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Original poster

The positives of The covid pandemic.

211 replies

badgergirly · 03/02/2023 12:35

Thinking back to covid times/lockdown/the pandemic and what a horrendous time it was for many, losing loved ones, children losing their education and and generally a horrible time for the world, I'm curious to ask if anyone can take anything positive from it all?

Has life changed in anyway for you that's become a positive going forward?

My DH now works from home 50% of the time and can take out DC to school and pick up, something he would never been able to do prior to covid as he would have been in the office.

He was also able to take DC to nursery in lockdown/covid times.

We also had another baby last year, something I'm positive wouldn't have happened if covid hadn't have been present.

OP posts:
oldwhyno · 03/02/2023 16:12

I took about 6 shots off my handicap.

OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside · 03/02/2023 17:31

Furlough for my partner
Working from home for me some days
Saved money not going anywhere
We spent more time together as a family

ResearchMakesMeCry · 03/02/2023 17:33

Having managed to phase out certain social groups I didn't enjoy belonging to

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Covid-19
Nimbostratus100 · 03/02/2023 17:37

Contrary to media headlines, mental health and education improved for many teens.

There is now clear evidence that suicide rate dropped, even taking into consideration that some suicides in 2020 were not recorded as such

Tinkeytonkoldfruit · 03/02/2023 17:45

The change to our working life is huge, both DH and I wfh most days with 1-2 days a week in the office. Saving us two hour round trip every day, means we can take our DD to school rather than breakfast club and she doesn't have to go to after-school every night (goes to 3). Just generally a more flexible approach to work, both in senior management in local authority, less of a focus on presenteeism.
Work wise, teams has revolutionised the way we work, for the better and worse, it does make it so much more efficient to have meetings but obviously has its own downsides.

Honestly me and DH remember the first lockdown in March 2020 with huge nostalgia, we were incredibly lucky that we didn't experience any loss, we live fairly rurally, had a garden etc and in that first lockdown our work saw some reduction. We remember the sunny days, doing lots of fun adventures with our DD who was 4 at the time (not yet in school) spending more time with the teenage SDC. Loved going on long runs exploring my local area.
Obviously rose tinted glasses but we definitely miss that bubble sometimes

MajorCarolDanvers · 03/02/2023 17:53

I got a huge promotion and huge increase in salary because employment is no longer restricted to a particular location.

I mostly wfh

My DH always wfh but now we are both in the house our morning coffee break is far more 'interesting' 😂

MajorCarolDanvers · 03/02/2023 17:56

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 03/02/2023 14:57

People don’t hug you the first time they meet you. Less kissing from random men, too ( always hated that).

Yes this.

I used to loathe work trips to London and having to be cheek kissed by everyone- even in first meetings.

spuddel · 03/02/2023 17:57

The only positive I can take from it is that it exposed how utterly corrupt our government and many other institutions are and how cavalier they are with our freedoms. I am thankful I have had my opened I guess and I know to trust my own judgement over a corrupt and lying politician/NeilbloodyFerguson.

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 03/02/2023 19:25

spuddel · 03/02/2023 17:57

The only positive I can take from it is that it exposed how utterly corrupt our government and many other institutions are and how cavalier they are with our freedoms. I am thankful I have had my opened I guess and I know to trust my own judgement over a corrupt and lying politician/NeilbloodyFerguson.

I guess it's possible Johnson might not have failed so quickly and spectacularly if covid hadn't happened.

itsabigtree · 03/02/2023 19:31

Obviously none. It was shit.. It's not being an arsehole to think that a thread celebrating having your cats on zoom is a good pay off for the global pandemic, which killed thousands, fucked up our public services, put vulnerable children into greater risk etc etc etc is in bad taste

dariase · 03/02/2023 20:06

itsabigtree · 03/02/2023 19:31

Obviously none. It was shit.. It's not being an arsehole to think that a thread celebrating having your cats on zoom is a good pay off for the global pandemic, which killed thousands, fucked up our public services, put vulnerable children into greater risk etc etc etc is in bad taste

A few of us have said as much already and been ignored. It's in really poor taste to talk about a few quid you saved, for example, when so many people lost their lives.

Though I did like the one line, tongue-in-cheek response from a poster who said it took about 6 shots off their handicap.

Beamur · 03/02/2023 20:30

Poor taste? It's just asking for reflective answers on what positives you might have found in an overall very difficult situation for millions of people. I don't think anyone posting had lost sight of that.

User123456713 · 03/02/2023 20:35

Personally benefitted me but in all honesty, its crass to even talk like this, millions died worldwide, 100s of '000s left with awful side effects.

