Public reaction if there is another major lockdown

[bathsh3ba]

My daughters and I have been out and about enjoying the relaxation of restrictions (within the rules). Everyone seems so happy to be out and honestly not many seem to be socially distancing. At first I was nervous and now I guess we are used to it though still distance as much as we can. The impression I get in our area at least is that everyone has mentally had enough and in their heads they have moved on and consider we are on our way out. I really hope we are and it's great to see numbers still consistently going down - but it makes me wonder how people would react if there is another major lockdown. Would most still comply?

[Sstrongtn]

Wouldn’t have any choice of things are closed but I’d still be having people to my house and seeing my family.

People would mix.

[Sparklingbrook]

Some would some wouldn’t I think. It would be very difficult.
I haven’t done anything since the restrictions relaxed slightly last Monday except go out for lunch but it was still all temperatures/masks and QR codes so not that relaxing really.

[Magnificentmug12]

No I don’t think so. I would like to say I would and mean it but I just don’t think I can. My life is no different in or out of lockdown and I’m really really making an effort to have a life, so another lockdown would feel like swimming against the tide.

[Sillyduckseverywhere]

It would depend if provisions were made for me and my non resident partner.
If not, then no.
I wouldn't follow restrictions again. I stopped following them after 2 months of being unable to see him.
I was also furious at people living with families dictating that I should spend my time alone.

[Sparklingbrook]

@Sstrongtn

Wouldn’t have any choice of things are closed but I’d still be having people to my house and seeing my family.

People would mix.

I agree that some compliance is unavoidable. If hospitality/non essential retail/hairdressers shut you have to comply.

[lljkk]

Yeah for sure Public would comply in huge majority I reckon.

So far BoJo has talked the public into everything, and backtracked often with perceived grace.

The impression I get is that BJ will continue to do that persuasion well if required. Especially if he waits until it's "too late" according to the "Shut the borders!" proponents, because in the past each lockdown has been followed by a definite rise in deaths, so people can see the Lockdown seemed like only way to stop even larger count of deaths.

the British will grumble but they always grumble. Grumbling doesn't mean widespread poor compliance at all. Somehow govt can keep boring huge sums of money to stop people from losing home & their business.

I guess real reason to have no more Lockdowns could be govt can't afford it... except lots of voices say govt CAN afford it. That debt & deficit are fine to make ridiculously enormous. I wish someone could explain to me why it's ok. But seems like as long as they can keep boring money forever, then cycles of lockdowns will be successful forever.

[MynameisJune]

I went out yesterday with friends and we said we are doing as much as we can in case we get a 3rd wave and have to lockdown again. A lot of people I know have had their vaccine now and are therefore no longer socially distancing. I think lots would break the rules if we had another lockdown.

[lljkk]

*boring = borrowing...

[SnuggyBuggy]

I'm not convinced there would be protests or anything like that, I think more and more people are just going to ignore rules.

[upsydaisyssinging]

There's loads of things I wouldn't have a choice about (ie going swimming, kids schools, pubs etc) but I couldn't stick with the rules in areas I had control over again.
I've mostly stuck to it til now but wouldn't again. There's no longer a moral argument now the most vulnerable are vaccinated.

[RhubarbTea]

Yeah I've been wondering about this too, both whether we will get another lockdown (would they dare, even if it was merited?) and if they did, how people would react and whether they'd adhere to it.

The majority of people do seem to have this narrative that the pandemic is starting to finish now because it's been a year, and I just don't have that confidence. Obviously I can't talk about this with friends as they'd just think I was a debbie downer. And I mean, I do want it to be the beginning of the end, I'm just not sure that it is iyswim.

[EnoughnowIthink]

My assumption would be that if there were another lockdown, it would be because the numbers of infections, hospitalisations and deaths were increasing. We would be calling for something to be done - like the last two times - and the majority would comply because that would be the right thing to do.

[Shopliftersoftheworldunite]

I would break the rules. I have had covid, and both vaccines. My parents have been vaccinated. Many of my friends have been vaccinated because we work in healthcare so I would say the risk is low to the majority of people I would socialise with.

Lockdown bought time, and I was pro-lockdown initially but i have lost that now. If the lockdown was to buy time to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed, what have the government done as a longer term strategy to increase nhs capacity? More money? More incentives to train as nursing staff? Increased bed and staffing capacity?

