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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Am I being reasonable to assume that almost everything is back to normal now?

90 replies

Charlize43 · 13/08/2021 12:41

Am I being reasonable to assume that everything is almost back to normal now, apart from taking personal precautions to avoid getting Covid (getting double vaccinated; masking up and washing hands often)?

Are people back at work or going back to their workplaces?

I know various people for whom the pandemic was business as normal and commuted into work every day, and others who are still isolating and having home deliveries. I'm curious what everyone's general opinion is.

(It might sound like a stupid question but I was made redundant right at the start of the pandemic, April 2020, received a large pay off and have basically been at home, living off my savings, and almost feeling like a retired person as I'm in my mid 50s. I'd like to get back into life as obviously I'm not retired! )

What do you think?

OP posts:

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/08/2021 12:43

I'm back at work as is everyone I know, didn't wear a mask yesterday in tescos and didn't feel bad, dds are back doing sport and going to parties so it feels normal ish to me

SavageBeauty73 · 13/08/2021 12:46

I commuted all through the pandemic. Tube is much busier now. Most people wear masks. I wore a mask in Tesco's yesterday.

My teenagers are back to playing football and parties. I'm going to an all day festival tomorrow 💃

ashmts · 13/08/2021 12:46

IMO everything is almost back to normal, but I don't agree that almost everything is back to normal. They're two separate statements. I think very few things are actually fully 'back to normal'. I've been working throughout but as it's healthcare we're still at 2m distancing in the workplace (which is a huge pain and mostly pointless as you're then allowed to go and sit next to your work pal at dinner etc)

AndTheReasonIsYou · 13/08/2021 12:47

God I hate the phrase “mask up”

AnyOldPrion · 13/08/2021 12:48

I live outside the UK and day to day life here is normal in terms of work, shopping etc.

I haven’t seen my parents or visited the UK since December 2019 and there’s no imminent sign that is changing.

So for me, daily life - yes, travel - far from normal still.

Hekatestorch · 13/08/2021 12:49

Not sure. We just got our newest version covid policy update. Also was confirmed we aren't going back to the office. We wi be keeping smaller offices, instead our large ones and we will be hybrid with the majority at home.

Which a few of us did before. Now all of us are.

I don't know anyone back at the office full time.

We also have loads of covid procedures to amalgamate as we work with so many different industries.

Its certainly not like lock down one, but definitely not anywhere near normal.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 13/08/2021 12:51

I'm going to an all day festival tomorrow

Tramlines in Sheffield has been responsible for a big spike and high infection rate in the city.

234Pepperplant · 13/08/2021 12:54

Involves being more organised (a lot of stuff is still prebooking or slots) and I still wear masks in shops etc (not to protect myself but because I think it’s a courteous thing to do) but broadly speaking, yes my life is normal. Covid is an inconvenience at this point, it doesn’t dominate my life.

My DH is still predominantly working from home and although in theory the office is fully open in September, in reality I think it’s going to be a long time before everyone is back. But that’s fine, hybrid approach to the office suits DH anyway.

I know a whole range, from people who have never really complied with restrictions or been the slightest bit worried, to healthy double vaccinated people in their early thirties who are still washing shopping and going out for their one hour of exercise a day.

dementedma · 13/08/2021 12:56

Still masks everywhere here in Scotland

whenwillthemadnessend · 13/08/2021 12:57

Everything seems normal on the outside but I've know quite a few people who've had vaccines that have still Caught covid and ended up in bed all Week so in that way. Definitely not normal.

I am currently waiting to see if I'm
Positive after my
Mum caught it last week on her uk holiday.

WTF475878237NC · 13/08/2021 12:58

Masks almost everywhere in my Midlands town and at my workplace we are on a rota of who can come in when because Covid hasn't gone away and not everyone at work has had the chance to have their second dose.

