How long can we carry on like this for?

[Pseudosudocrem]

Anyone else starting to wonder just how long we can carry on like this before everything irrevocably falls apart?

How will we ever recover as a country?

This coincides here with the end of the 12 week quarantine some people are under.

It doesnt though. That 12 week shielding is pretty flexible depending on when you were told. My letter was dated 26 march and said "from today" which means 12 weeks is 18 june at the earliest.

foolslemontree I agree with you. the support is woefully inadequate and lockdown is really hard if you live alone. I have been trying to make sure i contact all those i know who are living alone and keeping in touch with those I know who are vulnerable. There should be more support than there is. there is still some support available and many organisations who are working really hard to help. I know it is not enough.

This is a pandemic and we have plans in place for this very eventuality

Even the government have said they pretty much had no plan at the start.

Yes but bbc saying they’re discussing going further than that - announced 20 min ago

@Flaxmeadow I don't understand - do you think people in your area think this will pass them by? Do they have rocks in their heads or something? Sorry, but I live in a hotspot and I'm just getting over an unpleasant month-long illness which is almost certainly Covid-19, so this just astonishes me.

Referring to letting kids out more

The 12 week shielding is advisory

The lockdown we are all under is not

I don't understand - do you think people in your area think this will pass them by? Do they have rocks in their heads or something?

No they know it's there. They've just switched off to it I think. As if it's old news but yeah rocks in the heads of many here too

Sorry, but I live in a hotspot and I'm just getting over an unpleasant month-long illness which is almost certainly Covid-19, so this just astonishes me.

It's not far off a hotspot here as well. I'm astonished too because at first everyone was really wanting a strict lockdown.

I've been staying in a lot, though I have volunteer shopped as well for neighbours. But 2 big things I've noticed in the last week
More traffic, infact more than before the lockdown, and the stores are really full and still no social distancing. Going shopping here now is just awful. I had people really up close and breathing on me and everything last time I was out. No distancing at all

I'm sorry to hear people are being dumbasses, @Flaxmeadow, and I hope you and your family stay ok. It's good of you to help your neighbours out. I guess some people just won't get it until they, er, get it!

hercwasonaroll we laid down the plans in 2016 for the next pandemic we knew it would come sooner or later.

That's interesting @Flaxmeadow, and worrying. I guess how big a spike your area will see depends on how many people are doing it. They defintiely will be infecting each other. If it's as many as it looks then I guess there will be a big spike. Probably a lot of the younger people you are seeing out and about, then gathering with family, are about to kill their parents or grandparents. Really awful. I am so sorry you are having to be exposed to some of this, hope you can keep enough distance and that you stay safe.

@Pseudosudocrem
Thanks, that's very kind and you too

Yes they are being dumbasses. A few weeks ago you could discuss it and people would agree about the seriousness of the situation but now it's like you're spoiling their fun. It's also not the kind of place where it's easy to raise objections or report people. Which I would be loath to do anyway but it's still very concerning for the coming weeks

Thanks as well inkpapers

Unfortunately my last trip out to the store wasn't good. Infact a very close incident has scared me, and I will have to wait and see now for a week or so. ..

Yes the gatherings as well. Loads of people visiting each others house just like before. Sunday dinner and all that kind if thing. I wish I was exaggerating in my posts about the situation here, but I'm not

The 12 week shielding is advisory

So...?

I for one don’t want lockdown to fully end if there’s still a reasonable chance that myself or people I love and care about might die.
I’d keep up social distancing for as long as it takes to find a vaccine

I really don't get the whole mental health problem. It's hard for everyone to not see their loved ones, we are all stressed and have financial worries. I have vulnerable relatives and am vulnerable myself. I have 4 kids and the homeschooling is a nightmare. Especially for the older ones. I'm a key worker so still working but at lowered hours to normal. It doesn't make me want to not follow the guidelines or think it fuck it let's just do what I want. I've suffered from anxiety and depression in the past but this situation actually makes me grateful for what I do have. My home and my kids and the ability to video call my friends and family, I don't understand why not being able to go to public events or socialise would make someone suicidal or make them not care if they pass the virus to someone vulnerable. All I hope for everyday is for everyone i love to be safe?

Tonemeth my understanding is the rules are being legally enforced

Shielding guidance is not (thank goodness).

@thesedaysarescary what a shame you don't 'get' mental health problems at this time. So we should all pull ourselves together and be thankful for what we have?

“ All I hope for everyday is for everyone i love to be safe?”

Well, hopefully none of them are feeling suicidal and won’t ask you for understanding.

Flax you sound like you are living in a nice place. I’m in a tower block with snitches inside and police outside.

CherryPavlova - I trust that you have fully recovered from your bout of Covid19? I’m so glad you were one of the few able to get tested.

thesedaysarescary as you don’t get mental health problems

I’m going to say freely, I don’t get corona hysteria. It’s like no one ever thought they might die.

That's not what I'm saying what I'm asking is why being at home on the whole safe from this virus is not a comfort. We have amazing social contact by virtue of video calls and the like it's not like we have absolutely zero contact with another human being. It's unprecedented in my lifetime to face a pandemic in our country. I just feel that sometimes we need to count our blessings and not just concentrate on missing out. I do get annoyed at people clamouring for the schools to open and life to return to normal at the expense of other people's lives. Surely safety is paramount at this time. We all have to find a new way of coping with our dark thoughts. Resilience is something we all need to develop.

Even if there is a vaccine in 18 months, the government have to source and purchase them. Then get the population vaccinated. If they vaccinate 15,000 people a day which is how many they test a day, it will take around 12 years to get the entire UK population innoculated.

These “ We all have to find a new way of coping with our dark thoughts. Resilience is something we all need to develop.”

I’d say - we all have to find a way to live, or die, with this disease. We cannot hide indoors forever, denying our children food on the table for now and an education and a future. Resilience is something we all need to develop.