The strategy of fear is back

[annabel85]

I think this is the latest strategy, to try and get people terrified again.

Young people particularly targeted because they're deemed, rightly or wrongly, to be self-centred hedonistic ravers who don't give a shit about catching Covid. The government have recognised that the cases are going up among younger people who aren't fearful enough of the virus, so the new slogan is "Don't kill granny", because 'they must care about their Nan and Grandad even if they don't give a shit about anything or anyone else'.

I do think it's important that people aren't too complacent, but the other extreme is putting the fear of God back in people which isn't always healthy either. For the first time since March I was just starting to feel confident going out and about it a bit more and been to the pub/restaurant (following the guidelines and basic hygiene etc). Today, I did my weekly shop and felt that fear again inside, my confidence has gone again. And it's all from the hysteria that's back again this week.

The problem with the strategy is the simultaneous lobbying of "get back to the office" and "eat out to help out". The juxtaposition of government messaging will send people crazy with confusion, so it's no wonder people switch off.

[Whatelsecouldibecalled]

Don’t kill granny is an interesting approach when poor ‘granny’ is forced to still be working as pension ages were increased. Not classed as ‘vulnerable’ then. Granny must trot back to office and not work from home because it’s a bit shit for the economy. Don’t forget the grannies who provide childcare for all those children in their 200+ bubbles with no social distancing in classrooms. Don’t worry though COVID knows n out to infect little Jonny in the classroom only on the corridors and they are safe they because they they have a piece of cloth over their face. But yeah eat out to help out, rush back to the pub, spend money on the economy but for gods sake DONT KILL YOUR GRANNY!!

[Peaseblossom22]

I live in an area with a high population of older people . They definitely divide into two categories; those who are out and about and those lonely and often frightened and verging in the depressed. Without fail the people without masks are those over 70 not those under 20. The tea shops are full as are the garden centres, the pubs are full at lunchtime of pensioners taking advantage of the ‘pensioners lunch’ deals . I am not saying the young are all staying at home but it’s not as simple as it may appear.

[Randominternetbitch]

One thing this pandemic has proved is that many so called experts having got a fucking clue and making things up as they go. The explosion in pure junk being rushed out on preprint servers without any peer review and which the media latch on and overhype. The MSM must feel like they’ve hit the jackpot the last 6 months -seemingly an unless supply of doom and gloom fodder and sensationalised reporting. It’s utterly irresponsible, no thought for how this impacts real actual people. And then you have our piss poor excuse for a government who do nothing but flip flap and make policy decisions based on ill informed media pressure with a bit of scare mongering thrown in for good measure Utter madness. I It’s no wonder hardly anyone is paying any notice anymore and to be frank, I don’t blame them. We’re all fucked!

[MereDintofPandiculation]

And literally just feel they are being kept alive. How can we help them to live should be the question. Care homes refusing contact, keeping people in their own in their rooms all day, elderly people living alone scared to go to the shops. Helping them to live involves making the outside world less threatening - so the rest of us using masks when shopping, keeping clear of people, not going about our lives as if we're immune.

[CoffeeandCroissant]

@Randominternetbitch

This cardiologist made a good video about that:

[Cakecrumbsinmybra]

Well my DCs granny had to work throughout the whole thing - completely non essential job (clothes warehouse) but really had no choice at all as no offer of furlough. Oh, and at the end of the summer, once the most risky time had passed, got made redundant, along with the rest of the company.

[TheGreatWave]

My last grandparent died when I was 16, not all YP still have grandparents alive.

The problem with the strategy is the simultaneous lobbying of "get back to the office" and "eat out to help out". The juxtaposition of government messaging will send people crazy with confusion, so it's no wonder people switch off.

In a way I am finding now more stressful then right in the middle of the lockdown, now you are constantly second guessing yourself and being poised to be subject to a local lockdown.

[Trevortrilby]

The don't kill granny line is sickeningly unfair. My kids were terrified of catching the virus and passing it on at the start of the pandemic. Now they're back st school, how csn they avoid it? Most young people I know have had a crap time and have tried their best under the circumstances.

[Derbygerbil]

@CoffeeandCroissant

I agree that the risks were overblown. A few people doing the conga outside were never going to sparks second wave, but it’s the repetitive “crying wolf” has worn people down and made people understandably cynical.

