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.

It's entirely possible to think that lockdown is necessary to save lives and protect the NHS, while also finding it difficult and yearning for things to go back to normal. Wanting lockdown to end doesn't mean that people necessarily think it should end.

Agreed, but there are lots still out there calling for lockdown to end for economic etc reasons, and I think they are misguided.

i dont want it to be stricter. Im only going out for food ,medicines and electric as it is Would be helpful if DH could get his prescriptions delivered but according to what ive found they will only do that if its ordered online.

It is better than dying a horrible premature death because the NHS is swamped though.

This is a ridiculous argument. As is the 'it would be worse without PPE'.

Just because the alternative is terrible, doesnt mean anyone struggling with lockdown is wrong.

It's ok to miss your friends. It's ok to miss you family. Or be sad your holiday has been cancelled. It's ok to find it hard.

It's ok to think of the economical damage. It's ok, to worry about the long term financial aspect and how it impacts you personally.

It's ok to disagree that lockdown is best solutions over all. It's ok to worry about the impact on the countries mental health.

And I have to say the 'I'm not struggling because I have been furloughed, everything is great here. So dine mind a further lockdown', is unbelievably selfish. Great for you.

Lots of people have been made redundant. Lots of people cant even get in a claim for benefits.

Lots of people are having to work and look after kids. Lots of peoples stress levels are through the roof or their mental health is struggling.

I am doing quite well. I am not furloughed. Dp is redundant, but I earn well. He looks after ds while I work. We have a garden and dogs and live near a private field the owner is letting us use to walk the dogs. I can afford to go shopping every 10 days. I have plenty of storage space, so can do a big shop. I didnt stockpile. Because I was working. By the time I finished work the shops were empty and I wasnt spending a day of the weekend trawling shops. So I am going every 10 days or so now. Slowly, get stocks up.

It's not hard to empathise with people who having a really shit time and are questioning, if in the long run, it's not best for the country.

People who have to go shopping every few days, because they cant buy a lot one go. They dont have gardens. They have lost their jobs. They are still working and struggling to care for their kids. People can struggle for all sorts of reasons.

Some people are furloughed but still stressed because what happens if their work place cant open after that. What happens if most of your companies customers, go under and the company doesnt survive. What if some bosses use this to streamline their business and lay people off and claim they felt the business could survive, however, it cant without letting people go.

Its unbelievable that people cant empathise with that and say 'yeah, I am fine. So bollocks to the rest and the rest should be happy, because at least you arent dead'.

It's a shit situation. Every option has casualties. People are struggling. There will be deaths, as a result of this, where people dont have corona. Poverty and economic downturn always impacts health.

I am adhering to lockdown. I get why it's important and will stick to it. I just dont think that anyone not celebrating it, needs to be told to shut up.

Of people I know IRL, they all want this all to end but they want it to remain in place until things have very much improved

This is a ridiculous argument. As is the 'it would be worse without PPE

Oh piss off. I'm not saying people shouldn't find lockdown hard, I'm saying that the alternative is worse. It is. As is having to work without PPE, it's horrendous seeing people die and knowing full well you could die the same way.

So bollocks to the rest and the rest should be happy, because at least you arent dead

it's called a sense of proportion, clearly lacking in many with their poor me stories. We have had colleagues die due to a lack of PPE, yet my comment about the lack of PPE is 'ridiculous'. Yeah, whatever. Some people need to grow a fucking backbone and stop whining.

I really dislike lock down.
I think it is totally necessary.
You can think both at the same time you know. I never thought it was going to be a holiday. It is necessary though.

Oh piss off. I'm not saying people shouldn't find lockdown hard, I'm saying that the alternative is worse. It is. As is having to work without PPE, it's horrendous seeing people die and knowing full well you could die the same way.

No people like you need to piss off. It doesn matter if the alternative is worse. If you ar struggling you are struggling. You may know the alternative is worse. But often that adds to the pressure.

Because the situation is shit and terrifying. But so is the alternative. It makes people feel trapped and hopeless.

Everyone knows, having PPE is better than non. But the people having panic attacks when wearing it, the people struggling to wear it? They know they need. Doesnt mean they can stop getting anxiety about it. Doesnt mean they struggle less.

Some people need to grow a fucking backbone and stop whining.

