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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU but isn't it a bit daft to end all Covid restrictions so soon.....

254 replies

Diamondsareforever123 · 22/02/2022 19:50

I'm pretty worried TBH, particularly the move from people not having to isolate if they have Covid. Let's face it a lot of people won't be able to afford to isolate! Surely this will simply allow the virus to circulate more widely - so more people with Covid, and more vulnerable people with Covid. What happens when the vaccine immunity starts to wane? What happens if we get a really dodgy variant? Why can't the government impose mandatory mask wearing on transport and shops? This would stop spread, I'd really like to hear views on this please.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 22/02/2022 22:47

In order to keep all the ‘special powers’ granted by the Parliamentary Act of 2020, after two years they’d need to prove there was an extraordinary need to renew - there’s a ‘sunset clause’ in the 2020 Act that means all special powers expire permanently on 25 March this year unless it’s all voted through again as new legislation.

BJ & co know that won’t fly, and they can’t be arsed anyway.

So that’s why it’s all coming to a somewhat abrupt end.

SaltySocks · 22/02/2022 22:49

@UserWithNoUserName

If we get a bad variant then they can always re-evaluate. At this stage, there are no real benefits to restrictions and lots of downsides.
Without testing how would they know there's a bad variant? Your only indication will be hospitals getting over crowded and then deaths creeping up. Not really the best time to evaluate.
tigger1001 · 22/02/2022 22:49

@WonderfulYou

YANBU I can’t wait to get back to normal but last time they scrapped almost all restrictions we ended up having to close schools again and go back in a mini lockdown.

I don’t see why they can’t scrap isolation periods for non positive people. Then if all goes well after a couple of weeks scrap the isolation period for positive people.

I’m happy for it to be done but it just needs to bd don’t slower so we don’t have to reintroduce anything.

Isolation for non positive people?? Eh?
Iggly · 22/02/2022 22:50

YANBU

I don’t mind lifting the legal need to isolate. But as it is still public health guidance to isolate, they would at least keep the tests, even if just lateral flows and postal PCRs.

All this bleating about cost - it will cost more in the long run if we end up with another spike and then the nhs falls over.

Better to keep testing for a month after lifting isolation rules and then gradually wind down testing.

It’s a silly, short sighted penny wise and pound foolish approach. Classic Tories.

youhadmeatjello · 22/02/2022 22:53

I’m amazed that people are saying the majority with Covid would be well enough to work. We’ve just been completely floored by it and I don’t know anyone who’s had it in the last month and not been quite poorly with it - as in having to stay in bed rather than ending up in hospital obviously, but definitely not well enough to work. Have we all just been really unlucky?!

I agree we have to learn to live with it but don’t really see how it’s not going to spread like wildfire. I don’t think I’d be worried about it if it wasn’t so clearly just Boris trying to regain popularity instead of actually being about Covid.

I do wonder what will happen if we get another variant that’s worse than omicron hopefully that won’t happen but if people aren’t testing regularly (which they won’t when they have to buy tests) will we even pick up on new variants particularly quickly?

I don’t know what the answer is but I’m feeling uneasy about it all being lifted at once. It’s all very well asking people to be responsible but you only need to look at half the threads on here to know that won’t work…

mum2jakie · 22/02/2022 22:55

It's not so soon, we've had this shit for two whole years! Back to normality at last!

bellac11 · 22/02/2022 22:55

There is a step before hospital, if people start getting very ill but not ill enough to go to the hospital then its likely GPs will still test for covid as they trying to find out whats wrong, ie chest infection, asthma etc etc

gogohm · 22/02/2022 22:55

It's about time. Life goes on, now we have had vaccinations and/or exposure we are at the same position as we are with other diseases like flu - they can be nasty for a few people but overall they are mild

Rummikub · 22/02/2022 22:57

@balalake

I think that at least those who test positive should not be going into schools, hospitals, surgeries, offices, factories or other enclosed workplaces. Take the dog for a walk maybe outside.

At least in Scotland there is another four weeks. In Wales over the last two to three weeks when I see the map of infection levels they are lower than other parts of the UK, and they had longer restrictions on some activities.

Agree with this. There’s also no requirement to inform colleagues if you go in to work and have Covid.
gogohm · 22/02/2022 22:57

@youhadmeatjello

I know 4 people currently with covid, all asymptomatic (discovered as testing twice a week) I had it myself in March 2020 and most symptoms lasted about 3 hours apart from loosing my taste and smell for 2 weeks, I worked from home

NoSquirrels · 22/02/2022 22:59

Better to keep testing for a month after lifting isolation rules and then gradually wind down testing.

But this is the case? Isolation ends this Thurs. Free testing ends April 1st. Testing capacity remains for certain sectors and eligible people, ability to ramp it up again if needed.

By April the season of infectious diseases (autumn and winter) is on the wane, so it’s relatively ‘safe’.

Nothing in life is guaranteed to be totally safe, obviously.

I sympathise work people who are very vulnerable or love those who are. Anxiety is very difficult to live with and this is an anxious time.

Iggly · 22/02/2022 23:02

@NoSquirrels

Better to keep testing for a month after lifting isolation rules and then gradually wind down testing.

But this is the case? Isolation ends this Thurs. Free testing ends April 1st. Testing capacity remains for certain sectors and eligible people, ability to ramp it up again if needed.

By April the season of infectious diseases (autumn and winter) is on the wane, so it’s relatively ‘safe’.

Nothing in life is guaranteed to be totally safe, obviously.

I sympathise work people who are very vulnerable or love those who are. Anxiety is very difficult to live with and this is an anxious time.

