What is your personal long term plan?

[Meruem]

So, as I understand it, the government still expect most of us to catch this, but lockdown has been implemented to “flatten the curve” right? Covid19 will still be a risk to all of us until a vaccine is found.

I was reading the thread about wiping down shopping and to me it seems a bit pointless (disclaimer - different if you are high risk). I mean, do you plan to lock down until vaccine? Surely that isn’t realistic. So you go back out maybe to work (as offices will reopen for a time at some point) or to see friends. All this work you did on sanitising everything goes down the drain does it not? I am following the rules, not going out etc but additional precautions to me seem pointless when it’s quite likely that in 3 months (or so) time, I’ll be out there mixing with everyone again. So if you are taking all these extra precautions, why? What do you plan to do long term given a vaccine isn’t likely until Spring 2021?

This is exactly why I’m not going over the top. Following guidelines but no extra precautions.
I must admit I’m scared about going back into society knowing it’s still there when this lockdown is eased though. also scared about sending my kids back into a school.
I feel like I’ve already been conditioned into feeling like I have to stay in and social distance to keep safe so how I’m going to break that thought process I don’t know. its worrying.

Tricky one isn't it?

I think the key is to try and avoid getting it in the peaks when they could be short on oxygen and ventilators. Listen out for the chief medical officer's analysis of the numbers and book leave so you can isolate prior to the peak if you haven't already contracted it.

Well, it's a plan of sorts!

True, people can’t go in like this forever/ until a vaccine is found.
I do worry about how much health anxiety and fears of crowds/supermarkets etc this will cause in some. It’s certainly taking its toll on my older parents.
However, people won’t jump from isolation to mixing with everyone under the sun and by flattening the curve and slowing the spread you have a better chance to getting a bed in ICU should you require it, when the infection rates are much lower and the number of people needing a bed are in the tens rather than the thousands, therefore your chance of survival is better.

I realise I didn’t actually answer your post fully... for me I’m trying to be rational now. I’m taking isolation/sanitising things as my duty to protect others rather than to protect myself. I think this helps me feel more relaxed about my own health. Does that make any sense?
I see it as a collective responsibility to protect one another not just myself, so in a few months time when we are all mixing again I will feel more safe in the knowledge that, even though we might not be distancing so much, we are all taking responsibility for one another.
I’m also taking comfort in the fact that the cases won’t always be this high and over time care will be more readily available.

I’m not really worried about what will happen to me when all the restrictions are lifted, though I am worried for my family.

Obviously I agree with flattening the curve which is why I am following all the rules. I do worry that some people’s mental health will be very damaged by all this. Not only those who are currently struggling with isolation but also those who are taking extreme precautions now, how they will adapt back to a “normal” life. Honestly I think we will potentially see a relaxation over the summer and then, unless something radically changes, more lockdowns in winter. As I say, I don’t think life will become fully normal until we can be vaccinated against this virus. So potentially a year of taking extreme precautions. That’s going to be a very hard habit to break.

As well as a vaccine, they may find anti-viral drugs that 'cure' or reduce symptoms. I use cure very loosely, as I know the virus could mutate or cause lasting damage to organs that we're not aware of yet. Plus if we get antibody tests that work, we might hear at some point that 60% of the population has had it (mild or no symptoms) and herd immunity is kicking in. So waiting for a vaccine is just one part of a solution towards getting back to normal. But I agree, it will be a new normal. Very different for about 18 months at least. It must be how survivors of the Spanish Flu felt. But that went away and life was enjoyable again.

I'm 80% sure I've had it, went down with it just as school's closed. Then my son got it, daughter hadn't had symptoms.

We follow the rules, but I don't have an anxiety over it so much anymore. Just sensible precautions and live our lives

We are social distancing and hand washing but we're not disinfecting shopping, wearing masks/gloves or taking elaborate measures to sanitise everything we own or come into contact with.

I think we need to take care of our mental health as well as physical, and for me, DH and DD that means not obsessing and letting this all take over our lives any more than it absolutely has to.

When the govt announces an end to the semi-lockdown we will go back to work and school and hope for the best.

But if we all don’t do what is advised, now, then the curve won’t flatten as quickly and the lock down will last longer.
I am wiping down all shopping at the moment as I don’t want DH or I to catch it at the moment. A couple of months away I may feel very differently.

1. Don't catch (again)
2. Don't transmit to others (as living fomite or carrier)
3. Don't go broke
4. Don't starve in coming harvest failure.

Marvellous year ahead of us. Thanks 2020, don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out.

Same as what TorySucks says. We are following the guidelines but nothing more. I think a couple of us have already had it, possibly all of us (5 people), and if not I assume we will eventually get it. None of us are at risk so we are really just trying to avoid giving it to anyone else.

