Last Minute Changes and Coronavirus

Hello there. I myself have been struggling to cope with all the recent developments. Public transport services have become considerably less busy, and some could get reduced at any time. Being autistic, and a transport enthusiast, I find it upsetting that any weekday bus or train services should get reduced, possibly to a Saturday-style timetable. That situation can seriously disrupt my general routine, even when I'm at home, and not using public transport. Priority should be given to those in need, including the elderly, the physically disabled, and those with hidden disabilities such as autism. 

In my personal opinion, the inconsiderate shopper behaviour, and those allegedly overhyped media stories, have added to my anxiety. We should be hearing less about the rising number of coronavirus cases, and more about the rising number of people making full recoveries with no health problems.

In some stores, priority shopping hours have been given to vulnerable people. There ought to be another priority period, perhaps at around lunchtime (a 'quiet period') where all stores and other high street facilities become more accommodating to the autistic - reduced bright lighting, reduced checkout noises, priority checkouts for disabled people only and so on.

I sincerely hope that, in the interests of the autistic, the situation with the coronavirus crisis eases soon. I will not have a high street without any publicly open facilities, and being stuck at home would be unacceptable, even to those that do not have any coronavirus symptoms.

Hello there. I myself have been struggling to cope with all the recent developments. Public transport services have become considerably less busy, and some could get reduced at any time. Being autistic, and a transport enthusiast, I find it upsetting that any weekday bus or train services should get reduced, possibly to a Saturday-style timetable. That situation can seriously disrupt my general routine, even when I'm at home, and not using public transport. Priority should be given to those in need, including the elderly, the physically disabled, and those with hidden disabilities such as autism. 

In my personal opinion, the inconsiderate shopper behaviour, and those allegedly overhyped media stories, have added to my anxiety. We should be hearing less about the rising number of coronavirus cases, and more about the rising number of people making full recoveries with no health problems.

In some stores, priority shopping hours have been given to vulnerable people. There ought to be another priority period, perhaps at around lunchtime (a 'quiet period') where all stores and other high street facilities become more accommodating to the autistic - reduced bright lighting, reduced checkout noises, priority checkouts for disabled people only and so on.

I sincerely hope that, in the interests of the autistic, the situation with the coronavirus crisis eases soon. I will not have a high street without any publicly open facilities, and being stuck at home would be unacceptable, even to those that do not have any coronavirus symptoms.

We have the same hourly bus service Monday to Saturday, and none on Sunday, so I don't see that changing unless it's stopped completely.

I got quite anxious about going shopping yesterday, in case I had to change my buying habits a lot, but it was OK, and they had nearly all the usual things I buy, with no restrictions on them. It was busier than usual, but busy in rural West Wales is like quiet in much of Britain!

We've got the start of people supporting each other in my village, with a few people offering to do shopping and help out in other ways where it's needed. It looks like my van is off the road again, and my neighbour has offered to collect pills that my dog needs from the vet. My dog needs stitches removed after an operation last week, and she's offered to remove them as she's a retired district nurse, so I don't need to take her to the vet. I e-mailed photos of the affected area to the vet, and she was happy it was healing well. I find it really difficult to connect with people well enough to ask for help, but this is a situation that affects everyone, and anyone could need help at the moment, not just those who struggle all the time, so maybe that makes it easier (or less difficult) to ask. Of course it depends on having public spirited people living nearby to make it happen.