To think life will be pretty much normal by early 2021?

[itsaweddingone]

I hope we are! A colleague said today (he has no extra knowledge or info) that he can't see us being back in the office before 2021.

Do you think Covid will be mostly behind us by then or we will still be living with restrictions?

"Prof Jonathan Van Tam has just said on the daily press conference that in the absence of a vaccine, we need to prepare ourselves to live with this for years...".
How can people think things will be any different from now if there is no vaccine? I dont see how it can ever be any different from now if Covid 19 keeps popping up in outbreaks as it inevitably will.

@Bobleywobley

Because it will be. Who's going to pay to prop us all up until there's a vaccine? Which might never come.

We'll social distance where we can but people will die. That's it.

No magic bullet.

Do you remember how they used to treat tb? A bit like some other countriesare treating this virus . you were whisked away to be isolated in sanatoriums. Can’t imagine people putting up with that when there are objections to the ( not full) lockdown we have had

I don't know. I think I'd accept quarantine if I tested positive and I'd accept weekly testing, if we could otherwise live freely. Unlike TB, for the vast majority of cases CV is not an illness where you are infectious for a prolonged period.

Do you remember how they used to treat tb? A bit like some other countriesare treating this virus . you were whisked away to be isolated in sanatoriums. Can’t imagine people putting up with that when there are objections to the ( not full) lockdown we have had

Saw on the news yesterday in Italy they’ve been doing this for Covid and suspect Covid patients. Staying in hotels overseen my medical staff.

One woman was getting discharged after weeks there and was so grateful.

I think the economic effects will be profound, and affect millions for years.

The Resolution Foundation are reporting that young people in particular have lost jobs, and that people will be retiring on less income than they expected. This means fewer tax receipts, less spending, reduced economic activity, a stalling in the higher education market, and high unemployment.

The middle-aged middle classes in work will carry a larger tax burden and resent it, while in turn being resented by the unemployed and the newly created broke retirees.

Brexit (the actual real one on 31st December 2020) will be hard and difficult.

Labour will win a general election on 'Green Recovery' manifesto, but we will not rejoin the EU. There will be something instead around climate and economic resilience, and David Miliband will come back from the US to help set it up.

The arts and culture will be reborn and Grayson Perry will be Minister for Art.

I need more sleep, less codeine.

@PicsInRed you may decide you can't live like this but many won't. Me and DH have already decided we are only going out for food shopping and walks away from others until July at least.

We are quite happy to live like this and while I realise not everyone is plenty are. My siblings have said the same, my parents have, quite a few friends have.

Also if cinemas, cafes, restaurants, shops don't open people can't go back to normal can they?

@lynsey91 - can I ask, were you one of the people who were out a lot anyway before? My friends who are split between finding it easy and horrible seem to mirror those who were out a lot anyway and those who didn't.

The ones who are struggling are the ones who ate out 2-3 times a week, often at live gigs or dinner with lots of people, or going for coffee with mates etc. The ones who seem to be coping fine are the friends who didn't do a lot socially anyway, the friends who I'd meet with our DCs for a play in the park, but weren't really out a lot in the evenings/weekends with anyone other than their DH or immediate family.

I'm sort of half way between the 2! I'm finding it relatively ok now, but then there's a selfishness as have family members who would get very ill if they aren't protected. I'm well aware I might feel differently if there was noone I cared about at risk.

When they are different views on how far part to stay, 2m, 1.5m or 1m it's all starting to feel a bit like a joke. If your safe at 1m then what's the point in making everyone stay at 2m.

Now its jot distance but how long you are around someone so it's ok to pass someone it's super low risk but if your in company for more than 15mins the risk increases

Scientists cant agree across the world ever since this started. It's becoming a joke, your either safe at 1m or your not and if you are why have a rule for 2m. It makes no difference then.

lynsey91

You really are in a very different position to those living alone, at great distance from family, in a small 5th floor apartment with 3 bored kids.

And plenty in more favourable conditions who simply don't intend to live indefinitely on house arrest. 🤷‍♀️

The majority won't be willing to lockdown long term, but I'm sure no laws will be passed preventing you and your family from continuing to voluntarily do so.

Many people are already getting extremely restless and questioning whether all this is worth it. The cost to the economy is already immense. I know there are some here who would love a full Wuhan style lockdown indefinitely, but it's not going to happen. If restrictions go on too long, the backlash will be considerable.

But then we'll have a no-deal Brexit, anticipated to shrink our economy by another 30%!

By January 2021 we may well be foraging for nuts and berries and looking back on furlough as a golden age...

The self inflicted economic damage of Brexit was a "price worth paying." Damage to the economy but saving lives apparently not.

Ain't that the truth, @GhostofFrankG.

I was looking at the deaths from the spreadsheet published in my age range 20 - 39 the highest death rate per day was 9. That happened on one day. On average it's more like 4.

Given how many of us in the population in that range it's pretty damn low.
So it's about time we allow certain sections of society get back to it.

I went for a drive on the weekend and almost in an accident because some idiot was overtaking a car and almost collided into me head on and they were driving far too fast. I am more at risk of stupid things like this then of covid.

Agree with everything you've said JLC except Grayson Perry for Minister for Art. How can we agree on so much but not on him?

I bloody hope so!!

Oh @LorelaiVictoriaGilmore that's great! I may need to consider....

You mean 'It'll all be over by Christmas'? Now, where have I heard that before?

No idea but I certainly like to hope so.

I've basically written this year off but I'm hoping for normality by Christmas.

Dont fancy the works xmas party via zoom. Unles Karen starts shagging Gavin from accounts in the background.

In the NHS we are planning for permanent change to the way of working and don’t expect anything near “peacetime” as we now refer to pre Covid for at least two years

@Mesoavocado @exaltedwombat

I don't mean it will have gone away and we'll be over it but that life will be more normal on terms of socialising / weddings / office working (albeit less than before).

I think it will come and go , I can see us being a bit more freedom over the summer Cases will go up but the nhs will cope . There will be social
Distancing . I think we will probably have a lockdown through the winter , I don’t think Christmas will be as social as usual . I’m
Guessing lots of things we are used to will now be delivered in a different way .
If we can get testing up then less people will have to isolate if they are not actually infected .
I’m guessing there will be more regular testing on those in contact with vulnerable people .
I don’t think normal is coming in Tne next couple of years .
I’m planning for a more restricted life for the next few years .

Let’s hope I’m
Wrong as it’s pretty bleak !

Hope so I’m getting married in March 🤞🏻

There are lots of factors but for context the 20th century flu pandemic each lasted about two years. It will depend on how the virus mutates, if it becomes more deadly we'll have to go back to a never stricter lockdown, if it becomes weaker we may get back to normal more quickly. What is different now is how much more advanced our science and computing power is and so we have much better tools to fight this. We are already optimising treatments and testing drugs and vaccines. We can use phones to track infected individuals. We will get back to a (maybe slightly different) normal.