I'm terrified and very anxious about catching it which isn't usual for me so I really feel for people who are anxious generally. I have tried not to think about life after lockdown too much.

Avoid it. Survive this. Appreciate normal life to the utmost whenever it comes back. Refocus the effort I put in before all of this and achieve my goals. That's it in a nutshell. Basically bunker down and wait for the light at the end of the tunnel then go for broke.

I think there’ll be a huge problem with offices, schools etc wanting to reopen but staff feeling too scared to return. It will cause all sorts of issues.

I would love to continue working from home, but will have to venture back onto the tube at some point or lose my job. It scares me.

Crossing my fingers for an antibody test & that me and ds have already had it, had a few mild symptoms back end of February.

If we don’t get a test & they “unlock” us I will carry on as I am, staying home, being as healthy as possible. Working from home and home schooling. Online food deliveries & prescriptions. Got a massive garden so that help with the cabin fever.

I won’t risk my asthmatic son, the NHS isn’t overrun now, yet still over 7000 ppl are dead. I’ve never been a gambler

for most of us not getting it isn't the end goal here, it's not giving it to others who might be worse off and a drain on the NHS. We had it in our family and the cost was a packet of panadol.

Flattening the curve means us getting ill in a measured way, and leaving the most likely to suffer badly till last.

Catching it is inevitable but I want to delay it as long as possible. By the time I catch it I want there to be hospital beds and ventilators available, and hopefully some drugs that reduce symptoms and increase the chance of survival.

I think some form of social distancing will be in place for a long time. As others have said I hope there will be current drugs that turn out to be effective in treatment whilst we await vaccine.

I will continue to follow all guidelines but as far as I know anti baccing shopping isn’t part of that? I’ve never heard of anyone doing that other than one here. I’m just washing my hands after I put it all away and before I use it anyway. Stuff like quarantining post seems a bit odd as well. Just open the letter, read, store or recycle as applicable and wash your hands before touching anything else!

Increased handwashing will remain the norm. Ensuring all surfaces, doors, switches, handles etc are wiped down and disinfected so house remains clean once we are all in with our hands washed. I suspect we will keep that up too.

I suspect businesses will be asked to retain homeworking for those who can for most of the next year. It’s an easy thing to keep in place once it’s been established.

I had a big meltdown taking my 9yo shopping on Monday. She was frightened, I was overwhelmed, and it all went a bit over the top. I fully put myself in panic mode.

Since then I've calmed down, rationalised that before lockdown the virus was still there, but we were still going about normal life without panicking. So hand washing and not touching our faces is paramount but I realise I was going over the top which did nothing for my anxiety

I also have an absolutely useless ex who doesn't believe in social distancing, isn't following any guidelines, and has decided he's naturally immune to covid. So that isn't helping either!! In fact (roast me now, I don't care), his visitation was so flimsy and erratic anyway I've told him to just stay away for the foreseeable and FaceTime our DD. Her health is paramount and he may be ok playing Russian roulette with his health but he's not playing it with ours. I have auto immune so.. no.

I think my main plan is: stop panicking, stay healthy, stick to guidelines without going ott, protect my DD, and hopefully come out if this without it further damaging my mental health too much!

I’m vulnerable (but not shielding / very vulnerable) as is DH and I think the most dangerous time may be when the lockdown lifts.

I’ve discussed with work that I may not go back until there’s a vaccine.

Not wiping down shopping though. Have read up on this and it’s basically pointless - you’re better off washing your hands

The reason for lockdown is to flatten the curve, in the hope the peak doesn't exceed capacity. It's not because the virus is dangerous to every individual, its because of the danger it poses to the health care system.

I imagine as I can do my job from home that I won't be working in the office until this is well and truly under control. In the meantime when we are allowed to I would feel that the risk to me is outweighed by the benefits of seeing friends and family again.

I will WFH as long as I am able and I plan to keep up social distancing. I don’t think the DCs will be going back to all their usual sports clubs etc til the autumn. We should be through the worst by then.

I have a garden so if necessary to stage lifting the restrictions, I feel I should stay in lockdown longer than people with toddlers in flats.

We plan observing how Italy/France etc do once they finish lock down. This is assuming that they finish lock down earlier because they locked down before us. We will make a plan from there.

Ds1 is vulnerable so I definitely won't be risking him. The loose plan for us is to just sit back and observe and assess before doing anything.

We are self employed so are screwed anyway so waiting a bit longer won't hurt

I’m working in a hospital and dd is going to nursery (single parent so no choice). My long term plan is to try to get through this awful time and then possibly delay her school start by a term to spend some time with her at home.