Covid - 19: How is it affecting you?

[AtomKraft]

Probes.
No idea!
If you find out please let me know....

[Capetonian]

My (sterling) investment portfolio has fallen by 21% since 31DEC19.

Have I lost that money? No.

Am I panicking? No.

This is the view of the asset management company and seems a sensible one. I know people who have sold large investments to 'cut their losses', which means they have turned a potential loss into an actual loss, and that someone else has picked up those assets and will sit on them until they rise, as they will, and make a profit.

What is our view?

This is not the time to panic or throw in the towel. There is no doubt that the coronavirus is a major threat to human health, as well as a major threat to national and global economic health. However, we continue to believe the coronavirus impact will be transitory and expect markets to rebound in the second part of this year. Indeed, central banks and governments are already riding to the rescue, cutting rates and promising fiscal spending to soften the impact of the virus on corporates and consumers.

As always, the key to equity investment remains the ability to be calm and stay invested during times of stress. History shows us that equity markets tend to recover fairly quickly following the worst dips, with the most painful falls often followed by the largest gains. With investor sentiment plummeting, the ongoing correction will also provide opportunities. We are keeping a close eye on both the evolving outlook and asset prices in order to assess whether to take any action.

[4mastacker]

Wasn't it our very own Angels who said you only make a loss if you actually sell shares when the price is down and you aren't losing anything if you hang on to them?

[Alisoncc]

Well I spent the whole day making Sauerkraut. Given the talk about us oldies being placed in isolation, I determined that my survival is entirely dependant upon my own abilities. Raw sauerkraut plays an important role in strengthening the immune system.

Started off with this Huuge green cabbage, weighed over 7kgs, but also added half a red/purple cabbage for the colour. By time I had stripped off the outer leaves etc. I reckon I had nearly 8kgs of cabbage all up. Made five large mason jars of kraut. Takes about three weeks of fermenting before it's really good to eat.

Alison

[om15]

SiL has a business in London, well established in over 20 years, he provides waiting staff, chamber maids and so on, he went down with flu like symptoms several weeks ago, dialed 111 and was told to go to bed. What ever it was has passed, but business has dropped by over 50%, he has sent his office staff to work at home, still has out goings but little incomings. He won't keep it going for too long, plus the agency staff that he employs will move on to find something else.
If we magnify this by several thousand then that is the picture in the large towns.
I have just cancelled a trip with Easy Jet to Inverness next month, magnify this by several thousand and that is what Easy Jet is facing.

Nobody in the pub yesterday is self isolating, bags of over 70s having pints and enjoying themselves, but lets see how long this continues.

I think that we might be facing the biggest challenge since WWII in the UK, tip of the iceberg so far.

[Fliegenmong]

Well done you Alison!! , I'm yet to attempt making homemade Sauerkraut...I did make homemade cottage cheese a few weeks back

Thankfully I stood firm and Hawaiian Airlines cancelled our flights, for which they have offered full refunds. (i.e. We didn't cancel with them)

This is a far better outcome than had we booked with Jetstar, or even QF as I understand their policy is offering a flight credit for use within 12 months, (add that as another reason J* and by extension, where possible, QF are on my no Fly list!)

[llondel]

The only time you cut your losses is if the company goes bust and the shares end up with no value at all. If you've bailed out half way then you saved some of your money.

[boing]

Put some early potatoes in extra early yesterday. They will take a while to grow but when they shoot it will provide something to look forward to. We are pretty well supplied since our steep drive can be unusable for a few days after a good snow storm so we keep a good stock of essentials but if this thing drags on it would be good to look forward to living off the garden. There are only the two of us and the house is at the end of a steep long drive with no neighbors so isolation is no problem.

Son flies commercially and says even domestic flights are nearly empty so he expects further flight reductions.

.

[Undried Plum]

Both the Chinky in my nearby village, and the two best ones in my local market town, are shut down until Friday evening.

Not a nutritional disaster, but an indicator.

'Footfall' in town High Street was noticeably quiet. Almost absent actually, other than my own clodship (is that a word?).

Asked in several shops when buying other stuff. All said that they were out of pasta; bogroll; soap; sanitiser etc.

