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Covid

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Original poster

If Covid is here to stay, or a vaccine is not found.....

27 replies

Stinkyguineapig · 11/09/2020 10:02

I guess no one actually will have a definite answer but...
Suppose we dont have a vaccine and covid is "just" another virus that circulates in the community as a long term thing, would it always be the case for years, that you have to isolate for 14 days if someone in your household has it, or you've been in close contact with someone who has it...?

In "normal" times, most winters there are various outbreaks of norovirus, sometimes half my DC class seem to be off with it.....but there is no requirement for anyone except the sufferer to isolate...until 48 hours after symptoms have gone (With young children often a parent would by default as they couldnt be left in their own)

I hope that things will "go back to normal" at some stage,(maybe in the next year?) eg concerts, sports events, being able to have large parties/weddings etc.....but if cv19 is still around in say 5 years, could you have the case that everyone attending a wedding, for example, had to isolate if the mother of the bride was found to have a positive covid test a few days afterwards?
Or if one of your work colleagues tested positive would the workplace have to close....?
Surely a lot of people wouldnt be able to afford to do that?

OP posts:
The80sweregreat · 11/09/2020 10:10

I Heard an Indian Doctor being interviewed on five live radio talking about the vaccines. I didn't catch her name.
I only heard a little bit, but none of it was that positive really. She seems to think we will have to live like this for two years or more. It will take ages to roll out enough vaccines for the entire population of course (plus all the other factors. )
It was a bit disheartening , but I wasn't surprised at what she was saying really. It made sense.

SunbathingDragon · 11/09/2020 10:10

If it becomes a permanent and disruptive virus that hasn’t mutated to be much less severe, then I expect we will have daily testing. In my mind I’m seeing something along the lines of a diabetic checking their sugar levels in the morning with an immediate result but I’ve no idea of the reality. Social distancing etc will likely remain.

lunar1 · 11/09/2020 10:14

With time treatment for covid will improve, testing speed and efficiency will improve, as will antibody testing. I'm hopeful for a vaccine, but if not we literally have the whole worlds scientists working on solutions right now.

All the technology needed will also become cheaper. Tings won't be like this forever, no matter which way this goes.

Tootletum · 11/09/2020 10:18

I often wonder that too. No idea. At this rate we'll all be locked up for our own protection forever, and have all that we need delivered by drones.

ForeverBubblegum · 11/09/2020 10:23

I'm not a medical expert but I would guess the spread would be different once it's been around a while. At the moment everyone is susceptible to catching it, because no one has previous exposure. In a few years most people will have some degree of immunity, possibly not full immunity as many think it mutates like flu, but people's bodies will be better able to fight it after fighting off a similar form. (Similar to how small pox was crap everywhere, but absolutely decimated indigenous populations when they were first exposed)Also even if it does mutate, people wont get the same strain twice, so will be immune for a few months after having it.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 11/09/2020 10:33

@SunbathingDragon

If it becomes a permanent and disruptive virus that hasn’t mutated to be much less severe, then I expect we will have daily testing. In my mind I’m seeing something along the lines of a diabetic checking their sugar levels in the morning with an immediate result but I’ve no idea of the reality. Social distancing etc will likely remain.
But surely that will still rely on people doing the right thing and isolating. If someone gets a positive test what's to stop them thinking 'sod it, I'm flying out on holiday today and I'm not missing that'?
HasaDigaEebowai · 11/09/2020 10:37

I think we have to ultimately get to a point where we assess the risk and get back to an (adapted) normal. So, if you're over 65 and high risk then you will need to accept that if you go out you increase your chances of catching the virus and being very poorly. If you are younger you will not be expected to isolate for every cough.

I think face masks and some distancing restrictions are here to stay for a while though.

I didn't think I'd be in this camp but this can't go on for ever. The economy just can't cope.

SunbathingDragon · 11/09/2020 10:58

@PinkSparklyPussyCat I suppose in my theoretical theory, airports, train stations, workplaces etc will also do the same test upon arrival. There is no way we (I mean this as people in general, no specific to anyone) can or should be trusted to test and be honest, as we have demonstrated we break the rules for all kinds of things all the time.

Qasd · 11/09/2020 11:02

Social distancing will not remain since it prevents new relationships forming and we need those for the future of humanity!

So longer term I think we will hopefully learn more and so can target isolation to those likely to have been exposed, but yes isolation would more likely remain as key policy social distancing less so.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 11/09/2020 11:07

I think we have to ultimately get to a point where we assess the risk and get back to an (adapted) normal. So, if you're over 65 and high risk then you will need to accept that if you go out you increase your chances of catching the virus and being very poorly. If you are younger you will not be expected to isolate for every cough.

DH is 65 and has already made the decision that he's going to carry on as 'normal' and I support his decision. He's self employed and can't work from home so even if he didn't want to he wouldn't have much choice.

TheDailyCarbuncle · 11/09/2020 11:23

Eventually governments will slowly stop talking about coronavirus, stop focusing on infection and testing statistics and various things will be dropped - including, potentially, any talk about a virus. Restrictions will be quietly taken away and when questions are asked there'll be vague answers about the need to move forward and how health systems can cope etc. In a couple of years this will seem like a weird dream and everyone will look back and think 'did that really happen?'

