Has their been a change of opinion about lockdown?

[Maryann1975]

So three weeks ago, all I heard about was why weren’t the government locking everything down quickly enough. There was such outrage about it at the time, how bad it was that the government hadn’t shut schools quickly enough, that people were still mixing and big events were still going ahead.

We are now at The start of week three of the ‘lockdown’ (which wasn’t really a full lockdown, But I’m not really sure what to call the period we are in) and people are desperately wondering when everywhere will reopen and seem to be desperate for the schools to reopen.

I’m wondering if the reality of ‘lockdown’ doesn’t fit with what everyone thought it would be (it’s quite hard dealing with dc every day with no break and no where to take them especially if you are having to work through out from home with the dc arguing around your feet). It’s really boring staying at home all the time, missing holidays, missing family, missing friends and gatherings, social interactions, No eating out, cinema, theatre, coffees etc.

Maybe there are two groups of posters and three weeks ago I mainly caught the pro lockdown group Posting and now I am just seeing the pro economy/lift the lockdown posts. I don’t know? I have also just had a group call with friends and it seemed to be that some thought we should be lifting lockdown pretty soon.

It just seems so contradictory from three weeks ago when people were clamouring for the government to take action.

So people undergoing cancer treatment who get this have a very high chance of dying. Many of those people will survive without corona. Lots of other chronic illnesses are very well managed and people have a near normal life expectancy. But corona would kill them. Some medics are dying.
If you really think all these people are close to death, why have totally new massive hospitals have to be built and routine operations and treatments cancelled?
Do you really think Boris Johnson would have been seriously ill anyway without corona and at risk of dying?

@nuitdesetoiles It is a pity working in MH you do not have much compassion and do not understand the strong link between obesity and poverty, or between poor MH and obesity.
And there is lots of research that the mortality rate without the lock down would have caused more economic harm.

So @alloutoffucks how do we get out of it?

sunshine The CV deaths didn't rise significantly until the end of March / beginning of April, it is too early to say that there has been no impact on the overall death rate.

And Xenia don't worry I'm still working, ironically checking that people are managing ok with the lockdown.

We do what WHO and scientists are advising and the government finally concede we should have done. We mass test, contact trace and isolate infected. This should have been done months ago and then this lock down could have maybe been avoided.
This is what the government are now accepting they have to do.

And the overall death rate from other causes will go down any way because of lock down.

Timescale?

Tbh I’m all for it and tomorrow it’ll be three weeks since I went out. Hubby is still at work and we don’t earn much tbh but even he is now limiting time out to work and fortnightly grocery run. We home school too so in a way that’s made it easier but it’s still odd

@mascote Since I have no idea how quickly the government can get enough tests and set this up, I dont know.

And anyone seriously interested in reducing obesity would know there has been masses of research out there with lots of recommendations, most of which have not been enacted.

And @Tomorrowillbeachicken do you think you’d feel differently if you were a single parent who’d lost their income; couldn’t claim benefit, and had mental health problems and an only child who’s missing his life and routine?

Overall death rate will fall due to lockdown? Not convinced about that.

@alloutoffucks I see what you mean. But this just can’t last indefinitely

Overall death rate will fall due to lockdown? Not convinced about that

Even though all the evidence suggests that?

I'm happy to be in lockdown although I've come to the realisation that I haven't been living life to the fullest so I'm making all these plans about what I'll do when it's over. More than likely not be able to celebrate my 40th in June though- boohoo

Anecdotally, yes I agree, people are questioning the value of this lockdown. I'm fully prepped for the announcement next week that it'll be extended but I think a conversation needs to be had about whether it's worth the devastating cost that's coming to all of us, in one way or another. It's costing us 2.4 billion a day in the UK.

and how many years of austerity will we have to repay the debts building up now?

The impact is likely to be generational. The economic policy responses are varied and might include:

• years of debilitating austerity

• rolling up debt into something like the consols from the Napoleonic wars and letting it chug along for a century or so

• global agreement on something of a reboot / Bretton Woods where collective action restores a working global system.

it's not easy and is no fun for anyone - some are obviously suffering a lot more than others.

but if we don't do it, not only will lots more people die, but enough will be infected at the same time as to collapse our society. Lockdown is better than no power/water/food supply .

alloutoffucks you seem to be nursing some kind of macabre fantasy where coronavirus has a 3-4% death rate.

And the overall death rate from other causes will go down any way because of lock down.

It is likely that the death rate will go down for some causes of death - road traffic accidents, drink related (violent) deaths, work related deaths for example, but I am not sure that the rate of them are high enough to lower the overall death rate.

(I am talking about total deaths, not just cov-19 related)

It's tough, it's shit, and it's happening for a reason. I don't want my children back to school so they are off my hands - I don't want to overload the NHS which is struggling enough as it is, and I am tired of hearing people try to justify the ridiculous things that they have been doing "I've been delivering emergency root tinting packs today" - FFS people, this is not a drill, people are dying unnecessarily, and we should all stay home and count our blessings.

starlightgazers what evidence? Seems incredible to think that with so much of the country's medical system focused on Coronavirus that deaths from other causes won't rise. The fact that people are less mobile and drinking more alone will have a significant impact. Poverty will rise and that's closely linked to lower life expectancy. Suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 50 and that's only going to rise. I'd expect the huge shortage of midwives and reductions in face to face antenatal appointments to have an adverse impact. How many cancers will be identified too late for effective treatment because of this?

When we closed our office doors, I braced myself for a 12 week lockdown of working from home full time with children underneath my feet. If lockdown is lifted earlier than this, brilliant but I think it will be end of may before they know that so find it ridiculous that journalists are asking that question now, it's way too soon and gives false hope. And if the govt don't get their act together with testing and tracing I think it will be even longer!

It even the last few comments show complete disregard for people's mh. The "oh it's hard for everyone". Yes but if you live alone with a chronic mh problem, it will be a lot worse. There have already been suicides directly linked to the lockdown.

Women already die in high number at the hands of violent partners. Now they have no escape, but their deaths don't matter.

No one is suggesting doing nothing. Some of us are arguing that the benefits need to be balanced and weighed.

Tbh I am rather enjoying it, me and dp work from home, daily yoga, eating less as thinking about food shortages, basically living mindfully

And I am not taking away how awful it must be for people in horrific situations or with health issues, but for me it is ok, trying my best to stay upbeat and stay inside