Twitter users in the UK have been deploying the #COVID2019uk hashtag to express their fears, frustrations and irritations over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the government's response to the epidemic, and what they feel is a disproportionate reaction by elements of the public.
For example, despite assurances from officials that bulk purchasing of products is not necessary, there are those who have engaged in "panic buying":
I'm frustrated & pissed off with THE STUPID panic buyers.
— Laura. (@lauradorothy_) March 9, 2020
Some people need things like painkillers to function on a daily basis. I had an op just over 2 weeks ago, need to take ibuprofen & paracetamol every so often.
STOP BEING SO FUCKING SELFISH! 🤬#COVID2019uk #panicbuyinguk pic.twitter.com/sciCjDL9g8
Can’t believe that people are stockpiling water , what’s wrong with tap water 🙄
— B ENVELOPE (@peter47_p) March 10, 2020
The UK at it's finest! #TESCOonline#COVID2019uk pic.twitter.com/ijlI1zCU8b
— MJS_Stardust (@MJS_stardust) March 10, 2020
UK STORES NEED TO PUT A LIMIT PER CUSTOMER ON BUYING ESSENTIALS LIKE WATER, PARACETAMOL, IBUPROFEN, HAND SANITIZER, TOILET PAPER, THERES ENOUGH TO GO AROUND STOP BEING SO SELFISH #COVID2019uk #coronavirusuk
— Kayz (@NWKayz) March 10, 2020
Supermarkets have reportedly been implementing ration policies to prevent mass purchases of certain products such as toilet paper, long-life milk, pasta, and hand sanitiser gel.
Meanwhile the comedic side of things have not been lost on people either:
😂😂 nice one asda #coronavirusuk #toiletroll pic.twitter.com/CWshkitS9q
— Laura cufc (@laurabarr38) March 9, 2020
Raiders of the last toilet roll #COVID2019uk Don't panic. We have stocks of high quality 5 ply. Yes, 5 ply! Toilet tissue available now 👍👍👍👍https://t.co/oSwUMqL8xj pic.twitter.com/EucYGUQzXR
— Regal Wholesale & Distribution (@RegalUK) March 10, 2020
I know ppl ar scared & afraid of the Coronavirus but I hope this will cheer u up #coronavirus #coronavirusitalIa #lockdown #COVID2019 #COVID2019uk #CODVID19italia pic.twitter.com/VwY95TqBfA
— Natural (@CTNatural) March 10, 2020
There is also an amusing coincidence with a thriller published in 1981:
Can someone tell me how a book released in 1981 has managed to predict exactly what’s going on in our current situation? Dodgy as... #coronavirus #COVID19 #COVID2019uk pic.twitter.com/M1tfDPID66
— Alex Thorley (@ThorleyAlex) March 10, 2020
People have also been using the hashtag to try and put things into proportion and offer advice:
Having chatted again to my pal who is working on coronavirus, she said again that for the vast majority of people she’s spoken to who have it, it’s like mild flu. The isolation is to protect people with compromised immune systems for whom the virus could be deadly.
— Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) March 9, 2020
If you can’t bring yourself to wash your hands to the National Anthem then maybe follow the Texan approach #COVID2019uk - whatever it takes - just make sure it’s a good 20 seconds!!!! Y’all..... pic.twitter.com/Jsysb73PnK
— Craig Ritchie (@craig_ritchie68) March 10, 2020
As of 9am on 10 March the UK has recorded six deaths (including two elderly patients with underlying health problems) and 18 recoveries, out of 373 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections.
UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) March 10, 2020
As of 9am 10 March 2020, a total of 26,261 people have been tested:
25,888 negative.
373 positive.
6 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.
▶️https://t.co/VdU3Lzcrhl pic.twitter.com/YBj4AdnXEF
According to Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 live interactive database there are currently 116,146 total confirmed cases worldwide, with 64,385 recoveries (55.43%) and 4,088 deaths (3.52%), as of 2:13:14 PM on 10 March 2020.
By comparison, influenza kills an estimated 0.1% of those infected annually, while SARS and MERS had fatality rates of 9 - 10% and 36% respectively.