Coronavirus is a virus like the many many other viruses out there. It made sense to take extreme measures when nothing much was known about it but they have to stop at some point because it turns out that death caused by lockdowns and restrictions are just as fatal as deaths from coronvirus (who knew?).Governments can't back down right now - it'll look too bad - but eventually they will have to. Coronvirus will be just another thing people get. Most people will be fine, some people will die, some will suffer long term effects, just like every other virus out there.

I really wish the stupid term 'long covid' would fuck the fuck off.

TheDailyCarbuncle · 11/09/2020 11:23

Sorry that should say 'including, potentially, any talk about a vaccine'

TheDailyCarbuncle · 11/09/2020 11:27

I've said this on many other threads but it bears repeating because people seem unable to put coronavirus in any sort of sensible context - 11 million people die from infections every year, including throat infections, infections from cuts, utis and so on. Death from infection is very very common. It's not a new thing caused by coronavirus and yet most people are unaware of it and carry on their lives without giving it a second thought.

Covid seems like a massive threat because the focus is entirely on that. It's not. Your chances of dying of it, even if you're not well, are not large. You may never even get it. But if you do, you have a far far higher chance of being fine than you have of dying.

Ecosse · 11/09/2020 11:28

I think there will be a growing realisation that the important metric is not case numbers, but deaths and hospitalisations.

We need to have a situation where the vulnerable are protected and paid to stay at home if they want and everyone else is able to return to a relative normal (obviously not nightclubs etc).

Spain has been reporting lots of cases again for weeks now, but they’re still only seeing around 80 deaths a day (with an average age of 86- so COVID is unlikely to be the cause in many cases).

Most hospitals are empty and only 8% of ICU beds are taken by COVID patients. All this with no national lockdown- there is nothing to justify one here.

rorosemary · 11/09/2020 11:42

We already found a vaccine, it passed first and second phase trials. We know it works. We might not know how well (no vaccine protects for 100%) and we don't know about the side effecrs yet.

RegularHumanBartender · 11/09/2020 12:07

I really wish the stupid term 'long covid' would fuck the fuck off

Me too. There are certain people on here who absolutely love the phrase. When faced with the fact that, for the vast vast VAST majority of people Covid is a mild illness, they then fall back on WELL, LONG COVID!

RegularHumanBartender · 11/09/2020 12:08

Covid seems like a massive threat because the focus is entirely on that. It's not. Your chances of dying of it, even if you're not well, are not large. You may never even get it. But if you do, you have a far far higher chance of being fine than you have of dying

Also THIS. I would like to have this printed on a t-shirt please.

BatSegundo · 11/09/2020 12:13

I wish the stupid term long Covid would fuck the fuck off

I imagine people who have it wish that the long Covid would fuck off Hmm

TheDailyCarbuncle · 11/09/2020 12:22

@BatSegundo

I wish the stupid term long Covid would fuck the fuck off

I imagine people who have it wish that the long Covid would fuck off Hmm

'Long covid' is NOT A THING.

Post-viral syndrome, which can be caused by any virus, is a thing and has always been a thing and it's not a new thing caused by covid.

TheDailyCarbuncle · 11/09/2020 12:24

Some people with flu suffer permanent heart damage, others who develop sepsis end up with damage to kidneys or other organs. It's a well-known effect of viruses, not a new mysterious massive threat, much and all as people seem to like to make out it is.

IrmaFayLear · 11/09/2020 12:32

I heartily agree about the long Covid.

Anyone who has ever had “real” flu knows that it can take months to feel properly well again. And I had a virus which landed me in hospital for weeks and left me with organ damage. No one clapped me out of hospital !!

Also I am Angry at the cfs looking for compensation because relatives died of Covid. Why on earth would you feel that you were due financial compensation for the death of great aunty Madge at 94 who had had dementia for 10 years?

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 11/09/2020 17:56

@IrmaFayLear yep all virus have the potential to cause lingering effects.

I had pneumonia at 20 years old, was very ill in HDU on CPAP and nearly in an induced coma. After 14 days in hospital I was discharged, did I feel better straight away? No I didn’t it must have been a year or more before I stopped being breathless on exertion and still am at times

kittensarecute · 11/09/2020 18:01

@The80sweregreat

I Heard an Indian Doctor being interviewed on five live radio talking about the vaccines. I didn't catch her name. I only heard a little bit, but none of it was that positive really. She seems to think we will have to live like this for two years or more. It will take ages to roll out enough vaccines for the entire population of course (plus all the other factors. ) It was a bit disheartening , but I wasn't surprised at what she was saying really. It made sense.
I can't live like this for that long. I'm close to the edge as it is. My mental health would be fucked.
The80sweregreat · 11/09/2020 18:08

Kitten , I'm sorry. I didn't hear the entire interview on the radio with the lady doctor , but I often find that any interview that isn't on the tv news seems to be less positive. It was only her opinion too. Many may not agree with what she said.
I'm sure a vaccine will be found. In the meantime all any of us can do is follow the rules to the best of our ability.
I have to back to work at a school breakfast club soon. It's a job I love but I'm aware that I have to be careful and follow their new rules ( of which there are many!)
We can't all isolate for ever, although I know people that are shielding must feel very low at the news today. It's a sad and horrible situation.

BabyLlamaZen · 11/09/2020 18:41

Yes, I think so. It effects a lot of people very badly unfortunately.

Hopefully there will be really simple tests where you can take one maybe even daily!