Coping during the Coronavirus outbreak

[Sophie_M]

We recognise that many of us here in the community are feeling scared, worried and overwhelmed about Coronavirus (COVID19). 

As a result, we created this thread to allow people to come together here during those difficult times and encouraged those wanting to share or seek support to do so here in this space. 
 
It was important with this thread that we maintained perspective and supported each other as best as we could, medical, scientific and public health experts around the world have and still are working hard to contain the virus and treat those affected. 
 
The Beyond Blue Support Service is available via phone 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via beyondblue.org.au/get-support for online chat. 
 
There are some other helpful discussions taking place here within our forum community that you may find helpful to read or participate in: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/hi-there-i-only-just-joined-and... 

This thread is now closed for further posting. Users are still able to read through and find support through already existing posts.  

[Doolhof]

Hi Paul,

Hope your Mum is doing okay and she will be able to receive all the help and care she needs in the future.

I was talking to a lovely lady the other day in her 90's and she was talking about the "Bad Air Disease" (being Covid.) I guess in her life she would have experienced many things.

Hope your Mum has a lovely Christmas, you too and same to all reading.

Covid may make us adjust our plans a little. Hope we all manage okay. Cheers.

[Hanna3]

I'm wearing a mask indoors. It's to help protect myself and others by restricting the spread of the virus. Delta is still spreading along with omicron. Wearing a mask and using sanitiser is the least we can do.

[Ggrand]

Hello Everyone...l.🤗,

Hanna, I still will be wearing a mask when I go shopping...My town is so small, that if one person contacts COVID..it could easily spread through the whole town....and the guilt I would feel if I spread it around to the other residents would be crippling...

Paul...I hope your beautiful mother has a wonderful Christmas and wish her all the best health that I can....

My eldest son and dil refuse to get vaccinated, they have 5 children and a grandson...3 young children still living at home....unvaccinated as well....ES owns his own business and each week has at least 50 plus people going through his doors...50+ chances of contracting COVID and bringing it home to his children and grandchild....my grandchildren , my great grandchild....and I am powerless to change their mind on getting their family vaccinated....

I can’t see them, for this reason....and it’s breaking my heart that COVID could be brought home to them any day...My ES doesn’t believe it’s as bad as the media is making it out to be, even though his sil lost her father to COVID....they still are adamant that they won’t get vaccinated...I pray each day that they and their children stay safe and healthy....

Its a constant concern....My hands are tied because I cannot “force them to be vaccinated “...They are adults and have their own ideas on what’s happening...but the children are so young and because of that, they have no say in being vaccinated or not....It’s just so unfair...I have heart problems and cannot catch COVID because it would be to hard for me to survive it, my Dr. has said...

I wish the vaccine would be mandatory if you have small children living with you...or elderly people. because their voices have been muffled, taken away, by family members who think they know better then the professionals and scientists....

How very sad is that is....I really do feel for you Paul...and others who cannot see their loved ones because they refuse to be vaccinated...

Kind thoughts to everyone....

Grandy...

[Guest_1055]

Why are people so scared about catching "it", if they are vaccinated and say they are protected. If they are protected from it, how can they possibly catch it.

This just has never made sense to me.

[Hanna3]

Hi shell,

The vaccination does not stop you contracting the virus, you still catch it but you don't get as sick as an unvaccinated person because the vaccine gives you antibodies to fight it. The vaccine needs a booster to help you fight against the Omicron strain.

I hope this makes things clearer. Even fully vaccinated people can still get extremely sick, but the vaccination does help most people fight off being in hospital and in intensive care.

[Hanna3]

I think the best way to understand the vaccine is that it helps prevent SEVERE illness from the virus. You can still catch the virus and pass it on to others but in general you are much less sick than unvaccinated people. However some unlucky people get very sick even fully vaccinated.

It generally protects you from illness that is bad enough that you require hospitalisation and intensive care.

So it gives you significant protection and helps reduce the load on our health care system.

I'm fully vaccinated but still aware if I catch the virus I can get sick. However I should be much less sick than someone who hasn't been vaccinated.

Hope this helps!

[mmMekitty]

Thanks Hanna.

For people who have some other illnesses, especially if they have immune systems are not working properly still can become very ill if they catch COVID-19, whatever strain it is. Delta hasn't gone away, but Omicron may take over, becoming the most prevalent strain, until, perhaps another strai emerges.

People are going to be working on making vaccines which better protect us, or which can be more easily modified when new strains come along. I'm thinking, we'll eventually end up with an annual COVID vacs, alongside our annual Flu vacs.

It does take a little while for our immune systems to 'learn' & deal with new viruses. Our immune systems are not A+ students, so the lesson has to be reinforced. We do that with the booster, so our immune systems will learn better how to recognise & respond to the invading virus.

I hope I have helped too.

mmMekitty

[Ggrand]

Hi Shelly and everyone...

Shelly I’m not scared of catching it...it’s if I did and I passed it on to someone else and they got very sick or worse....I could never forgive myself if I done that....

Kind thoughts everyone..

Grandy..

[Guest_1643]

Interesting discussion...

I'm so frustrated in vic how many times they keep changing the rules and restrictions

How much is a human expected to adapt and be at ease with rules that keep changing ?

I honestly don't know if I'm allowed to go maskless in a Cafe....the confusion and changes scare me and upset my sense of calm.

Big breaths are needed just to cope.

[Mk2692]

Hi Shell,

I think people are scared of the unknown, as everything seems to be unpredictable with the virus and there are so many changes happening, it can be difficult for some people to adapt and process these changes. Even if a person is vaccinated, they are still able to catch the virus, although the severity of the infection would be less. I understand your frustration around this, I think everyone is also frustrated how this virus caused so much fear and changed our lives. Hopefully the new year brings better things and more opportunities.