36 COVID fatalities reported today. We are on the way out of this 🌟🌟

[Jkslays]

36 reported fatalities today (weekend caveat), the lowest number since the day before lockdown was announced. 77 & 115 the last two Sundays for comparison

Mercifully, the human toll of this crisis is easing

I'm hopeful the trends will continue to improve

As reported by Professor Karol Sikora on Twitter

This is amazing news and surely our schools should be able to open as normal come September!

twitter.com/ukcovid19stats/status/1272196957038170112?s=21 some more positive stats that shoe figures are coming down ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Regardless how pessimistic you feel you have to agree - right now in this moment in time we’re moving in a positive direction!

The person that posted it is generally very gloomy, hence numerous replies to her 'I'm alright Jack posts'.... The lack of any punctuation made it difficult to understand. I therefore assumed, on the basis of her usual posts, it was said to depress people.

Oh I wasn't agreeing with the poster, far from it.

Just pointing out that she missed a comma

I am more and more staggered today by the number of people on MN today who seem offended that other people are choosing to try and live their lives. It's really weird.

@Ohdearfindingthisboringnow

Apologies, badly worded sentence, i meant hopefully it WILL die out this summer!

Of course i want CV to go and no i'm not not loving locking down, i hate it BUT i won't spend my time wishing for our previous lives either.

The people who want to get on with their lives need to consider those locked up for the foreseeable future not living a life at all

You do realise that loads of us need to get out to enable anything to happen going forward.

We need money flowing around again, we need health and care services up and running again. I want to get on with my life, so I can help those are in desperate need of help at this time.

The Germans have just touched down in Spain for their summer holidays...... Coronavirus: German tourists arrive on first flight to Spain for 'safe corridor' trial news.sky.com/story/german-tourists-allowed-to-fly-to-spain-for-safe-corridor-trial-12006792

I want to get on with my life, so I can help those are in desperate need of help at this time.

Do you? What sort of help? Only what would really help me is to be able to go outside without having to negotiate crowds of people who think it's all over and social distancing is a thing of the past, to be able to see my children, to be able to see my parents - but the more everyone else gets back to normal the further away all of those things get for those of us shielded.

Why hasn't there been more balance to this? Why hasn't there been thought into how to balance freedoms for the non shielded and the shielded?

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

I want to get on with my life, so I can help those are in desperate need of help at this time.

Do you? What sort of help? Only what would really help me is to be able to go outside without having to negotiate crowds of people who think it's all over and social distancing is a thing of the past, to be able to see my children, to be able to see my parents - but the more everyone else gets back to normal the further away all of those things get for those of us shielded.

Why hasn't there been more balance to this? Why hasn't there been thought into how to balance freedoms for the non shielded and the shielded?

I’ve been to see my shielded grandparent many times. I sit in her garden with a flask whilst she sits at her front door on a camping chair.

You can see relatives you just need to use common sense.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

I want to get on with my life, so I can help those are in desperate need of help at this time.

Do you? What sort of help? Only what would really help me is to be able to go outside without having to negotiate crowds of people who think it's all over and social distancing is a thing of the past, to be able to see my children, to be able to see my parents - but the more everyone else gets back to normal the further away all of those things get for those of us shielded.

Why hasn't there been more balance to this? Why hasn't there been thought into how to balance freedoms for the non shielded and the shielded?

Also she gets her shopping delivered. All of our family at one point have sat in her garden or waved and talked through the window. She hasn’t been lonely.

Why havnt you made moves to see the people you care about?

Why do people keep saying that proactive testing of healthcare worker is taking place.We are like anyone else and can only have a test if symptomatic.
We're having antibody tests but not quite sure how that is a positive unless they regularly retest positives to see how long we have antibodies for.

I think those who are happy to go out and about again, knowing the risks and hopefully taking care, can do so and those who are in a more vulnerable category, wait a bit longer. I have no idea if anyone I know is hitting the high street or having parties, I sit at the back of the house so don't see what neighbours do. I'm content to be at home but would feel differently if I was younger and had kids.

Each of us has to decide for ourselves. It's not a competition.

The doom merchants pop up on every Covid thread. They genuinely seem dismayed that the peak is over. They keep warning of second waves and spurious tales of hospitals being swamped. They are the kind of people who suck joy/ positivity out of any situation and want everyone to be as miserable as they are.

the more everyone else gets back to normal the further away all of those things get for those of us shielded

I don't understand this. Numbers are way down. Countries around the world which have relaxed restrictions have experienced some localised outbreaks, but no major spikes.

And what's your suggestion? Allow the economy to be even more devastated, with potentially millions losing their jobs, allow children to go without an education, see many people's mental health suffer indefinitely? You can stay at home if you feel that's what you need to do, but you can't demand that millions of others do the same.

