that world health organisations are worried about because any disease that has the potential to kill people is a worry. The rate of spread of coronavirus is a concern for many reasons, and you should take measures to keep yourself safe (see the end of this article, or https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ for advice).
However, it’s important to keep perspective. For the vast majority of people who catch it, the coronavirus will be nothing worse than a particularly bad flu. Not only that, but there’s very little you can do should you catch it anyway. There are no drugs that are particularly effective, the treatment is to rest and get over it. It’s also worth bearing in mind that as coronavirus is so new, a lot of the data is unchecked. It is hard to get an accurate value for things like the mortality rate or the number of people that the disease is spread to.
We are all sometimes vulnerable to panic, but the hysteria surrounding coronavirus seems to be starting to get out of control. Building up a small store of essential supplies is sensible; in case you are asked to self-isolate. However, there is absolutely no need to hoard. By this, I mean no one needs to buy hundreds of packs of toilet roll or hand sanitiser. In doing this, you are actually causing much more harm. There is a very small subset of people for whom coronavirus is genuinely dangerous. Stockpiling excessively can prevent these people obtaining medicine/soap that they may actually need, when it’s considerably less important for you. This is the same for buying masks – you absolutely don’t need them, but health professionals do. Not only this, but in all likelihood, you can always get a delivery of food/supplies if self-isolation becomes necessary.
Similarly, please do not go to your GP with what you believe to be coronavirus symptoms. For one thing, you may infect other people, and there is very little special treatment that the doctor can provide you anyway. For another, certain people may genuinely need medical assistance and you’re only making it more difficult for them to access it. If you believe you have coronavirus, contact NHS 111 for advice.
Coronavirus is serious, but we should stay sensible and keep calm. Do the following things to keep yourself safe:
Wash your hands more often, and properly (20 seconds, with hot water and soap, https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/)
Avoid touching your face unless your hands are clean.
Stay calm. Panic can make it hard to recognise actual symptoms, and overcrowding hospitals or supermarkets may put people in actual danger.
Avoid public transport if possible, especially at rush hour.
Seriously, stop taking medical advice from anyone who’s not a doctor (notably, ignore any Instagram influencers advertising some home remedy for coronavirus). Go to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ for your advice.
If you have elderly relatives, discuss with them or their carers the best way to protect them from the virus. This is particularly important for relatives in care homes.
Cover your mouth with a tissue (not your hands) if you sneeze or cough.
Avoid close contact with people who are visibly unwell.
Avoid mass gatherings, like pubs, clubs, etc.
Self-isolate if necessary.
Be wary of misinformation, take your advice directly from public health officials or the government, not what might be circulating on social media.
If you think you may be unwell, do not go to your GP or doctors. Contact NHS 111 (NOT 999) and they can give you advice about what to do.
Written by Griffin Farrow
I’m Griffin – hi! I’m a PhD student in Physics in London, and yep, that makes me about as boring as it sounds. In my spare time, I try to work out what to do with myself. I’m new to this writing thing, so please be sympathetic!