To think some people are ‘enjoying’ the pandemic

[Flynnqwer]

I’ve noticed an attitude amongst some people where they’re nothing short of praying for a new, more lethal, variant.

I’ve noticed it amongst people I work with and people I do a hobby with. Any discussion about going back to our workplace (we can work from home but not easily or particularly effectively) once the Government ends the restrictions on waiting from home, or back to our hobby in real life instead of on Zoom (the hobby is controlled by a central board who are following the WFH advice until it is lifted) are met with cries of ‘No! We can’t do that! It’s dangerous!’ and it anyone points out that, thankfully, it looks like the vaccination programme is working and Omicron is less severe, they come back with ‘but what if there’s a more lethal strain that appears and kills millions?’

My workplace has one element which has legally got to be done in person. I have had emails today from managers begging us to cancel said work thing and do it online. We cannot do it on line lawfully (it’s along the lines of witnessing signatures). We have told them no, we must go into the building for an hour to fulfil this function. They are saying that that is breaking the working from home directive, that it’s unsafe, and what if a deadly variant is discovered? Then we’d have to find a way around the law.

AIBU that some people are actively hoping that the situation worsens and we are locked back down? Why would anyone want this to happen?

@treeflowercat

... did you really expect people would keep happily wearing masks indoors for the rest of their lives?

I think some people do actually expect this. At least, there doesn't ever seem a point when they'd be happy getting back to life pre-2020.

There absolutely are people who want mask wearing to continue.

“It’s great!” they say, “I haven’t had a cold for two years!” Which just shows that they have no idea how immune systems work and that it is - ironically - not healthy to not ever be ill. Of course, they don’t care one jot about those for whom mask wearing is a problem, or those who rely on lip reading, or the fact that humans have evolved to use facial expressions as communication, or…or…

Just another way in which the pro-lockdowners fail to understand any viewpoint but their own blinkered one. I also completely agree with the PP who quoted Freud; there certainly are those amongst my acquaintance who have very much preferred a society where they no longer have to think for themselves.

That wasn't my point the point I was responding to was about removing restrictions and people's reasonable expectation that this will happen.

I could easily say to you that "wishing isn't going to fix it" that you think Boris and Co should make different choices. It's not your decision, it's completely out of your hands, so patronisingly saying that people "wishing" for some normality will not change anything the virus does, applies to you and your feelings about Covid measures in the exact same way.

@HarrietteNightingale

That wasn't my point the point I was responding to was about removing restrictions and people's reasonable expectation that this will happen.

I could easily say to you that "wishing isn't going to fix it" that you think Boris and Co should make different choices. It's not your decision, it's completely out of your hands, so patronisingly saying that people "wishing" for some normality will not change anything the virus does, applies to you and your feelings about Covid measures in the exact same way.

Except I'm not wishing, I totally accept the choices the government is going to make.

My view is they are wrong, not that they won't happen.

I'm not being patronising, I just think a lot of people have decided that Omicron is a step in a certain direction. We will know when we know, not when Johnson tells us.

@GoldenOmber

The healthcare system is indeed not ‘back to normal’, but that’s not because it’s overwhelmed with covid. It’s because it’s dealing with a huge backlog built up during the past two years, plus covid, plus covid-related staff absences, plus a mess of a social care sector creating extra load on the NHS, plus the legacy of years of being underfunded and run on an idiotic model of ‘efficiency’ where slack in the system was seen as a problem.

While all of that is indeed a problem closing nightclubs and wearing masks is not going to make it not be a problem. We may as well make everyone wear T-shirts saying ‘Gosh What A Shame About The NHS’ to demonstrate we’re taking it seriously.

Those working in the NHS have explained clearly how much pressure covid is adding.

Although, I suppose the 'wishing won't make it normal' could vary in meaning depending on what you mean by normal. Yes the NHS is going to be stretched in future for a good while yet and the economy's going to take a while to recover from the battering it got. No that doesn't necessarily mean that people will, or should, happily continue to wear masks and demand pubs close and keep 2m apart in the big Tescos in significant population numbers.

Likewise, life didn't go back to normal in some senses after the end of the Second World War - there was still rationing for a good few years afterwards, people didn't all slot neatly back into their pre-war jobs and roles. But they sure as buggery didn't all keep up the blackout curtains and continue sleeping in bomb shelters en masse, even if a minority may have felt it was 'just being sensible' to do so.

Those working in the NHS have explained clearly how much pressure covid is adding.

I'm sorry, are you actually claiming that the NHS burden right now is all driven by covid? And/or that if we continued with 'Plan B' measures this would go away?

My view is they are wrong, not that they won't happen.

And other people's view is that the restrictions should be lifted, with a weaker variant as we have now. And yes, time will tell who is right. You and others appear to think it costs nothing to anyone to keep restrictions in place in case it mutates for the worse. That isn't true.

