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.

YABVU

you might take your chances and be fine but what about everyone else you come into contact with and potentially infect?

I’m in Wales where we have far tighter restrictions than anywhere in England at the moment so not one of the smug tier one people you think are so annoying

Pinkyxx puts the alternative view perfectly.

Plus can someone explain why track and trace is so important if we are all following the rules

Because there are lots of things within the rules that allow for transmission. Schools being an obvious one, public transport being another. It’s is false to equate obeying the rules with not passing covid on. You can very easily pass it on while obeying the rules, as with the NI family wedding upthread.

It’s not about you. It’s about passing it on to someone who passes it on to someone who dies.

Bit holier than thou on here to be honest. There's millions of people have the same attitude as the OP - including me.

"Freedom " . Is that what you think is being denied you? For shits and giggles?

Imagine you were told in 2019 that by the end of 2020 it would be illegal to have a cup of tea with your mum. For a virus where 50-70% of cases are asymptomatic and well over 85% of 80 year olds survive it...even those with underlying conditions.

Yes the amount of deaths is awful and no we don’t want to overwhelm the NHS but I completely agree. Without a vaccine, in a few months there will be a national revolt against our civil liberties being taken away from us. Or people will ignore the rules. Because it’s one thing to be told you need to lockdown for a few months but it’s coming up for 9 months of this shit. The failure to set up a decent test and trace during the summer is unforgivable.

@bellinisurge

"Freedom " . Is that what you think is being denied you? For shits and giggles?

Obviously it’s not for shits and giggles it’s for excellent reason - but you don’t think people’s freedom is being denied to them when it’s forbidden to visit your mum?

I'm sick of people who've been in tier 3 for a couple of weeks complaining. I'm in Leicester we haven't been able to visit other households indoors or socialise in indoor settings since March.

bellinisurge

What would you call it?

Anyway, I’m sticking with the restrictions for now. It is (I hope) temporary. But I won’t abide by them forever.

@User3billion

The reason the nightingale hospitals were not full was because to a certain extent lockdown worked . Plus a lot of elderly people who died did not even reach hospital. And it is nothing like flu. If we had carried on at 1000 deaths per day then that would equate to 365000 deaths per annum . Flu on average is 17000 per annum . Plus it is no way as contagious. Have you heard of factories with 50 people off with flu at a time ? Because that is what is happening abroad at the moment.

Just pop over to the nhs thread and speak to the staff who are dealing with this at the moment and you will see how scared they are .

And apparently a large percentage of cases are caused by mixing households and families . I am sure if you think about it it not hard to work out why .

YABVU.
Newsflash... this isn't about you.

When it comes to Freeeeedommm, perhaps we could first focus our outrage on the lack of freedom to access safe affordable housing. That's the reality for too many people in this country.

Civil liberties? We aren't allowed to choose our poison. Alcohol is the only one allowed. Most other drugs are illegal. No freedom of choice there.

We're not allowed freedom to choose assisted suicide.

Wrt Covid, it's not individual choice because it impacts on everybody else.

Their freedom to live - and their freedom to stay healthy (rather than suffer the long-term disability that Long Covid risks).

Freedom for our frontline health and social care staff to avoid PTSD.

Also the freedom to pursue a well functioning economy (because we need it healthy to pay for essential services).

That said you're right to an extent OP. Our restrictions are fairly pointless and certainly unnecessarily dragged out. Stricter but ultimately shorter measures would've been better. Other countries realised this and took effective containment measures. Now people there have freedom. Shops, bars, pubs, restaurants, schools, hospitals, gyms, etc all open as normal. Healthier economies too.

@FatGirlShrinking

I'm sick of people who've been in tier 3 for a couple of weeks complaining. I'm in Leicester we haven't been able to visit other households indoors or socialise in indoor settings since March.

Yeah I think it’s scandalous actually to leave an entire city languishing like that with no exit strategy. You have my sympathy.

I would recommend taking your chances. Our whole household had it. The kids weren't too bad but my husband I have been really ill for 3 weeks. Paramedics called to my husband as his oxygen was too low and I'm going in tomorrow for an assessment due to continued shortage of breath. We are in our 40's with no underlying health issues. It's a horrific virus and I'm worried sick about the long term impacts.

@Delatron

So what about every other country that is now experiencing a second wave some worse than ours ? Some of them have better track and trace ? Do they ? France is struggling , and Belgium and Spain and Russia ?

And why would you need the track and trace if you were following the rules of SD ?

I'm fed up of it, but I'm mostly fed up that in spite of the fact that I barely leave the house and my kids have had their lives affected it's not getting any better because of idiots who just carry on because they don't believe in it. Then the fact that it's not going away seems to strengthen their views.

Melbourne have just had their first covid free day since their lockdown started on 1st August. They had a proper lockdown for an extended period.

I do empathise OP but for the reasons other people give, people have to do what it has been mandated they do.

I would feel much happier about it if I felt that the govt had kept 'their side' of the deal though, with quick, accessible testing, accurate track and trace and financial support to those not able to work as SI.

*Would not recommend!! Can't even type properly!

Nah thanks. I’m CEV and so are some of my family. I’d rather make sacrifices to protect them, myself and the wider community by not taking up more space in our already full intensive care. I want to be able to live with a clear conscience.

@madeleinetheragdoll

I feel for you . It’s really scary isn’t it .

I mean whilst we can't let Covid rip through uncontained (because it impacts the whole country - individuals, society, and the economy), I can see why OP is fed up and confused.

We can't visit our family at home but other people can swan off on holiday - mass gathering indoors at airports?

Stricter and therefore shorter measures would've been better.

Yanbu. Fwiw I notice less and less people taking notice of the restrictions, I think a lot of people would rather get back to normal. Even elderly relatives seem to want to live and take a chance rather than be shut away, I dont blame them.

@FatGirlShrinking

Why do you think your area is so bad ? It’s always useful to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak .

And why would you need the track and trace if you were following the rules of SD?

You honestly think the rules prevent transmission of covid? That everyone who has had it broke the rules?