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've been working since lockdown. Social distancing not easy all the time, esp with co workers, so feel fine about them removing lockdown. I forget sometimes and wonder why people are flinging themselves in the road when I walk past or the shelves if I'm in the shop

As time has gone on I am definitely more relaxed about it. I can WFH but I even went into the office last week and plan to keep doing so.

I want lockdown restrictions to be lifted. I think people who have not been working are more 'sheltered' and getting used to not working. They need a kick up the arse.

The thread is really interesting.
We're in a complete bubble at home. DH hasn't left the house in 7 weeks other to go for a family walk on a Sunday. The DC and I leave to go on that walk and I try and take them out mid-week too. A supermarket delivery every 10 days or so means we haven't been to the shops other than three trips to a corner shop.
We're all healthy so I'm not too worried about getting Coronavirus. What I am worried about is returning to the world of commuting, being bullied by colleagues and having to have 90,000 bags for each of the DC's different activities and just constantly rushing everywhere. That's going to be more of an adjustment I think.

well, one of things we know about anxiety is that avoiding the thing you are anxious about is one of the best ways of fueling anxiety and keeping it growing. This is how a lot of treatemt programms for phobias work with eg graded exposure - so gradually exposing the person to the thing they are afraid of whilst letting them learn to tolerate and manage the feelings of anxiety which then leads to a reduction in the anxiety symptoms over time.So yes it does stand to reason that all the people that have been at home (as directed I know) with minimal chances to go out would indeed be expected to be more anxious. Plus a lot (not all I know) of those people have extra time on their hands and will possibly be spending a lot of that time reading news/media etc whch is all designed to frighten people into complying with lockdown. So I would agree OP that it is likely that this group of people( in general - there will be individual exceptions) will have a much harder time adjusting when lockdown begins to be relaxed. I actually genuinely worry for the longer term mental health implications for some people from this point of view.
I am an NHS clinician. I have been still going into work more or less full time. (the odd meeting has been done via microsoft teams etc, but mostly in and seeing patients daily) As such I have had chance to learn to manage any anxieties I had, and work out how to take sensible precautions and to continue funcitoning in the outside world at the same time. I m ready for a relaxing of rules when the time is right, and actually my life will not be that different to now.

Plus a lot (not all I know) of those people have extra time on their hands and will possibly be spending a lot of that time reading news/media etc whch is all designed to frighten people into complying with lockdown.

I would definitely agree with this. There are quite a few threads on here where I do think people are 100% convinced they will die if they get it, which clearly isn't the case.

This is really interesting - I wfh the vast majority of the time, and to begin with was horrifically anxious, not sleeping, not eating etc. But I've had to go into work a few times and each time I come home thinking well, the sky didn't fall in, it was actually nice to see people, everyone's being sensible and considerate - and so the anxiety has lessened enormously.

Yes, same. NHS travelling on tube and seeing patients. We try to socially distance at work but not very successfully. I find I’m very aware of my hands and not touching face and so on. On the tube you see people wearing masks and constantly tugging at them (or pulling them down to cough!). I would say at work most people are relaxed about it, there are a few terrified despite carrying on working. I’m mostly relaxed, have had a few wobbles inc knowing personally a handful of staff who have ended up on ITU with it (3 ventilated, 2 of those now dead). I do wonder how those who have been at home all these weeks will adapt to being back in the real world.

Both Dh and I work in a food factory. Company have put screens up where they can, canteen is two to a table, split shifts. Social distancing is difficult and I've got to say as time goes on its lapsing.

When you spend 8 hours in a windowless box with 200 other people it's strange to go into the real world and see people flattening themselves against walls because someone is across the street.

I think to be fair our saving grace has been handwashing and sanitizer. Obviously as a food factory its important anyway but its been ramped up to every half hour.

People self isolating I would expect to struggle when lockdown is eased. Self isolation has become their new normal.

