To be a bit jealous of over 50 holiday bookings

[Toomuch2019]

I probably am but here goes

I was reading an article about surges in over 50s holiday bookings driven by the fact that they are anticipating getting vaccinated soon.

And I'm finding myself incredibly envious that there is a subset of the population that will be able to go about living normally and going abroad while the rest of us are locked away waiting for a vaccine.

I don't feel like I can plan anything holiday wise at least abroad right now as there is no timeline on vaccines for under 50s and I don't want to risk getting ill in another country. Particularly if insurances will only cover vaccinated people (which isn't the case yet but can see it moving in that direction).

I know there is no answer and obviously I'm not arguing vaccines aren't in right order but does anyone else feel wound up with articles like this rubbing it in?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-55654127

I think pensioners need to help pay off the debt mountain, given the enormous sacrifices our young people have made for the elderly.

It is absolutely essential that the young are not lumbered with the biggest debts in history for generations whilst pensioners enjoy their triple lock pensions being spent on lavish holidays. As it is there is a huge generational divide in terms of home ownership, living standards and all the rest.

We need to have some real time adjustments.

It's so weird that 50 is considered old, my husband's only 2 years off!

But we were talking yesterday and we think the cases and deaths are going to sky rocket now people are having their first vaccination. His aunty just got her first on Monday and has barely been home, and has stopped wearing her mask and we think that's quite a common attitude. The vaccine isn't 100% and we dont know the effect on transmission.
There has already been a lot of resentment between generations and I think we will see that get massively worse when the elderly are wanting to get out and about now they're protected and others are still suffering.

The rules and restrictions are going to apply across the board, there's no suggestion at this stage of different rules for the vaccinated.
Also the booking percentages reflect the demographics of the population.
So you're getting incensed about something entirely non existent.

It’s definitely going to wind a lot of people up. Especially as it’s the over 50’s that we’ve been in lockdown for

Except that's not what the lockdowns have been for FFS.

If people choose to book holidays and when the time comes the rules allow them to go on holiday, what is the problem? I think anyone booking a holiday now is a bit deluded, though. Things aren't gpoing to be anywhere near normal for a while.

I am feeling little nips of envy when I hear of under 80s getting vaccinated. My old mum nearing 90 stuck alone at home and losing confidence every day hasn't heard yet.

Then I tell myself off! Every person vaccinated is a step towards opening up society for all of us.

@Icanseegreenshoots

I think pensioners need to help pay off the debt mountain, given the enormous sacrifices our young people have made for the elderly.

It is absolutely essential that the young are not lumbered with the biggest debts in history for generations whilst pensioners enjoy their triple lock pensions being spent on lavish holidays. As it is there is a huge generational divide in terms of home ownership, living standards and all the rest.

We need to have some real time adjustments.

Completely agree with this. I know PILs and Aunty would be fuming if they got taxed to repay this though, they've already paid their share apparently.

My mother is over 50 and the holiday company have just cancelled her cruise for may as they are not running it.

I don't think anyone is suggesting 50 is 'old' but they are going to be vaccinated sooner than the rest of us (due to risk) and so therefore will have more freedom than their younger counterparts sooner perhaps, or certainly peace of mind.

Still not sure why it takes two adults to homeschool one nine year old but anyways

I just booked a holiday for 10 of us (at my expense) for July and that includes me the oldest (50s) and doubt I will be given a vaccine by then and everyone else down to the one at nursery are much younger. So perhaps be envious of people whose mothers work full time and take them on free holidays! (And it had to be in school holidays this year too which has really put up the cost due to age of a grandchild...in fact if it is cancelled as it was last year I will be in the money.....)

It is absolutely essential that the young are not lumbered with the biggest debts in history for generations whilst pensioners enjoy their triple lock pensions being spent on lavish holidays. As it is there is a huge generational divide in terms of home ownership, living standards and all the rest

Ooh, the sweeping generalisation award goes to...Icanseegreenshoots

I am so sick of the ageism on MN.

I don't actually care if they take exception to paying for covid god It is completely unfair to leave the bill to the young. The same generation that have to pay for university fees (the elderly did not need to) to face sky high prices for homes and the same generation that have had their lives, education and job opportunities evaporate.

We have to acknowledge this both with future policies and finally giving our young people a proper break!

The older generation designed the whole tax and pension system to suit their own needs, and that needs to change, and urgently.

It’s definitely going to wind a lot of people up. Especially as it’s the over 50’s that we’ve been in lockdown for

We are over 50, not elderly and as far as I know, no one has been in lockdown for us. We, however, are looking after elderly parents, keeping our A level DC motivated, supporting other family members with their businesses.

I haven't even got time to think about booking a holiday. However, most younger members of our wider family did get away on holiday last year. We didn't, I didn't want to book anything in case it was cancelled/quarantine and I feel the same this year.

