To think "it's alright for you" for those who want lockdown for now until eternity?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

I've seen, on both MN and social media, outrage after the PM announcement last night that strict lockdown won't be in place any more. Lots of sensationalist "great so now people can come to the Dales and kill us all" type posts. Furious that builders can go back to work and school children can go back to school in June to "kills us all". People are saying we should have lockdown until there's a vaccine, or until September. All these people on social media either:

• work from home anyway
• run their business from home
• didn't work anyway

AIBU in thinking "yeah it's alright for you!". Some of us need to return to work to keep a living and roof over our heads. I am furloughed until the end of the month but if my workplace can't re-open by around July then my job is basically fucked. I'm a single parent to 2, my ex runs a business that also relies on lockdown being eased, so if he loses his business then I lose maintenance payments.

I think it also shows a woeful misunderstanding of what lockdown is for. It wasn't implemented so that we could stay at home while the virus fairy magicked corona virus away. It was never the expectation that lockdown would solve the virus problem. There will be a second peak - NHS barely survives flu season as it is, it's important that the next peak doesn't coincide with the inevitable flu peak

Every social situation has winners and losers. Those who have the most yo gain from lockdown have been berating those who gain the least and lose the most from the outset of all this. Now that things are not 100% swayed in their favour they are getting a taste of what being a net loser in all this might be like. It's a bitter pill.

'A vaccine isn't the only thing that'll make a difference. We are learning more about Covid-19 all the time. The longer time goes on, the better we'll learn how to treat it.

There still isn't a vaccine for HIV/AIDS for example, but it's not the life sentence it once was as we've learnt how to treat it much more effectively.

Similarly, as we learn more about covid-19, the survival rate will go up as doctors get better at treating it.'

Excellent points!

Honestly after 8 weeks, people need to start getting on with life, before there's no life to return to.

If people actually suffered as a whole from the lockdown they'd want to return. But they haven't, furlough scheme was far too generous, households should have had a basic UC salary and their housing cost covered.

Now they should move to if the workplace is safe to return to and you refuse, you loose your job. See how happy people are to sit locked in of their own choice poor. After all so many of them rather be poor than dead, well crack on.

You don't want to return your child to school, then you register them as homeschooled and loose that place on that lovely school you wangled the entry criteria for.

There's definitely an I'm alright jack attitude, and it's those who are enjoying a extended holiday and lapping up the the fear and spreading it to ensure everyone else feels to scared to emerge from their nests.

The virus isn't going anywhere, a vaccine isn't close. Time to take some responsibility for yourself, practice social distancing, wash hands regularly and support the very vunerable by staying away.

I think lockdown should be lifted before our economy totally collapses, our children's education is destroyed, people's mental health is wrecked and people start dying from other illnesses that aren't being treated

I'm amazed so many people are so accepting of living like this

No sweetie. I just disagree with you.
Correction , you didn’t “disagree” with me, you made an spiteful comment based on your skewed view of parents .
Maybe this is your own experience of your own kids ?
Now it makes sense ,sweetie ..

To listen to some of you talk you'd think money grew on trees. The country can't afford to keep paying your salaries forever just because a few people might get ill. But hey clearly I'm outnumbered in my opinion.

"Then you have no idea that the lack of a hug is going to cost some of us our lives. Let's guess - you don't live alone?
How fucking stupid and selfish are people to think that losing your job is more important than having meaningful social relationships?"

Jesus, chill. You can still talk to people on the phone or whatever. Some people live for decades with no meaningful interaction.

We need to think about everyone, not just attack each other because we all think we have it worse than the next person.

people's mental health is wrecked and people start dying from other illnesses that aren't being treated

Unfortunately this is already happening.

BBC news reported than non covid admissions were down 50% from the usual rate.

What's happening to those people? They're either dead or will be getting more and more I'll and into a worse condition.

I think it's a mixture of:

Some people are rightly scared (serious health condition)

Some are just scared about anything

Some are so worked up and anxious with the constant negative news that they struggle to keep the actual risk in perspective - so unnecessarily scared.

There was an excellent doctor on tv last night and he explained the ACTUAL RISK to different groups. For children it was so small it was silly to be worried. For people with no health conditions under 50 it was very small.

Even the elderly had a low risk... so perhaps perspective is everything!

Some people live for decades with no meaningful interaction

Do they? Who?

