To wonder what it is about “no overnight stays till 17 May” that is so hard to understand?

[HaveringWavering]

So many colleagues and acquaintances merrily talking today about plans to go and stay with relatives for the bank holiday. Nobody has any shame. We’re waiting till the 17th. Does nobody care any more?

@ilovesooty

I am still awaiting a vaccination, because I am 30 and healthy and therefore low risk. Anyone who hasn't been offered a vaccination yet is low risk. Lockdown was not to protect us, it was to protect the high risk individuals and the NHS. Those of us who are low risk will have to take our chances until vaccines become available to us. I for one am bloody happy to take the risk and live my life again.

7 covid deaths recorded across the UK today!

Many people making these plans are vaccinated or low risk enough to not need a vaccine. The dates are completely arbitrary and frankly people have had enough.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/01/england-urged-to-be-patient-amid-reports-hugging-may-soon-be-allowed?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/01/so-youve-had-your-covid-jab-what-can-you-safely-do-now?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Are you enjoying your bank holiday weekend OP, or are you still here, still being borderline abusive to some posters and still bleating about your blind faith in the government?

It’s government-sanctioned

Urgh! If I never ever hear that phrase again it will be too soon

the entitled selfish snowflakes

This kind of language about people who’ve found lockdown very hard and have given up a lot for the greater good if at very low risk themselves, is a big part of why compliance is now shot.

ask yourself, why would people continue to make sacrifices if treated this way?

Agree. All those people who have lost jobs, homes, income, haven't seen their families and friends much over the last 13 months and they still get called selfish because apparently all that they have given up to protect strangers isnt enough. Breathtaking arrogance

[quote HaveringWavering]www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/01/england-urged-to-be-patient-amid-reports-hugging-may-soon-be-allowed?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other[/quote]
The very fact that headline exists is beyond sad and makes me worry about the mental health of society for years to come.

Being "allowed" to hug family and friends....

I hugged someone out with my household last week. Someone who had lost a close family member and was upset. I am not so heartless that I would say "I would hug you, but you know covid...."

When did we actually stop being human and stop caring about anything other than covid?

Tigger when we were terrified into compliance. And some who are no longer scared of covid are scared of being accused of being "selfish"

The most overused word of 2020/2021

@BonnieDundee

Tigger when we were terrified into compliance. And some who are no longer scared of covid are scared of being accused of being "selfish"

The most overused word of 2020/2021

I just find it so sad. And do worry about the long term affects on mental health of being denied fairly basic human needs.

I've known people who have lost family members (non covid related) who are now filled with regret that the last months of life were lonely and missing human touch or not seeing grandchildren etc.

In general, following the rules is a good thing.

Having blind faith that the advice of this particular government is 'following the science' as opposed to taking the science and applying whatever spin suits them doesn't mark you out as particularly bright, IMO. Although if anything, they might be more cavalier about public health risks if it helps the economy unless it hurts them in the polls... Gosh, isn't there a mayoral contest, Scottish parliament and local elections coming up....

@HaveringWavering you seem to be viewing the scientific experts as some monolith community. In fact there are many epidemiologists and virologists who take a different view from SAGE and others who agree only in parts.

Presumably you understand that the models (mainly developed by Imperial College and Warwick University) on which the government has relied to come up with its approach (which is clearly dates not data) are only as good as the input assumptions?

These assumptions have been shown to be wrong in virtually every aspect. The vaccines have proven more effective than the model inputs assumed. Transmission from vaccinated people has proved lower. Positive cases have dropped more rapidly than the models assumed, as have hospitalisations (they’ve dropped a LOT more rapidly than the model inputs assumed) and so have deaths. Only a month or so ago Chris Whitty, presumably under advice from the SAGE modellers, was predicting 25,000 more deaths even under current very slow lockdown releases. There have been nothing like that number.

Garbage in; garbage out.

Scientists are just like everyone else: they don’t like to be wrong. And when offered this evidence I am afraid they fall back on, as a SAGE interviewee did this morning on the Today programme (sorry, I didn’t catch his name), it wouldn’t be “fair” to release vaccinated people early when younger folks still had to be more careful (even though they for the most part are not significantly at risk from the virus).

