Will Covid ever just f### off?

[mummabear1967]

4 months of this bullshit already. I know I speak for everyone in the entire world when I say I’m fed up and just want complete normality back again.

I know this is all very uncertain and nobody will know what will happen, but they keep saying be prepared in case there is a second wave and that we need to be vigilant until there is a vaccine.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not sure I can live like this forever. They keep using the terms “the foreseeable future” and “the new normal” well I don’t want a new normal, I want normal back as it was before Covid.

What will we do if they can’t find a vaccine? Will we just live our lives stuck between lockdown and coming out of lockdown forever in case there are more peaks in infections?

I know Covid-19 is more than likely going to circulate like cold and flu does and there’s nothing we can do about that, but surely all this uncertainty and being restricted on what we can and can’t do will end? How can we actually social distance forever?

I just want them to say that lockdown is over and that the pandemic is now over

I think what you should remember is this is all brand new and took us by surprise so we’re still finding our feet with how to deal with it and how it will affect us. After a while we will know more and be better prepared to treat it and manage it and it won’t be such a big deal. Like mumps. There is an occasional outbreak but we don’t live in fear of it constantly. I hope that’s what it will become for covid.

@Smallsteps88 I hope so!!

I don't know whether you want to hear my view as I am in the 'doomster and gloomster' category but I have written off the next twelve months.
Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance indicated we need social distancing til June - and then see where we are.

I also absolutely hate it at times. I refer to the new reality but this is not a new normal as it hasn't settled yet.

I don't think it'll be like mumps unless we get a vaccine or some effective treatment. It sounds like treatment is more likely.

I have let a lot of activities I usually do go, I'm not happy about it but personally I found acceptance was the least stressful route.

What keeps me hopeful is the combined brain power of global scientific research. Maybe we will be lucky.

Pandemics usually last for a couple of years. Hopefully we can reign it in until a vaccine/treatment. Life won't be like this forever though, even if we don't discover a vaccine we will learn how to live normally alongside it.

Wish it would. We'll have to play it by ear.

I dont think it will ever totally disappear. We are going to live with Covid forever. BUT that isnt going to be what we have now. Vaccines, natural immunity, massive wakeup in terms of hand hygiene, and dealing with coughs/sneezes (catch it, bin it, kill it actually happening), and tougher enforcement of taking time off ill from school and work will all reduce the impact.
So, I think covud is here to stay, but its impact us going to reduce to another strain of flu rather than the devastation it has wrecked currently.

@labyrinthloafer

I don't know whether you want to hear my view as I am in the 'doomster and gloomster' category but I have written off the next twelve months. Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance indicated we need social distancing til June - and then see where we are.

I also absolutely hate it at times. I refer to the new reality but this is not a new normal as it hasn't settled yet.

I don't think it'll be like mumps unless we get a vaccine or some effective treatment. It sounds like treatment is more likely.

I have let a lot of activities I usually do go, I'm not happy about it but personally I found acceptance was the least stressful route.

What keeps me hopeful is the combined brain power of global scientific research. Maybe we will be lucky.

Oh god no, I can't live like this for that long, I'll be almost suicidal!

My elderly mum & I were having this very conversation yesterday.

Everything is so much more hassle now and it almost feels like we cant make plans as the a second wave is inevitable.

My DHs job is looking uncertain, kids havent been in school since mid March and Im finding everything difficult!

Im trying to stay positive as I know we have to get through it the same as everyone else but some days are hard.

Nobody knows ,it's shit and even though things look like they are getting back to normal they are not really ,I'm really hoping there not a second wave but who knows?

@kittensarecute I totally hear you, I am pretty drained with it. I did feel like my life was more 'on hold' when I was hoping? But other people will approach things in different ways - because ultimately we won't know until it happens (or doesn't).

I'm shielded, our business has suffered, I am utterly fucked off at this point. Shielding lifts in a couple of weeks but the most I will be doing, and have done, is walks and sitting for a glass of wine in an almost empty pub garden. I have a close relative slowly dying of heart failure on the other side of the world I want to be with., I always thought I would be there for her at the end, like so many others in this country its heartbreaking, not being able to be there with a loved one at the end.

Its all fucking bollocks.

