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.

If they tried to reopen schools before September I would pull dc out.

@Shitsgettingcrazy that is so well expressed, thank you.
I am tired of people being attacked for wanting to know an exit strategy. It's all very well for those WFH or on furlough, we are sitting without an income now plus had the insult added to injury of having to read that people like us are tax dodgers whi deserve financial ruin, which has left me incredibly hurt, bitter, and not feeling like we're in this together at all.
At some point, the pain from the economic situation will outweigh the lives saved, will kill more longer term.
It's not wrong to want to know what the longer term plan is, the uncertainty I'd horrendous.
On a personal level I am complying strictly with the lockdown and don't find that aspect of it too hard, I'm happy enough at home.
But there will come a point where I would far rather take my chances with the virus than see us ruined and all our future plans destroyed.

@ rocketman. Fair enough but I think given that there will be a second peak in cases next winter you will need to keep your children off until summer 2021 or whenever the vaccine is ready.

No change of opinion here, the virus uncontrolled would be far worse than the hardships faced now.

@Rocketmam, can I ask why you say you would pull your child out if they go back before September, but not say in June? All the evidence is we won’t have a vaccine till early next year - maybe even summer of 2021. Surely, the issue is if the kids don’t go back in September we will just have a second peak in the autumn/winter during normal flu season and deaths could be even higher.

The FT had a good editorial on this. We have to have the limitations but they have to be time limited. The time is supposed to be used to build healthcare capacity. The editorial was implying the govt is wasting time they don't have. The longer the lockdown goes on, the worse off we will be, and that's not trivial either. Poverty leads to war.

You'd want to peak in summer. Peaking in winter would be the absolute worst thing to happen. Waiting until September to lift lockdown could actually be the ruining of us. That means it would peak again in winter. The worst time of year to do so.
We need the peak now or in summer. Not winter.

I agree with you OP. I've noticed a shift in opinions on MN away from calling for lockdown and starting to question it.

I agree with the poster who said it's natural for us as humans to look to the next step, but we're not so good at thinking beyond that. So the people calling for lockdown weren't thinking about how / when lockdown would end. Now it's in place, they are. Not necessarily because lockdown is harder than expected (although there may well be a bit of that), but more because we like to have a plan, we like to know what's around the corner. It helps us feel in control.

@Rocketmam, can I ask why you say you would pull your child out if they go back before September, but not say in June? All the evidence is we won’t have a vaccine till early next year - maybe even summer of 2021. Surely, the issue is if the kids don’t go back in September we will just have a second peak in the autumn/winter during normal flu season and deaths could be even higher.

I think this is the kind of reasoning that people need to get their heads around.

At no point in the next 18 months will there be a 'safe' time to revert to normalcy, so people need to start thinking about mitigation and management rather than isolation.

Keeping your kids out of school for 1.5 years to avoid covid19 is not a proportional response.

I think people ought to stop whinging and accept this is necessary at the moment.

I also think it's a bit pathetic that so many people have so few inner resources to amuse themselves and their children when at home. It really shows the difference between younger and older generations.

When I was a child, shops were open 5 days a week 9-5. There was no online shopping, no internet, and we didn't have a TV for some years (out of choice.)

In comparison kids now have so much more.

I appreciate it's hard if you work from home or don't have a garden. But come on....it's really not that bad.

When I think of what my parents went through in WW" when my dad was bombed out of his home as a child (twice) and they lost everything, this is nothing in comparison.

People need to develop more back bone.

@Madein1995 for you

Not sure if you meant you are in the prison/probation sector but I have not forgotten them and it must be very difficult managing risk in this situation.

Also for those in recovery and not able to attend in person AA/NA and other meetings. Hang in there

It's not fun but it's necessary. If we all went back to normal life tomorrow the past few weeks lockdown would be for nothing. I think it will be announced another three weeks . Weren't they in lockdown for 2 months in China and there death rate is lower than ours and we haven't had our peak yet.

You'll miss them more if they die of coronavirus

Comments like this are really starting to piss me off.
Yes. I'll miss my mum if she dies of coronavirus. And caught it off me or anyone.
I'll also miss my mum should she die of her recently diagnosed cancer she is literally about to undergo treatment for.
Either way I haven't seen her. I won't get to see her. What she "might" die of doesnt fucking matter when shes having to have the treatment and I still cant see her

I think it's interesting that people are so quick to trivialise the sorrow and disbelief at the shutting down of our cultural/social lives, as though it's evidence that we're just not a very stoic kind of people.

But there will come a point where I would far rather take my chances with the virus than see us ruined and all our future plans destroyed.

It's not about just you.

You may be fine. You may not catch it or if you do it may be mild.

But you could spread it to 2.5 people who will pass it on to another 2,5 each, and so on. And some of those people would die.

That's why we have lockdown at the moment.