Why havnt you made moves to see the people you care about?

Because the rules for shielded people haven't changed other than being allowed to go out for a walk, if social distancing can be maintained. I've been out twice now for a walk and both times it wasn't possible to maintain social distancing because there were too many people out and about and most appear to have given up entirely on the idea of social distancing. I was constantly crossing the road to avoid families or couples who insisted on walking side by side meaning no social distancing was possible but on quite a few occasions the other pavement was also busy, so nowhere to move to in order to maintain a six foot distance.

As for seeing family - I don't know how to do that. For me to see my parents one or other of us will have to travel, both of us are shielding - how is that meant to work? Likewise, my children live a hundred miles away - it's not possible to do that without breaking shielding rules.

@IcedPurple

the more everyone else gets back to normal the further away all of those things get for those of us shielded

I don't understand this. Numbers are way down. Countries around the world which have relaxed restrictions have experienced some localised outbreaks, but no major spikes.

And what's your suggestion? Allow the economy to be even more devastated, with potentially millions losing their jobs, allow children to go without an education, see many people's mental health suffer indefinitely? You can stay at home if you feel that's what you need to do, but you can't demand that millions of others do the same.

What is it you don't understand?

The more the non vulnerable are out the less opportunity there is for the shielded to go out, safely. We've been kept inside throughout lockdown, even when everyone else could go out for exercise we were advised against it, in the strongest terms.

In the last couple of weeks we were told that we could go out once a day for exercise, if we could maintain social distancing, just at the time when lockdown was further lifted for everyone else. What that's meant, certainly where I live, is that everywhere is now busy and you can't socially distance whilst out for a walk. So, increasing freedom for others has made it impossible for me to have the tiny bit of freedom that I can have.

If by opening shops, allowing sports, starting to open schools, allowing crowds at beaches, zoos, protests etc the rates of infection go up then it will be even less safe for those of us shielded so we'll likely be locked back down again as a result of increased freedoms for the non vulnerable.

That's what I meant about increasing your freedoms actually reducing the freedoms of those shielded.

The more the non vulnerable are out the less opportunity there is for the shielded to go out, safely. We've been kept inside throughout lockdown, even when everyone else could go out for exercise we were advised against it, in the strongest terms

You haven't been 'kept inside'. You've been advised to do so for your own good.

If by opening shops, allowing sports, starting to open schools, allowing crowds at beaches, zoos, protests etc the rates of infection go up then it will be even less safe for those of us shielded so we'll likely be locked back down again as a result of increased freedoms for the non vulnerable

We won't 'likely be locked back down again'. This hasn't happened anywhere else, so is unlikely to happen in Britain.

But you still haven't told me what your solution is. Do you want the economy to crash, children to be kept out of schools, people prevented from seeing their loved ones indefinitely? Because it sounds like you do.

For people who wont be able to cope if numbers dont spike again and kids go back to school.

Dont worry, here is the biggest danger to earth but washing your hands or staying in wont help you. Hopefully it's getting smaller right now and not bigger. Point is there is countless events waiting to wipe out the human race.

No one is breaking rules or laws if they have to buy their kids pants. Chillax. Let others shop. Your still allowed to stay in too. Its individual choice.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Atlantic_Anomaly

[quote Mamamia87]@saywha and also, did you actually just state that ‘mercifully cancer doesn’t kill you in 2 weeks’. One of the sickest things I’ve read on these threads, if there’s one thing that cancer isn’t it’s merciful. But could be worse, at least it’s not Covid 19.[/quote]
I was making a point about transmission and you know it. If we let Covid run through the population then it will causes a high number of deaths in a short space of time, as we saw in April.

@CountessFrog

Say wha

My DH is on the frontline in ITU. Who are all these staff who didn’t see their family for ‘months.’

There were a couple on the news. It was hardly widespread. I know a lot, none of them were living apart from their family.

FWIW the number of cases in DH’s ITU is so low that the staff have largely been stood down and taken off rota.

So again, who are all of these medics currently working and living apart from their loved ones, to keep people alive?

If you insist on being so patronising, suggesting others ‘educate themselves’ then at least get your facts right.

I've read several stories about people living apart from their families, in the UK, the USA and other parts of the world. If you want to base your opinions on your own experience then fine, enjoy living in your bubble.

You haven't been 'kept inside'. You've been advised to do so for your own good.

So I'd be pretty foolish to ignore that advice and risk catching something that is likely to make me very ill, not to mention require me to be admitted to hospital and take up a bed that might otherwise be used for someone else. Two and a half million of us shielding - remind me again how many ITU beds in the UK? That's why we've been shielded - to prevent us from taking up too many ITU beds.

