AIBU to think I'd rather take my chances with the virus...

[User3billion]

...than give up any more freedom?!

I'm in a tier 3 area and I'm so done. I'm sick of people in tier 1 areas preaching on social media about what we should and shouldn't be doing (especially given it can vary from one tier 3 area to the next). I'm sick of feeling like a prisoner in my own home. I'm sick of not being able to trust a single thing our government says.

I don't understand how we've got to a point in the UK, in 2020, where it's ILLEGAL to visit family we don't live with. And what's worse is that people are happy to go along with this! It's all kinds of wrong.

We deride other countries that deprive their citizens of their civil liberties and yet here we are.

@MadameBlobby

*We, like you, are an island. We could and should have used our island advantage.

I was saying this in August. I said if we'd did it then we could have a normalish Christmas. Like you (and my family in Australia) will be able to have).*

We should have done it in bloody February!

Of if only!

I was so naive. I remember being utterly shocked when we didn't. It was so very obvious from the news and footage in China just how serious (and infectious) this was. They weren't shutting down major cities and their economy, and having people in hazmat suits spray the streets with disinfectant for a laugh.

I was truly stunned at our government's shortsightedness. What on earth did they think would happen? Sticking fingers in ears going la la la wishing it away. I can understand any old random member of public having this attitude. But the government is employed by us to have a bit more intelligence, foresight, and forward planning than the average Joe in the street.

Sheep and cow- I know someone in Melbourne and they went into lockdown before us and are still in lockdown until Wednesday. I don't think they are a shining example. That's a bloody long time in lockdown

Not as bloody long as our dragged out semi half on half off ever changing different rules for every area 'restrictions' have lasted. And we have no end in sight.

They took the bull by the horns. Failure to contain only makes everything - economy included, worse. Far worse.

My understanding is that the strength o the measures taken by governments doesn't correlate particularly well with how well it's actually controlled covid. Some places that were strict seem to do better, and some don't. Some places that are relaxed seem to do worse, and some don't.

That's even before you look at trade offs, questions around nations that might falsify data, and whether governments in western democracies even have the mandate to institute the kind of restrictions that an authoritarian regime with not much attention to rights does.

Take your chances all you like, but remember my lovely ex colleague aged 40 who died in March leaving her husband and young children......my friend who lost her husband and watched his funeral on her iPad.....my neighbours dad, very ill in hospital right now unlikely to survive. So, knock yourself out, sorry you can’t have a cup of tea with your mum.......must be awful for you

You just have to go along with all the rules.People who break the rules may do more harm than good eventually, you never can tell with a pandemic raging all over. Its not hard to obey some rules , despite some people's personal miseries.

Look at the footage of Brits crowded together at a Greek airport the other day (mass gathering indoors). Some of them will have travelled from a tier 3 area. Others will be returning to a no tier area. Can you think what might possibly happen? Spread, spread, and more spread.

Then we had far right conspiracy theorists led by anongst others Jeremy Corbyn's brother deliberately breaking the rules - mass gathering without social distancing and no masks. They travelled to and from central London on busy public transport. Deliberaty not wearing masks. London's cases are rapidly increasing. Their actions put millions of Londoners at risk AND everyone where they live at risk too.

We have tiers but can't even stick to what that means. It seems to depend on negotiations and deals - and keeps chopping and changing.

Our restrictions aren't coherent or effective.

@MagicSummer

I wouldn't want to take my chances - I am over 65 and scared I will catch it. I have so many things I still want to do with my life and it saddens me that a certain section of society will not adhere to the rules to protect others. Why should we cower at home because 20 somethings want to party and carry the virus back to their older relatives? It makes me cry to see TV programmes recorded last year where people are in huge crowds, mingling and chatting, and all that has gone and might never come back.

I understand this must be an extremely worrying time for people over a certain age and people in vulnerable groups, so I get why you’d be upset, but I’m sick and tired of the young being the scapegoat when it comes to the spread of the virus.

