AIBU to think this can't go on for a whole year??

[cola2019]

AIBU in thinking that this cannot go on for a year?? My husband seems to think that until there is a vaccine available life cannot go back to normal. I can't envisage not seeing my parents for a year (my dad has cancer so is currently in the sheilding group). He keeps telling me that I need to face up to the fact that we can't see our parents until they have been vaccinated. No shops, no bars, no events, no schools. Surely economically life will have to resume slowly we can't wait till 2021 surely. But as soon as lockdown is lifted and people start mixing then it will spike again.

I hope that some things will stay forever. I hope that it becomes expected for sick people to stay at home and not go to work or school infecting everyone else. I hope it stays acceptable to not touch someone, hug someone, or kiss family members if they don't want to be touched, hugged or kissed. I hope that it stays possible to work from home if family life or health problems temporarily make it necessary. I hope it becomes the new normal that people work together in small offices or cubicles instead of an open workfloor with lots of people constantly running around your desk. I hope it stays normal that people don't take snotty kids on a visit or birthday party where they infect everyone else.

Clinics are not happening because there are not enough staff. That would happen without lock down.

Sorry, can't follow that double negative.

Clinics are cancelled. The cancellations are because of COVID19. This leads to patients being undiagnosed and untreated. This will led to death cases that could have been prevented.

Simple.

@chardonnay Yes clinics are cancelled because staff are redeployed to deal with covid 19 or off sick. That does not change because lock down stops. The only thing that changes it is less people getting ill and being admitted to hospital.

cantory

So even if lockdown is relaxed in order for families to visit you still wouldn't? How do you know they will "stay well"? It's not just C-19 that kills...there's heart attacks, strokes the list goes on, and all the time you choose not to spend with them will be worth nothing then.

Yes I will not see them. They will still go to any health appointments needed, my mum will make sure of that. I am not a medic, seeing me does not stop them having a heart attack. They are doing exercise at home. And they are not even in the shielded group like the OPs father.
I would see them if they were expected to live only a year, but they should have at least another 10 years.
I could not live with the guilt if I infected them and they died. A vaccine is predicted to be available at the end of this year. But if it takes a year fine.

No, there are not all redeployed. Some might be, but certainly no one in mental health has been requisitioned.

There was a long thread here about this recently, and it’s certainly been my experience.

@Cantory

The people who die of something else because they go untreated would happen with or without lock down.

Well we're all going to die of something with or without lock down - That's really not the point! Perhaps for some there's little value or point in extending a life for 5, 10 or 20 yrs?

I shall be going to give my dad a hug and spend some time with him today (judge me if you want I couldn't give a shit), as he has had the worst night since mum died, a nightmare that has left him shaken to his core. His mental health right now is my main worry.

@randomchatter If you see your parents lives as worthless that is up to you. I do not see my parents lives as worthless.

@trappedsincesundaymorn You need to judge every case individually. My parents are okay. They are strong mentally and will cope fine until I can visit early next year when there is a vaccine. They are doing exercise indoors. In fact they have got into such a strict exercise routine they are probably doing more than before lock down.

There will be changes to ease the restrictions, and then probably there will be more phases of tighter restrictions again

That's very much how I see it. I think the brakes will be on and off and on again depending on what the infection and death rates do.

I think non-food shops (some types, anyway) will be allowed to open with restrictions on numbers in them according to size, to maintain social distancing. Pubs and restaurants, likewise, although I think many will decide that it's not viable to open and pay staff and some premises costs for such small numbers. Schools could reopen, but maybe with only 50% of children attending on alternate weeks. I think schools is the trickiest in some ways, because while children tend to only get mild symptoms if affected, they are tremendous vectors of infection.

I'm hoping that things like dentists, opticians, hairdressers and so on will be able to get back to work soon, but with some degree of PPE.

I can't see big gatherings being allowed for some time yet and wouldn't be at all surprised if they were still restricted at the end of the year, maybe longer.

A lot will depend on what progress is made with a vaccine.

No they won't because they would receive a diagnosis and treatment

Some of them would still die. Not all treatments are successful.

A lot of those places will not open as people will not go. And dentists professional association has advised against anything but urgent treatment as dentists are at high risk.

@cantory

No one's life is worthless!

I see no alternative to a measured series of lock-downs until we have found a vaccine. It's clear however that deaths from other conditions are increasing due to the lock down. It's likely medical advisers have done a risk assessment of this anticipated 'other' -v- covid deaths.

You don't think staying away from your parents for nearly a year is an alternative?

And some other countries like Germany are keeping death rates very low. But we prefer to kill our population and lie saying it is inevitable.Still keeps those care homes and pension bills down?

And people are not getting treatment because of covid 19, it is nothing to do with lock down. Ending lock down does not make people less scared to go for treatment, or free up staff to run clinics again. Lock down has nothing to do with this. Clinics were cancelled before lock down because of staff off sick.

@trappedsincesundaymorn - I don’t blame you. When my mum died it was the physical support from friends and family that kept my dad and I ok. Your dad needs a hug and he needs to see you. He is too bereaved too be left on his own it would be cruel x

Coffeeandbeans

Thankyou. Me and dad have had a hug and a weep together, a glass (or 2) of mums favourite wine and we finished off the box of chocolates she had for Mother's day that she never opened. Both he and I will sleep easier tonight.

@Tubs11 thank you. We just have to keep going. Its just a bit more difficult when the support network of friends and family have been suddenly taken away. My eldest dc understands (in an age appropriate way), but my toddler is at a loss as the route e we have had for nearly 2 years has gone.

@GoatyGoatyMingeMinge the economy needs to take priority over people's lives?

We have to have a functioning economy or it will cost lives
That doesn't mean taking priority but we have to have both
There was a scientist on a documentary recently explaining that unless we have a functioning economy no one will pay taxes - not just individuals but businesses
If we literally shit everything down for 8 months to a year as some people want there would be no healthcare system, no clean water or electricity as infrastructure would start to implode
This wasn't some randomer predicting this.
We need to have people working and learning
And somehow we need to find a way of doing this in the world we now live in
I'm glad I'm not going to have to plan how to do that, I'm not an expert
But all of us locking our doors and not doing anything for a year will mean people dying