How long do you think we can tolerate this lockdown?

[TeethingAgain]

I know it's necessary and for thy e greater good, but how long do you think society will tolerate it before (more) people start flouting the rules? Are there psychologists who the government are consulting about how long humans can be expected to live like this? I know people say we are just being asked to sit on our sofas but that's a very simplistic way of looking at a gargantuan change in lifestyle and social habits which are engrained within us.

I think people could manage 8-12 weeks and I think the toll on mental health will start to outweigh the physical health benefits.

I think I could sustain it for quite a while. I think perhaps I'm a bit more introverted than others. I like my home. My kids are young enough that having to home school isn't an issue. My husband is self employed and, for the most part, can continue to work from home as he always has. My life has been disrupted in that I was retraining which is now on hold but I will be able to pick it up as soon as things start to get back to normal. There are a lot of things I'm enjoying about lock down and I'm focusing on them rather than the down sides.

frasersmummy Sending love to you x

It's scary to think that this could be for 9, 12 weeks. That's hard to swallow.

But it was harder to hear today that a colleague I have worked with for 10 years is in intensive care, and unlikely to come out. He has children, and young grandchildren, and is absolutely lovely.

We will cope with whatever we need to, and do it with good grace. I don't ever want to be in the situation he and his poor, poor family are in, it's hard enough with it being a friend, I can't being to imagine what they are all going through.

I have had a few episodes of illness in the past that had me stuck at home in pain for months. I tell myself now that at least I am not in that pain and am trying to see it like a little holiday. I have been ill these past couple of weeks with something (mild viral thing I think) and have self isolated to be safe. Not too bored yet as very fatigued. I am also working at home.

If you are hit financially by this I sympathise as we have not recovered from the crash 10 years ago. Just spent last 10years trying to keep head above water.

I’m shielding and will do what I’m told until I get it and can hopefully survive and be well enough to get back to work (front line).

I’ve done 19 days already and the government have advised me to stay home until the middle of June.
It’s hard but I die if I don’t do it, so it’s not that hard.

People have massively varying circumstances and also very different personalities.

Take a couple in a large house with a large garden, both of whom are keeping their salaries but with a reduction in workload that is now done from home. They have a well stocked pantry and perhaps some chickens and home grown produce. They can live the life of riley. Perhaps they have a tennis court, swimming pool and home gym!

But then take a family in a cramped flat with no outdoor space in a built up area, shops picked bare of food, either lost salary/working on front line/working nose to the grindstone on job/childcare/homeschool etc. Perhaps they have 4 elderly and sick grandparents to shop for and take to hospital appointments as well.

Well said @Michelleoftheresistance. This life is the reality for many people, but most of them dig deep for some resilience and carry on. Lessons to be learned for others.

Was watching footage of Indian migrant workers in Delhi living on a daily wage with genuinely nothing to fall back on. Really, in comparison we have it easy. Please stop whining folks.

I think we could manage it for a few months. I am trying not to look too far ahead, just doing what we are told week by week.

Dh is on the vulnerable list so we have been at home for 2 weeks now. Dc are doing ok, bit bored, but ok and they understand why we need to stay in.

We run our own business which we have had to close so now have no money coming in at all which gives me far more worry than lockdown...

I get the feeling we will be in it for the long haul. If I was on my own I could cope with it very well, but I am at the end of a long boring relationship, so am finding it very difficult, although he is still working atm. He is now using this as an excuse to play for more time. I'm not sure if I can cope for much longer, certainly not 6 months! I presume though people are actually allowed to part from someone during this, like if their health is at stake.

I think it depends on personality type and circumstance.
Ive been furloughed for 12 weeks, i wont be getting 80% of my normal wages because i get a good amount of tips.
So im down to 80% of 60- 70% of my wages. It will be enough to just survive taking into account i won't be paying to commute, childcare, socialising.
Im a single parent, one child, we are both introverts, perfectly happy at home, lucky enough to have a garden, lots of books, paints, internet access.
We have made a new routine we can both quite easily do for 12 weeks, with contact, phone and video with other people.
Longer than 12 weeks i will start to worry for my job and my sons education.
Im close to my family and have never gone much more than a week 10 days without seeing my mum or grandad before so that will probably be the hardest thing.
I'll do what im told as long as im getting paid.

A long time I hope.

My husband's in the middle of chemotherapy. The NHS in other parts of the country are already having delay some cancer treatment. Even if we rigorously self isolate for as long as it takes there's nothing we can do stop the NHS becoming overwhelmed by people who do choose to flout the restrictions.

