To think that it is crazy to be ending lockdown now, and that this will definitely lead to a disastrous second wave?

[Staysafer]

Given that the UK currently has 8,000 new cases of coronavirus a day and numbers now appear to be rising, and given that the 5 tests the Government insisted would need to be met have not been met, AIBU for worrying that ending lockdown now will inevitably lead to a hugely dangerous second wave?

Four members of SAGE, including Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, are now openly disagreeing with the government decision to ease lockdown.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52858392

I'd like people to vote on this because I think that it is still possible to avoid a second wave. But that requires action to be taken now, and also for everyone to be aware of their continuing need to socially distance and take precautions as before.

So YABU = you think ending lockdown will not lead to a second wave, it will all be fine.
YANBU = you think ending lockdown now will lead to a second wave.

NB This is one IABU where I really, really, really hope IABU. Unfortunately I don't think I am. But time will tell.

[Youngatheart00]

We seem to be in the worst of all worlds at the moment.

Not quite locked down, so not enough to suppress the virus and give us hope we can eradicate it (and yes, I know we’ll be unlikely to do that without a vaccine).

Free enough for the virus to now be rapidly spreading again.

But nowhere near normal, we don’t have the ability to travel, see family and friends, socialise in pubs, eat in restaurants etc etc.

It seems we are stuck in between a rock and a hard place simply because of politics.

[MarshaBradyo]

Young it is a strange place to be in the middle but it’s I’d say it’s due to the economic realities. We need people working but can’t ease everything up.

[Ethelfleda]

I think if people actually stuck to what they’re being allowed to do then we would be ok. But if you give people an inch, they take a mile.
As evidenced (anecdata of course) by many of my neighbours having gatherings in their gardens - all piled in on top of each other... not observing 2m distance.

[millymollymoomoo]

Eton is only ages 13-18 so not allowed to open yet ?

[Thisisworsethananticpated]

I think a lot of people are still staying home
I certainly am
Still working obvs and seeing a very few people in garden (3!)
But no school
Office
Public transport
Eating out
Shopping
Crowded parks

I think And hope if a certain % also do this
It can’t ramp TOO much ? #hopeful

[Youngatheart00]

@MarshaBradyo yeah - I understand re the economic realities. The stressful thing is for every positive action there’s a negative counter and vice versa which is why this is so tough. The government have lost my support after the Cummings affair.

[CodenameVillanelle]

New Zealand May have been aiming to eradicate the virus but how are they going to keep it out long term without blocking people from travelling in and out of the country??

[MarshaBradyo]

Young I know I bet they have many.

They made it far bigger than it needed to be.

[Mummyshark2019]

We don't know much about the virus. The likelihood is that the vast majority of us have probably had vivid. But we don't know how long immunity lasts for or if we even have immunity against catching it again. Without his info we can't predict the likelihood of a second wave. If we assume there is limited immunity say up to six months or so, then yes, easing lockdown or removing it would result in a second wave. And without a vaccine we'd go through all of this again but the impact would be far worse as we'd be experiencing this in the autumn or winter potentially, when the NHS are under increased pressure.

[PowerslidePanda]

New Zealand May have been aiming to eradicate the virus but how are they going to keep it out long term without blocking people from travelling in and out of the country?

More and more countries are getting the situation under control - I reckon New Zealand will end up making agreements for movement with an increasing number of them. Greece are already taking this approach. The UK, USA and others who' continue to handle this crisis badly will find themselves excluded from such arrangements, while the rest of the world gets back to normal.

[Staysafer]

Thanks for all the responses!

Interesting to see that currently almost 3 in 4 people do not want to see lockdown eased.

[Growingboys]

We need to get out of lockdown ASAP. We are ruining our children's future. The economy. The nation's health.

It's pathetic quivering inside our houses for months on end when this poses a negligible risk to most of us.

Yes be sensible, particularly if like my mother you are vulnerable. But the rest of us need to take a pull and get out there.

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

Members of Sage are on record as saying it's too soon.

They know better than Bozo and Dom. They fear a second wave is coming because it's too soon to ease up. But the Tory paymasters want people back at work.

[Runmybathforme]

They should definitely ban travel to beaches. In our area, the R rate is above 1, but idiots are flocking here daily.

[millymollymoomoo]

Sage dont have to think about the broader consequences to society.
The govt do and they have to get people back to work and people out !

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

The govt do and they have to get people back to work and people out !

No, they don't. Not if it means unnecessary deaths. Far too soon and people will die who didn't need to.

And then another lockdown because the government were too short sighted.

[corythatwas]

It could have been safe if the government had spent the time since January finding the best people to sort out an efficient tracking, TESTING and contacting system, run by people we could trust with out personal details, whose workers were well trained and given clear instructions, and where the nation as a whole trusted to government to be upfront and led by sound medical advice. If they had made sure that testing didn't just consist in sending out testing kits but in ensuring that they were efficiently processed and the results communicated.

It COULD have happened. It didn't.

It's pathetic quivering inside our houses for months on end when this poses a negligible risk to most of us.

Yeah, really pathetic wanting to protect NHS staff from dying from viral overload and over-work. How can people be such wimps?

[EnlightenedOwl]

@DomDoesWotHeWants

Members of Sage are on record as saying it's too soon.

They know better than Bozo and Dom. They fear a second wave is coming because it's too soon to ease up. But the Tory paymasters want people back at work.

Sage do not see a country sliding into economic ruin. An explosion in unemployment and universal credit claims. We are existing not living it cannot continue

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

It's pathetic quivering inside our houses for months on end when this poses a negligible risk to most of us.

Yes, let's just let the old and vulnerable die as long as you;re all right, eh. So utterly selfish.

[EnlightenedOwl]

@Staysafer

Thanks for all the responses!

Interesting to see that currently almost 3 in 4 people do not want to see lockdown eased.

Because on furlough and the money is coming in?

[MumW]

I think that the government is in a very difficult position and has to balance lots of different factors, infection rates and the economy being the most obvious.

My local hospital is one of the 18 still not expected to reach a peak for another week or so. Our area is in the top 25 hotspots. I know this because I dug around and looked at the statistics. Not one person I've spoken to locally was aware of this fact. It seems that this information is being lost in the euphoria of the national relaxing.

There are constantly gatherings and lack of social distancing in parks but the police just don't seem bothered. This is particularly prevelant amomgst teens, and for some reason, young men from the eastern European community.

I've no intention of changing my behaviour. If we haven't reached our peak locally, then if actions weren't safe last then they still aren't now.

[purplemunkey]

@Staysafer

Thanks for all the responses!

Interesting to see that currently almost 3 in 4 people do not want to see lockdown eased.

That’s not what you asked. You asked if people thought easing lockdown would cause a second wave. Many are saying maybe, but it’s better than the alternative.

[roarfeckingroar]

We need to relax the lockdown to stop the economy completely tanking.

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

Government prepared for isolated lock downs.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/dominic-raab-coronavirus-lockdown_uk_5ed37137c5b68e3de81eda79?ncid=fcbklnkukhpmg00000001&fbclid=IwAR2pCEHbhwYjQabjtsBXhdfoiiANwN9BvXBimOWnog8Q8CDh2hqDh7LZHPs

Back peddling already.

[Leflic]

I agree with the NHS worker who says we’re screwed this winter.
Every year from October the rate of colds and flu goes up. That’s a lot of coughing and sneezing and germy hands in the mix.

Get everyone back to work now because we are going to need all our sick days this winter.