In this country, we're doing next to nothing formally to stop spread, especially in schools. The emphasis has been on individuals being careful, while watching Omicron sweep across the country.

The more people who get covid, of any variety, the more it has a chance to mutate. So the risk of another variant in this country is actually quite a considerable one. And if something's a potential risk then you can't blame people for planning ahead or for being anxious about it.

Lack of proper leadership, lack of rules (really simple ones like all school classrooms must have decent ventilation, must have a working HEPA filter - or two. All people should wear masks in public indoors) mean that some people (including myself) feel it's out of our hands. Yes, I can wear a mask to protect others in a shop, but if other people choose not to wear them, then that doesn't protect me or my family.

I prefer feeling safe. That doesn't mean I want the bloody pandemic to continue. It's the opposite. I just don't want it to be ignored and then get way worse. Because that's what ignoring it does.

Yes! My sons school secretary for one. Swear she’s going to start sending them home for a PCR test if they fall over at play time.

That sounds a bit extreme but having said that, dealing with my laundry basket now that all kids sports have resumed, I’d love a 2 week lockdown just to catch up 😅😅😅

In this country, we're doing next to nothing formally to stop spread

That's just not true though, is it?

Huge vaccination campaign, with vaccines and boosters offered to all those over 12 for free. Mass testing campaign, LFTs are free (I don't think many people in the UK realise how unusual this is in other places). Legally mandated isolation. These are not 'next to nothing'.

Some people may seem to like enjoying it - that’s because of fucking employers and fucking egoist managers who insist on everyone is summoned into offices for the jobs that could be perfectly done by remote work. Wfh mandate is a life saver for people like me who hate the office environment and want their partners to wfh too so they they don’t end up with doing all childcare and fucking chores just because they are the ones not going to office. If we want gender equality and close the pay gap in this society, those who work remotely should be both men and women - not just women with low paying insignificant jobs.

@katepilar

I think these people are genuinly scared. There are surely people who enjoy some aspects of life with pandemic restrictions but this doesnt sound like its the case.

Some might be, but those who are carrying on with all normal social activities (pubs, travel etc.) outside of work are not.

I would say the one thing all this has proved is many people can easily do the same job from home and could have done years ago and things have bow changed and it's all about flexibility and choice sadly many usually high managers dont like this concept and believe offices should function as they did in the 80s its bot people want the pandemic to continue as such but more that people do need to accept there us a new norm now

@LoveaStatementNap

There are things the pandemic has brought about that I enjoy: people staying away from me and working from home.

That does not mean I want a virus to continue spreading. So YABU.

Fully agree with your comment 👍🏻

Just like anything else in life. Those that benefit seem to be happier. Stop being so salty nearly everyone has lost someone close to them from COVID

totally agree Drsk2

Kanaloa

I mean, what? I presume you mean shutting down all leisure and entertainment and sports and hobby clubs and things like that.

You presume wrong. all of these areas could invest in better ventilation systems. not only would this prevent the spread of covid but of other viruses as well as would better facilities for washing and sanitation (and by that I don't just mean washing hands but also machines that have been used.

YANBU

I think the pandemic and ever changing ‘rules’ play well into people that don’t like working, socialising, or doing anything at all with any effort. Being able to justify all of this under the ‘rules’ suits them fine and ideally they prefer if we are bound by this to justify their own position.

I also appreciate there has been a terrible impact on a number of people and families but we need to have faith in the vaccination programme and also the new treatments and move into a new phase, nothing in life is without risk!

dontsaythj

"Learning to live with covid" will mean gradually less severe strains, and continuing to vaccinate those who are most at risk. It won't mean vaccinating the entire world every six months, ongoing lockdowns, and permanent masks.

to you it means that, to others it actually means doing something to prevent or restrict the passing on of infections.

@DrSK2

Some people may seem to like enjoying it - that’s because of fucking employers and fucking egoist managers who insist on everyone is summoned into offices for the jobs that could be perfectly done by remote work. Wfh mandate is a life saver for people like me who hate the office environment and want their partners to wfh too so they they don’t end up with doing all childcare and fucking chores just because they are the ones not going to office. If we want gender equality and close the pay gap in this society, those who work remotely should be both men and women - not just women with low paying insignificant jobs.

Look, I empathise, but there have always been WFH jobs and there will be more of them now even after mandates are lifted. Just as there have always been partners that don't lump all the childcare and chores on their partner just because she's WFH. You don't actually need a government to demand everyone live like this in order for you to get to do it.

Not so much “enjoying it”
Rather, making the best of it

None of that sounds like anyones enjoying anything, it sounds like they’re highly anxious.

People of course do not want a worse variety to emerge but they do want the freedom and flexibility of wfh that in the vast majority of office roles has proven possible

OP said that WFH could not be done at her organisation "easily or particularly effectively". I think there are many roles where while technically possible WFH is not that suitable, and many more where it's impossible.