[Peaseblossom22]

And also I hate the ‘don’t kill your Granny’ message . Only last week we were discussing why we have the most anxious children and young people in Europe, now they are responsible for possibly killing their Granny.

This is all just a scare campaign leading up to universities being closed. This government have used this method time and time again . A couple of weeks of blaming 16-25 year olds and then closing universities , when they will then say that it’s because young people didn’t abide by the rules thereby absolving themselves of responsibility both for the increase in cases and for not putting in place, and paying for, the support systems that would allow higher education to proceed.

[Randominternetbitch]

[quote CoffeeandCroissant]@Randominternetbitch

This cardiologist made a good video about that: [/quote]
@CoffeeandCroissant - thank you for sharing that, finally someone else speaking publicly about this scandal.

[BikeTyson]

• VE Day - outdoors, so low risk
  Beaches - outdoors, so low risk/ very low risk (and most people 2 metres apart so socially distancing anyway)
  Protests - outdoors, so low risk (and masks worn by some)
  Pubs - partly outdoors, so lower risk and lots of precautionary measures taken, so lowering risk.*
  
  Yes, I get that. My point is that when these low/er risk activities were taking place we were being absolutely bombarded with “OMG you’re going to kill everyone” messaging so even though now I logically know that the risks are higher I’m still quite nonplussed. I don’t think the fear tactics will work on people again.

[Ellsbells12]

@Flowersinthewindowstill me too my anxiety is bad again truly fked off with the lot of it

[MadameBlobby]

“Don’t kill granny” is terrible. How to totally fuck with the mental health of our young people even more. I hope they don’t forget when their generation are in charge how they were completely fucked over.

[Theluggage15]

No one is going to kill their granny. A virus may kill them same as with the flu virus or norovirus or any other infectious illness. Absolutely disgusting message.

[MadameBlobby]

@Theluggage15

No one is going to kill their granny. A virus may kill them same as with the flu virus or norovirus or any other infectious illness. Absolutely disgusting message.

Exactly

[Torvean32]

Ppl age 20-45 are 90% of Covid cases. The spread isnt coming from the hospitality section.

Its ppl having too many other households in their house. Its improper SD, hand washing and ppl not wearing masks.

Saying uni students will just not SD is not good enough. We have a duty as a society.

England has had the most lax rules out of all the UK. Anyone could see the soread of it recently. If ppl follow the rules you'll avoid local lockdown.

For ppl who choose not to SD or wear masks i dont know how you can be so selfish.

[pontypridd]

I’m not afraid either.

Prior to COVID I was risk averse, health conscious and overall careful.

The way this crisis has been handled by our government... it’s brought out a teenage rebellious streak in me. And the Cummings moment was crucial.

I won’t be following these ever changing rules. Government itself is about to break international law and doesn’t give two hoots about doing the that.

We plebs shouldn’t either.

[User7764217]

We don’t have to worry about killing Granny. The government did a fine job of that themselves in April with their shit care home policy.

[Pinktornado]

Never mind Don’t Kill Granny, how about Don’t give mum or dad (or yourself) a virus that has left half of all Bergamo survivors that they interviewed with some kind of long term health condition. This is what is bloody scary: www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/09/08/bergamo-italy-covid-longterm/?arc404=true

[ChanceChanceChance]

Agree with @Pinktornado the most interesting bit of Hancock's interviews yesterday was the acceptance (new) that long covid is real, affects high numbers, affects the young, is worse than post-flu etc and is a very serious worry for individuals and the state.

[Furrybootsyecomfy]

We don’t have to worry about killing Granny. The government did a fine job of that themselves in April with their shit care home policy.

Agree with @User7764217.
In Scotland the percentage of Covid-attributed deaths that took place in care homes is about 40%. We were talking about vulnerability in the elderly during initial reports in Wuhan, we certainly knew it by Italy.
The whole policy completely contradicted what we knew about the virus even then, and showed exactly how the government feel about elderly, vulnerable patients.
I feel like we’ve been atoning for their sins for months now.

[Mimishimi]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust

[MaxNormal]

pontypridd totally with you.