My OH and I have been wfh and he drives to the office in London a couple of times a week. Both of us have zero anxieties about the virus and want lockdown lifted in a controlled way.
I know of one person who probably had CV but at the time they weren’t testing. She felt awful for a week and is now back to normal. She probably caught it from her parents when she picked them up from the airport after they flew home from Spain just before lockdown.

In the early days the government pushed the mild disease a lot, when they were talking about herd immunity. Last few weeks when they stopped wanting us all to get it, the news has been full of the deaths etc.

It is still a mild virus for most people. Nothing has changed there. Yes it kills so must be controlled, of course it must. For a small minority it's deadly.

I fully expect a return to the emphasis on the mildness of it for the majority of people message as lockdown is eased. It will take months and months.

I'm a teacher, secondary. Our Head thinks September return. The few times I've been in on the key worker rota it's been ok. I do what I always do after a day at school, wash clothes and shower. I've always done this because cleaning standards are poor at our school anyway.

Anxiety is real and I think the Government and the scientists are anticipating this, so will have to reassure us all. So long weeks ahead of keeping the R number low, getting effective track and trace with proven results. School unions already hitting the headlines saying June return too soon, as I predicted weeks ago.

I hate being told I’m complacent because I don’t particularly feel anxious about the virus! I’m still following all the rules & of course it’s truly awful that so many are dying. But I’m not anxious for myself (currently on maternity leave). I’m 31 & healthy. If I get it, I’ll very very likely be fine. I might get quite poorly as some people do but that’s just similar to other illnesses. I had an awful cold this winter that went to chest infection. I had a temp of 39.5, really struggled for breath and felt awful. Took me a good couple weeks to improve & longer still to feel well. I’ve had normal flu in the not so distant past which landed me in hospital. But I don’t walk around worrying about catching these things. Similarly, I won’t with corona. Nor do I worry about my children as a absolutely tiny amount of kids have become seriously ill and even fewer have died. 99% of that tiny minority had underlying conditions.

The thing I do worry about is passing it to someone vulnerable & about those I love who are. My mum for example. But she’s fully shielding at home with my dad so fingers crossed she’s fairly safe.

Do I think lockdown should be extended, yes. Do I think there should be a slight ease, yes. I think it’s reasonable to sit in a friends garden a few metres apart for a chat. I think it’s reasonable to sit & read a book in a park so long as you are 2m apart, especially if you don’t have any outside space.

We have to start going out & about again or the economy will literally collapse & millions will not have a job, lose their houses, be in poverty & debt.. it doesn’t bear thinking about. This is what I’m considerably more anxious about!

I also disagree with saying that if you are no longer anxious about getting it personally you are now complacent . When I’m out and about I’m more careful as I worry I might be an asymptomatic carrier.

I see people at work standing and sitting too close, touching door handles, etc. Even those with gloves on push the door release button with their hands instead of using their elbow or shoulder like I do. They are complacent. They are not thinking about how they could be spreading the virus. That will only get worse when more people are back at work.

FAire
If its on your hands, that is not a big problem.
It has to get inside you to cause harm.
If they do not touch their faces until after they have washed their hands there is no great issue

LOTS of viruses survive on hard surfaces - Covid is not alone

I feel the same. Been going to work (NHS) and kids been going to school and nursery so apart from shopping and weekends/socialising not much has changed and feel a lot less panicky than some people seem. It must be quite scary I guess, particularly if shielding.

Yes I understand how it works Listening. But the hands are spreading it to other surfaces. And yes, people are touching their faces inbetween washing their hands. That's how it spreads and people become infected. It's more about how thoughtless they are being and, yes, complacent.

Fairenuff
COVID is here to stay. We have to learn to live with it - as we have the other Human Coronaviruses.

Basically people have to become a lot more hygiene aware day in day out to reduce all infection, not just this one.

Judging by the street parties last night
there is no accounting for stupid.

I'm ok with it as I'm not complacent. But I do think that so many people are that it will spread rapidly once lockdown ends.