Do people actually realise how few are dying from coronavirus now?

[Mrschickpeabody]

It’s all still doom and gloom on the news as normal regarding coronavirus. Loads about cases going up, local lockdowns, negativity regarding schools going back but nothing about the fact that hardly anyone is actually dying from coronavirus or being admitted to hospital. Can we not hear about positive things for once?

My friend was never tested for Coronavirus because she had it in March when there was no community testing and precious little hospital testing. This was at the time where people were suffering with it at home and hoping they didn't die in the night because they were told to stay away from hospitals at all costs until basically you could no longer breathe. That was 6 months ago and she still can't return to work, her GP keeps signing her off. It's affected her whole body in various ways, from eye sight issues, to extreme fatigue, kidney and UTI issues, still coughing at times, problems with heart racing randomly etc

There will be thousands like her. How are they getting recorded in the data? It's not as simple as telling people not to worry because the death rate as gone down so we are less at risk. People are now well aware of the devastation on long term health that it's caused in many people, and all the issues that brings. What will happen to people who have mortgages to pay but aren't well enough to work, for instance?

@OLGADEEPOLGA - now you're just being silly.

@DameFanny

Anyone using 'project fear' gets all their opinions discounted in my book - means they got their thinking from the likes of the brexit architects who are now responsible for the shitshow of our covid response

Anyone who gets hang up on phrases instead of the content of the post they are responding to, gets all their opinions discounted in my book. Means they are not able to critically think and engage when presented with logic and facts just because they go against their opinion.

@OLGADEEPOLGA

Reading some of the replies to this it's honestly as if some people will be genuinely upset and disappointed if there isn't a second wave. I have lost count of the number of times I've heard 'the deaths will come in a few weeks', 'the hospitals will be inundated in a few weeks', 'the second wave will be here before we know it' etc. etc.

I agree. Or if a 'second wave' doesn't result in massive catastrophe. My MIL bought into it all. She was sending my h gloomy texts for weeks before DD and I went to a hotspot where my family lives and where my son was going to school about how 'the hospitals aren't coping' 'people are dying in the street' and blah blah blah. Got there just fine. Other than everyone wearing masks, it was nigh on business as usual. Went to restaurants often (no track and trace), shopping centres, saw friends, family, etc. Flew back. Tick boxes. Quarantine. Nothing happened. Kids went to school. Nothing happened.

@CherryPavlova

You do realise most people aren't counted in figures as majority die after 28 days when their deaths are discounted?

Oh, I didn't know that, it's interesting. I don't trust the figures given now at all. They are manipulated to suit the governments agenda of the day. At the start they wanted us to obey the lockdown rules, now they want everyone out and about. It doesn't really make sense that there is such a reduced death rate now compared to months ago, apart from doctored figures.

@CurlyhairedAssassin how do you know it will be in the 1000’s is your friend the only person you know who has long term health issues? Have you seen any stats on this?

@TheSunIsStillShining - unfortunately, I have to agree. In the midst of the pandemic and "no-deal Brexit", people seem to have missed that no-one will ever want to trade with Britain after they have shown themselves so untrustworthy in their dealings on leaving the EU.

I know someone like that, Curly, what she fails to mention is that she has had CFS. The virus appears to have re-activated this. She had an underlying condition.

It's great news regarding infection and mortality rates at the moment. Looks like all these restrictions are working. If we can just get through winter like this I'd say we've pretty much won the battle iyswim.

@OLGADEEPOLGA

Reading some of the replies to this it's honestly as if some people will be genuinely upset and disappointed if there isn't a second wave. I have lost count of the number of times I've heard 'the deaths will come in a few weeks', 'the hospitals will be inundated in a few weeks', 'the second wave will be here before we know it' etc. etc.

I don't think anyone would be upset or disappointed at all. I think there will be a second wave, several other countries seem to be having one, so what's so special about here? I really hope I'm wrong though and that there is something special about here as I am terrified that anyone in my family will get it. We all have various health issues that might make us more at risk of complications.

What will happen to people who have mortgages to pay but aren't well enough to work, for instance?

The same way they'll pay their mortgages when there's a ridiculous amount of job losses because the economy has gone south. I do agree that it's important that people and places continue to adhere to the guidelines, and that local lockdowns are brought into effect when needed, but there are implications beyond covid that need to be considered.

So it's all about the failure to remain?

@XingMing

So it's all about the failure to remain?

Failure to take responsibility and govern properly, more like.

"The young and feckless, who are at low risk of dying if they contract COVID, need to live their lives. Their parents need to take precautions to avoid sharing it with their ageing parents, so should SD. The ageing parents have to decide on their bubbles. If everyone were to follow sensible rules, we would achieve herd immunity quite quickly.

Of course, if you are preparing for an operation, you need to be more careful personally, but as a population, we need to allow a controlled ripple to run through. And if you have health issues, or are obese/diabetic/COPD or any other condition that makes you vulnerable to the virus or its after-effects, then now would be a good time to take steps to remediate your own health."

So anyone with a usually controllable health condition, or who is over, say, 60, or having cancer treatment, or is pregnant etc etc should lock themselves away to let the streets fill with the young ubermensch?

Fuck. That. Shit.

I will be over the moon if we don't have a second wave. I can't see how we will avoid it but if we do I will be mightily relieved. I just don't think we can afford to be complacent until we are sure that the threat has passed. Much like insurance that you have just in case but hope that you don't need it I think we should be proceeding with caution in anticipation of a second wave and then be grateful if we avoid it rather than rush forward with abandon and suffer a much worse crisis if the second wave hits.

