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 think we should have locked down much sooner, and definitely closed our borders until the vaccinations were rolled out. Think it would all have been a lot shorter and less painful and would likely have meant the NHS was less overwhelmed so that other procedures and treatment and ops weren't delayed.

I do not think we should have closed dentists at any time, and we wouldn't have had to if the government had kept up our emergency stocks of PPE. And of course it would have been nice had our politicians taken it all more seriously but they are a joke anyway who don't think any rules apply to them, just us proles. Doesn't mean it was wrong to lock down.

I firmly believe that Boris Johnson never wanted us to have quarantines - he hated the UK public and would have preferred for lots more of us to die than have quarantines.

It was a colossal over reaction that damaged the economy immensely.

I still believe that people were badly misled regarding the risks and costs involved. The risks were hugely over stated and the costs hugely understated. That’s not to say we needed to do nothing however what was done was excessive.

Still fondly remember the measure where you had to put a mask on to walk through a restaurant and then you could remove it knowing the Covid was polite enough not to bother you while you ate.

As an ICU registrar I am very glad people did follow the rules. We were almost overwhelmed in our unit and it was terrifying.

NHS was and is still failing, Covid or not. My parents now spend their savings going to private doctors for their needs. My mother in law had an aggressive skin cancer that you could see growing week on week. And NHS put her on a "fast track" which would still be a four week to excise the cancer. She found a private hospital and surgeon who said it was almost too late when he got to it, and they're still testing her blood and checking to see if come back. The NHS is an absolute joke.

My husband and I still do. I can't remember the last time I saw someone else in a mask. I'm appalled.

This

That is the fault of the Tory government. They don’t fund public services if you hadn’t noticed. The NHS worked fine under New Labour. I remember how civilised it was compared with how it is today. My own mum has been waiting since February for an appointment to have a skin biopsy.

So of course, after 10 years of austerity, the NHS was ill prepared for the pandemic.

We should have locked down sooner. I regret that we didn't lock down harder and sooner. But can't do anything about it now

My understanding was that lockdown was done to keep the hospital system functioning and not collapse the way it did in Italy. So for example if someone got injured in a car accident they may not have been able to get any treatment at all had we not locked down.

Covid victims back then were spending a lot longer in intensive care compared to people prior to Covid, as it was a novel virus with no treatments so there was a bed block with the limited facilities in hospitals.

I personally think lockdown was socially and mentally damaging and an East Asian style of managing it is superior (Taiwan and Korea - not China!). They never went into lockdown but had widespread compliance with face mask wearing, tracing systems and closed their borders with quarantine for arrivals. It’s important to keep schools open.

Did I have any parties or other illegal gatherings? no. Did I go out on my own far away from others to do odd jobs to protect my livelihood and to protect my mental health? yes and I dont care if you think I am a cunt or not because your opinion is irrelvant.

Or….

I felt lockdown was the right thing to do. Personally, there were challenges, but at least I got to spend extra time at home with my very young dd.
DH worked from home throughout as his job is essential. That was sometimes tricky, however it meant that he too ended up seeing dd more than he would have.
We just made the best of it however we could. I'd always rather be safe than sorry.

I admired Jacinta Ardern from afar and then again for her choice to resign and her reasons. It’s not often there’s a politician I admire.

I thought that horrifies me is when we have an outbreak of an even more dangerous virus. Based on the Covid pandemic and the types of things I read here we are monumentally screwed and will be saying hello to the dinosaurs in the afterlife.

I agree.

Me breaking the rules meant I stopped being suicidal and I got to spend time with my grandma before she died. So judge away, I'm happy with my choices

Yeah of course they knew more than the medical experts.🙄Those videos though saying our hospitals were empty I know people that were in hospital during the pandemic. The ward's were full had to wait hours for a bed. Some for for COVID some something else.

Nope. I'm glad I was selfless enough to protect people.

We are so lucky to have such a considerate deadly virus

Oh come on it was a scary time so many people died I do not regret locking down to keep safe. Thank god for the vaccine, who knows where we would be without it.

Yes, agree. There’s always some crazy person on social media to make you feel like any discomfort in the real world, that might require doing something for others, is a conspiracy. Don’t listen to someone with a medical degree, they’re trying to trick you, listen to the YouTuber from Purley you found while going down a social media rabbit hole while sat on the toilet.

Not me, but my parents were arch lockdown era and my mum developed dementia and is now in the middle stages. I wish she hadn’t been so strict, lack of socialisation may have meant the demtntua has developed quicker.

My son is alive so no I don’t regret shielding him. You learn early on with life limiting conditions that you make the best decisions you can with the info you have at the time and you stick by them.
Two dead neighbours, two dead friends, dead uncle, dead grandfather and relative with long covid.
I don’t regret anything. People’s Judgment didn’t stop me keeping my son alive and it won’t again if something similar happens in future.