So we are staying lockdown until June at the earliest?

[Mummypig2020]

Just seen on daily fail (sorry!) that Boris is going to announce that we will be lockdown until June at least.

Not sure if I can cope that long. 😩

@HermioneWeasley There are multiple announcements daily about vaccines being developed.
No one can shield unless they are well off or have government support to do so. If the shielded group are told to go back to work by the government, most will have to. If they have priority access to supermarkets withdrawn, most will have to go out to shop. This is not about personal choice.

A lot of online papers are pay per view. The guardian isn't. I tend to use both these online. I'm not keen on the DM but they seem to know more .. sometimes .. ( or just make it up!)
June seems likely I guess.
It was busy in our town today. Pay day for many so lots of queues. Have to get used to it ! :(

And this coronavirus? It's bad, but it's nothing compared to what is ahead. Many epidemiologists believe it is just the trial run and that the next flu coming is going to be an avian flu and it will spread further faster and be deadlier.

Please could you link to the work of these 'many epidemiologists'. I'd be interested to read it.

Or are you by chance making stuff up because you get a pervese thrill out of scaring people?

I think we will/should be in lockdown until there is a vaccine unfortunately. The virus is still out there, once we start mixing again it will spread.

to those supporting friends from a far.

I am the person your describe. Admittedly I hide and isolate as part of my MH but I took a step to verbalise (via a chat group) how bad things are and it was barely acknowledged by my friends. I know feel worse for having spoken up.

Whilst everyone is busy with their own stuff it's really confirmed to me that it's best to keep your mouth shut.

The sad thing is, there is no support at the best of times. After this ends - whenever that is, it will be worse

Nah I wouldn't believe anything until he comes out and actually says it

When did Boris Johnson ever say anything that was true? When he "comes out and actually says it", surely you'll have less reason to believe it.

I think we will/should be in lockdown until there is a vaccine unfortunately. The virus is still out there, once we start mixing again it will spread.

And how exactly can we afford to do that?

but her employer has options, accept what she can do or furlough her.

That's exactly what they're doing. They're supporting her as much as possible. But my friend, like many others, is used to doing her job to the best of her abilities, she doesn't want to burden others by not doing as she sees it her fair share.

we will have to trash the economy, as it is already trashed. Once a vaccine is up and running we will all have to pull together and rebuild

Already there are more cars and people around and people here having work down to their homes and all sorts. By June many will go back to work regardless I feel.

Well said @GoldenOmber - one day things will go back to 'normal', probably not this year or even next, but one day.

Interesting re the 1918 pandemic - I know I am being lazy and could look it up, but do you know how the Spanish Flu died out?

I think we will/should be in lockdown until there is a vaccine unfortunately. The virus is still out there, once we start mixing again it will spread.

A vaccine is going to take several months, if not years.

What you are saying is that we should accept that children will not be educated, people will not be paid and health problems will not be treated for potentially years.

If you want to lock yourself up indefinitely, fine, though once furlough and other govt supports are lifted, you're on your own. Have fun.

Interesting re the 1918 pandemic - I know I am being lazy and could look it up, but do you know how the Spanish Flu died out?

Basically it ran its course and mutated to a less lethal strain.

we will have to trash the economy, as it is already trashed. Once a vaccine is up and running we will all have to pull together and rebuild

Sorry, do you have a job? Do you have a home you want to keep? Don't you need food and health care?

Just like at the beginning of covid 19 there were people on MN predicting law and order will break down and there would be widespread looting.
I was one of those people as I know that it was a genuine concern of some of the great and good in policing. And many of the stores in my ( small middle class market town ) have moved all their stock out of the shops . It hasn’t happened but like everything - schools closing, building Nightingale hospitals etc you look at what’s likely to happen. Sometimes it does and sometimes in doesn’t.

@AnaphylacticAnnabelle I'm sorry that happened but please dont stop reaching out, I know it's a knock when it's so hard to talk about how hard things are only to not get the support you need but you really aren't alone. I hope you are ok.

@AnaphylacticAnnabelle 🤗🌷I'm sorry your friends haven't been supportive. Please don't feel everyone is the same & it's best to keep your mouth shut. It's hard work finding the right place to get support. I've been on MN practically since it started and it's very different these days, but there are still people who care & are supportive. Maybe trying starting a thread somewhere in a topic you're interested in and build up friendships there. Take care 🌸

I look at t this way, we've peaked in April, plateaued at the end of April.
Now May can be a time for numbers to fall steadily, testing to increase and proper phased reopening to be planned and communicated.
Yes it's hard to get through another month but if we can see that we are making progress with the goal of easing lockdown in a stronger position then it makes it seem worthwhile and we might be able to avoid a really severe second peak and have a shorter lockdown next time.

No people isolated and quarantined from the spanish flu. And a lot of people died from it.
My grandparents were alive then and told me about it. Shops and businesses were empty as few went out except to buy essentials.

I liked the idea of a ‘bubble of 10 friends’ that you could choose to see.

Judging by many people's apparent inability to follow the most basic of instructions, do you really think this would work?

we will have to trash the economy, as it is already trashed. Once a vaccine is up and running we will all have to pull together and rebuild

Umm ok, sure.

I fucking hate it it's hell each day is hell

Yes I know it's shit but you're being asked to stay at home you're not being sent to the trenches for months on end

Well that's a few more companies and jobs down the shitter if they do that.

@Redolent couldn't have worded it any better! That's exactly how it feels!

Flu pandemics have been a threat for a long time because flu strains do that every so often. That’s what the NHS was doing pandemic preparation exercises for a few years ago. Epidemiologists have been talking about this for decades. It’s not new, it’s not like someone got a scoop from the coronavirus that its big brother is coming along next.

If anything, we should be feeling a bit more optimistic about the possibility of a new dangerous flu strain coming along soon. Because every country is going to take pandemic threats very, very seriously now, and everyone’s working on new structures of testing and tracing and ramping up healthcare demand if needed. Next one won’t catch us unawares and we’ll hopefully stamp it out before it can start spreading.