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Original poster

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

178 replies

goaskmum · 23/03/2022 19:39

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?

OP posts:
Abra1d1 · 23/03/2022 22:46

@alwaysontheloo

I didn't really 'buy' the whole Covid thing when they were talking about it on the news etc, thought it would turn out to be a big fat nothing but I will never forget that Friday evening when lockdown started. I had my first panic attack and with the whole dramatic announcement on the news and Johnson's speech I totally freaked out. We had just buried my father the week before (Not Covid related) and my head just imploded. Looking back though I feel we were really lucky to be able to give my father a good send off. Lots of people didn't get that chance with their loved ones after that.
It was a Tuesday or Wednesday when lockdown started, wasn’t it?
Eeksteek · 23/03/2022 22:48

About bloody time, is what I thought! We have relatives living in Italy, and had been expecting it for weeks, and Boris dithered so much - it could have been far more effective a couple of weeks earlier. I’d been dithering myself about whether to pull DD out of school, and was well prepared at home (I’d been worried I might be too ill to look after her, but not ill enough to go to hospital, so I wanted a freezer full of prepped meals in case I felt like shit and she had to cope with feeding herself. She was only 9) but with just the two of us at home it’s intense. Lockdown wasn’t so bad for us, but I’m a lone parent, I don’t go anywhere normally! It was tough working and schooling, even part time - I think if I’d been furloughed we could have had a blast. It isn’t the worst thing I’ve been through, by a long shot.

Pootle40 · 23/03/2022 22:53

@Hbh17

I thought it was an over-reaction.... and, of course, I was right.
Completely
nex18 · 23/03/2022 22:55

I was expecting 3 weeks to flatten the curve.

Hairyfairy01 · 23/03/2022 22:56

@Hbh17

I thought it was an over-reaction.... and, of course, I was right.
How were you right?
Normando91 · 23/03/2022 22:56

This day two years ago I was told to go around all of my stores and close them. I figured it would be three weeks and then I’d be going around opening them all back up. Never imagined I’d spend 6 weeks not seeing any family or friends, completely alone in my house, celebrating my 30th over a zoom call. I had to hype myself up to go out to the shops as it slowly turned chaotic, people arguing with staff who were just trying to do their best. It was 5 months before I was back to work and even then it was far from my normal job.

Mama1980 · 23/03/2022 22:58

I expected two years of restrictions at least. Historically pandemics all follow the same type of curve, and modern medicine can only do so much.

Peoniesandpeaches · 23/03/2022 23:04

@Tonsiltrouble

My prediction was 2 years for normal life to resume but that restrictions would come and go in that time. After 2 years covid would be around but would be milder and would become the next ‘flu’ so fast mutating and a vaccination schedule would be needed. Pretty accurate so far.
Yup and I predicted that I wouldn’t get IVF for 2 years which has also proved accurate due to all the delays and set backs
Rosebel · 23/03/2022 23:15

I thought in 2 weeks things would go back to normal. I had a horrific pregnancy that almost killed me and I feel sorry for my husband who struggled to deal with it all alone because of lockdown.

Neverendingdust · 23/03/2022 23:17

Initially it was a strong sense of we’re all completely screwed long term both economically and health wise. I believe our long term outlook is potentially far worse now truth be told. Something tells me Covid will be back to haunt us all soon enough.

I remember actually laughing in the face of a colleague who thought it would all be over in a few weeks. Also vividly recall the spectacular spring we experienced during the three months I was unable to work, long walks and alfresco dining, 2020 was both horrific (lost members of family to Covid) and beautiful at the same time.

Hope90x · 23/03/2022 23:28

I can remember a very uneasy feeling, like something sinister was about to happen. The News had me scared senseless.
I also remember saying to my husband 'this is so frightening, we have to be prepared that we are all going to lose someone we love to this virus'
I was off work from end of March to end of May and by the beginning of May my panic was over. Very glad to say that, fortunately, my loved ones have remained safe so far and I lived my life as I usually would - except for wearing masks in work and isolating when I had Covid.

JohnNutLips · 23/03/2022 23:43

I remember feeling very scared, I live on my own and was worried about lack of human contact. Then work became crazy busy as me and my teams worked to create the IT services that people would need to claim furlough payments etc. We were told about all the schemes in advance, before any announcements, because they had to be ready once Boris announced them.

Gingerkittykat · 23/03/2022 23:44

I was annoyed at first because before full lockdown was announced it was just going to be the vulnerable who had to stay at home.

I then thought we would lockdown for 12 weeks and go back to normal.

Then I got my shielding letter and was utterly terrified and convinced I would die if I touched anything or came within 2m of someone.

I never knew that 2 years later I would still be nervous (not at the same level as before) andstill be scared of any kind of group events.

Hope90x · 23/03/2022 23:59

I understand many people had very different experiences but I'm sad to say I look back on that period between March and June and have quite fond memories. I remember the really beautiful, hot weather. Time spent in the garden reading, going for long walks around the local nature reserve but most of all - being off work. I was between NHS jobs and made the decision to delay commencement of my current post.
I am so relieved I did. Time off work is very much a luxury these days and the NHS will never be the same as before. It will never recover from the damage caused. Mainly to the various waiting lists for treatments, surgeries, assessments and testing, but also to the staff who were so very poorly treated and are now leaving in their droves.

