AIBU to think that every winter from now on there will be a lockdown?

[HopelessBlue192]

Once we've vaccinated against Covid enough, then Flu will be back (with social distancing relaxed). With Flu overwhelming the NHS every winter before this year when it's been Covid, I'm really worried that every November to March, we are going to be locked down again.

We've shown as a country (UK) that we're willing to accept lockdowns, strict or not, and frequently now, so what's to stop them doing it again? When they think that the NHS is going to be overwhelmed and they can argue that it's an emergency and in our interests / safety? And who would stop them if it isn't?

No one will take notice of that and good on them! What a load of controlling bullshit

@JovialNickname

PS I don't think lockdown will happen every winter from now on, no - but I do think it will still happen sporadically after the Covid pandemic is over. I think occasional 2 week lockdowns will be a thing to "prevent the NHS getting overwhelmed". The implicit threat of course being if you don't stay indoors no one will treat you or your loved ones if you become sick. The public fear of this, which is embedded and endemic now, will ensure that people in the main comply. Plus the well off enjoy the paid "holiday", which is what lockdown means for them.

They can get fucked

Fucking hell, enough with the scaremongering. Some people are bloody loving this.

No I don’t think they’ll be more lockdowns for flu season. I do think that hygiene and masks on public transport and more office working at home is here to stay but not lockdowns.

OP must live close to a 5g mast.
It's got her, overtaken the brain.

I think that’s insane thinking. This is a once in a lifetime event for most people.

The trade off between a totally depressing life and a small risk of catching flu isn't worth it. Most people are not at risk of serious illness from flu or covid, it's purely the numbers that are causing the lockdowns to be necessary this year.
There is a flu vaccine anyway - maybe more people will get it in future

I think occasional 2 week lockdowns will be a thing to "prevent the NHS getting overwhelmed".

Personally I'd rather pay more tax and fund the NHS better!
Also 2 week lockdowns are entirely pointless (as demonstrated by the Welsh) so that is clearly never going to happen

@SnackSizeRaisin

I think occasional 2 week lockdowns will be a thing to "prevent the NHS getting overwhelmed".

Personally I'd rather pay more tax and fund the NHS better!
Also 2 week lockdowns are entirely pointless (as demonstrated by the Welsh) so that is clearly never going to happen

Exactly the NHS needs to have some more resilience built into it, so it copes better with a very predictable event, such as winter flu season.

I can imagine face coverings being required in certain places, such as visiting hospitals and care homes, but nothing beyond that.

I think this is what’s known as a straw man argument.

I’m not sure that icu units have been overwhelmed to the same extent by the flu season every year. I think that this has been extraordinary measures for extraordinary times. However agree with PP about people being more aware of good hygiene practices and this should make a difference to flu and many other viruses. Also agree with PP that I’m hopeful it will encourage people to have any vaccination they are offered.

But I really think that the govt will want to avoid any more damage to the economy and will therefore not want to lockdown where it is not totally necessary.

@nosswith

I can imagine face coverings being required in certain places, such as visiting hospitals and care homes, but nothing beyond that.

I can't see them being compulsory in care homes forever, too distressing for some residents who don't recognise their loved ones.

This will be my last post on this thread because I don't want to derail the OP. However for everybody saying that the idea of regular winter lockdowns are ludicrous, think of the difference in your mindset towards having all your civil liberties removed, between now and this same time last year. Is it really so incredible to think we could have taken a further step in the same direction by winter 2021? And yes of course you can think "yes, but we're accepting all these restrictions because now there's a good reason" but a good reason can always be found.

Me: Happy New Year!

January 2020 you: Happy New Year to you too. I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be great!

Me: Actually, no it won't be. In fact, by this time next year, you will have given up all of your civil liberties and freedoms. You won't be allowed to meet with even close friends and family. All but essential shops will close. Even work, if at all possible, should be carried out from home. And you will be just fine with this.

2020 you: Like fuck will that happen!

Me: It will, because there's a virus that causes a global pandemic.

2020 you: Oh well, in that case I understand. A virus that indiscriminately wipes out, say, 50% of the population? Then we certainly need the UK, and the world, to survive by any means possible.

Me: Oh no, you've misunderstood. This virus is asymptomatic, or manifests as a cold, in the vast majority of cases. The survival rate exceeds 99%. The average age of virus victims is higher than the average life expectancy.

2020 you: WTAF.