@formerbabe I agree, terrifying what civil curbs people will accept at the drop of a hat just because it might "save one life". I'm terrified what situation in the future might precipitate a return to this arrangement with even less justification required.

Wellweallhaveopinions .... you're so right

'Every social situation has winners and losers. Those who have the most yo gain from lockdown have been berating those who gain the least and lose the most from the outset of all this. Now that things are not 100% swayed in their favour they are getting a taste of what being a net loser in all this might be like. It's a bitter pill.'

There are NO winners in this! There are people who are greater losers and lesser losers in this. And NOBODY to my knowledge has been berating those who have 'most to lose'. Well, the government does tend to berate poor people, but I don't think most people not in the DWP have been doing so on COVID 19.

At the moment teachers are providing an education for most DCs to do at home and are in schools for the DCs of key workers

Is this actually true? I know a number of people with primary school aged DC, and the majority have had no direct contact from their child's teacher since schools closed. Work 'to do' is posted on the school website, or emailed out by support staff. This is in several different areas of the country. If that is a representative sample then it's hard to argue that those teachers are earning their salaries.

Some people live for decades with no meaningful interaction

That's not a life it's an existence and most of these people won't be doing it by choice. Don't promote it as a good idea. It's just sacrificing one person's wellbeing for another.

'I'm amazed so many people are so accepting of living like this'

Because for some of us the alternative might be not living at all.

'Shield the vulnerable and get the healthy young out'

What happens when the "vulnerable" need their boiler repairing - the "healthy young" have to enter their house, probably spreading Covid all over the place. Are the boiler repairers going to be wearing full PPE, gloves, masks, etc. Will they be happy not to be offered a brew and not be allowed to use the toilet or wash their hands??

What about the "vulnerable" who have important jobs, such as nurses, teachers, hospital consultants, GPs, dentists, etc? Are they going to have to be retired early as they'd be locked in their homes and unable to work? Who will replace them. You can't easily find a replacement for our neighbour, the clinical lead in our local oncology dept who is shielding himself!

The "young" and the "vulnerable" need to interact - they can't live in vacuums. The vulnerable need to be able to get out at least to exercise - how can they do that if the "young" are out and about failing to respect social distancing etc?

Because for some of us the alternative might be not living at all

Then you stay at home then. I don't want to anymore and I want my DC to go to school.

"That's not a life it's an existence and most of these people won't be doing it by choice. Don't promote it as a good idea"

Where did I promote it as a good idea?

I'm pointing out that, hard as it is, we need to tough it out.

And just because you don't see anyone, it doesn't mean your life is worthless. What a horrible way to think. Not everyone needs people. I could live just fine if I never saw anyone ever again.

Is this actually true? I know a number of people with primary school aged DC, and the majority have had no direct contact from their child's teacher since schools closed. Work 'to do' is posted on the school website, or emailed out by support staff. This is in several different areas of the country. If that is a representative sample then it's hard to argue that those teachers are earning their salaries.

Have to agree. My son has had very little contact from his school. He's had nothing at all from two teachers/two subjects. A couple of teachers have been remarkable with organisating online sessions, setting/marking homework etc., but they are the exception. Most teachers have just posted occasional work on the school website and not really shown any interest at all in whether it's been done or not.

Because for some of us the alternative might be not living at all.

Suits me. Better to die that live in pain

I could live just fine if I never saw anyone ever again

Good for you. You're in a minority. It's natural to need human contact.

Tough it out for how long exactly?

Not sure that anyone wants lockdown for eternity, but I don't have too much shame in saying I would rather not be in and out of lockdown more than twice which is made ever more likely in the short term if the boundaries are pushed too far, or if the situation turns into more unexpected avenues such as mutations.
I know that a lot of people will eye roll about the mention of Spanish Flu, but the second wave came after a summer and into flu season. It hadn't just conveniently stopped in that summer, it was still spreading, with or without symptoms.
I would think that the compliance with lockdown regulations in the UK has probably been the highest this time, and that it would be likely to wane in future periods - plus, if people have to work in some workplaces through these periods, I also think that they will be less likely to shoulder the risks as willingly.

The young adults are very badly hit. Just when they should be forging careers, making new friends, learning about the world, getting in to relationships - they are stuck at home. Job applications are frozen, the future is bleak - and they have no money, no social contact.

I feel sorry for them. They get a bit forgotten amidst all this yet they are the future.