SenoraMiasma · 24/03/2022 00:58

@Hope90x

I keep thinking that. My niece left - a young woman who worked her heart out. I want her to have a good quality of life. Another family member is a specialist with premature babies. Two Irish nurses who couldn’t get back there themselves.

Thoosa · 24/03/2022 01:10

I remember immediately thinking about the Spanish Flu post WW1, and praying it wouldn’t be that bad. I also remember saying to DH “this will last a year” and he argued with me and thought it would be much less. We both underestimated. Other than that, I really was not keen to be locked down 24/7 with DH. I knew he’d be a fidgety nightmare. I was right about that bit!

OnGoldenPond · 24/03/2022 01:42

I thought no way was this going to end in two weeks. At the time I guessed it would be 18 months before we would be coming out at the other side of this pandemic. Turns out I was a bit optimistic.

Though to be fair I do have a microbiology degree so have studied previous similar historical pandemics.

Sobeyondthehills · 24/03/2022 02:55

I had a look at my memories and one of them, says

I am hating this already, but you know what the government can do is throw a few parties to make it better, whose up for it. What????

I didn't know they would take me seriously

HalloHello · 24/03/2022 03:06

I had, at the time, a BMI over 40 so was absolutely convinced I would catch the virus and die an awful death. I was petrified to leave my daughter to grow up without a Mum. I was really very scared. I used this fear to lose a bit of weight and we actually enjoyed the sunny Spring we had, walking every day and definitely drinking too much alcohol!! I missed my parents terribly, now I look back and think how stupid of us to not see them at all when we live so near. The risk to us all would have been miniscule but the fear took over us all. It seems absolutely mad now. I would never stick to that again.

Trinacham · 24/03/2022 03:31

[quote Nicknacky]@Trinacham Has it been rescheduled?[/quote]
No. It was supposed to be our last holiday before TTC, so we didn't want to reschedule and wait years. Baby is now 2 months! Hoping we'll go as a family in 5+ years🥲
Was yours rescheduled?

[AUTO]jj6l6l0wdihf0 · 24/03/2022 06:26

I thought it would be over by June 2020. So naive. I buried my head in the sand and refused to read anything about it because I was so scared. Thought I wouldn’t see my parents again, and was setting my alarm for silly oclock every mornjng trying desperately to get them an online shopping delivery so they didn’t have to go out.

I work in a hospital in a non clinical role. We were all sent to work from home for the majority of the time, but I still had to go in around once a week. It was terrifying. And eerie. At first I refused to go through the main entrance as I did not want to go past a&e. I went the back way to my offices. Refused to eat whilst I was there in case the food was contaminated (I realise I had developed severe anxiety issues about covid) and stripped my clothes off and jumped in the shower as soon as I came home. The hospitals were eerily quiet. No visitors obviously, but also no visible patients. I have never seen A&E empty but it was on a few occassions, but people were genuinely too scared to come to hospital unless it was life threatening.

However, being part of the thursday night clap outside of the front door of the hospital was incredibly emotional and not something I will ever forget.

AutumnOrange · 24/03/2022 07:15

I remember watching the announcement with my daughter whilst also on the phone to my best friend. I burst into tears because I didn’t think it would end quickly. We were already isolating when it ended due to ds3 having a sniffle and school and 111 telling us not to leave the house. My son was 250 miles away at uni (1st year) and I broke the rules and drove straight there to collect him. Looking back it seems surreal.

Sprogonthetyne · 24/03/2022 08:10

DS's preschool told us they were closing earlier that day so I spent the morning sorting a birthday present for a kid who's party we should have been at that weekend, so I could pass it on at the last pick up. At the time a 4yo's party being cancelled seemed so sad.

Then I picked up DS at midday and we went to a farm / adventure playground place, as I knew we wouldn't get another chance for a while so wanted to make sure we had a great day. Possibly not advisable, but I don't think the enormity of the situation had really sunk in.

That night we watched the announcement, I know it was coming so just waiting to find out how restricted and for how long (which we didn't find out anyway). It was more of a shock to DH, who hadn't really been following the news, he had to started ringing round cancelling work (self employed)

upinaballoon · 24/03/2022 08:39

I thought it would be for about three months to June, so my May holiday abroad, which I'd just paid for, would have to be postponed. I live in the country so lockdown wasn't cramped for me and I enjoyed the once-a-week shop on very quiet roads. I also liked the fact most social meetings were off and that meant I was forced to stay home and do some spring cleaning and sorting out.

shinynewapple22 · 24/03/2022 08:43

I think when they announced the lockdown it was something we were expecting anyway with the things that had happened the previous couple of weeks .

We had already been asked to work from home - which I couldn't believe - the thought of working from home for a couple of weeks was amazing - we are still there now! (Although with some plans of future hybrid working )

I remember the previous week with McDonald's closing and DS queuing for ages to get a last take out, then the pubs closing part way through the Friday evening .

DH's father had passed away the previous week and while he was in for his illness, things had changed in the hospital about visiting, although we were still allowed in as end of life .

I nowhere expected things to last so long though . I was absolutely convinced it would all be over by the middle of the summer - anything else was completely beyond my comprehension .