To think this is just a joke now?

[Justinversusmrtumble]

Portugal possibly going back onto the amber list.
The only thing keeping my parents going is coming to celebrate toddlers DD’s birthday in the summer. It’s getting beyond ridiculous now. Feeling so low today, I miss my family so much.

My MIL lives in France, we haven’t seen her since March 2020 when she just made it back to France in time to avoid being stuck here. It’s shit but at the moment it’s a case of needs must.

I like how you wish to belittle me when OP think the fact that 150,000 people have died is insignificant because it ruins her plans

That's the thing you should be pointing out is selfish.

She never said that. Anywhere. That's a massive leap you made yourself. And again, personally insulting people is against Talk Guidelines and there have already been deletions on this thread.

Thousands of people have died and all some are worried about is going abroad and having a party

madness

It's mad. We're in a pandemic

I might have a bit more sympathy for this POV if the UK hadn't allowed in 10s of '000s of people from India with little restriction, when we knew their country had very high rates of a new infection.

Debatable if we are in a pandemic of the government is allowing in 1000s of foreign nations from across the globe to Cornwall and hence the rest of the UK in a few days time.

But we, after 2 vaccinations can't go on hols to countries with relatively low rates and most vulnerable vaccinated plus be tested on our return?

thats madness.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

I like how you wish to belittle me when OP think the fact that 150,000 people have died is insignificant because it ruins her plans

That's the thing you should be pointing out is selfish.

She never said that. Anywhere. That's a massive leap you made yourself. And again, personally insulting people is against Talk Guidelines and there have already been deletions on this thread.

Locking away wont bring back my Aunt or the other 130k people who have died will it?

So many of us can’t see family abroad right now and it’s awful. The worst part is not being able to plan anything and having no end in sight. I wonder if this is a personality thing? I’m a planner and move through each year with key dates to look forward to so without that everything feels rather flat. We’re visiting my inlaws this weekend (uk but not nearby) for the first time since August, my nephews will be 2.5 years older from when I last saw them and that’s only if they can come over for Christmas from Canada. People have died but this emotional cost is hard too.

@Tiktokersmiracle How dare you suggest that I find deaths insignificant, loving getting at here getting this upset aren’t you, vile human behaviour.
Reporting.
Wish I’d never posted on here.

@mummymeister

Absolutely everyone is missing out on something during the pandemic. young people missing exams, freshers at Uni missing out on lectures and getting to know people, not being able to visit friends and relatives abroad, not having proper weddings, funerals or other family milestone celebrations the list goes on and on and on.

everyone will have a different thing on the list that is the most important to them and they are the unhappiest about missing out on. Im sorry but from my perspective holidays or any trips outside of the country are an extremely low priority. with skype available you can keep in touch daily if you want with your family. no its not the same I get that.

but we all have to stop being selfish about what we want, what we need, whats important to us and see the bigger picture. its waiting a couple of weeks thats all until everyone is vaccinated. Imagine being a 20 something. the impact on you has been huge yet you still havent had a jab.

No one wants any of this - least of all both the deaths and long covid. and in deaths I include the indirect ones as well. this pandemic should be a wake up call. sadly its just highlighted how selfish and self centred we all are.

This ^ In spades...

[quote Justinversusmrtumble]@Tiktokersmiracle How dare you suggest that I find deaths insignificant, loving getting at here getting this upset aren’t you, vile human behaviour.
Reporting.
Wish I’d never posted on here.[/quote]
You're calling a pandemic a "joke", so you are definitely minimising something...

Imagine being a 20 something. the impact on you has been huge yet you still havent had a jab

Outside of being in one of the vulnerable categories, I'd be interested to know if most 20 somethings actually care whether they've been vaccinated yet or would rather we just got on with things.

I'm a 20 something and I'm certainly not concerned because I've not been vaccinated yet and I wouldn't be concerned for myself if things started to get back to normal before I was, the risk to me is minimal, most of my friends the same age feel the same. They wanted their vulnerable or elderly parents, grandparents etc... vaccinated, most of them aren't concerned about themselves or when they will have it.

[quote Justinversusmrtumble]@Tiktokersmiracle How dare you suggest that I find deaths insignificant, loving getting at here getting this upset aren’t you, vile human behaviour.
Reporting.
Wish I’d never posted on here.[/quote]
Yes I wish you'd have posted on a section where you couldn't be told you were unreasonable and thus start solely on me when others have said the same as me and worse.
Are you new here?
Because that's what AIBU is about.

And I've not had any posts removed. I have meanwhile suggested to HQ maybe they should look at yours.

Tiktokersmiracle: The current system is open to abuse of people traveling from a red or amber country via a green country to avoid quarantine.

I don’t see how. The law is that if you have been in a non-green country within the last 14 days before arrival in the UK, you have to declare that on the required entry form and quarantine. Perhaps people could lie and take their chances on not being caught and prosecuted? - but the green countries are green because they’re strict about who can enter.

I’m in an amber (EU) country. I could fly to the UK and follow the quarantine/testing rules. But I can’t fly to Portugal and then on to the UK in under 14 days and claim green status; I would have to claim amber status because I have been in my (amber) country within 14 days. Someone can’t fly from India (red) to Portugal (green) and then on to the UK and claim green status - and unless there were exceptional circumstances, they would not be able to board the plane to Portugal.

Are you suggesting that people could lie and say that they were in a green country for 14+ days when they have only been there for one day, and the UK authorities could not tell? Can you give us a specific example of how one could do that?

@ThursdayWeld this exactly
How does OP think it's going to be taken saying this whole scenario is a joke.

@OhYouDontSay

Imagine being a 20 something. the impact on you has been huge yet you still havent had a jab

Outside of being in one of the vulnerable categories, I'd be interested to know if most 20 somethings actually care whether they've been vaccinated yet or would rather we just got on with things.

