Serious answers only.. how long do you think the lockdown will last?

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How long will lockdown last?? Only 3 weeks?! Were meant to move house

I understand

I think I'm only just coming to terms with how horrendous this is. I've been in lockdown for 14 days with the virus already

I miss my family so much, I hate this.

It’s not enough to isolate only vulnerable, they will still need limited contact with people to eat, get medication, survive. Surely it is better if those people are also limiting contact with others to limit the virus spreading?
I understand it is bloody hard, I’m very likely to be made redundant and I can’t sleep because I have horrendous toothache that’s not emergency enough to see a dentist. It’s horrible.

I am loving this time away from the in-laws if I'm honest.

6 months minimum, then they'll let us out for a bit but we'll have to social distance, and no school etc, then back in for winter and out when there's a vaccine.

I have no idea but I hope it doesn’t go on for 3-6 months, I was supposed to be moving on the 1st of April and I have no idea what will happen now or if/when I will be able to move

For me, a minimum of 12 weeks (shield group - exceptionally vulnerable) which takes us to mid-June

If spread slows in summer (as respiratory diseases like flu seem to fo sometimes) then perhaps social distancing only for July/August, then fuller measures reimposed some time around the start of the traditional flu season late September/early Octobrr

@StirCrazed I hope you're right but I think the population actually wants to be locked up for the rest of the year because they seem to think this is ebola.

I don't think we can gauge our lockdown time based on that of other countries, mainly because of our attitude towards it. The British public were given time to comply, and those who didn't ruined it for everyone else.

I think the moment it's relaxed, those same people will congregate again and it will be enforced in a way that's more personally limiting, because people simply cannot be trusted.

The problem is you don't actually know unless you have had a test if you have actually had it.

Most people can say they have had symptoms and have self isolated but very few can definitely say the sentence Iv had the virus.

My opinion is the lockdown will stay in place (or tighten more) until regular and consistent numbers that the NHS can cope with have been achieved then things will get relaxed slightly until numbers start to rise again at which point restrictions will tighten again.

@Ginkypig Absolutely.

We can speculate but at the end of the day its down to when Sir Patrick & Chris Witty think the riskiest time for the NHS is over. .. and that depends on many things.

My hope is that they will renew for another three weeks but, all fingers and toes tightly crossed, begin to relax things towards the end of that period, if the signs are going well. ( I know that's a big 'if'....)
I tend to be optimistic generally, hope for the best, plan for the worst. i have already cancelled our June holiday but we may be able to rebook it later.

5 weeks pretty locked down. It will take until July until things have a semblance of normal. Even then social distancing will be strong - no conferences, no concerts, museums closed, people staying within their own social groups. Supermarkets will keep their sanitising/distancing rules in place. people will only travel if they absolutely ahve to. Conference calls will replace business travel.

The thing is we were living in a global village - people moving around the planet constantly. This virus won't be the last. People will start preparing for the next one and adjusting their lives.

If the new testing works so you can prove who has had it then perhaps we will see a phased relaxation after the peak which is currently expected to be end of April.
It depends partly on how reality diverges from the models.

7.5 more weeks like today’s measures and then a softer version for about 12 weeks with gradual reduction of restrictions.
And don’t think we will be able to holiday abroad in July - August.

My god there are some selfish and childish views here

Who do you think "the vulnerable" are?! They're ordinary people. People with jobs, families, lives, money worries just like you. 40% of the population has an "underlying condition" and then everyone over 70 included as well! No, we can't just lock them away so you can get on with your life.

And this virus IS killing young healthy people as well. Not in as large numbers, but it is dangerous to everyone. In some countries 20-30% of frontline medical staff have become critically ill, and thousands have died. I'm sorry you're worried about money (me too) and you miss your family (me too) but honestly, grow up.

3 months I expect. Depends how the curve goes.

Turkey - I really do sympathise. I have friends and family isolating for 12 weeks. I simply can’t imagine.

However - if this thing does drag on, if it disappears and reappears, what should we do? The main priority is saving lives by controlling need for ITU beds. We can’t honestly justify locking down a whole population for long periods. I think it might be the way they go, in the end

Schools are likely to be out until at least September.

I am not sure about schools - if they don't go back fully in late spring, I think govt might extend the availability of the current provisions to those who could otherwise go back to work but can't because of childcare. And it may ask them to stay open during the holidays for the same reason.

in china the lockdown took just over 2 months I think, but they were far, far stricter than we're being and so knocked it on the head sooner. Surely ours has to be longer to really get anywhere

Three months.

I am hoping for 3 months, but mentally preparing for 6. I am not expecting any real normality until 2021.

Until august

I am hoping no more than 3 months, my wedding is 12 weeks away and I haven’t cancelled yet.