Do any of arch-lockdowners regret it?

[Refractory]

Just that really.

I haven’t really been on MN since 2020 because I found the near complete support for lockdown far too upsetting.

the lockdowners in my life seem to not think about it much. For them, it’s just over.

with hindsight do you wish you’d been more sceptical?

would love a civil conversation about this.

I wasn’t arch-anything and I’ve no desire to rake over the past.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist though, so I don’t give it a second thought. What’s done is done

As someone with an extremely fragile household member, I wish people were still taking more precautions. Our lives are quite difficult because people will not stay home when they are contagious.

some days the selfishness makes me pretty angry. Everyone deserves to be a part of the world, even the medically fragile.

No I don't regret it. I followed the rules to the letter.

It was necessary far before they implemented it. It ended up being a last resort far too late. And those in charge made a complete mockery of it all. Lives could have been saved, the NHS could have been less overwhelmed. Every lockdown was too late. Because low average people didn’t matter to the government.
It's not just over, even happening too late didn't stop the horrendous impact on thousands of people. The utter fear and anxiety. How many people died without a family member even present. You're saying that you were upset with how many people favoured lockdown from the viewpoint of 2020?
How utterly ignorant can you be?
You do you OP, I’m sure you did then as well.
Is it beyond your comprehension the scope of what actually happened or would you rather mentally stay in 2020?
Batshit.

I guess the people that thought we didn’t need to get vaccinated or stay apart from each other, benefitted from the people that followed the rules, and then were able to say ‘see! We didn’t need to do that!’ There’s just one teeny tiny piece of the puzzle they’re missing… But no worries, come along and call us ‘arch’ something…

I broke the rules in lockdown. I left the house more than once a day (alone), I travelled for exercise (alone) and I saw my family and some single friends in person. I do not regret any of it.

I did not have parties or socialise widely but I did what I needed to keep my physical and mental health and that of the people I care about who also felt the same way I did.

Wasn't an "arch-lockdowner" but generally followed instructions. Was extremely lucky that no-one I knew was ill and hospitalised during that timeframe, either with covid or anything else. I was able to continue working, so no furlough, and managed to home educate two children around my working hours.

I think that when looking at the situation with hindsight, it is extremely easy to forget that the impact of this new coronavirus was unknown and unpredictable at the start of the pandemic. There were also no known effective treatments or vaccinations. So, caution was not unreasonable.

I am always sceptical but I am also cautious and risk averse, so had no issue with cautious risk-averse national policy. I was sceptical that the Nightingale hospitals could be staffed, and was happy that they weren't necessary. I was unsurprised that members of the government took advantage of the pandemic to make money, and unsurprised that they felt entitled to break their own rules and to sneer at those that followed them.

I do regret that we had a government that made a mockery of those that did follow it though. I do forgive people that don’t understand the details or are easily led by social media. I don’t forgive the government.

My family followed the rules. It was difficult but none of us have any regrets. I saw it then as I do now, a necessary evil to get through an unprecedented event.

I followed the rules strictly as I was a bit terrified of catching it and also of getting fined but I think this is very reasonable and certainly didn’t judge people like you.

I was an arch-lockdowner. I used to tell everyone we needed harder and harder lockdowns.

I really really regret it now. Do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day OP? You were so right and I was so terribly wrong 😭

i accepted that I would need to obey the government.

my 40yo sibling landed in intensive care on a ventilator and almost died. Lockdown was the best course of action at the time IMO and I have no problem with the decision the govt made.

I didn’t police what anyone else did.

I have never spread Covid to another person.

I think people should still be wearing masks in crowded places. I have long covid. I can't even begin to describe how awful that is.

Lockdown saved lives, to deny that would be obscene. I'm still glad we locked down, albeit I realise lots of people were negatively affected.

There were few winners in COVID, but keeping people alive was a priority. It was always going to be hard.

How would you know if you've ever spread COVID to someone? That's like saying you've never spread a cold, there is no way to know that.

No

I wasn't an arch lockdowner, I don't think. I felt the virus was dangerous, I worried about the old and vulnerable and wanted to keep them safe. But I put my own common sense first. For instance went long walks, as the hour a day restriction was just ridiculous. DH carried on working out of the home the entire time, so I think we didn't feel as much in a our own bubble.

I was very bitter about how inhumanely people were treated in hospitals, especially the dying. The NHS has tried to carry on some of that crap post covid. I wish more had challenged that.

I was very pro vaccination and I regret that, I regret trying to push my DD to have the vaccine. The first vaccine made me quite ill and I feel we were sold a lemon there. I'm not an anti vaxxer at all, but this particular vaccine I have no confidence in.

I certainly wasn't an arch lockdowner.

I abided more by the first lockdown than by subsequent ones although I am not a big socialiser anyway.

My elderly parents became ill (not covid related) during the first and second lockdowns. Do I regret breaking lockdown rules to go and be with my dying Dad in his final days? No, I do not and I never will! I would have seriously regretted NOT going though.

Same here.

Not in the UK, so there were few legally enforceable rules where I was.

Some individuals I know went very hard with locking down and I do wonder about them. Some of them missed time with elderly relatives who are now dead or dying. A few now have school refusing screen-addict kids, and I think all the time hiding at home being "safe" may have triggered this, although of course it's impossible to be sure.

I think if we ever get something like COVID again, it will be hard to get as much compliance as the first time. Some people will react furiously at the mere suggestion of "rules," because it now triggers their belief in conspiracy theories. Other people will feel that vague disease warnings are now just part of the wallpaper, and will "sort of" follow rules but not with as much fear or conscientiousness as before.

Look, with respect, that's always going to be a question of balance, not absolutes.

Flu kills huge numbers of people annually. We could greatly reduce flu deaths by forcing kids to stay at home all day under lockdown conditions during flu season (so, a couple of months each year). Should we do that? Is it worth the cost in terms of physical and mental health? Of course not.

No I don’t regret it. I am 60 and believe that life is too short to stay stuck in time. You can’t change what has already happened so there is no point in dwelling on it. 2020 happened, just move on.
I followed the rules. I am a person who likes rules so it was fine by me. I enjoyed the nothingness of lockdown . So quiet, no cars, no planes, so peaceful and nobody invading your personal space. Queues and no one pushing in front of you for fear of catching ‘it’. I remember going to the dentist and being the only person in the waiting room, going for a scan and they were waiting for me. Having a drive through GP appointment with a nurse waiting in the car park wearing full PPE for my B12 jab. Looking back it seems very surreal, like something out of the movies - like it never happened.

I wouldnt describe myself as arch lockdowner but we were rule breakers we did as we were told.

No regrets, if it arose again we would do the same.

It was the law. Be as upset as you like of course but it was neither our choice nor our campaign. Most people obeyed the law.