And there it is. Completel lack of empathy for anyone but those who will keep their mouths shut.

A bit of empathy can go a long way and make life better for people.

But go ahead, tell them to grow back bone. We are fine here, we (compared to others) are in a priviledge position. I cant magine telling someone struggling to grow a back bone, because they were struggling.

It appears that so many people have lost their empathy and cant take anyone who thinks differently to them.

It’s really boring staying at home all the time,

Not the best of arguments really. For one thing, I should imagine it’s really boring being dead, and secondly, it’s just whingeing when there are people undergoing real hardship of various sorts due to the lockdown. People who are objecting to staying at home merely because they’re “bored” need to take a look at themselves.

All this thread does is perpetuate the view that Had me keeping my emotions in akk week. The feeling that I should feel grateful that I have a job and I'm not ill, as 'there's someone worse off.' yep there are there's also those better off than me. I'm complying with the lockdown and likely will do however long the government decrees this go on. That doesn't mean I find it easy or hide my emotions.

For a start I'm scared. Dad is 67 and has a bad chest and mam works in a care home. He's vulnerable and her job puts him at risk.
I turned 25 today. There was no big celebration, I didn't even see my parents and we should have been on holiday right now. No it's not death, but I'm OK to feel sad about it

I'm missing my service users and phone contact isn't the same. I'm working without the necessary equipment which is challenging and frustrating. Working from home is uncomfortable and does my back in. I miss my lovely colleagues and the walk to the office. I struggle wfh. Yes I have a job, and no its not death. Its still OK to feel frustrated with it and sad

I queue up fir 40mins in asda caroark in the rain. Yes I understand the reasoning. That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to say my feet hurt, that I'm cold or that yes I do get somewhat impatient

I miss my na meetings that protect my recovery. I ring people constantly but that isn't the same as face to face. I miss hugging people. No it isn't death, but I'm allowed to feel sad..

My entire world has been flipped on its head. I'm no longer able to grab a coffee or just pop to a shop for ice cubes. I'm no longer able to travel by bus to a different na meeting and spend time exploring a town I've never been to before. I'm no longer able to meet friends for a drink, to chat face to face. I'm no longer able to go to work and see my colleagues. I'm no longer able to go to a restaurant, or get a ice cold come from mcdonald's in the way home. I'm no longer able to see my family or my dog. And I don't have an end date, which is something even convicted criminals are granted.

So I'm scared, I'm frustrated, I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm worried, I'm pissed off, I'm anxious and yes I am bloody bored. A few months ago it was all 'be kind' and 'let's share emotions'. Now it seems that unless you work for NHS or a supermarket you're not allowed to express your feelings, or your frustration with an incompetent government.

I'm no longer meant to voice all those emotions. I'm meant to feel overwhelmingly grateful I've got a job, and shut up complaining. I'm no longer meant to express my emotions becayse unless you work on the front line (as a nurse or checkout, prison and probation are once again the forgotten service) then you can't complain. Because the front line are all angels and if you dare voice your emotions you're told that ultimately you don't matter, to shut up and put up, because there's people dying and becayse there's people dying your opinion, MH and the shit situation you're in, mean nothing. That you're part of the problem, that you should feel lucky that your biggest problem is being bored.

Actually, this whole situation is fucking with my mental health. But never mind eh? We're all so pampered and we should just shut up and watch netflix. Anf not feel a flicker of impatience when we queue for 40mins in the rain to find no fresh bread in asda.

I personally think the lock down should of happened a couple of weeks earlier .
I am a huge horse racing fan and I could not believe that one of the biggest race meetings ( Cheltenham Festival was allowed to go ahead, considering there were thousands of people attending. ?
I still cannot believe that takeaways are still allowed to deliver food , when so many restaurants are about to go into administration .
I’m sorry if you own a takeaway business but in my opinion it’s all or nothing .

And I would just like to add that my friend is a hair dresser in a very busy salon( self employed ) well she used to be .
She has 2 children and has been trying to apply for Universal credit everyday for nearly 2 weeks but can’t get through.?
She hasn’t done this but was telling me that many stylists are going mobile because they have No Choice.
Yes , going into peoples homes .
People are getting desperate .

A short lockdown is necessary to buy time until we have an exit strategy. It will need to be loosened in weeks to avoid an even bigger problem next winter.