I 'd rather not have benefited at all.

EasilyDirected · 03/02/2023 20:43

The main one for me is how much I appreciate going to work every day again after the hell which was WFH. I also appreciate my social life so much more having been deprived of it for so long. I do like the fact that we are all used to using zoom though, I don't (and hopefully never will) WFH but it is very useful for things like evening committee meetings, support groups etc.

Abracadabra12345 · 03/02/2023 20:59

None. And I hate how all the neighbours are home now wfh with open windows and bifold doors and booming calls so there's no peace in the garden anymore the moment it gets warmer. So much for a peaceful retirement.

Also how narrow people's working lives are as they no longer mix with a wide variety of people in the office. But for those who can afford it, wfh is the best thing to come out of all this

The pandemic was devastating- so many lives left and the economy and businesses ruined

Personal opinions only of course

Johnduttonsbuttocks · 03/02/2023 21:09

I loved loads of things about lockdown. It allowed me and my partner to really get to know each other, led to a WFH culture that benefits us all, and has meant I now really appreciate hugs from friends.

dariase · 03/02/2023 21:13

User123456713 · 03/02/2023 20:35

Personally benefitted me but in all honesty, its crass to even talk like this, millions died worldwide, 100s of '000s left with awful side effects.

I 'd rather not have benefited at all.

Same here. There were a couple of areas I certainly benefited but I wouldn't mention them here.

Johnduttonsbuttocks · 03/02/2023 21:13

Life is full of shit stuff. Not everyone suffers. Some upsides come from tragedies.

These are facts some people clearly struggle with.

MyFlagMeansIceCream · 03/02/2023 21:21

Nothing for me. Shredded mental health, enforced WFH which I find isolating, depressing and unproductive.

Millions of people died, including my dad. Outcomes for children, particularly those from deprived backgrounds are measureably worse and many will never catch up. Thousands lost to education that may never return.

Middle class wanking on about how they kept people safe, while outsourcing their shopping to people who had no choice but to carry on working disgusts me.

FenghuangHoyan · 03/02/2023 21:37

Being able to work full time from home has been great. Having more time with my family and pets has been great. Not surprising as much money commuting and all the stress has been great. I've more time and more energy and I don't have to share a stinking toilet with a hundred other people and I can eat a hot home cooked meal at lunch.

There's loads of benefits to me and no, that doesn't mean I'm glad thousands died as a consequence of COVID. I lost a good friend due to it and nearly lost my own life. However, it has changed the works for some people in ways that are better than before and that was the question. A bit like WW2 being a time of rapid innovation and development of technology. That doesn't mean anyone thinks it was great millions died at all, but it was a time of rapid progress as any historian would recognise.

NeverTrustAPoliceman · 03/02/2023 21:39

It was a terrible time for so many people. A friend lost both parents. A woman I know worked on Covid wards and sent her two small children to live with relatives to keep them safe.

But that does not mean that we should not consider positives. It is not crass to do so. An elderly woman I used to know spent most of WW2 in a prison camp in China. Unthinkable conditions, the like of which few of us would survive, but she still remembered the flowers which grew at the perimeter fence.

WhiteFire · 03/02/2023 21:48

My hair is now the longest it has ever been in my life. It was short, I never got a cut when it was getting a bit too long, and then the awful straggly stage was during lockdown, so I've just let it grow..

I hope people take this next one in the spirit in which I am trying to explain. My MIL died March 21, thankfully by then the limit at a funeral was 30, but it was still only 6 for a wake, this meant it was completely ruled out (we are 5) within a couple of weeks it had gone to 15, I am glad we didn't have to debate having one, and who to invite (family Vs the neighbours who supported her in the later years) Obviously no restrictions at all would have been best, but this made decisions less difficult.

earsup · 03/02/2023 21:49

I did decorating which had been put off and a garden make over but all my language classes were cancelled and still are...not doing those online...not interested...so many friends etc still not seen for ages...a lot of people seem to still communicate via a screen....its awful !!

Jadey31 · 03/02/2023 21:59

I had my first baby in December 2020 and had no visitors as it was lock down (apart from my parents and in laws) so therefore I felt my DH and I could get to know our new baby and I was able to relax and breast feed whenever I needed and not to fit feeds around visitors. Over 2 years in and still breast feeding! Very grateful for the experience x

earsup · 03/02/2023 22:03

It was a huge positive for the country / govt that gave us the bloody virus and then made trillions flogging us masks and dodgy tests etc....fantastic use of basic marketing...create a problem and then flog us a solution...teenage girl with spots..= insecure...buy this face cream...!!...its all very sick.