They’re already rationing tests. You can’t order LFTs more than once every 72 hours. How does that work if you have a few family members who should test for 7 days following close contact?
Iggly · 22/02/2022 23:03

@gogohm

It's about time. Life goes on, now we have had vaccinations and/or exposure we are at the same position as we are with other diseases like flu - they can be nasty for a few people but overall they are mild
That’s not quite true with covid though - it is more lethal than the flu, and we don’t know the position on long term immunity. And we haven’t even got to the bottom of long covid yet.
NoSquirrels · 22/02/2022 23:09

They’re already rationing tests. You can’t order LFTs more than once every 72 hours. How does that work if you have a few family members who should test for 7 days following close contact?

If you’re an average household that’s 4 people, you need 28 tests.

7 in a box, so you need 4 boxes.

You can get 2 at a time from a pharmacy.

I agree they’re rationing, and making it inconvenient. But it’s fucking expensive to the government to sustain it at the current levels which appear, currently, to be unnecessary according to the statistics.

Time will tell, of course.

I realise it’s not a comfort if you are worried.

WeatherwaxOn · 22/02/2022 23:13

"Daft" is an understatement. It's a pandemic. It's a disease new to science that keeps mutating. We still don't understand it.
But let's just ignore all that and carry on as normal?
No thanks. I have vulnerable people in my family group. I don't wish to make them die because of my recklessness.
I'll be wearing a mask, distancing, testing before meeting them and doing as much as I can to behave responsibly.

WonderfulYou · 22/02/2022 23:25

Why are people looking forward to the restrictions ending?

I would say my life is pretty much back to normal so it’s interesting to know how other people are impacted.

Going abroad is obviously different but I didn’t go abroad very often anyway and different countries will have their own rules anyway.

I think I’ll keep wearing a mask in large crowds if it’s comfortable like shopping as I didn’t actually realise how grim some people are and it’s been lovely not getting the normal bugs.

I’ll also continue to carry a hand sanitizer around which I didn’t before, especially after today when a man sneezed in his hand and continued to push his trolley and fumble about with the apples.

sst1234 · 22/02/2022 23:32

The fact that you’re this worried is a problem you need to fix. And that’s not meant to be harsh. But seriously, being worried about ending restrictions after two years is irrational. Because the issue is not the ending of the restrictions. The issue is how all the scaremongering has got to you.

Booklover3 · 22/02/2022 23:33

I don’t understand how cases are falling to be honest. I know lots of people with Covid and who have had it this month. I think people are just testing with LFTs and not bothering to record it or get a PCR test.

My daughter tested positive this morning. She was unwell last night and some of today but seems much better this evening.

The rest of us negative. I feel very, very rough so will us LFT again tomorrow and probably book a PCR test. Self employed so won’t get paid. Cancelled my work today and may have to cancel the rest of the week. That’s very shit. Very shit. Can only just about afford to do that.

We’ve avoided covid till now so I suppose we’ve been very lucky!

Hoping I feel better tomorrow!

No idea how I feel about the new rule changes. I feel mixed… but I know If we have Covid and are in the position where we can we will isolate. If we couldn’t afford it then with a very heavy heart we would have to still crack on.

sst1234 · 22/02/2022 23:33

@WeatherwaxOn

"Daft" is an understatement. It's a pandemic. It's a disease new to science that keeps mutating. We still don't understand it. But let's just ignore all that and carry on as normal? No thanks. I have vulnerable people in my family group. I don't wish to make them die because of my recklessness. I'll be wearing a mask, distancing, testing before meeting them and doing as much as I can to behave responsibly.
Good for you. But isn’t it great that you can do this out of choice and that rest of us are not mandated.
sst1234 · 22/02/2022 23:38

@Iggly

YANBU

I don’t mind lifting the legal need to isolate. But as it is still public health guidance to isolate, they would at least keep the tests, even if just lateral flows and postal PCRs.

All this bleating about cost - it will cost more in the long run if we end up with another spike and then the nhs falls over.

Better to keep testing for a month after lifting isolation rules and then gradually wind down testing.

It’s a silly, short sighted penny wise and pound foolish approach. Classic Tories.

Quite ironic that you are mentioning long term costs of all the Covid related actions. These are exactly the actions that are causing the most long term damage. The damage to livelihoods, children’s education and life chances and ultimately their life expectancy because of poor outcomes, public finances, inflation, people dying of other illnesses because they can’t see GPs. Asymptomatic testing and self isolation is madness. Any form of self isolation is madness unless you have the bubonic plague. If you want I engage in this madness, no one is stopping you from doing so.
sst1234 · 22/02/2022 23:40

@nocoolnamesleft

YANBU. The next variant may be worse.
Worse than what? Omicron? Don’t worry, chances are you’ll still be fine.
sst1234 · 22/02/2022 23:43

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@Diamondsareforever123

I agree. Seems mad to stop isolation and testing. Isolating for 5-8 days whilst having covid is fine, the government should financially support those who need it whilst isolating[/quote]
If that’s how you want your tax dollars spent, go ahead and make some voluntary contribution. But don’t expect people to be compelled for pay for others to isolate for eternity.

GirlInACountrySong · 22/02/2022 23:48

Those who want to keep restrictions....for how long?

StarCat2020 · 22/02/2022 23:49

"Enhanced" SSP nds in March

Stripyhoglets1 · 23/02/2022 00:00

I agree BJ is just trying to distract with this.
But its not been scaremongering for 2 years - that's pretty insulting to those who have long covid or lost loved ones. Before vaccination covid was a nasty illness for alot of people.
Measures were needed while vaccination rolled out. Now we have had vaccines I'm hopeful that vaccines will help protect my CEV parents from dying if they get it. But its still a big concern it would be very bad for them to catch it.
If I had any trust in the govt then maybe it would feel like this is a positive step but right now I think he's just piling more bodies high for his own sake.