This thing seems to be getting a bit close to Home for comfort.

Methinks one needs to draw up a list of non-food items that Chateau Plum needs with which to live well for three to four months.

One is not a 'prepper' but ....

[OFSO]

I took the train over to Kingston and back this morning to see a rather posh houseboat for sale (two floors, atrium, two double bedrooms and full climate control) and if there were less people about at Waterloo it wasn't by much, although exceptionally I did get a seat on the bus without being offered one. The train was empty but at my free travel time it always is. Plenty of people in the gigantic Bentall shopping complex and Boots had their own paracetamol at 80p a pack.

[probes]

My home shops are back to normal - as soon as people saw the new rolls are rolling in.
Which reminds me,

Probes.
No idea!
If you find out please let me know....

- well, what's the item in demand now instead of flying...

(and no, AK, I know it's not funny actually).

Also, had my 'mass meeting' reduced to two participants, with the acupuncture guy.

[PHXPhlyer]

Grocery stores here cut back hours to give employees more time to sanitize and restock stores. Went in 30 minutes after opening and both stores had not been restocked. All of the expected stuff not to be found. don't know about the sanitary status. Nothing to touch as nothing there that I needed. Did self-sanitize the handle on the cart.

PP

[probes]

What did you need, btw?
I bought cheese, garlic, spread cheese, olives and bread. The self-payment thingy surfaces smelled of disinfectant enough to make one dizzy. Would have been jailed for drunk driving if the police weren't having other troubles, I guess.

[G-CPTN]

I thought I would acquire a small hand-sanitiser gel for when I am out - but none of the possible outlets in town had anything available.

I went into the local village chemists and asked when they might have supplies and whether they might keep one for me - "computer says no".

[larsssnowpharter]

A few new things for us:

1. We were booked to see Les Miserables at the Theatre Royal this weekend. Understandably cancelled but we had been looking forward to it. I saw it in the West End when the superb Lea Salonga was in it.

2. We have had a confirmed case at our local junior school. The school remains open but around a third of kids absent. Playgrounds in the park eerily empty.

3. Sproglettes accusing PM of contradictory statements in promoting non-socialising and keeping schools open. Me trying to explain that the nurses and doctors in hospitals would need to go home to look after kids.

[ricardian]

Went into town to visit our brand-new hospital today. Lots of activity to make it "covid-19" ready. Minor surgery cancelled for Mon, Tue & Wed this week.
I didn't visit any of the supermarkets but a friend who went into Tesco & Lidl reported shelves empty of bread, loo roll & tissues. No such problems on our island but the two shops are making preparations for home delivery, etc. As I am 76 and have COPD & diabetes I guess that I'll be one of the first for the chop!

[larsssnowpharter]

Don't be so sure of that, Ricardian.

I have a very good friend who is a highly qualified GP. I mean she has more post nominals after her name than HM and lectures in the UK and abroad.

We spoke about my father, aged 97 and a fit, tough old bird.

Her view is that people like him have survived to such an age because they are "tough old birds" and may well defy the statistics.

[probes]

I thought I would acquire a small hand-sanitiser gel for when I am out - but none of the possible outlets in town had anything available.
I went into the local village chemists and asked when they might have supplies and whether they might keep one for me - "computer says no".

What about a nice little bottle of vodka? Should do the trick for sure?

[TheGreenGoblin]

Popped into our local Italian tonight, and dunked my hand into their rubbing alcohol sanitiser and was tempted to have a sip!

Perhaps it is time to take the pledge.

Was scheduled for a blood test at the local surgery on Wednesday morning... received this message late this afternoon...

DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK <REDACTED> HEALTH CENTRE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.
IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT THE SURGERY PLEASE DO SO BY TELEPHONE.
APPOINTMENTS WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN BOOKED WILL NOW BE A TELEPHONE APPOINTMENT INSTEAD.
MEDICATIONS FROM DISPENSARY CAN BE COLLECTED BETWEEN 2PM AND 4PM ONLY.


I look forward to the interview. Blood on the telephone line I guess.

[ricardian]

Oh yes!