@Shitsgettingcrazy absolutely spot on!
I wanted to say similar but couldn't find the right words, so thank you.

We all know the alternative, we all know how hard key workers have it, we all fear for our loved ones. But that does not mean that we cannot feel miserable, bored, lonely or simply fed up.
And with no one else to moan to, MN is a great outlet for frustrations, so lets just try to be a wee bit more understanding of what people are actually saying, rather than swooping in immediately with sneering contempt.

I’m constantly angry which is utterly pointless. But swift action in February could have averted this misery.it was obvious then this virus was different in its capacity to spread whilst symptomless.

So I’m complying with lockdown but am cross about it. Too little; too late

Agree with mini pie a local man to us about 28 killed himself in isolation as he wasn't able to see his family as he had underlying health conditions.
I agree lockdown is essential to get rid of the virus but I honestly don't think they can keep it up for long. Especially if people live in flats with no access to gardens. Some people might generally be too scared to go out in public now considering they're saying it can last in the air for 3 hours.

Lockdown is shit. I am working from home with a 6 and a 3 year old and I am stressed out and if I’m honest think I am getting depressed.

But I am grateful that I am able to work from home and keep my children safe. To be honest the thought of relaxing the measures scares the crap out of me. This whole idea that everyone is going to get it is fine except if you have an underlying condition or are even healthy as we have seen and could die from it. I think even when they say schools can reopen and things can start opening up again I will be so much more worried and anxious than I am right now.

I think the likes of Denmark and Austria who are considering starting to reopen are only able to do so because they brought in measures sooner and tested more so have had much lower cases and deaths. We are a long way off this. So I stand by my view that an earlier lockdown would have
Most likely been shorter, saved lives and while it would still have been economically damaging the impact might have been shorter.

It needs to be tougher. Curfews, permits etc. Too many people are still going out, a couple of weeks without an hours run or walk etc won’t kill you, CV will.

I'm not enjoying myself, but I want to stay at home and my DC to stay at home until we have a vaccine. This illness is as bad as I feared it might be and I am not confident that we would all survive it.

I was pretty anti-lockdown and pro-herd immunity approach before we went into it and remain pretty anti-lockdown now. I was pro a very strict lockdown for elderly and anyone with chronic underlying health issues, with huge fines for transgression, no big events and social distancing one-in-one-out or only small numbers in cafes, shops etc. I was very anti-school closures as (as a population) children are not as badly affected. I would have liked school to remain open for all children under a certain age. I still think government could have used heavy fines and a strong police presence on the street to get people to be sensible. Also PPE for shop workers and transport staff so the country could keep running.

So something close to lock down but not quite the full drastic situation as it is now.

I think there has been a shift in opinion, because a few weeks ago expressing that opinion on MN got you called abusive names by posters, but now the reality is setting in and ge fact that we cannot continue like this for long. I think its particularly hard for Brits.

Fwiw I can see that our NHS is not able to cope so we did need to do something to slow the rate of cases, and people are struggling to use common sense so concede that perhaps something more drastic had to happen, but our ability to cope is also about how robust our healthcare system was beforehand, and it ailing beforehand as a result of years of poor financing. People are so caught up in talking about 'flattening the curve' that they are not focusing on this. And I wonder if the strategy would have been quite as severe had it been in slightly better shape. Certainly the fact that even with months of warning there is not sufficient PPE is disturbing.

I lost my job very early on and the thought of universal credit is far worse for my mental health. Much much worse.

Fortunately I caught the virus just before LD, and although it has given me a severe knock, when I am recovered I can hopefully find a pt job (I have other health issues) I hope to be on my feet soon.

The sooner we end this lock down the better.

Yes it's boring, of course I miss my family and friends (and am terrified of them dying) and it's horrendous being stuck inside with only a brief break for exercise but it's needed.
I'd love to wake up and find out everything is back to normal but I also know it's not going to happen. The lockdown will at least be extended but I think it'll actually become more strict.
Even if schools went back before September (which they won't) I wouldn't send my children in.

@Shitsgettingcrazy - well said!

It needs to be tougher.

I disagree. It needs to be monitored and controlled better, not tougher.

I wasn't in favour of closing schools or shops - I have seen projections and to me getting people to distance was the key (so close pubs and restaurants) and concentrate on protecting the vulnerable