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Original poster

Have you discovered any upsides to the pandemic?

109 replies

Blonchette · 18/07/2021 14:40

I guess I should preface and say I’m being light hearted so I’m not meaning things like better quality of family life etc. Although obviously I hope many have found that.

It’s just that as I was washing my hands earlier for the millionth time today it suddenly occurred to me to wonder if things like incidences of threadworms were down due to increased hygiene. I don’t know if they are or not but it would be a small plus point of the pandemic if they were.

Anything else?

OP posts:
MissMissTorrance · 18/07/2021 15:31

and have been known to pretend they are still closed

Polkadotties · 18/07/2021 15:32

Working from home has apparently cured my depression. In March 2020 I was on 60mg of fluoxetine. Since last summer I’m medication free.

gobbynorthernbird · 18/07/2021 15:34

Being able to book at Dishoom. WFH so no rush hour tram.

Terrazzo · 18/07/2021 15:37

Loads!! My faves are:

GP surgery is fab - can email your query and they decide if they want to see you, which is great, and makes follow ups much easier (phone/email). Can send photos too. Saves so much time both going there in person and queueing on the phone. I’ve had issues over the past 6 months and it’s been brill. They always want to see kids so no worries there!

PE kit to school and staggered starts - less busy school run.

DH WFH has overall been great although I’m dying for the house to myself.

We moved a mile down the road to a nicer house because of no stamp duty.

Discovered SO many absolutely stunning walks right on our doorstep which we would never have bothered with or would never have occurred to us to go for a walk for fun before the pandemic.

So many birds and bugs are thriving - maybe they’re thriving or maybe I’m noticing them more but either way is a good thing.

It’s been reeeeally hard trying to make school mum friends with social distancing and masks in the playground (DS had just started school when pandemic hit), and I hate having to book everything, but there are definite upsides.

PersonaNonGarter · 18/07/2021 15:38

Getting bumped off some wedding guest lists. Fantastic. Did not want to go.

I have ‘worn out’ very little. Normal life took its toll on my wardrobe and shoes and things would get scuffed or wrecked or over-washed or whatever. No longer

Terrazzo · 18/07/2021 15:38

Also lots of local businesses popping up and thriving and we now have deliveroo soooo the rise in demand for eat-at-home probably contributed to their expansion in some way 😂

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 18/07/2021 15:41

Been able to take DS to school instead of breakfast club

LaurieFairyCake · 18/07/2021 15:44

I REALLY appreciate how good tv and films are - there's so much good stuff to watch

Seeing (in a picture) how blue the waters were in Venice without the disgusting cruise ships Sad - there were dolphins there

Agree with the being bumped off wedding lists - they are so dull

BobbinThreadbare123 · 18/07/2021 15:45

Table service in pubs. Love it. No more being forced under men's sweaty armpits as they try to dominate the bar.
Savings on commute fuel and holidays have been really quite large, so had a bunch of work done on the house.
Done loads more reading and crafts because I am not wasting 2 hr a day sitting in the car.
Shame about the lockdown pounds (which I have lost, and then re-scoffed Grin) but you can't have everything!

HermioneGrunger · 18/07/2021 15:45

Dh wfh, he gets bored in his lunch hour so potters about doing a shit that I have no interest in doing. Not sure when the last time I used the vacuum was Grin

HermioneGrunger · 18/07/2021 15:46

Doing shit not doing a shit ffs Blush

SkiingIsHeaven · 18/07/2021 15:47

Didn't eat out, buy coffee or drive for ages so paid off my credit card.

Much prefer tables service.

Really find out who you can rely on.

Great to see how our village reacted and looked after those in need. We are a community.

Susannahmoody · 18/07/2021 15:47

More acceptance to wfh
Less physical contact with random people
Fewer coughs and colds

GenderIsFigurativelyBollocks · 18/07/2021 15:52

People finally starting to realise what a total cunt Boris Johnson is.

newnortherner111 · 18/07/2021 15:54

Working from home suits me, saving the journey to the office.

HalzTangz · 18/07/2021 15:55

@Blonchette

I guess I should preface and say I’m being light hearted so I’m not meaning things like better quality of family life etc. Although obviously I hope many have found that.

It’s just that as I was washing my hands earlier for the millionth time today it suddenly occurred to me to wonder if things like incidences of threadworms were down due to increased hygiene. I don’t know if they are or not but it would be a small plus point of the pandemic if they were.

Anything else?

I don't think there has been increased hygiene throughout the pandemic. Every single time I have entered a shop or supermarket I see multiple people walk in and bypass the sanitising, which makes me think they bypass proper hand washing to (probably just swipe hands under a tap and thats washed), also seen people in public toilets not wash their hands. I think the lack of hygiene levels is largely what's responsible for the high numbers testing positive still
RuthW · 18/07/2021 15:55

Yes.

No one has tried to hug me.

I now stay in more.

I don't go anywhere I don't 't want to.

I have saved loads of money.

I've had no visitors.

I've loved it.

ufucoffee · 18/07/2021 15:59

Work training via Teams takes a few hours instead of a whole day and I can switch off my face and microphone and get on with work whilst listening. I love that.

MangoBiscuit · 18/07/2021 16:00

My DP moved in temporarily at the start of the first lockdown, when we thought it wouldn't be for more than 12 weeks (ha!) We've since made it permanent.

Working from home.

More time with my girls, and my DP has gotten them into playing D&D!

@HermioneGrunger, hilarious typo! Thank you! Grin

RaindropsOnRosie · 18/07/2021 16:01

My husband is wfh and has had his hours extended but less work so he's payed for 10 hours and does 2-3 hours work a day. We're both less stressed and have time to do more important things like redecorate the house twice in 12 months

The quiet roads during lockdowns were lovely

Uber eats now cover my area which sparks a lot of joy.

MumofSpud · 18/07/2021 16:01

Online Parents Evenings

Not having to tweezer my chin everyday due to mask wearing at workGrin

Made redundant last year and got a new job in a school - next year I will be also start my teacher training (30 years after I should have done it!)

MumofSpud · 18/07/2021 16:02

@MarmaladeToastAndAMarmaladeCat

I can mouth ‘fuck off’ to annoying people when I wear a mask a no one can see. It’s very therapeutic.
Yes this! But it means that I will have to continue to wear a mask as I do this so often!!
nomorecrumbs · 18/07/2021 16:05

Self service machines and conveyor belts at the tills in supermarkets are much cleaner now (at least the ones I regularly go to are!). I always thought they were horribly dirty and didn’t like putting unpackaged food on them.

LawnFever · 18/07/2021 16:07

Working from home means I save loads of time and money, and can go to the gym after finishing work & still be home before I would’ve done pre pandemic.

Table service everywhere and loads of places where you order & pay on an app, so much easier - especially if you’re with a group, everyone just orders their own.

More time to potter in the garden.

Work meetings that would’ve involved travelling to London now being an hour on zoom.

MushMonster · 18/07/2021 16:08

Washing hands when entering public spaces, and exiting.
Booking for activities on-line, so you just get in straight away!

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