I'm a 20 something and I'm certainly not concerned because I've not been vaccinated yet and I wouldn't be concerned for myself if things started to get back to normal before I was, the risk to me is minimal, most of my friends the same age feel the same. They wanted their vulnerable or elderly parents, grandparents etc... vaccinated, most of them aren't concerned about themselves or when they will have it.

But you are still at risk. Long Covid has hit people of all ages. No matter how healthy or not. You just don't know until you have it.

@Tiktokersmiracle I’ve reported you 5 minutes ago.
No I’m not new here. Name change.
I know what Aibu is all about, what it’s not about is bullying like this, there’s a huge difference. Leave me alone now, you’ve said enough.

@OhYouDontSay

Imagine being a 20 something. the impact on you has been huge yet you still havent had a jab

Outside of being in one of the vulnerable categories, I'd be interested to know if most 20 somethings actually care whether they've been vaccinated yet or would rather we just got on with things.

I'm a 20 something and I'm certainly not concerned because I've not been vaccinated yet and I wouldn't be concerned for myself if things started to get back to normal before I was, the risk to me is minimal, most of my friends the same age feel the same. They wanted their vulnerable or elderly parents, grandparents etc... vaccinated, most of them aren't concerned about themselves or when they will have it.

Each to their own - I’m a 20 something too and keen to get vaccinated since someone my age I knew died early on in the pandemic. I have already said to my boss I refuse to stop wfh until I’m vaccinated since most people at work are older than me and have had it so they’re starting to talk about going back.

@MirandaBlu

Tiktokersmiracle: The current system is open to abuse of people traveling from a red or amber country via a green country to avoid quarantine.

I don’t see how. The law is that if you have been in a non-green country within the last 14 days before arrival in the UK, you have to declare that on the required entry form and quarantine. Perhaps people could lie and take their chances on not being caught and prosecuted? - but the green countries are green because they’re strict about who can enter.

I’m in an amber (EU) country. I could fly to the UK and follow the quarantine/testing rules. But I can’t fly to Portugal and then on to the UK in under 14 days and claim green status; I would have to claim amber status because I have been in my (amber) country within 14 days. Someone can’t fly from India (red) to Portugal (green) and then on to the UK and claim green status - and unless there were exceptional circumstances, they would not be able to board the plane to Portugal.

Are you suggesting that people could lie and say that they were in a green country for 14+ days when they have only been there for one day, and the UK authorities could not tell? Can you give us a specific example of how one could do that?

That was exactly how the Brazil variant got in. Three individuals didn't declare where they had been and brought it in, luckily they caught it early enough to avoid disaster. You are only as strong as your weakest link. And people will attempt to get out of it

@m0therofdragons

So many of us can’t see family abroad right now and it’s awful. The worst part is not being able to plan anything and having no end in sight. I wonder if this is a personality thing? I’m a planner and move through each year with key dates to look forward to so without that everything feels rather flat. We’re visiting my inlaws this weekend (uk but not nearby) for the first time since August, my nephews will be 2.5 years older from when I last saw them and that’s only if they can come over for Christmas from Canada. People have died but this emotional cost is hard too.

No, it has FA to do with being a planner. I'm going to see my widowed mother and family next month. I have probate stuff that has to be done there in person by August. Don't really give a toss about randoms labelling people who visit family selfish or anything else. They can go get knotted. There will always be variants, as there are with so many respiratory viruses. It's going nowhere.

But you are still at risk

Yes of course there is still a risk I've not suggested otherwise. But it's a small one, very small actually for someone this age with no underlying health conditions so when people say 'imagine being a 20 something and not having had your jab yet' as if we are all panicking about it it does make me wonder if the majority actually think that way because most of the people I've spoken to my age are just happy to have their jab when they have it and get on with things in the meantime, same as anything else.

I don't speak for everyone of course.

@Justinversusmrtumble

Most recent figures here are 32 cases, no deaths?! I mean 🤷🏻‍♀️

Wait till the transmission from all those football fans in Portugal play out. I can’t believe they were allowed to go.

@Justinversusmrtumble

Portugal possibly going back onto the amber list. The only thing keeping my parents going is coming to celebrate toddlers DD’s birthday in the summer. It’s getting beyond ridiculous now. Feeling so low today, I miss my family so much.

The only jokes are the fact we have far too few countries on red and the attempts to open up before we have got 95% of the adult population double vaccinated, or have gone a few months with NO deaths.

And to be clear - I do not advocate forced vaccinations, but if I were in charge and it was October / November I'd be saying "take up is too low. 90% of the population have been double vaccinated. We need half of the current 10% who are refuseniks to come forward ASAP otherwise we're gonna be in lockdown for years!"

I feel for you OP, I haven’t seen my family in two years and it’s starting to get to me. I had hoped I’d be able to soon but it’s working out so expensive with flight costs and paying for tests that no one can afford to travel.

I understand all the reasons for it but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with!

Locking away wont bring back my Aunt or the other 130k people who have died will it?

Exactly!

Many of us are suffering from not seeing parents and close family for a long time, with no prospect of doing so in sight. Sure it's sad - but it's better than opening up our country, or other countries, to unnecessary spread of the virus.

This.

I'm readying myself never to see my mother alive again - she's heading for 90 and frail, and lives in a country which is not permitting UK citizens to enter at all.

People really have to realise that the ONLY WAY things will return to a semblance of what they used to be is by thinking of the whole, rather than individual desires.

The more people act self-centredly, the longer it will take to control & deaden this virus.

OP - I feel for you. Its just such a long time for families to be kept apart and to expect people to act in this selfless manner to save strangers.

It doesn't seem fair.

Hopefully your parents can come over before Portugal rules change.