Is it really worth all this?

[Dustballs]

What are we shutting down for? What are we trying to save?

I don't understand what the purpose of this is anymore.

Saving lives!

The purpose is to avoid mass illness and death and keep the NHS functioning

What's shut down??

Yes, it is worth this, because the alternative will cost more in lives, long term I'll health and economic damage.

Why do we have to ask this question constantly?

Look at the countries who didn't fuck about. They are so much closer to normal.

UK fucked up first time round, please can we not do it again?

Schools are sending whole year groups home all the time round here (my kids' schools included). Teachers are off. It's mostly supply at the moment.

The economy's going to shit.

What's shut down?? Are you kidding me?

It was said on GMB the other day, lockdowns just kick the can down the road, but don’t stop the virus.
Locking down will not merely suppress it for a few weeks/ months but it just emerges again.
Unless there’s a vaccine, then surely we should learn to live and manage it?
No I don’t see why this economic pain is worth this.

Entire industries are still shut down!!!
Who is so insular they don’t know this?

I think you are trying to say we don't really have a clear rhetoric anymore as to exactly what we are trying to achieve. Lockdown in March was a clear and straightforward message that was easy to follow and that has now gone.

Because now I think its all about balance on the one side we have the need to as PP have said save lives, reduce transmission and keep the NHS functioning. And on the other to protect the economy and our future by making sure that we keep as much going as we possible can so that when this is over (because it will all previous pandemic have come to a natural end, this one perhaps sooner because of a vaccine) we can start rebuilding from the best point possible.

I recognise your username as being someone I think who needs this to be black and white. Clearly defined parameters. But this has moved into shades of grey. Everything is balanced on the scales. And anything that gives to the economy and that side is kept, and anything that doesnt is stopped.

This is now about controlling it not eradication. Hoping we can keep it at a manageable level until we can vaccine

We are trying to stop the NHS being overwhelmed and prevent thousands of deaths. What don’t you understand about that?

No, it isn't worth it, because it's achieving literally nothing. Lives might be 'saved' now but the same people will still be vulnerable in six months time. We can restrict and lockdown and whatever all we like, the virus will still be there, people will still get infected. It's just pointless waste of time that ensures that even if you're lucky enough not to get covid, you're still fucked because the economy will be destroyed. It's taking the unfortunate misery of a virus and extending it and prolonging it and ensuring that everyone is damaged by it. It's madness.

OK. I have never asked this question before. I've gone a long with it all believing that we are saving lives.

But now I'm not a 100% believer anymore.

It's spreading round here and people are getting it and carrying on as normal once it's gone. It's not a big deal.

I know people who've had long Covid - but even they are recovering now.

I've never understood this point before - but now I do. People get sick all the time with all sorts of things. Some recover. Some don't. Many have to live with long term health conditions as a result. But we don't shut the world down because of this.

And before people leap up and down saying how cold and callous this sounds. I have a long term health condition leading on from a virus I had as a child. I've lost a (young) parent to cancer. I have a child with a disability. Life sucks. It gives you parcels of shit whenever it fancies. But that's life. We all have to deal with it.

Are we back to saving the NHS?
I'm guessing so?

While I couldn't name one personal contact who's had a positive Covid test, I could name plenty suffering from delayed NHS treatments and extensive waiting lists.

I'm not underestimating the risk to life across different demographics or the hazards of long Covid, just it needs to be balanced that these measures also have an effect on health, quality of life and longevity and other causes of death.

Not everyone can work from home.
Not everyone works in the public sector with a guaranteed government wage.
So very uncertain for millions of people.

No. It's not.

People are kidding themselves. We cannot eradicate this virus by locking down. Even countries with strict lockdowns like Australia have not managed to eradicate it. The only thing that could work now is a vaccine. This constant state of locking down and reopening up will achieve nothing except ruining the economy, plunging more people into poverty, disrupting the education of our children and destroying the mental health of many.

I hear you OP, but you won't get much sympathy for holding this particular opinion on mumsnet, in fact it will be hinted you are somewhat of a monster. But, you aren't, and many people are thinking the same as you.

It’s ridiculous. Whole year groups shutting down for me one mild case. Testing of whole schools has shown many asymptomatic cases (some private schools have tested their whole schools), so if there are cases in all schools anyway not being picked up then why shut down at all? It’s everywhere anyway. Either schools and workplaces should close completely or we should just get on with it. I vote getting with on with it.

@RepeatSwan has any European Country handled this better. Because that is the only comparison we can really make. Asia has a different cultural outlook and Australia/New Zealand have a lot of geographical based differences.

Of course though you can't say any of this because people will accuse you of not caring about the elderly and vulnerable. The long term effects of locking down will likely be worse than the actual virus.

What’s shut down exactly, this week I’ve eaten out twice, been to the supermarket, had a friend round for a visit, had a riding lesson. Might start going back to the gym next week as I’ve put on weight. Life for us in the UK isn’t that bad considering, the restrictions are easy to live with despite those saying it’s like living in a police state which I find ridiculous and over dramatic.

All that really concerns me is that schools and colleges will not be able to stay open safely in the coming months. I don’t believe they are safe now. I also really feel for anybody who is vulnerable or loves somebody who is vulnerable. I’m fit and healthy as are all my family, I consider myself very lucky, if you are healthy, have a roof over your head and enough money to keep fed and warm count your blessings.

southern entire industries are still shit down with their staff about to made redundant en masse next month.

But never mind eh?

*I've gone a long with it all believing that we are saving lives.

But now I'm not a 100% believer anymore.*

Here lies your problem @Dustballs.

It is not about "belief". It is not a religion. Through the lockdown earlier this year, many lives were saved.

There will be a vaccine soon. In the meantime, life will not be normal.

I have to agree with OP to some extent. Things are not running the same even schools (I know they are doing their best). I’ve been off work... as my DS has a cough... we have 6 days at school in total so far. I received a phone call from school saying DS cannot attend because he has been in contact with a positive case. I’m public sector and unable to go to work to work so nothing is a guarantee.

I also wish we didn’t test the kids because of the major inconvenience. Mid March how long had Covid been around and before that? We managed.

Sorry for asking a possibly stupid question but why didn’t the government send people with covid to places like the Nightingale hospitals to free up NHS beds?
People go to hospital I get that. But why couldn’t they be ambulance driven back to a covid secure location to stop the spread?
Yes people would have sadly died there but it would be for the greater good wouldn’t it?
Why send covid residents back to care homes?? Just so they die in a more comfortable environment? What did they think would happen to the other residents and staff?
Why don’t the government open them back up and have a plan for covid patients, rather than using valuable NHS bed spaces..

Cross post, just seen you have a health condition and a disabled child, I’m sorry. I still don’t think we should let it spread, I do believe it would do more harm than good.

I actually want my family to get it now - so we can build immunity/T cells to fight Covid now, next year or whenever. It's endemic now. They'll need immunity. And surely it's better to get sick, now, when they're young - rather than later on.

I don't believe a vaccine will be as effective as actually having had the virus itself.