That was exactly the argument I made to the doctor who gave the “no hugs” briefing at the vaccine clinic. Her response to my recounter with actual evidence from the CDC, one of the most respected public health organisations in the world, “Well, it isn’t British.” (I had reminded her - which she already knew, of course - that they have said that it is safe for fully vaccinated people to meet other fully vaccinated people completely freely without masks indoors or out, and that it is also safe for fully vaccinated people to meet even unvaccinated people indoors as long as they are not in a vulnerable group. The CDC specifically instructed older, vaccinated people that it is just fine to hug their grandchildren - something that the UK continues to legislate against.)

Let’s please be clear about what is science and what is politics. I am pretty sure I can tell the difference.

Well said, @BiggestJulie

And I can add that plenty of scientists have opposing views and opposing models. If they disagree with Sage/Government they are hounded from polite society, barely get a mention in the papers and if they really persist? Well they are smeared and discredited.

Mike Yeadon openly said that academics who don't agree won't say anything as they put university funding at risk. Lots of their research funding comes from government, NGOs and Pharmaceutical companies, so they really don't dare risk it.

Seems so many don't care. Last night we thought dd12 was in her room (had seen her come in). When she didn't come down when called we went looking for her. Found her in a neighbours house watching a film. I was furious (neighbour had quite a few in her house, it wasn't just my dd.

Even people I thought took it seriously I've seen tonight aren't.

@murbblurb

a large percentage of the UK population (and those on here) are fuckwits as the responses show. Expecting absolute answers, and chucking the toys when they don't get their own way.

we aren't even supposed to be in each other's houses until May 17th, when hopefully cases will have dropped sufficiently to reduce the risk of spreading it, and more will be vaccinated. It is deliberately timed to avoid one bank holiday and to allow for the post infection time lag. Dates have to be set although they can change.

We all want to see our families. None of us wanted this pandemic.

This, exactly.

I haven’t seen my family since Xmas 2019. I live alone. My mental health isn’t great.

But I really really don’t want to contribute to another wave in the autumn, or another winter like the last one.

OP, you need to get a life in the nicest possible way.

Covid is over.

This thread must be a wind up!

OP, you are not being unreasonable. I’m keeping note of the people I know who are breaking the rules. They won’t get any help from me when they need it. They all know my reasons for keeping to the law. So I assume they won’t be surprised when I tell them I won’t help out. Community is important to me but it’s a two way street.

I haven't read all the comments.
I do know that I'm still sticking to it, but it's blatantly clear that others are starting to not give a shit to.
I mean, my nearly 18 year old has started up playing football again, completely allowed, within the rules, but are starting to go back to others houses afterwards and gather indoors.
YOU'RE STILL NOT FUCKING SUPPOSED TO!
Sorry for shouting, but pisses me off when I'm sticking to it. not going over to my Mum and Dad's for example as don't want to be indoors before we're officially allowed to, but others are like "meh, you can all come in!"

@RiojaRose

OP, you are not being unreasonable. I’m keeping note of the people I know who are breaking the rules. They won’t get any help from me when they need it. They all know my reasons for keeping to the law. So I assume they won’t be surprised when I tell them I won’t help out. Community is important to me but it’s a two way street.

hilarious.

I’m keeping note of the people I know who are breaking the rules.

@RiojaRose

OP, you are not being unreasonable. I’m keeping note of the people I know who are breaking the rules. They won’t get any help from me when they need it. They all know my reasons for keeping to the law. So I assume they won’t be surprised when I tell them I won’t help out. Community is important to me but it’s a two way street.

I doubt they'll come rushing to your aid either. I do hope they are keeping a note of all those judgemental people they have the misfortune to know....I would imagine you are at the top of their list.

I doubt anyone would want help from the type of person ‘keeping note’ of those hugging their parents so I think you’re safe enough.

@RiojaRose

OP, you are not being unreasonable. I’m keeping note of the people I know who are breaking the rules. They won’t get any help from me when they need it. They all know my reasons for keeping to the law. So I assume they won’t be surprised when I tell them I won’t help out. Community is important to me but it’s a two way street.

🤣🤣🤣🙄

@Jagjag

This thread must be a wind up!

It separates blind rule followers from those that look at the number of cases in their area, the number of hospital admissions, the number of deaths (7 in the UK yesterday) and the number vaccinated...looks at how their risk level is...average age of death is 82 and starting thinking 🤔.... I think I will hug my parents, and generally start moving forward.

No amount of abuse from the ones that blindly follow rules, no amount how often the word selfish, snowflake or entitled is shouted will make any difference... you all do you....