Sure, the risk is low. Sure, we deal with risks all the time. But we also try to mitigate risks all the time. We use seat belts, and we look before we cross the road, we use helmets, etc
Wearing a seatbelt, as you say, mitigates the risk but it doesn’t stop it. You can wear a seatbelt and still be involved in a car accident. You can also wear a seatbelt and still die from that car accident. There are a number of things in place to mitigate risk of covid-19. I went into the office today for the first time in 3 months and I also put my works vehicle in for a MOT. Here are the ways I’ve mitigated the risk of covid-19 today:
- on dropping my works vehicle off, the garage wiped down my keys, I wiped down the inside and all touch points in the courtesy vehicle and then used sanitizer on my hands
- the office has introduced a one way system with a hand washing station at the front door, so I washed my hands as I went through the front door
- before I sat at my desk, I had to put gloves on and clean my desk
- when I went to make myself a drink, there was tape indicating 2m distance which basically meant nobody else could make a drink while I was
- desks were taped off and those desks weren’t in use where you couldn’t ensure social distancing
- desks have been moved to ensure 2m distance
- I stayed 2m away from all my colleagues
- when using the kitchen facilities, I had to disinfect after use
- the cleaner (usually restricted to early mornings) is now working all day and cleaning everything twice a day
- on leaving, I had to disinfect my desk and anything I’d touched, use hand sanitiser as I left
- picked up my works vehicle (which was essential as I had two tyres that weren’t road legal), disinfected all the touch points in the courtesy car and then did the same with my vehicle
How is that not mitigating the risk?
The problem is the large number of people as you can see in the response to my message that think this is all over, and there is no reason to change their life anymore.
Just because you’re going out and even daring to go further than just work or for a food shop, it doesn’t mean people think it’s over. People are mitigating their risk. People are wearing masks in shops, on public transport. People are choosing to walk in the middle of the road when someone walks towards them. I dared to go to the seaside, which I managed social distancing very easily. I sat on the beach, at least 10m away from the closest family, the council/estate had removed gates so there was very few touch points. When there was a touch point, we used our sleeves, elbows or used sanitizer afterwards. We took our own sandwiches, using sanitizer before eating, bought a drink at one of the cafes to try to support the local economy, took our rubbish home with us. Anyone who thinks my trip to the beach is killing anyone can fuck off. That trip to the beach has saved my mental health.
I see a lot of people in mumsnet saying that we suffer too much to save the lives of 80 year olds.
My 86 year old grandma is shielding, so please don’t tell me that I am saying I am suffering too much for her when I say this. My grandma is fucking terrified of this virus, probably irrationally so. She isn’t going to live forever and I’ll be devastated when she goes but this virus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She’s not left her house, not even to clap for the NHS (she did that from the window as was too scared to stand on her driveway). My grandma is missing routine medical appointments for things that might kill her anyway. And if she does die? She’ll have spent the last few months of her life locked away with fear, not hugging her children or grandchildren. Not treating everyone to a meal, which is one of her favourite things to do especially as didn’t get out too much before lockdown. My sibling and a few cousins are on furlough. On top of her own health worries, my grandma is worried sick about our job prospects. She’s worried that we won’t find new jobs if we lose our jobs. She’s worried that the few of us that have managed to buy in the last few years will be stuck with negative equity. I’m terrified that somehow we have to get my grandma to the hospital/doctors for routine appointments when everyone who could drive her is in a high risk industry and she’s convinced that taxis are the source of the virus and will not take one. She’s isolated herself so as close to zero risk as you can get but she still has other health problems that needs addressing and what about her mental health? Does mental health in 80 year olds not count or do we only give a shit if they die from Covid-19? I live 200 miles away from her and whilst we’re on lockdown, I can’t see her, even just waving to her from the bottom of her drive. If she’s locking herself away indefinitely, I want to be able to travel, stay somewhere and actually talk to her from the bottom of her drive or in the garden. So quite frankly, piss off with your sanctimonious attitude. If the risks are too high for you (as they are for my grandma) stay inside, do what is right for your family but don’t try to tell others what is right for theirs.