@Redcherries for you too, that all sounds totally shite

I just feel like i don't what is going on?
Are we trying to eradicate it? I'm sure I heard on the news that Scotland is close to elimination. Then you see the map of England and its everywhere!? If we are trying to live alongside it but with sensible infection control measures, why will we be having local lockdowns like Leicester?
I swing from, 'lets get on with it' to ' we can keep this up until there is a vaccine' . I think the confusion comes from personal experience. I know a few people who have had it and been quite poorly, but ok now, i know of 2 completely asymptomatic cases, and then my Uncle who died (severe dementia in a care home).
What is the actual aim here?

It's all such a mess, isn't it. As PP have said, there's so much uncertainty, conflicting information, confusing "policies and guidance."

So fed up of it, and I've had it "easy" - WFH, no children.

If there was an end in sight, even if it was a year away, I feel it would be easier to deal with. As it is, nothing is certain.

I think England has really messed up, and Scotland is far far ahead now. They are at risk from people crossing between Scotland and England, but they are in such a better place. England has been completely let down.

T cell immunity being recognised as coming into play now OP, read up on it its quite positive news. Would link to the scientific articles but I can't work my laptop properly! Really hard not to be mentally affected, think even the most resilient have been too, but there are positive signs.

If you do Twitter I recommend following Prof Karol Sikora - balanced between cautious and sensible presentation of the stats. There are also a couple more accounts worth following that you can link from his tweets that give very sensible analysis of stats. Avoid mainstream media like the plague, does your mental health no end of good to avoid! These people picked up on the PHE misrepresentation of the death stats weeks ago, only just being picked up with tiny articles in normal media.

@vintagevixen Karol Sikora was robustly demolished on another thread, I was not aware but they said he claims many positions he doesn't hold and has some interesting funding?

I know all about that, makes no difference, all consultants love private care its how they make their money! The UCL professor thing strikes me as a spat amongst the higher echelons of medicine, it is a very political arena. Doesn't mean he is not a competent clinician, he is an oncologist and did his Phd in immunology I believe.

He was saying about T cells back in May and now its becoming mainstream, but at the time was ridiculed. He also highlighted the PHE scandal a while back. He calmly and consistently presents graphs from ONS and other reputable sources, and gives relatable interpretations of them. He urges caution and recognises that lockdown was necessary but also presents the positives of our progress that the mainstream media ignore. He also links to others with good stats/explanations such as Covid19 stats, on twitter.

He looks for the positive, I do feel some people don't like him for that, because they love the drama, but he has done some peoples mental health no end of good.

@Vintagevixen hmmm, I never feel that confident in people who reference 'mainstream media' - the reason we have little info really is excessive government secrecy at the moment.

Well by that I mean the tabloids like the Daily Mail, Mirror, Sun and I usually go by the BBC News or the Guardian (I am a natural leftie TBH) but to me their coverage during this whole thing has been disgraceful. Constant doom headlines to generate clicks/sales, glossing over any positives. Believe me I'm no right wing Donald Trumper, voted Labour all my life, staunchly Remain etc.

But I am also a medical professional and have been disgusted by the coverage, and believe me by the shit show that is our government as well. People need hope IMO, the mental health effects are going to be awful otherwise.

Totally agree vintagevixen

I have no idea if Karol Sikora has ulterior motives or is generally a bit of an arse but someone giving people hope that there could be an end to this while encouraging people to stick to the guidelines has been a real tonic among the doom and gloom.

Personally I like strangers being kept 2 metres away, I hate my space invaded when I'm out.

We have no choice but to put up with the 'new normal'.

I agree with every word OP. I don't want a new fucking normal.

I always did wash my hands frequently as I worked in a school, so I've no problem with increased awareness of hygiene, but that's it.

Both my dad and FIL have been made redundant and my sister is tearing her hair out about her small business.

Boris says it's all going to be fine by Christmas! Let's see...

@Vintagevixen

Well by that I mean the tabloids like the Daily Mail, Mirror, Sun and I usually go by the BBC News or the Guardian (I am a natural leftie TBH) but to me their coverage during this whole thing has been disgraceful. Constant doom headlines to generate clicks/sales, glossing over any positives. Believe me I'm no right wing Donald Trumper, voted Labour all my life, staunchly Remain etc.

But I am also a medical professional and have been disgusted by the coverage, and believe me by the shit show that is our government as well. People need hope IMO, the mental health effects are going to be awful otherwise.

My view is hope comes from better political leadership, not jollier reporting of bad political leadership. We need more truth and more openness.