People aren't just risking their own lives when they decide not to comply.

We are only a week in, we are not in Syria where they still have a war going on, we are not in Africa where hundreds of millions live in abject poverty and where they would probably choose Coronavirus over the horrible everyday deseases they have to put up with.
Get online, pick an exercise coach - Joe Wicks is pretty good - do a routine, dynamic warmup, some cardio, then weights (household objects - not crystal or china), then a stretch out at the end.
You can go out to exercise, stay away from other people though.

It seems strange that the same restrictions apply in heavily populated London as in lightly populated mid Wales.
At some point it will peak in London, then a few weeks later in mid Wales, then a couple of weeks later in Northumberland, then in the Outer Hybrids, say. Would it be possible to relocate the readily-erected hospital-in-a-hangar to the area of greatest need and manage this on a regional basis?

I'm prepared to stay at home for as long as it takes. I can't sit still for too long so have managed to occupy myself otherwise. I am under no false illusion that it's extremely difficult for many people at the moment.

I usually work full time and have been furloughed. Bills will be very tight however dh is still in work (minimum wage carer). I do hate the uncertainty of not knowing when I can go back to work (or if I have a job to go back to) but my mental health has actually improved on the whole.

I have bipolar and it's helping me to have time to myself (with my cats), chatting to neighbours while out in the garden, catching up on housework and generally having a bit of me time.

Not going out to see friends has been tough but it's not the end of the world for me. I'm still in touch with friends and work colleagues via social media. The only family I have is db, aunt and uncles - all live many hours away so I don't see them regularly anyway.

Narikk333

Well said, we do have it easy.

You can only keep people inside for so long before they start rebelling
This in spades. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't think it will be long before people really start taking matters into their own hands, and I mean much more than just climbing Snowdon. We were told an optimistic "3 weeks", at the end of which Saint Boris will probably say "another three weeks". I suspect that's when the unrest will start, especially if death figures are starting to go down by then, but no restrictions are eased.

I think we should be watching the government very carefully, not frothing on here about whether Easter eggs are essential purchases.

I'm already struggling. It's been 1 week. It's going to be really difficult to cope with this being months. Having said that I don't even want to go out, even for essential trips as I don't want to become ill or make my family ill. I am therefore practically self isolating despite having no symptoms. I don't know how much longer I can take without it really affecting my mental health.

my friend sent a message that her dad died today of COVID and she was allowed 15 mins to say goodbye but could not touch him because she wasn’t in full PPE as there isn’t enough. He was old (69) but in very good health otherwise.

This has terrified me! 69 isn't old! DH is 66 and goes to the gym every other day and teaches martial arts classes on the other days. I was thinking we were odds on to be okay.

I will stay home as long as I am told to . . . If it makes a difference to one life it is worth it.

I am a single mum to a 4 year old trying to work from home and I am so thankful that so far it's going well.

That said having left an abusive relationship several years ago I feel sick when I think about anyone experiencing lock down with an abuser . . . I can imagine how on edge this unknown time line is for anyone in a dangerous situation.

Was watching footage of Indian migrant workers in Delhi living on a daily wage with genuinely nothing to fall back on. Really, in comparison we have it easy. Please stop whining folks.

I don't think this is a fair comparison. I lived in sub-Saharan Africa for the best part of a decade. I still work with a lot of people out there and am on Skype calls with them most weeks. If given the choice between staying indoors for months on end or taking their chances most of the people I know will take their chances. I'm not talking about wealthy expats here, I'm talking about normal people. This is why a lockdown approach will not work in these parts of the world.

For as long as necessary. I can't believe anyone would question it. Yes it's hard but we all know why we need to do it and none of us have it as hard as those working on the front line.

Three months at most. People are simply not going to stay put when the weather improves. But more than that - the economy won’t cope. We will need (as a country) to start working again. Things will need to start being manufactured again. Children will need new shoes. And the cost will be too high compared to lives saved.

Was watching footage of Indian migrant workers in Delhi living on a daily wage with genuinely nothing to fall back on. Really, in comparison we have it easy. Please stop whining folks

I’m sorry but comments like this boil my piss. Someone always has it worse it doesn’t mean one can’t moan. I don’t live in Delhi so.....

I mean my best friend is currently fighting cancer, should she never complain her current battles because someone died today? I mean the dead person is worse off right?

I don't think it will be long before people really start taking matters into their own hands

In what way?

I think we should be watching the government very carefully

I am not a fan of the current government, but I am fully with them on the action they have taken. It was needed.