Lockdown has been put in place for many reasons. There are a lot of under 50s that are classified as vulnerable not to mention the many thousands of people undergoing treatment for other illnesses that need to shield. It's not just the over 50s FGS

This is just media stirring and the usual ageist bollocks that's on Mumsnet all the time. I'm over 50 (just) and I've not been sat at home, whilst other people shelter me...where on earth do people get this crap from? I've been wearing my mask, social distancing and haven't seen my parents for a year to protect the very elderly and clinically vulnerable. Mumsnet has a very strange view of what over 50s are actually like, most I know are working, very fit, still have school children at home. They aren't sat at home in their granny knickers, watching horse racing on TV and picking their burial plot
Certainly no holidays booked here, and it's all bollocks, as having the vaccine is no guarantee of stopping the spread, so we will all still have the same restrictions. Plus I have to wait for the Oxford vaccine so I'm probably at the bottom of the pile anyway.

tinsel It is NOT about ageism. There is a grotesque injustice between the generations, and it can not continue.

YOU may not want to pay your way, but I am afraid the gravy train needs to stop. Young people are suffering far more than most pensioners.

Once capacity is up and they are vaccinating over 50s en masse it sounds from Matt Hancock's promise they will just plough on and do all adults. Or did I misunderstand?

I'm over 50 and don't anticipate getting the vaccine any time soon. I'm much more focussed on trying to find work as I work in a sector which has been completely decimated by this pandemic than on booking a holiday. It's not easy to find work in your 50s when there are thousands looking for work.

Envy is the thief of joy OP. The grass isn't always greener.

*I think pensioners need to help pay off the debt mountain, given the enormous sacrifices our young people have made for the elderly.

It is absolutely essential that the young are not lumbered with the biggest debts in history for generations whilst pensioners enjoy their triple lock pensions being spent on lavish holidays. As it is there is a huge generational divide in terms of home ownership, living standards and all the rest.

We need to have some real time adjustments.*

But how would that work? Todays pensioners probably spent most of their working lives paying for WW2.
The bill for corona virus is going to be paid by everyone including our kids and those not even born yet. I'm not sure how pensioners , some with literally a few years left to live, are going to pay "their share" (whatever you think that is)

Well im still waiting for my vaccine, so are the residents in the home i work in.

What makes you think people aren't going to be allowed to go on holiday? As the numbers of vaccinated people increase, the pressure on the NHS decreases, we start to open up again and can mix socially, travel and do all the other stuff we used to do.

The pace of the vaccination and release of restrictions can be debated though. We have a UK holiday booked for the beginning of July and can't see why we wouldn't go by that time. Our Easter break in Scotland is looking more doubtful but only because Nicola thinks she can single-handedly eradicate Covid from Scotland.

Can we also put the word "deluded" in the same basket as covidiot, selfish and phrases like "stay the fuck at home"?

OK, I have read the BBC article and the OP is being very misleading:

"TUI, the UK's largest tour operator, says 50% of bookings on their website are currently by over-50s"

So the same percentage of under 50s are booking holidays as over 50s. Are you angry eith them too OP?

Summer travel will happen as the virus is seasonal. To the pp who said it is illegal to travel abroad. No it is not and it never was.

Give it two months and the national mood on this sort of thing will have completely shifted. Deaths and hospitilisations will be back to somewhere near normal due to the vaccine rollout.

It's a good time to book a holiday, get in before the inevitable rush in the Spring!

@vodkaredbullgirl I hope it gets your way soon.

@puffinkoala

Also, as I am 48, I find it a bit laughable that people on here genuinely think that the over 50s are elderly and generally vulnerable.

Thank God for some common sense. I am 63 and disabled - I am neither "elderly" nor "vulnerable". I have a slightly increased risk of getting this virus badly, and an even smaller increased risk of dying from it. I also happen to have a slightly increased risk of getting flu badly, and a small risk of dying from complications arising from flu. And no, I am not comparing or equating the two, simply saying that I have perspective. There's a risk to lots of things I do daily. I keep risk in perspective. I have done much riskier things in my life than this.

I didn't ask anyone to "sacrifice" themselves for me, so all the martyrs can bog off.

I have already booked two weeks in a spa in Tunisia, two weeks in Mexico, and a month in Cuba over the next year. I didn't book this week either - one of those was booked in the last lockdown. Maybe some of those holidays won't be able to go - I should have been off to Jamaica next week but that has been cancelled. If that's the case that's fine, and I will get my money back. But I would like to live before I die, whenever that is and whatever the cause. And I fully intend to.

I think this will be just the start of more family friction, as older people get vaccinated and start expecting to see younger members of the family/getting their lives back on track and going out for dinners and holidays etc. Grandparents demanding time with grandchildren, even though the young will still be just as vulnerable to covid as they were before due to a lack of vaccine.
It is going to cause yet more headaches for families.
Unless you are very relaxed about getting covid anyone younger will have the same risk profile