Yes, the economics have to be balanced, but at the moment it's too soon to revert to normality. The hospitals needed across the UK to cope with cases are not ready yet.

I don’t think there’s been a change of opinion. Where I am, people appear to be complying. I think on MN people are bored and naturally like to wonder about how long it will be before restrictions lift; that’s natural and normal in my opinion.

think it's interesting that people are so quick to trivialise the sorrow and disbelief at the shutting down of our cultural/social lives,

There is a difference between trivialising and accepting.

So what's your solution? See your friends tomorrow and bury them next week?

We have phones, internet and a whole range of ways to communicate.

You can get 'culture' by listening to radio, watching films and reading good books.

Being 'alone' doesn't have to mean being lonely.

Keeping your kids out of school for 1.5 years to avoid covid19 is not a proportional response.

If it is between that and them losing a parent then I disagree. I am managing to home school just fine, in fact it seems to suit them well (autism). I am sad at them losing their social interaction outdide of the home but between video calls to family/friends and time on minecraft with school mates for dd they are happy enough.

I feel they would be more disadvantaged if they lost a parent then a mere 18 months of staying at home.

We are shielding as a household because the government's advice on how to do this is impossible for someone with young dc.

Anyone who has ever step foot in a school must know that the idea of it not really contributing to infection rates is completely ridiculous.

It's also about the economy Jingling and an excellent point has been made regarding when we want to hit 'peak'. Summer is the best time by far.

Let's not forget ordinary flu also kicks in during winter. That also puts stress on NHS. I don't think influenza is going to let Covid steal all the limelight.

Thinking about it people will be vulnerable if they catch flu then pick up corona or corona then the flu.

So many people still comparing life under lockdown to life before Coronavirus. If Coronavirus was allowed to spread freely there wouldn’t be anyone getting cancer treatment either, and more people would die from non-corona illnesses/accidents. Because the entire healthcare system would collapse. Hospitals are already close to running low on oxygen even with this constrained peak. There would also likely be issues with utilities, transport, civil defence if large numbers were off work sick at the same time. That is why the herd immunity plan was scrapped and why almost every country in the world is doing something to keep numbers manageable depending on their resources.

I’ve read that closing schools has a minimalist effect on the reduction virus spread and that children are not as such high risk. Well, who do they think is teaching them? At my small school, two teachers are asthmatic, one is over 60 and the rest are over 50.We are not overly keen to be thrown to the lions!

I am still as torn as I always was.
Fully understand the need to protect the nhs but unemployment, the huge deficit bill, domestic violence figures up, children missing out on months of education with parents refusing to look at set work.
I don’t have the answers but I’m as scared of lock down as I am of the virus.

*minimal

• reduction of

I think in people's defence we are learning more about this virus and understanding it. We also no now that it is very much here, it's killing people, healthy people are also falling victim to it.

I am on the fence with it tbh. I am fed up and bored. My kids emotional and I wish for her sake things can shift abit soon towards something abit more than what we have right now.

There has to be a point where other illnesses (cancer patients etc) can also have a chance to be treated? Everyone's life is worthy! The 85 year old in ICU or the 48 year old with cancer both need care! My concern is other serious complex illnesses are having to be forgotten because of this virus.

As for the economy and stuff. People can't go back to work until childcare options are available. So obviously people who are worried about their mortgag,their rent and bills and businesses will be thinking what now? Theres only so long we can ignore life away from coronavirus

But the reason I am on the fence is its clearly not just affecting old and vunerable. Hence why Boris Johnson is in ICU. Prince Charles may be older but he's going to fitter than us. He's got the best food. Loads of space to walk. He can have the best of everything. He did have it mild though at least!

I just think if many of us will continue to get this when we are allowed out then I'm dreading that day. I'm healthy mostly. But so was the nurses that died this week. If I get it moderately and can't look after my kids for 2 weeks. Then my partner joins me half way through. It's terrifying. There is so much risk with this virus and so much uncertainty. Maybe if they had been able to test people showing mild symptoms we'd be more certain of the risks. If 1 million people in the UK have had it mild or without symptoms. Then the death rates lower. The risk of complications is lower. But so far the UK has 135 recoveries and 5000 deaths. Theres no positive stories. Theres no mild cases to reassure us. It feels like if you get it mildly you still will be massively unwell.

So yeah I don't know really. I'm in the middle. I'm bored but happy to be at home. I'm also scared and unsure about life when we are allowed to mix again. I am worried for everyone I know and love.

I just hope after such a crap summer we can all have a brilliant Christmas. Although I doubt it!

I just hope Boris is ok. He has children and a baby on the way. He needs to be ok for them.

@Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea I’m in similar circumstances and had been actually happy for first time ever but this combined with life events at the same time has made me feel as you do. And the “pull yourself together, it’s only mental health and a job!” Brigade don’t help.