Doomscrolling · 13/08/2021 13:00

Still wear masks in shops, only book quiet times for the cinema and most of my friends are still WFH.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/08/2021 13:02

@Bryonyshcmyony

didn't wear a mask yesterday in tescos and didn't feel bad

Well good for you. I work in a supermarket and serve hundreds of customers a day. Believe me. We HATE people like you who don't wear a mask. We sanitise our hands after serving you and take a horrible lateral flow test when we get home. We talk about you and we try and avoid serving you. But we have to smile and say thank you, because that's our job.

Please have a bit of respect for the people who serve you the food your household relies on.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 13/08/2021 13:03

Never worked from home and have commuted on the tube every day. Still have to wear a mask on that but I don’t bother in many other places (did while I had a had a pedicure) going to restaurants, pubs occasionally, theatre and cinema. Whipsnade and a hotel stay next week. I’m 35 weeks pregnant so will gradually do less after today as I’m going on maternity leave but that’s more because of physical limitations. Am doubly vaccinated.

Vbree · 13/08/2021 13:03

I think mostly everything is back to normal. I'm back in the office, don't feel nervous about it. I wouldn't feel comfortable travelling abroad though yet.

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/08/2021 13:03

We HATE people like you who don't wear a mask

Then you are idiots.

thanksforyourcommentrandomman · 13/08/2021 13:03

Not for me, my DP lives in Australia and I'm in the UK

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/08/2021 13:04

And I don't have anything to do with staff in tescos as I scan and shop. Can't remember the last time I got even 2m away from a member of staff tbh

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/08/2021 13:05

But we have to smile and say thank you, because that's our job

Yup.

ProfYaffle · 13/08/2021 13:05

Any changes to wfh are slow to take effect in both dh's and my workplaces. We're still working as we have done since March 2020.

Most people are still wearing masks in shops and on the train. Trains are still running on a reduced timetable which is driving me mad.

Yy to still needing to prebook anything we want to do and lots of things we thought we could go to are sold out due to reduced capacity.

My parents have just cancelled their foreign holiday in September as they felt there were still too many restrictions and are worried about quarantine changing while they're away.

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 13/08/2021 13:06

I had a blood test today , still one way system , in and out , still only 2 in the waiting area , the rest outside until 2 more names are called when the previous 2 leave. Still 2 chairs in the large waiting area that would normally seat 30-40 . I was told to sit and when I told them i was fine they told me that i had to sit... i sit for 12 hour shifts at my job , I like to stand and there were only 2 of us in the very large hall
Gp surgery , still not many face to face appointments, still 3/4's of the chairs not useable and covered with signs. I was only seen by the nurse as I had to have a b12 injection and it cant be done over the phone. Still all of the staff wearing masks. The repeat prescription box still taped over , it has to be posted through the letterbox so you dont enter the waiting room
My mother can't see her husband today as hes having a pacemaker fitted as an emergency, she can't sit anywhere in the hospital she has to wait at home .
He got rushed in last week she still hasnt been allowed up there

GoodnightGrandma · 13/08/2021 13:07

We had an email at work this week telling us to wear masks when moving around the office, and to socially distance. That’s a step backward in our office.

thanksforyourcommentrandomman · 13/08/2021 13:07

@Bryonyshcmyony have you always been so spectacularly unpleasant or is it just a phase?

Camomila · 13/08/2021 13:08

The main thing that feels different to me is that it is really tricky to go abroad still (I have an elderly gran who has never met my DS2).

The whole family isolating pending negative covid results every time the littlest has a cold is also stressful work/childcare wise (ending on Monday though as DH and I are double jabbed, and DC are under 18)

Apart from that things are ok, I'm back in the office for part of the week which I love (and I could hear the girl at the desk behind talking about her nights out), and next week I am taking DS1 to the cinema for the first time ever (he's 5, he was 3 pre-covid and wouldn't have sat through a film).

RedHelenB · 13/08/2021 13:08

@02GreenFingersWouldBeHandy plenty of staff aren't wearing masks in the shops I've n been in.

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