How the hell

[Ellsbells12]

Can this end (sorry been asked before) I mean city's all locking down, how much longer can this go on for ? People can't take much more , jobs losses , suicides (friend of a friend killed himself weds) I am sure everyone feels the same

@Rummikub

Looking at the maps, it's stark to see the north south divide. Wonder why that is?

The North ended lock down too soon. The North was 3 weeks behind the south at the height of the pandemic so should have ended lock down at least three weeks after the south, not at the same time.

No I understand it’s strongly advised I just mean if you have a family member who’s alone or struggling then the law won’t stop you going

No one would expect you to put advise first in that situation

That’s interesting regarding the north ending lockdown too soon
But in timescales, the north locked down same time as the south. So shouldn’t that balance things out?

We are dealing with a pandemic, this is life for now. Stop being so ridiculous.

I don’t think any local lockdown has ended support bubbles, has it? No one’s nan should be completely alone.

It’s all shit, but it’s the virus that’s made it shit. If you’re finding it easier or happen to not have local restrictions at the minute, try not to be smug. It could be you in Local lockdown in a month or so. It could be your relative who dies tomorrow. You’re currently lucky, the luck might not hold.

If you have less cases going into a lockdown, you have less cases coming out of it, if the lockdown is the same. It is a ratio.

I heard the north did worse as many in the south could work from home (service sector) whereas, in the north, there is more manufacturing.

I think when this is over and the UK looks back on it the biggest regret will be the canceling of NHS services. This will kill more than the virus.

@TopBitchoftheWitches

We are dealing with a pandemic, this is life for now. Stop being so ridiculous.

Oh fuck off sorry but lots of people are maybe not as strong minded as you jeez

Yes these are very difficult times all round but things can always be worse and it helps to be grateful for what you do have. Practice gratitude. That sounds so smug but it helps me at least.

Is London an anomaly?

I think it is shit. But we just have to get on with it.

@kittensarecute I know it's shit. Do you want to talk? PM me if you wish. Have you heard of papyrus or shout? X

@Rummikub

Is London an anomaly?

I think it is shit. But we just have to get on with it.

Not exactly an anomaly. The government has sought to downplay and deny across the UK. But yes it's perhaps far far worse for London. Rich people make a lot of money out of London. As ever at the expense of normal Londoners.

Still, the truth is creeping out and Sadiq Khan is fighting hard for his city.
They can't hide the extent of the outbreak for too much longer - even with their desperate attempts to do so with trying to section off an incredibly interlinked city by individual borough.

Nowhere locked down in the UK.
Our airports have been open with no proper restrictions throughout.

Which might perhaps explain London being the apparent southern exception for the second wave (so far). Heathrow is a major travel hub.

Op telling me to fuck off makes no difference. Time to grow up and deal with it.

@Dontmakemegoback2office

Realistically all this may have been over quicker if we hadn't bothered with lockdown but possibly with a greater number of fatalities.

This is true and let’s see how Sweden do. But people in this country won’t tolerate ‘a greater number of fatalities’. They will accuse any government of ‘murder’ if this happens. Interesting to see if attitudes change.

The primary focus for the sensible countries who took effective containment measures was saving the economy.

We all know that the countries who've dealt with Covid have much healthier economies than ours.

These countries, whilst prioritising their economies, no doubt also didn't want to see Other People die needlessly - including all non Covid deaths, i.e. cancer, that would've occurred due to Covid filling hospital beds and leaving staff off work ill - sometimes for months.

Sweden? Worse economy than their neighbours who took mitigation measures. But yes better than us. How do we very very quickly get 50% of our population into socially distanced single person households? Like in Sweden.

And how can we overnight bring the NHS up to the excellent standard of the well funded (through higher tax) Swedish healthcare system?

@Bromeliad

I'm fed up of the "some people lived through a war" brigade. My Granny lived through the war, she's now 97 and living on her own, shielding and missing out on everything she normally does. She says this is worse.

Yes I have a lot of sympathy for the very elderly who are of course sacrificing so much (they have less time left) for the sake of the young. Afterall the future economy will be for the young.

Still my own elderly relatives accept it's worth following the necessary restrictions in order to save the long-term economy. And protect the young from the risks of potentially ongoing disability of Long Covid.

That said, more than one of them has said they'd no longer encourage younger people to quit smoking because 'smoking shortens your life'. It's been made very clear how resented are the very elderly. They've said it's better to enjoy a fag rather than hold on for a future of neglect in a care home.

