Do you feel less risk averse if you've been going out to work everyday?

[headachehair]

Just curious really. If you've been going to the house and working all through lockdown, are you more comfortable with lockdown gradually lifting (in whatever form that is) or has it made you more risk averse?

I've been at work everyday (full time NHS, not frontline but with patients) and I feel very comfortable. We were ALL bricking it when lockdown happened and we had to carry on but I've seen each problem that arise (PPE, redeployment, implementing social distancing etc) be dealt with. It's been fine. We were ALL terrified that there would be major outbreaks (there weren't) but when small outbreaks happened, they were dealt with well and didn't spread, not many people affected and everything carried on.

I'm quite comfortable with getting out and about if we're allowed and doing what I need to do to reduce my risk and this that of others. I think as things open up, people will find ways to work around challenges and the idea of it is definitely more scary than the reality.

How do others feel?

I am wfh but have sneaked into office for peace and quiet. I am shopping for my DM and MIL, am not wearing masks or gloves and have increased hand washing. The vast majority of us are going to get it so to me this just feels like a waste of time although I appreciate it was to help nhs but our local hospital has been empty for weeks now. Not in the slightest scared.

Completely agree with you. I am also NHS and have been going to work, going to the canteen at lunchtime (albeit with social distancing measures in place) as well as going to the shops etc. I'm really not scared about lockdown measures being eased. However most of my relatives have been working from home and are terrified and furious about the prospect of things returning to some new semblance of normality.

It's fascinating.

Yes, I think so. I was self isolating for 2 weeks then worked only from home for 2 weeks before realising it's completely impossible to do my job properly from home. I started sending DS to school two days and going out to work and it has made me feel much less anxious about lockdown easing. Distancing and precautions ARE possible as long as the lifting is gradual.

Given the government policy of keeping r below 1 , why do you think we will all get it?

Over what time period do you envisage that occurring and ( assuming you don't want to overwhelm the NHS at any point ) why do you believe we won't get a vaccine in a year or twos time?

DH has been out at work each day. He's looking at UK holidays for the summer (camping) and ski holidays for the winter. He seems to be the most rational person around me at the moment.

Agree. I’m teaching from home, but going out to supervise at school twice a week. DH is an NHS key worker. We feel reasonably relaxed and would like to see easing of lockdown and some ages back to school.

Yes. I've been working as normal and I am a lot happier about the prospect of lockdown easing than people I know who have been in a bubble at home. It's probably scarier sitting in your house imagining the horrors outside than it is going out to work as normal.

Completely agree. I’m only working twice a week but In a school with no social distancing.

Part of me feels a bit put out that I’m expected to go to work without PPE and no social distancing but I can’t be trusted to go and sit in my sister’s garden for an hour. Which I’m not doing because we aren’t allowed. And I’m glad to be working - just to make that clear.

Interesting isn't it.

We've been adhering to social distancing where we can (and accepting it's not possible all the time but what we can do will lower risks) while still doing our job, having lunch together, using facilities, seeing patients and the sky hasn't fallen in. No outbreaks of covid.

I find it very easy to casually assess each situation and environment I enter to ensure I'm socially distancing, have easy routines for uniforms, hand washing, cleaning work areas and dealing with volumes of patients - it's all very routine now. It's like normal work life but with a bit more space around me 😂

My husband however is freaking out and will happily throw our child in a bush to get over 2m away from people passing. He is wfh completely.

Yes, definitely. I'm doing a m8x of working on site and at home (I'm a teacher) and I'm not afraid of being out and about and ending lockdown.

That's not to say I think it's something that should necessarily happen right now. But I'm looking forward to it when it does happen and I'm not scared to go out.

Yes I’ve been going to work as usual and don’t have any anxiety about lockdown lifting in whatever form it takes .

Working as usual and yes as time has gone on I'm not as worried about catching it I do work in a hospital but feel safe enough (not frontline).

I’m worried. I drive to work and I work on my own in a room not shared by others. I’d be worried for my DH commuting by tube into London and working in his usual open plan office.