And I’m sick of the assumption that young people are only pissed off over lockdown restrictions because they want to go and ‘party with their mates’, when the reality is quite different and much more complex than that.

Im in my twenties. I follow the rules. Although I do question if we truly are going about this the right way, lately i’ve probably been more worried about the future collateral damage caused by all of these restrictions than the actual virus itself tbh.

My 12 year old daughter has tested positive. She has only come home from the hospital yesterday where she has needed intervention with oxygen.

I have never, ever seen my otherwise fit and healthy child so sick. I actually thought she wasn't going to come home.

So to any dick, yes dick, intentionally taking a 'risk' or not following guidelines, don't. Because when you see it first hand you will absolutely wish you had done all in your power to prevent it from happening.

This is a real illness and it does not discriminate.

Yes the division - encouraged by some more mischievous sections of the media - is a distraction tactic. Regions set against regions, generations against generations, etc. Some people across the UK of all ages have broken guidelines. Others across the UK of all ages haven't.

The reality is our government failed to use foresight (under pressure from some very rich people who can insulate themselves from the personal and economic risks).

The failed but still costing billions test, track, and trace system, incoherent restrictions, confused messaging.

The government needs to start listening to the scientific, medical, and long-sighted economic experts. And - the public, those who are ignoring guidelines or having a whinge, need to realise that it's that behaviour that is contributing towards dragging it out.

@DM1209
Your poor daughter. I hope she has a good recovery and is fully better very soon.

@Requinblanc

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome....

Lockdowns are simply not working, even the WHO states that they should only be used to plan and put in place other measures like effective testing/track and trace and building hospital capacity and are not a way to defeat the virus.

Our government has squandered the lockdowns we have had.

We are fast approaching the point where people will simply refuse to comply.

And yes I think that the damage to our mental health, to the treatment of other conditions (you only have to look at the number of people who died of heart attacks, cancer and other conditions during the lockdown due to lack of care) and the economy in general is no longer sustainable or justified.

The majority of people survive the virus and the average of someone who dies of it is 82, which is above our average life expectancy. I cannot see the logic in destroying everything with lockdowns when you look at the facts.

This ^^ 👏

I'm not making that assumption at all .I agree that breaking the rules doesn't automatically mean the risk of infection will be increased on an individual level . However ,OP isn't saying that she will break the rules in a way that won't increase her risk of getting infected. She is saying that she will take her chances and break the rules even if it does mean she will get infected. Others seem to have a similar attitude.

But you didn't specify the OP, or even a specific type of rule breaking. You just said the people talking about not sticking to the restrictions.

@Orcus

I'm not making that assumption at all .I agree that breaking the rules doesn't automatically mean the risk of infection will be increased on an individual level . However ,OP isn't saying that she will break the rules in a way that won't increase her risk of getting infected. She is saying that she will take her chances and break the rules even if it does mean she will get infected. Others seem to have a similar attitude.

But you didn't specify the OP, or even a specific type of rule breaking. You just said the people talking about not sticking to the restrictions.

I was talking about breaking the rules in the context of this thread which is titled "aibu to think I will take my chances with this virus".

@Jesscarbqueen87
How do the other conditions - the heart attacks (possibly caused by Covid), the cancer patients, those with mental illness - get treated whem we have no restrictions at all and therefore completely uncontained Covid?

Where do they go? The hospital beds will be full. If there's any spare it will be too dangerous for vulnerable ill patients because of the high risk of catching Covid from asymptomatic patients and staff.

Who cares for these patients? The doctors and nurses and other HCP will be off sick. Either Covid, Long Covid, or PTSD.

Yes madness indeed doing the same thing. So how about we stop the whingeimg Pom self fulfilling prophecy of bleating we can't we can't we can't.

Instead, we can we can we can - and do something about it, i.e. take effective containment measures. Short-term pain, long-term gain.

Melbourne could've said we can't we can't we can't. They didn't. They rolled their sleeves up, did what had to be done. They now get to have a largely normal Christmas.