We won't 'likely be locked back down again'. This hasn't happened anywhere else, so is unlikely to happen in Britain.

I didn't say the country will be going back into lockdown. The we I referred to is those of us shielded. If the infection rates go up again they will ask us to stay at home once again, in order to stop us from blocking hospital beds.

But you still haven't told me what your solution is. Do you want the economy to crash, children to be kept out of schools, people prevented from seeing their loved ones indefinitely? Because it sounds like you do.

Nope, I don't want that at all. What I want is for lockdown to lifted a bit more fairly, so that those of us shielding can actually get some relief too. We aren't even at the level that you've all had throughout lockdown. This should have been handled better so that we can all benefit. Making masks mandatory and getting track and trace in place before easing lockdown - two steps that will drive down infection and make it safer for those shielding to come out of lockdown.

What are your answers for people shielding? How are we supposed to manage financially? What about our jobs or our mental and physical health? What are your answers?

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

Mercifully cancer doesn't usually kill you within two weeks and prevent your loved ones from being beside you.

What a dreadful thing to write. I know 2 people who have died of cancer during the pandemic. Both of them had weeks in hospital totally alone, they were suffering and knew they were dying and the hospitals only permitted someone in to sit with them in the last 24 hours to say goodbye because of the virus. One was in his 40s, one in her 30s. I have another friend who has spent many weeks in a hospice with zero visitors because of the virus. Aged 32. She's in a different country, but still.

For what it's worth, even before this virus I think large numbers of people - mostly elderly people - die alone. It's a very normal thing. For some people yes it is a very bad thing but some people would prefer to go that way and actively choose that (ask any hospice nurse). Lots of people don't get to say goodbye or to pass with loved ones sitting hovering around their bed. The point I'm just trying to make is it's not this tragedy which only relates to this virus.

And even this idea that every person who has died of the virus is some treasured love one leaving behind broken relatives. It's just not true. Lots of very elderly people have very lonely lives given nowadays people are kept alive years past when they would have otherwise passed away so there isn't an army of people to mourn them. I don't consider death to be a tragedy if someone has lingered for years and suffered or just existed. We have such an unnatural view of death in the Western world. It can be natural and timely. Some old people actively want to die - I know my grandad spent 10 years asking to die. We did not shed a tear when he finally passed away. He had a good life with lots of good things in it. I have other very elderly relatives now who, if they caught the virus and died, would be relieved because they've already spent many years battling cancer or pneumonia or serious injuries from accidents and they are ready to go. That's what they've expressed themselves.

Anyway, OP I too am delighted. It is so lovely to see things go in the right direction after so much sadness and worry. I hope the numbers continue to fall. I hope people will indeed go to Primark and spend a fortune treating themselves on new things. I can't wait to get my hair cut. We need to live because none of us knows what's ahead.

My point was that covid is not cancer, it is contagious, deaths can rise extremely quickly so comparing them doesn't make sense. If you can avoid deaths why wouldn't you? If I could do anything to stop people dying from cancer I would.

I think your views on people dying are strange tbh. There are thousands of people in mourning for those who have died as a result of Covid. I would be surprised if many of these people wanted to die, and even more if they wanted to die without saying goodbye to someone.

I have no problem with people going to the shops, my only issue is when people start to believe that the virus is not a risk that can be mitigated. You might be in a car accident one day but it doesn't mean you don't try and drive safely.

You could stop people dying from cancer by stopping catastrophising about COVID and supporting the NHS getting back to normal so that people can be seen and diagnosed.

The people who want to get on with their lives need to consider those locked up for the foreseeable future not living a life at all.
Of course we need to get on with life! Do you think we should all stay home indefinately? How would that work?
People need to work to pay thier mortgage/rent, buy food etc etc. The economy needs people to work and spend before we go bust. Kids need to go back to school they have missed out in so many ways.
If people want to stay home fine. Its not anyone elses fault if you have to shield its really not. But dont expect the whole country to do so till we are all on the bones of our arses. How would that help you?

The multitude of consequences of this cock up will be far reaching for years to come. We need to be proactive to minimise the damage.

I'll be happier when the Zoe app figures indicate falling infection rates

The Zoe/Kings team reported a 47% drop in cases across the UK (outside care homes) last week.

32 deaths reported today

How would that help you?

So, how does you being able to get back to work, back to shopping and socialising help me, who's shielding?

How am I meant to pay my bills, pay for my pension, maintain my health - both physical and mental, avoid loneliness? Or am I just meant to accept my lot and be glad that you are all getting back to normal?