That's interesting, Hops, I've found that looking at the big picture makes me feel more anxious, whereas keeping an eye on my personal risk level (by seeing how many infected people are in the area) makes me feel better - although interestingly it hasn't changed my habits in terms of going out, it's still just once a week to the cinema. I think I've become very tuned in to what increases my anxiety and what doesn't at the moment, and I think maybe it's changed from normal for me? I did see that one of the hospitals is full and has no more capacity just now. It's odd that what I'm watching happen everywhere at the minute is all stuff that's affected us personally for years. Reporting, for example, is quite reckless, I feel. The headline about that hospital being full is very alarming. If it had said 'overflow hospital opening up to cope with demand' it's still clear that demand is increasing but it doesn't elicit the same panic because it focuses on what's being done about it. I've had that a lot with my son over the years - "we can't meet his needs" rather than "we can't meet his needs right now, but here's what we'll do about it long term and here's how we'll support both of you in the meantime". I've noticed in myself that the first induces panic and makes me feel very alone whilst the second makes me feel calmer and supported. It's just interesting to me to see that happening on a much bigger scale here at the moment (and I do think I've detached myself from it a lot - self preservation I guess). It's interesting to see how different people cope in different ways. One friend is like me; minimal risks daily, not going out, no visitors, whilst her husband is a news junky and wants the reports on constantly (they've had to compromise; he has the news on his phone, not the TV, and he has to ring his geeky science friend to talk about it, not talk to her lol). She calls me and we do the mum stuff of what the kids have been doing and what our most recent baking attempts have been like (hers are usually good, mine aren't). That feels normal for both of us.
Nationally I've no idea what's going on and neither does anyone else, by the sound of it. They've got different lockdowns in different areas for different reasons, different levels of support for different groups of people, different scientists saying different things, everyone's got a different idea of how this should all be managed. I've gone full on mad bird feeding lady and the tree outside our house is full of birds morning and evening now, with a line of cats sitting on the wall just waiting patiently lol. Our cat ignores all of it and just stays inside sleeping.