It was everyone’s responsibility to protect the nhs when it was a novel virus that no one knew much about, no one had any immunity and it was ripping through the population in a way we didn’t understand. A year later, that responsibility to protect the nhs lies solely with the government and they should get on with it - rather than demanding we all live under severe restrictions for an indefinite amount of time. Lockdown must never happen again.

[everythingthelighttouches]

Everything lljkk said.

I think you have to remember that if there was another lockdown it would be because things had taken a very wrong turn and deaths would be rising rapidly again.

It has amazed me how the national mood has changed so quickly back and forth over the last year.

Boris is not taking a proactive approach and locking down at a few cases like Australia. He always waits until many people are saying “for Christ’s sake!” (e.g. Cheltenham or a few days before Christmas) before doing it.

I am getting concerned that India may turn out to be the next Cheltenham...

[frozendaisy]

Going to continue to enjoy the easing of this one and not think about the possible next.

But yes we would comply, we are middle aged, middle class family with kids. What exactly are our options?

[SunnySideAndMarmite]

Sillyduckseverywhere
I was also furious at people living with families dictating that I should spend my time alone.

YY. I was really appalled at the lack of empathy or fairness around this.

Overall, I don't think people would comply with another lockdown in the same way, unless there was a new virus or mutation of covid and the deaths had started piling up to quite a high level. Even then I suspect there would be more quiet low-level rule breaking.

[TheVampiresWife]

I will be fully vaccinated by the time any new lockdown is imposed, as will the vast majority of vulnerable people and a massive percentage of adults. I won't be avoiding public transport/travel where possible etc as I have done in previous lockdowns. And I don't think compliance would be as forthcoming from others, either.

[Racoonworld]

I think some people would comply but the majority wouldn’t. Of course if pubs aren’t open you can’t go in, but most people will carry on mixing in houses. I won’t comply with another lockdown, I gave up during the last one and started seeing my family again and most of my friends did the same.

[CrazyHorse]

I also think there would be quiet low level rule breaking. I can see it now anyway. I was all for lockdown, but it can't continue for ever and ever.

I think we would be more likely continue to go about our business (hair appointments etc) but with stringent mask wearing and social distancing.

[Overthebow]

I'm not even sure why we'd need another lockdown. Surely if vaccines are keeping hospitalisations down it won't be needed?

[paralysedbyinertia]

Same as the other lockdowns.

Some people will be conscientious and follow the rules. Others will be selfish and do their own thing.

[Racoonworld]

@paralysedbyinertia

Same as the other lockdowns.

Some people will be conscientious and follow the rules. Others will be selfish and do their own thing.

It's not selfish to see your own family after more than a year of lockdowns.

[Buzzinwithbez]

We haven't complied with interpreting the law in the most draconian way possible this time like we did initially with the first. I know too many people who are now at risk of harm, illness and injury due to ongoing lockdowns and the wrong thing to do would be to continue to isolate them further. We don't have to. There are exceptions for good reason.

I understand that there are still people who are terrified, still people who want lockdowns to continue, people scared to go back to socialising again, people who've developed agoraphobia and claustrophobia and can't return to how they used to live. And people scared to see each other. Everyone needs to weigh it up for themselves.

I made the mistake of being too cautious last year. This time we know what we're dealing with and I can't make myself adopt the same level of paranoia required to 'stay safe'

I want to hang out in the parks and the open spaces where the anxious souls are less likely to be and fill up on seeing relaxed, busy, happy people.

[2021Vision]

Now that we know so much more about the virus and can see the long term impact the last year has had, I think there will be more people who will not adhere to a lock down. People have had enough of the inconsistency of the rules.

The government have refused to put India on the red list and we are seeing plane upon plane landing with no requirement to officially isolate, I think this could be a big problem if this variant takes hold.

[UserTwice]

Prior to both major lockdowns we've seen instances of people around us catch Covid and people we know hospitalised. So the lockdowns made absolute sense. If there was a similar situation in the future, I would be totally in favour of another lockdown as I think would be many people.

However . there will always be some people that don't comply, and I think the level of compliance amongst those that can't see any personal impacts will go down.