How do you think annual lockdowns will be funded?
OPs idea that for 1/3 of the year we are locked down?
It happened this year because this is (hopefully) a once in a geneartion pandemic. The NHS reaches breaking point most winters when the economy is functioning for 12 months of the year, every year. Now its on the point of collapse...but we will never generate enough money and taxes to pay for it and other public services and start paying back the massive debt accrued this year, if majority of people are only working for 8 months of the year...

The more people say IABU the better I feel about this to be honest. I had felt like I was entirely alone in thinking that we couldn't do this much more for much longer which was partly why my anxiety was getting the better of me.

I'm still not sure about whether it will happen again but I am more confident now that it won't just be accepted by everyone, and that people will have something to say about it if it does happen again (hopefully we have long memories about this!).

I doubt there will be lockdowns but I do think we'll be encouraged to wear masks.

No, once enough people are vaccinated, we should-hopefully-go back to normal. Why would we need more lockdowns?

@JovialNickname

This will be my last post on this thread because I don't want to derail the OP. However for everybody saying that the idea of regular winter lockdowns are ludicrous, think of the difference in your mindset towards having all your civil liberties removed, between now and this same time last year. Is it really so incredible to think we could have taken a further step in the same direction by winter 2021? And yes of course you can think "yes, but we're accepting all these restrictions because now there's a good reason" but a good reason can always be found.

Me: Happy New Year!

January 2020 you: Happy New Year to you too. I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be great!

Me: Actually, no it won't be. In fact, by this time next year, you will have given up all of your civil liberties and freedoms. You won't be allowed to meet with even close friends and family. All but essential shops will close. Even work, if at all possible, should be carried out from home. And you will be just fine with this.

2020 you: Like fuck will that happen!

Me: It will, because there's a virus that causes a global pandemic.

2020 you: Oh well, in that case I understand. A virus that indiscriminately wipes out, say, 50% of the population? Then we certainly need the UK, and the world, to survive by any means possible.

Me: Oh no, you've misunderstood. This virus is asymptomatic, or manifests as a cold, in the vast majority of cases. The survival rate exceeds 99%. The average age of virus victims is higher than the average life expectancy.

2020 you: WTAF.

That's one way to look at it.

Wrong on almost every level, but it is one way.

@Backbee

No. Hopefully people will continue to wash their hands and not go out spreading their germs if they're poorly though (D&V etc I'm on about here, not colds etc), but you'd hope they would do that anyway.

Ha! They’re not even doing it now!

@JovialNickname

This will be my last post on this thread because I don't want to derail the OP. However for everybody saying that the idea of regular winter lockdowns are ludicrous, think of the difference in your mindset towards having all your civil liberties removed, between now and this same time last year. Is it really so incredible to think we could have taken a further step in the same direction by winter 2021? And yes of course you can think "yes, but we're accepting all these restrictions because now there's a good reason" but a good reason can always be found.

Me: Happy New Year!

January 2020 you: Happy New Year to you too. I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be great!

Me: Actually, no it won't be. In fact, by this time next year, you will have given up all of your civil liberties and freedoms. You won't be allowed to meet with even close friends and family. All but essential shops will close. Even work, if at all possible, should be carried out from home. And you will be just fine with this.

2020 you: Like fuck will that happen!

Me: It will, because there's a virus that causes a global pandemic.

2020 you: Oh well, in that case I understand. A virus that indiscriminately wipes out, say, 50% of the population? Then we certainly need the UK, and the world, to survive by any means possible.

Me: Oh no, you've misunderstood. This virus is asymptomatic, or manifests as a cold, in the vast majority of cases. The survival rate exceeds 99%. The average age of virus victims is higher than the average life expectancy.

2020 you: WTAF.

Most of your description of the nature and impact of covid 19 is misrepresentation and lies.

Given that, and your emphasis on civil liberties being withdrawn (ignoring proportionality of response considerations entirely) I can only assume that you've fallen into the plandemic cult and no one in their right mind should be listening to you.

Nope. Masks and lockdowns will end once the vulnerable are vaccinated.

"Every year the hospitals get overwhelmed with flu."

Not every year but has happened some years.

But your missing a HUGE point.

hospitals are overwhelmed despite an almost lockdown.

If we weren't locked down now people would be dying at home or in hospital car parks in their 100's daily.

No. Are you crackers? It’s trashing the economy and education.

Stay off the news for a bit.

I do think wearing a mask either to avoid getting a cold or spreading it will become common, but that’s a good thing.

No to lockdowns but wouldn't it be good if we followed germanys normal, where you take time off when your sick and you cant be penalised for it at work. So less people in work spreading their viruses and germs=less time off for every one else.