Why are people misunderstanding?

[Vates]

The reason we are on lockdown is to stop the spread and to not overwhelm the NHS at one time. Not to prevent deaths! People will die, lots of us will get it, a huge percentage of the population.

Of course I am worried; I have a family member and my best friend who is in the vulnerable group and it is heartbreaking. And then my worries extend to other peoples families.

But it seems like people are not willing to realise this? I feel like I am going mad. Even more mad than usual.

I am obeying lock down rules and trying to protect all people I can.

Yes but if the nhs isn't overwhelmed the death rate will be much lower. Many fewer people will die

Surely not overwhelming the NHS will prevent deaths. I’m not sure what your point is?

Well it will prevent deaths, so?

I suppose my query would be in the long term? I appreciate your responses. Keep safe everyone.

The best case scenario at the moment seems to be 20,000 deaths, as in if it's around that it will be a 'good outcome'. The worst case if we had none of the current measures was 500,000. If everyone that needs a ventilator can have one, fewer people will die. We'll avoid the heartbreak in Spain and Italy where those over 65 or with underlying conditions are not even considered for ventilation. If the NHS is not completely overwhelmed, fewer people will die of other conditions that would normally be treatable. I don't think anyone thinks we can stop this in it's tracks, do they?

Agree OP I think a lot of people seem to think we stay in for 3 weeks and that's it done.

No the plan is we get it but in an orderly manner so as not to overwhelm the NHS , and to try and keep the economy ticking over as much as possible.

For the vast majority of people this will not be a virus that kills or has long term consequences.

I do think people misunderstand the plan and what we're in for.

Well, the plan (cough!) is that at least as many people will get it and possibly more, but over a longer period of time, meaning the NHS will be better able to cope meaning fewer people will die.

It is textbook deferred gratification, which some people do not get or do not want to get. They say, What can I do now that is good for me now, because nothing else matters.

Thank you for your reply, Patchworksack. You've made me think more positively. Take care.

I'd quite like to get it over and done with personally (I mean my own family's illness, not anyone else's), but I know that's not the plan. I agree OP.

It will prevent deaths because there will be a better medicin or vaccin at some point and the slower the spread, the less people get it before the medicin or vaccin is here. Less people that are infected equals less people dying. So slowing the spread will prevent deaths.

Thank you, Beetroot and Mockers. That what I was thinking before, I just didn't understand that people need to realise that people are going to die, despite of the lockdown. A jab is likely at least a year away probably more. But got fed up of the responses. Like I say I have a very dear relative that probably wouldn't be strong enough to survive a ventilator. And my Best friend who's in her early 60's with underlying health problems. Of course it breaks, nay shatters it to pieces to think of them not living through this. But surely we have to think like that?

Yep completely agree, everyone I speak to thinks it will all be over in 3 weeks if we stay indoors, it’s to help the NHS to cope so that will hopefully prevent so many deaths, but people believe what they want to believe and hear what they want to hear, it’s the same at work, colleagues are convinced they should not be in work (a business that is allowed to stay open, cannot be done from home and is able to work within government guidelines) but many have just refused to come in because they have been told to stay home.

One thing I've been thinking is that based on current knowledge the current measures give us a step towards the 'best-case scenario' with an estimated 20,000 deaths. But the longer we can keep transmissions levels low, the more time we buy for all sorts of good things.

We buy more time for drug trials - who knows what existing drugs could potentially be used to treat this virus and improve outcomes?

We buy more time for manufacturing test kits - both the kits that are used to diagnose if you currently have it and also the kits that are used to check if you have already had it

We buy more time for the manufacturing and delivery of health kit - Ventilators, PPE equipment, etc

I would rather just catch it at this point. Not that I have been out much, to the corner shop for food every other day. No symptoms. But because of mental health and I am a smoker, so figure it will kill me off. My suicidal side takes over and I know I wouldn't even try to fight it off if it killed me. I cannot use the phone to talk to people I don't know, yes including 999 if I were dying. So it isn't like I would call anyone. I live alone so would be just another body bag.

There is no way we can all get it in an orderly fashion and not overwhelm the NHS. The numbers don't add up. If most people get it before a vaccine comes out, then we will have overwhelmed the health service and hundreds of thousands will have died.

Either we prevent the virus spreading and wait for a cure, or we let it increase and have an overwhelmed health service and hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Honestly, I think its you who are not understanding. There is no version of this where we are almost all infected and the hospitals are not massively overwhelmed.

OP.

@Vates I'm not sure if you're aware of the #MakeYourselfHeard campaign?

It's aimed at people who are unable to speak and gives them a way to access the emergency services - www.independent.co.uk/life-style/call-police-999-emergency-silence-speak-a8859756.html

But as long as we don't all get it at once, and don't all need hospital beds at the same time then the NHS will cope.

From what I've read a vaccine would be 18-24 months. That's a very long time for this hiatus on life, even with it being periodically relaxed (and we don't know what that will look like).

Nellodee if that's the plan then it means lockdown for up to 2 years.

That is simply not viable for a number of reasons.

Or at least continuing like this, whatever this is called.

@Vates I am so sorry you feel like that. This is a bloody horrible situation, isn't it? There will be light at the end of the tunnel. Testing, treatments, more equipment - time will buy us all of these things. We all just have to hold on for better news and better times right now.

@BeetrootRocks And your alternative is?

I am also worried that people think it will all be over in 3 weeks. What the PM said, was that it would be reviewed in 3 weeks. If the results are good, we will carry on staying at home. If the results are not good, the rules will be tightened.
OP - please don't wish yourself ill. By all accounts it's a horrible virus, even the so-called 'mild' symptoms.

There is an alternative, though. It's called testing and contact tracing. We cocked it up the first time around, but we can do it better next time. South Korea is doing a good job, we need to be learning from them.