When do you think we will go back to normal?

[BirdieFriendReturns]

Work has said we are to WFH until January 2021 - I work in a huge, open plan office.

We might go back into lockdown in autumn / winter but no more furlough will be paid? Some universities aren’t having any face to face lectures until September 2021.

Do you think we will be BAU by January?

I think most of the world will be back to normal, largely but with precautions, by the summer, and most countries already are. These are countries that locked down early and have robust test and trace systems in place, unlike the UK.

The UK, however where the lockdown has been so poorly managed, with still no testing and tracing in place nearly 5 months since we first heard about the disease, and with nationwide shortages of PPE, will continue to suffer long after most other countries as the disease is now out of control as lockdown has been lifted despite the R number being over 1.

This will see the UK increasingly becoming an international pariah, with other countries closing their borders to us to prevent us spreading the disease to them, as has already happened with Greece, which has opened up to tourists this summer but announced that UK tourists are banned due to the UK's shockingly high current mortality figures from Covid.

Is that true about Greece? Is there a link please?

For everyone who knows, we are thinking 2022 and if not then we will have to make some incredibly difficult decisions.

Normal as in pre-covid behaviour? Next year. Almost normal? End of june!!!!!!!!!

I don’t think there’ll be large gatherings for a while but other things will definitely open by the summer.

How ‘normal’ life returns will be very individual.
Some people will return to most of their normal activities, some will be hugely reluctant and fearful.

For everyone who knows, we are thinking 2022 and if not then we will have to make some incredibly difficult decisions.

What does this even mean @Selfsettling3, or are you just trying to scare some people?

My normal won’t come back for ages, can only hope for 2021. My life outside of work revolves around gigs, spas, holidays and plenty of toilet options out and about, all things that will be a very firm last on the “back to normal” list!

I agree that 'normal' is relative. My work involves extensive travel, so I don't know when - if ever - that will be back to normal.

However, daily life in several European countries such as Denmark and Switzerland is already approaching normal. The latter has even relaxed a ban on public gatherings. Britain isn't at that stage yet, but I suspect that by mid summer life will be pretty much 'normal' in most respects, obviously without the usual summer events, maybe 'staycations' instead of holidays abroad, and some social distancing measures in place.

But the truth is, none of us, including the most renowned experts, really has a clue.

@Selfsettling3 come on then, what do you know that the rest of us don't?

For everyone who knows, we are thinking 2022 and if not then we will have to make some incredibly difficult decisions.

For everyone who knows? What on earth do you mean by that?

At the heart of all decisions are you?

I have tickets from postponed events which are meant to be going ahead next year from March, all indoors with over 10,000 people, if these do go ahead then I shall think it is back to normal. Normal is not queueing for a shop or having to book a National Trust slot and stuff like that

When there is a vaccine, it will be ‘normal’. Or when around half a million deaths have occurred because at the current rate of around 5-6% of us having had it, there is an awful long way to go.

I see hopeful ‘it will disappear’ comments increasingly so that may be an option if we get lucky, I guess.

Normal,is a long way off and if this has taught us anything, I am not sure normal as it was should ever really return.

Sorry this is based on our personal circumstances of when DH can come off his medication which puts him in the shielding category. Difficult decisions relates to if DH moves out while DD1 goes to school. I’m really sorry for scare monger is, that really wasn’t my intention.

I don’t see there being a vaccine very soon or if at all.

@selfsettling3

Can I ask why you think there won’t be a vaccine soon or at all?

Sorry this is based on our personal circumstances of when DH can come off his medication which puts him in the shielding category.

If you are basing it on that, for someone like me on medication that kills my immune system and is meant to be shielding, I'll have to shield indefinitely, as I'm on them for life.

No way I am doing that, I'm only 48 and it's no way to live.

@Sunshinegirl82 various experts including the WHO have warned that there may not ever be a vaccine.

@PhilCornwall1 my DH takes medication which suppresses his immune system, hopefully but not definitely only for a couple more years. I believe treatment of Covid 19 will improve and there is some evidence that not having an effective immune system can be beneficial as it’s the over reaction of the immune system which is very risky. I think is too early to know what will happen and the OP asked what we THINK not know. I’m sure you like lots of other people is trying to guess what happens next for shielders.

I think we should be open to all possibilities and nothing is guaranteed but I think we can be very hopeful of a vaccine fairly soon.

www.city-journal.org/coronavirus-vaccine

@Selfsettling3

The overreaction you are talking about I think is a cytokine storm.

I’m sure you like lots of other people is trying to guess what happens next for shielders.

I'm not to be honest, I'm carrying on as normal. I faced this issue well before COVID-19. A case of the flu can make me extremely ill and land me in hospital, but I've still got to carry on with life. Something as simple as a cold sore has me on very strong antivirals and being monitored by my GP. COVID-19 isn't a worry for me at all.

New normal : within the next two months
Old normal : never

Vaccine : never
Cure : Never

Wow, such certainty! Must be great to know for definite what’s going to happen!