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.

My parents (60s) are refusing to get a vaccine (they're anti-vaxxers). No idea where this leaves me, in the long run. It's a huge worry.

@cantory - I would imagine that many could also offer take away as an alternative. so they can still make 100 meals an evening but only thirty diners can actually sit in their restaurants. In the same way that those pubs/restaurants that have now reopened to do takeaway only - obviously they probably aren't making as much as they usually do. But they have clearly worked it out and established that they can make enough to cover their overheads, and it is a better financial option for them than remaining completely closed.

There will obviously be some places for which this isn't true and they may have to remain closed. But once the government removes or changes restrictions it will be for individual owners to evaluate.

If it’s a live vaccine your father won’t be immunised. If it is a year for vaccines and things remain this way until then, it could be longer for your father until here immunity is established

*herd sorry

Some form of social distancing will be in place for at least the next 2 to 5 years. Especially for people in high risk groups.

Until there is a vaccine, the virus will continue to circulate and purple will die.

And from a vaccine perspective - I would not accept any vaccine that had not been properly trialled - this takes 5-10 years!!!

So what are you planning to do madmaddamim? Not go out for the next 5-10 years?

I have mental health issues normally. At this point I am near breaking point. I can probably handle another three weeks of lockdown if I have to but not seeing my mum for the rest of the year when I normally see her every week? Impossible. It gives me anxiety pains in my chest even thinking about it.

A year ?

You’ll be lucky, normality won’t resume 2-3 years maybe longer

2-3 years maybe longer? You naive fool, we'll all be shut in our hoses for the next 31 years at LEAST with nothing to do but watch the loading screen for the Tesco online delivery queue.

(no, we won't.)

You’ll be lucky, normality won’t resume 2-3 years maybe longer

That's me done with social distancing then, I'd rather die than live like this for that long.

What you going to do, cola? Wave a magic wand and wish it away? As soon as people start going out again and meeting up, numbers of deaths will rise. This has already happened in Germany.

For some positivity Germany have started to open their zoos and museums.....

The government will have to balance social distancing with restarting the economy. Social distancing measures will be relaxed slightly, but we won't be able to mill about like before until there's a vaccine or antibody treatment. First sign of r >1 and things will tighten up again. Wouldn't be surprised if there was a second lockdown Sept/Oct. We're nowhere where we need to be with testing and contact tracing so how can we monitor and prevent the spread, we can't. Hopefully May will see improvement in the area and we're better prepared

Social distancing will remain in place in some form until a vaccine or a major drug breakthrough. Both are likely some way off. I don’t understand the “this can’t go on” mentality, just look back two generations and see what they endured or look to developing countries as to current day disease etc. Why can’t this go on? Are we really so weak nowadays in the West that we cannot comprehend life as it was? Crikey life really has been too easy for us in the West!!

I actually fear for the mental health of those who aren’t on board with what a pandemic means.

Why can’t this go on?

Because the economy is grinding to a halt and we need it to pay for things like the NHS, maybe?

Ah marvellous
Dementors our in force

There may never be a vaccine

Have you done the maths on 15-20% needing hospitalisation? That’s why the restrictions will remain in some form until a breakthrough.

12/18 months I think until normalcy

But if you look at Spanish flu the second and third peaks were worse than the first.

It’s entirely likely those in the shielded group will have to self isolate until there is a vaccine. We won’t just go back to normal, there will be a new normal and big gatherings won’t be happening for some time

I actually fear for the mental health of those who aren’t on board with what a pandemic means.

People seem so oblivious I can't get my head around it (them not the pandemic).

I do actually know a fair bit about pandemics in history, and let me assure you, they have never meant “everyone stays in their houses for 12+ months and we never have hugs or parties or jobs ever again.”

The vaccine can be ready more quickly as it's a modification from the previous worked on SARS vaccine (I think). In any event there wasn't that much work left to do and it can be tested and manufactured over the next few months though of course it will take some time (but not years!).
I'd expect schools to reopen slowly from June and that there will be some measure of social distancing until the end of the year. What that's going to look like nobody knows of course!