I was reading that the risk of infection from 2 metres to 1 metre increases 10-30 times. That’s a lot to worry about.

Yes work in a supermarket. Try to social distance but more often than not it's not possible. I think I'd be more worried if I'd had to stay in for 7 weeks just used to it now.

I’ve been working as normal (some jobs have changed due to social distancing) but essentially it’s be normal everyday for me.
I’m absolutely convinced I couldn’t not have come into contact with Covid.
I shop for 4 families. I’m the supermarket/garage/post office on a daily basis.
I live in a shared house where 3 out of 4 are all still working. We ALL come into contact with 10s of door handles/surfaces on a daily basis.
I have no fear about coming out of lockdown & think working has helped me stop festering at home & reading too much fear-mongering on social media.

I have been working as normal too and my only concern around coming out of lockdown is that people remain mindful of others and rational. I have colleagues who have been wfh from the start who are really resistant about coming back in when that happens (although won't be for a good while yet that we are all in together I don't think as our office is very crowded).

I think so. I am also NHS with patients but not exactly the COVID 'frontline'. I am still going to work, DC still go to school on the days that I am working, I am travelling by public transport, I only don't go to the supermarket because I can't drive so it makes much more sense for DH to be the one who goes while I stay at home with DC. I do have days when I am anxious about going out, getting the bus, too many people everywhere, the risk of me picking up coronavirus and bringing it home to my family, but, in general, it is going to be easier for those of us who have had to carry on going to places where other people are and doing a job where you can't be 2m away from everyone at all times, to accept the easing of lockdown compared to everyone who has had to stay in their houses for weeks.

I think it’s definitely the case. My sister is a nurse - she went to the shop the other day to get cream as she ran out and was baking. That seems so alien to myself and my DH who have been isolating since 15th March and do one massive shop every two weeks. In between we just go without if we need something. However she has to go out and about whereas we don’t so we are doing our part to just remove ourselves from society for now.

100% agree! I have been furloughed so at home with DS and my anxiety is through the roof about going the shops, speaking to people (even 2 meters apart). My DH has been going out to work every day and while he is careful and takes social
Distancing very seriously, he doesn’t have anxiety about being out there, going the shops etc. I need to get a grip really as once schools go back have to be able to try to relax a bit more I guess.

I think you're absolutely correct OP ... people who are still participating in a semblance normal life seem far more able to make sensible judgements about risk. I'm still incredulous about the fear level in society generally. Something has gone seriously wrong at some point.

Totally agree. I'm a nurse. Social distancing at work has been impossible. So I'm not worried about lock down lifting.

Absolutely agree. I work in a&e where social distancing doesn't really exist, I've been seeing patients with covid regularly and as have my colleagues. As expected some of my colleagues have gone off with covid and all have returned to tell the tale. I fully expect my turn shall come. And I expect I will be fine (and my chances of dying of other causes in the next few years is much higher than my chances of dying of covid).

I think those who haven't left the house for months imagine it to be dystopia out there- when it isn't. I will welcome gentle relaxation of lockdown, assuming the general public can show some common sense. I will be particularly delighted for my toddler to get to see another child for the first time since lockdown started.

I've had to keep going to work and yup I am pretty calm about it all. We've all got quite fluid and dance nicely around each other at work to the best of our ability. The flatten yourself against the wall types calmed down a bit after a few days.

I'm off work at the moment (employer's choice) but DP is still working. It does feel more acceptable to ' just nip to...' considering that he is going out everyday and coming home to us.

I stayed in for the first few weeks, but have had quite a few medical appointments lately. I find the more I need to go out of the house, the more tempting it is to go out for things that I want to do. I don't want to be too flippant about the situation, but I am feeling calmer than I did to begin with.

Glad I'm not the only one.

I don't think lockdown should be lifted just yet. Another couple of weeks to get the numbers down a bit more and then I think places need to open up gradually, schools need to go back etc and everyone needs to be sensible and not panic. Each establishment will have different problems to deal with and only by going back will they be able to be addressed and overcome. I fear there will be too much anxiety and panic though. I hope it doesn't transfer to children as well.