(Poll) If a new disease with a similar fatality rate to pre-vaccination COVID appeared again…

[user1477391263]

And the government started to issue instructions about rules, hand washing, masks, social distancing, not meeting up with people, and the like, similarly to what happened in 2020-21….

What would your response be?

A: I would follow the rules more strictly than I did last time (because WFH has made it easier OR because the deaths from COVID make me feel we should have been stricter last time).

B: I would follow the rules about as strictly as I did last time, for the most part.

C: I would follow some rules or follow most rules to an extent, but would be significantly less “strict” about this than I was during COVID.

D: I would be much, much less strict or would completely ignore most rules/instructions, insofaras I was able to disregard them.

I’m just trying to work out whether the COVID experience and aftermath has shifted the Overton window and made people more open to the idea of following rules etc. to contain infectious diseases, OR alternatively whether people have grown a bit more blasé about diseases, disillusioned about governments or concerned about negative aftermaths of pandemic control measures.

For what it’s worth, I’d be a C (although I was never very strict first time round either to be honest).

And MNHQ, can we please get a proper poll selection option that goes beyond YABU/YANBU options?

B

D.

B

C, but only because I would not want to be fined for breaking rules.

D. I think terrible psychological and educational damage was done to children. Never again.

B

D I wasn't that strict the first time around!

I would be B, even if I disagreed with the way our UK government was handling the situation. Just because they are inept does mean that the reasoning behind restrictions is also inept, if the vast majority of Europe are in the same boat.

Over last winter, I saw an increase in mask wearing often prior to being aware that infection rates were on the increase. I didn’t wear a mask myself, but I think most people would still be a B.

I asked previously : was Uganda wrong to lockdown at the end of 2022 when they had an Ebola outbreak which has a higher fatality rate in children. For the D’s, would you support a lockdown and restrictions if an Ebola type virus was in the UK?

Thing is, there are some of us who were or became D during covid restrictions who not only weren't hurt by it, but actively benefitted. Had a much better experience during the pandemic than those who did observe it all, with no downsides. People have picked up on that fact. It's known now in a way that it wasn't in 2020-21.

C. I followed the rules strictly at work in a hospital and when visiting elderly relatives but going out only once a day in a very rural area was totally unnecessary

Every word of this!

I'd follow the rules because the nhs would be overwhelmed again. That part was real. Having worked in the sector I saw it for myself, it was hellish.I'd also think about the fact that my parents and mil would be vulnerable so I'd do my bit to protect them. I'd likely have children off school and mine are older now so I would need to homeschool.

Not sure how you’ve got here but I doubt it

It’s because of the harm caused by the restrictions here, for a D or E

I think it’s impossible to say whether the Swedish approach would work on a worldwide scale during the pandemic. Brazil and India tried the Swedish approach and it didn’t work for them. One maverick country maybe, everyone doing the same as Sweden?
Sweden had one of the highest vaccine uptake rates in Europe.

I couldn’t be further from being cool or edgy,but feel that most restrictions did more harm than good,particularly for young people,who will suffer the effects for a long time to come

B

I wasn't 'strict', just sensible, especially when they didn't know how dangerous it actually was

People got so batshit and groupthink about it though. I remember hysterical pile ons when people admitted stuff like going outside to walk the dog on rural paths.

Critical thinking over blind orthodoxy for me

Option F?
Dont make it about whether or not you trust the government. Read the research, look at how it’s transmitted and how it takes hold/ who is at risk, take steps to keep yourself/ loved ones safe. Don’t be put off by the fact someone else you don’t trust has reached the same conclusion and don’t base your decisions on how you feel about the covid government’s handling of things. Base decisions on facts as they become known and on probabilities until then.

B. Sone of the rules in retrospect seemed unnecessary or contradictory. The rule of six or four sort of thing, the bubbles, the not driving out of your area...all seem a bit OTT now. But if the disease was similar I would still do the mask wearing snd social distancing and hand washing.

They seemed stupid at the time!

B for me

D . I'd only follow the rules I couldn't ignore. So masks in shops etc but that's it. Never took a vaccination for covid because at that stage I was completely sick of lockdown and rules. Wouldn't take a vaccine for any further pandemics either

B

D
Lockdown was not worth it.

Probably C. Possibly B.

D