Oh - and as for the semi eugenics fascist shit. (Personally I'd rather save 94 year old Sir David Attenborough over a 30 year old rapist).

You're in for a rude shock.

Long Covid goes younger, way younger, than 82.

Keep on with your denial and you too could become one of The Others aka The Vulnerable.

@etopp

Everything that *@gjejgej* says is right. I wish it weren't, but it is.

The gullibility and lack of critical thinking of the general public is astounding.

@etopp: The irony is astounding. Pot, kettle, black comes to mind.

@DM1209 I want to wish your daughter a speedy recovery. How those who are trying to claim this isn't real or trying to claim their individual liberties trump others ' safety can look themselves in the face I don't know.

[quote SheepandCow]@Jesscarbqueen87
How do the other conditions - the heart attacks (possibly caused by Covid), the cancer patients, those with mental illness - get treated whem we have no restrictions at all and therefore completely uncontained Covid?

Where do they go? The hospital beds will be full. If there's any spare it will be too dangerous for vulnerable ill patients because of the high risk of catching Covid from asymptomatic patients and staff.

Who cares for these patients? The doctors and nurses and other HCP will be off sick. Either Covid, Long Covid, or PTSD.

Yes madness indeed doing the same thing. So how about we stop the whingeimg Pom self fulfilling prophecy of bleating we can't we can't we can't.

Instead, we can we can we can - and do something about it, i.e. take effective containment measures. Short-term pain, long-term gain.

Melbourne could've said we can't we can't we can't. They didn't. They rolled their sleeves up, did what had to be done. They now get to have a largely normal Christmas.[/quote]
Far far to logical Sheep and Cow . Can you imagine how these people would have managed in a 5year long war ? Don't fancy our chances of the same outcome. Everyone would have been lying on the floor kicking and screaming it's not fair'.. whilst Hitler drove in a tank up The Mall.

We are talking a year probably by the end of it with a few months of limited deprivation. We need to man up !

It’s been almost a year. First cases were probably September/October

Biggest problem was the lack of people watching the news.

When we had lockdown my daughter asked if it was just two weeks. I replied more like 3 months like China had to.

Governments were saying they had 3 months cash for lockdown.

Those who ignored the news are the people we need worry about.

We know Spanish flu took two years

Plus they didn’t have the communication tools we have

We were slow to enforce masks
We were slow to respond locally
Councils should have been together in their response
PPE should’ve been on back order and hand sanitizer

Local companies ore could’ve been asked to switch products in order to help the effort in fighting the virus

The money could’ve been spent better

But again belladonna, you're still assuming that everyone who talks about rule breaking, which is what you said, is taking the less safe option. The people who agreed with OP simply haven't given you enough information.

Sheep and cow- I know someone in Melbourne and they went into lockdown before us and are still in lockdown until Wednesday. I don't think they are a shining example. That's a bloody long time in lockdown

They haven’t been in lockdown since March though. They went back after a rise in cases. There were no new cases at all in Victoria yesterday.

The track and trace in the country has been well done - the strain of any new case is identified so public health can work out if it’s related to an already known case or a new one. Some state borders have been closed, the criterion for opening one of them (still closed) has been no new cases in a month where their source is unclear ie not linked to an already known case. New cases in each state are happening per day in single digits.

It all sounds very strict and punitive but - with the exception of Victoria - we’ve pretty much been able to do normal things on a day-to-day basis.

@Orcus

But again belladonna, you're still assuming that everyone who talks about rule breaking, which is what you said, is taking the less safe option. The people who agreed with OP simply haven't given you enough information.

I wasn't assuming anything .I was responding to OP's post which was about being fed up of the rules and taking a chance with Covid. If people aren't taking their chances with the virus then they aren't really agreeing with OP.

To add - pretty much all the new cases are coming in from overseas with returning Aussies in quarantine. The Melbourne spike came from security guards at a hotel, they also caught it from returned travellers