Lockdown started two years ago - what did you all think was ahead when it was announced?

[goaskmum]

So the very first lockdown started this day 2 years ago! I can’t believe that.

I remember hearing earlier that day that BJ was to do a big televised announcement in the evening and then being on edge not knowing what came next.

I also remember taking my dog out at half 7 that night for a walk because I wasn’t sure if it would be made illegal after he did his announcement!

What were you all doing and what did you make of it/think was going to happen?

I was anxious back then so already staying home.

I remember trying to get dh to wfh just before too

It was very surreal. Over time though that anxiety dissipated and I felt worse about restrictions

I thought we were all going to die. I remember someone telling me it was best to keep windows closed so covid didn't come through 🤔🙄 ffs. Bonkers.

I remember feeling really emotional and overwhelmed at the magnitude of what was happening. I understood it was a major historical event but we didn't really know how frightened we should be.
I was also relieved because I was watching what was happening in Italy and couldn't understand why the UK was being so relaxed about everything.

It was the right call back then to go into lockdown - we had no vaccine, hospitals were becoming overwhelmed, we had very little data about the virus.

But I couldn't have imagined back then how things would be 2 years later.

@WTF475878237NC

I had seen the film Contagion, which a leading epidemiologist helped to script. In that film, it killed about 30% people infected and lasted until a vaccine was developed. There were field hospitals, quarantine, looting, anti vax...all pretty accurate it turns out. I remember thinking this is going to change the world in the weeks leady up to lockdown. Two years ago today I cried watching the announcement, wondering how many family members I might lose. Three died within weeks.

This isn't accurate though, nowhere near 30% of people infected died of covid, it was said pretty much right from the start to be less than 1%. I'm genuinely sorry to hear about your family members, but that is rare I would say (I know no-one one on a close level who had died of covid). To answer the OP, I was very ill with suspected covid before lockdown was announced, and was unable to get tested or to get any medical help. I was very frightened and thought there would be many people losing their lives, and quite surprised when this didn't happen.

I was having bleeding with a potential miscarriage and told I was to attend hospital alone. I was told by a receptionist she 'didn't care' when I begged to be allowed my husband for support and was left for over 3 hours crying alone in a waiting room. Essentially I received the most barbaric treatment from the NHS staff.

I thought my boss was absolutely nuts to be buying all 100 employees second screens and office chairs for them to work from home for a few weeks.
A couple of weeks before lockdown started he gathered us all one lunchtime to say we were all to leave immediately and wfh for the foreseeable. He seemed to realise that we were in it for the long haul as he passed around all the food and alcohol from the office kitchen as we left.

My waters broke and I was going into labour!

I pulled my DC out of school a week before the lockdown happened. I was worried that it was going to be much worse than it turned out to be. But I didn't think lockdowns and restrictions would take as long as they did.

Re the film Contagion, I dove into all the films, as well as the early dystopian novels, some more recent novels too but they lack a grace. This was a pandemic highlight for me, going down this rabbit hole with a genre of novel.

I remember the sort of 'excitement' in the air, DC cheering about no school, me looking forward to having my (too) hardworking DH at home and having quality family time.

On Thursday it will be 2 years since he left our family home forever.... for a colleague.

I thought it was the beginning of the end of life as we know it. I wanted to believe it was "3 weeks to flatten the curve" but my gut said it would last far longer, and that the consequences of that would be far reaching and detrimental.

I'd locked myself down already as I was sick in bed with covid. I didn't leave the house for 22 days.

5pm. Friday 20th March 2020. I was in the gym. DP text me. The gym went eerily quiet. I suspect several people received similar messages

I thought... 3 weeks. I can do this for 3 weeks.

I thought it was an over-reaction.... and, of course, I was right.

It was obvious before the first lockdown that it would be at least 18 months before life got back to normal. The short term goals from the government were only ever to make it easier to swallow.

Yes aside from ‘start of lockdown’ memories, my thoughts totally go out to anyone who has lost a loved one during this pandemic, whether that be because of covid or something else

@WTF475878237NC

I had seen the film Contagion, which a leading epidemiologist helped to script. In that film, it killed about 30% people infected and lasted until a vaccine was developed. There were field hospitals, quarantine, looting, anti vax...all pretty accurate it turns out. I remember thinking this is going to change the world in the weeks leady up to lockdown. Two years ago today I cried watching the announcement, wondering how many family members I might lose. Three died within weeks.

I'm sorry for your losses. I know a number of people who died too.

You're right - Contagion turned out to be quite a good blue print for how the pandemic would go. Obviously covid was nowhere near as severe as the virus in the film but you can definitely see the parallels. I understood what you were saying anyway and understand you weren't saying 30% of people with covid died. You were just making a parallel to the film in terms of the stock-piling, the anti-vax scaremongering etc etc

@FatPatsCat

I remember the sort of 'excitement' in the air, DC cheering about no school, me looking forward to having my (too) hardworking DH at home and having quality family time.

On Thursday it will be 2 years since he left our family home forever.... for a colleague.

God I am so sorry. What an absolute arsehole.

@Hbh17

I thought it was an over-reaction.... and, of course, I was right.

I don’t think it was an overreaction.

Two years ago, The virus was completely new and we didn’t know much about it. There was also no vaccine to help protect us either so I think a lockdown was probably the best thing we could do at that time, obviously I don’t think we would need a lockdown today, not unless there it got way worse

I was shitting myself because pandemics typically last about 3 years and locking down seemed like an absolutely mad policy decision and everyone was so fine with it.

I taught my first online lesson that day as schools and colleges had shut on the Friday. We were all convinced we’d be back in after Easter. When the announcement happened I went to the local petrol station and filled my car up because I didn’t know if they were going to be shut as well or whether deliveries might stop. That tank of fuel lasted me two months.

There were field hospitals, quarantine, looting, anti vax...all pretty accurate it turns out.

^ Sorry for the confusion. I meant the above was all pretty accurate if you look at global events. I didn't mean Covid was as virulent as the virus in the film.

Thanks OP and Poppy.

I had got the diagnosis for my leg pain. I had a complex fracture and a secondary condition had set in stopping the blood supply to my joint and the bone had died. I had expected surgery then but due to covid am still waiting. I am in constant pain. It’s bizarre to say the least.

@FatPatsCat

I remember the sort of 'excitement' in the air, DC cheering about no school, me looking forward to having my (too) hardworking DH at home and having quality family time.

On Thursday it will be 2 years since he left our family home forever.... for a colleague.

That must have been horrific to deal with whilst the world turned upside down. I hope you're in a much better place now.

My mum and I had an inkling that it was going to be quite serious, and we added a few extra things to our shopping from the end of February (not overbuying or hoarding, just a couple of extra tins to each shop) We made the decision to lock down ourselves on the 10th March as I am CEV. I remember very clearly the first announcement on the 23rd March, I remember feeling very anxious waiting for it and seeing the pictures on the news about lockdown, the planes all grounded was very memorable.