[quote Jaichangecentfoisdenom]@TheSunIsStillShining - unfortunately, I have to agree. In the midst of the pandemic and "no-deal Brexit", people seem to have missed that no-one will ever want to trade with Britain after they have shown themselves so untrustworthy in their dealings on leaving the EU.[/quote]
The problem (imho) is that people are missing facts. They are driven by emotions and stopped thinking for themselves.
Covid

• not as deadly, but leaves a high % with long term problems
• "bubbles" are just a facade for not doing jack. A bubble of 350 is not safe by any means. Thus sending kids to school (blanket approach) is not safe. There would be a need to differentiate.
• economy is in shambles, but a key factor is indecisive leadership
• loads of money is being awarded to "friends&family" without anyone asking questions
• the opposition is a joke, but the government is more so
• it is a fact that numbers are going up

it's a fact that we still don't have a properly functioning test&trace system

• we do not have a warning/notification system from schools and workplaces towards PHE to help gather infection data
• oh, we don't really have PHE any more as it has been reorganized and led by a dimwit (ok, that's an emotional response from me, but if you look her up, it's the shortest way to describe her)
• fact is that individual benefit and entitlement are underpinning decisions, not facts and common sense (the fact that grown ppl had to be told to wash hands for min 20 seconds is a joke in itself...)

Brexit

• there are no countries lining at our doorstep to have trade agreements
• falling out will have huge economical impact that are not assessed/publicized
• there will be legal impacts and policing impacts that we can't even fathom yet as laymen

and the list goes on and on....
and I'm not a doomsdayer or not trying to scaremonger. I am just assessing what I see and draw my conclusions. And they are not happy unicorns in fields of red poppies....

@XingMing

The young and feckless, who are at low risk of dying if they contract COVID, need to live their lives. Their parents need to take precautions to avoid sharing it with their ageing parents, so should SD. The ageing parents have to decide on their bubbles. If everyone were to follow sensible rules, we would achieve herd immunity quite quickly.

Of course, if you are preparing for an operation, you need to be more careful personally, but as a population, we need to allow a controlled ripple to run through. And if you have health issues, or are obese/diabetic/COPD or any other condition that makes you vulnerable to the virus or its after-effects, then now would be a good time to take steps to remediate your own health.

Just reading the thread with interest and noticed this. Would love to know how DH who has been diabetic since he was 9 when a virus knocked out his pancreas can remediate his health?

@DameFanny but isn’t that already happening? Schools are going back, people are going out more, but if you are at risk you will be more careful.

I could be very wrong, but I don’t think, or at least I hope, that there will be a second wave. Not one with the death toll of the first.

If countries and people keep on top of it.

I've always thought and remain convinced that there will be smaller waves, like Europe is having now. We know more about the disease, have better testing capacity and better protective equipment and strategies.

I do think we can ride this out without a big impact in terms of health or economy (on top of the impact so far). But we can not relax and think it's nothing or that it's all over.

Reading some of the replies to this it's honestly as if some people will be genuinely upset and disappointed if there isn't a second wave.

Why do you think this? People are either hysterical or full of psychopathic glee if they think there will be a second wave, apparently. But why? Why can't they just be concerned in a normal sort of way?

@Berlioz23

Last Monday there was 16 people who died of Covid, that’s 16 families going through grief. One of them was my grandad. He was in his early 80s but was as fit as a fiddle apart from having to go into hospital because of sepsis, a disease that is indiscriminate. He was getting better but suddenly got infected in hospital and died within 4 days of symptoms. At one point nearly 1000 people were dying a day, community transmission is low now but with no vaccine insight, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. A few people a day is still too many. If you would have seen the difference between my grandad from the Thursday to the Monday you wouldn’t give a thought to the news not being positive, I’m sorry if you’re fed up of it but I think people need to start taking more responsibility and think about the more vulnerable members of society.

I'm so sorry for your loss. But people's grandfathers die every day every day, from all kinds of causes. It's tragic, but it does not justify locking everyone inside and it sure as hell does not justify postponing people's cancer tests, cancer treatments and other medical treatments. This is a huge scandal and we should all be on the streets protesting for NHS to get it together because currently the only thing we are "protecting" them from is treating patients.

Like another poster said, people are dying just to stop a POTENTIAL INFECTION.

The young and feckless, who are at low risk of dying if they contract COVID, need to live their lives. Their parents need to take precautions to avoid sharing it with their ageing parents, so should SD. The ageing parents have to decide on their bubbles. If everyone were to follow sensible rules, we would achieve herd immunity quite quickly

This is such nonsense. Do you have any well regarded data to back up this claim? Why do our scientists not say this too?

JKRowlingIsMyQueen

How does it work having chemo or operations if COVID is relatively common in the community? (Bearing in mind it can go from common in a fortnight with ease and may very well be present in hospitals where cancer patients receive treatment). Will you explain how you expect doctors to make this work?

@Alex50 yes, fine, people going out more but if we give up on social distancing how do we know whether the bright young thing in the office is a considerate type or an anti-'muzzle' fuckwit and what viral load are we then taking home to granny?

@Alex50 would you call 45 young?

Some of you on this thread need a good slap. I really wish those who say this is nothing could spend a day in my shoes. I'm a long tail covid sufferer. It is truly horrible. It has affected every part of me. I run my own business before this, physically active and on the go all the time, averaging 18-20 000 steps a day. Now I can barely manage a few hours activity before having to go to bed. An hour on my feet again and i need to lie down again.

Can those of you saying that this all has been an over reaction, imagine having to live the way I am? If you ended up like me, could you function with your life, your kids, your job like I am having to? Yes all other illnesses are still there and still happening, but you can't catch cancer from a 15 minute chat with someone, or breathing in someone's cough. You can with covid, and we still don't know how any person young or old will react.

Restrictions are there for a very good reason.