I'm struggling today OP. Weather shite, stuck indoors this afternoon with a 6 year old thinking so this is gonna be it for another 6 months. Went to do a few things this morning - souless and joyless experience. Shoe shop for DS - kids sat with masks on behind perspex screens. Then trying to get DS new glasses fitted properly so they don't hurt. Almost impossible task with facemasks and the fact I couldn't see properly to point out where the issues where (also glasses wearer). I too know of two people (one young and one middle aged) who have committed suicide between May - now.

Depends on if cup half full or half empty

We all have challenges but current restrictions not as made as original lock down since pubs shops etc open thing gs to do

Losing jobs and financial issues will make things worse but just restrictions then have to get used

One silver lining that will hopefully come about. Perhaps we will - finally - see better funding and treatment for mental illness. I've never seen as much concern for MH and suicides as I have in recent months.

Will we at long last see a much needed end to homelessness - which of course leads to significant numbers of suicides. Likewise a reversal of the UN condemned benefit 'reforms' that have been responsible for so many deaths (many being suicides) particularly amongst the disabled.

The good news is that the government can see there's quite clearly a strong public desire for something to be done.

@TheGreatWave

Essential travel only is strongly advised.

... and you can do those things for a vulnerable person, like bring them food or medical supplies, help them maintain their homes, even open a jar for them.

@larrygrylls

I have every sympathy for people with real mental health issues.

However, Covid have brought out a lot of adult toddlers whose equivalent of stamping their feet and screaming is going on to an internet forum and typing ' I cannot do this, my mental health is really suffering...'.

No, it isn't. You are a bit worried and miserable, as is everyone else. Now pull yourself together and stop whingeing.

Where do you think mental health issues come from? Randomly out of nowhere? Why this false division between life being awful and "real mental health issues"? We know isolation and unemployment can lead to mental health issues for a start, and loads more people are experiencing those things now. The majority of the country are cut off from others to quite a high degree.

And those saying it's only for a relatively short time - for many that is vital time. People who haven't long to live. People who won't have a chance to have children because they can't meet anyone. People who are ill or disabled and won't recover abilities they will lose in this time.

@SheepandCow

One silver lining that will hopefully come about. Perhaps we will - finally - see better funding and treatment for mental illness. I've never seen as much concern for MH and suicides as I have in recent months.

Will we at long last see a much needed end to homelessness - which of course leads to significant numbers of suicides. Likewise a reversal of the UN condemned benefit 'reforms' that have been responsible for so many deaths (many being suicides) particularly amongst the disabled.

The good news is that the government can see there's quite clearly a strong public desire for something to be done.

Sadly I think people are only championing the mentally ill because they fit their agenda. I fear they will be dropped like a rock once this ends. In short, many of these people don't really care about the mentally ill or cancer patients.

Incidentally, my partner had her mammogram on time with no issues. I understand many of the five year scans have been delayed, but I guess they need to concentrate on those who they know to be I'll.

I guess there's not much difference between five years and six years. Five years is just an arbitrary period.

@SheepandCow

One silver lining that will hopefully come about. Perhaps we will - finally - see better funding and treatment for mental illness. I've never seen as much concern for MH and suicides as I have in recent months.

Will we at long last see a much needed end to homelessness - which of course leads to significant numbers of suicides. Likewise a reversal of the UN condemned benefit 'reforms' that have been responsible for so many deaths (many being suicides) particularly amongst the disabled.

The good news is that the government can see there's quite clearly a strong public desire for something to be done.

I’ve been thinking about this but my take was more that I hope the people who have been so vocal about protecting the Covid-vulnerable can then extend this to the more everyday vulnerable once this is over, many of whose lives have been made harder by lockdown measures.

Children with special needs and their families whose care was scaled back drastically. CAHMS appointments shelved at short notice.

Women suffering from postnatal depression, which the Guardian said had increased 3 fold during the pandemic.

Refugees who were pulled out of their accommodation at short notice and all rammed together in hotels with their allowances taken off them.

The many, many people struggling with their mental health. My psychologist told me she’s seen nothing but deterioration (over Zoom).

The care home population.

@AgentCooper
They're very often one and the same.
So yes protecting the vulnerable - be it from Covid, or the issues that largely contributed towards them being vulnerable to Covid in the first place.

Sadly I suspect @Newjez is right, but we can live in hope.

@SheepandCow I think what I’m saying is can these people still exercise the same concern for the vulnerable when Covid isn’t an issue. Because, care home population aside, many of the groups I mentioned are not especially vulnerable to Covid but are likely to be harmed by isolation and the removal of vital support services. There will be lots of pieces to be picked up after this.