I'm so angry...

[MaryShelley1818]

We are in an area with local restrictions so high transmission rates in the North East of England.

Someone I know had her 40th at the weekend and photos on FB of her having a party in a pub, cake presents, her and kids, her parents, her sister who works at a local University in a very high position, and about 4-5 friends. No Social Distancing, drinking, cuddling, shots, photos.
How are people just carrying on as normal??!! How can you be so bloody thick as to post all the photos on FB. Am I missing something?? I'm furious.

We've followed every single rule but seems I'm in the minority and the longer people just do whatever they want for, the longer I'll have to go without seeing my friends and family.

Know what you mean. When we are following rules and others aren't it's annoying. Today 6 different groups of builders (assumed by attire) came in to buy takeaway sandwiches where I was eating, no masks, stood by my table etc. Owners admitted they don't say anything because they are so close to bankruptcy following the original shutdown they can't risk them going elsewhere, they come in up to 2 time's a day (breakfast and lunch). The owner hopes the council or someone will talk to them

It is infuriating.
If they haven't had any body close hospitalised or die they are most likely still seeing it as a flu or cold, you wouldn't stick to the rules if you believed that, neither would I, fortunately most of us can see beyond personal experience.
I haven't lost anyone or had anyone hospitalized but I believe it happens, some people don't believe what they haven't personally experienced. Add in huge amounts of conspiracy theories on social media it's easy to see why some people have had enough. Doesn't make it right but we can't cure stupid.

@GregariousMountains

It is infuriating. If they haven't had any body close hospitalised or die they are most likely still seeing it as a flu or cold, you wouldn't stick to the rules if you believed that, neither would I, fortunately most of us can see beyond personal experience. I haven't lost anyone or had anyone hospitalized but I believe it happens, some people don't believe what they haven't personally experienced. Add in huge amounts of conspiracy theories on social media it's easy to see why some people have had enough. Doesn't make it right but we can't cure stupid.

Comments like this really irritate me. It's possible to understand that it's a dangerous illness and also want to do normal human things like seeing family. If you really took into account your danger from infection, you'd never leave the house again. You were always in danger of being one of the many many millions of people who die from infections of all kinds every year, you just weren't bothered about it. This is one more infection. It's not a sudden new danger. You're not guaranteed to die, nor is anyone around you. At what point will you accept that and go back to living how you always did, accepting the constant risk and getting on with it?

I find the idea that if everyone followed the rules everything could go back to normal utterly incomprehensible. Is it the case that people really believe that we can follow rules for a while (how long?) and covid will just disappear or something?

Nobody is going back to how they used to live, its not going to happen.
War, plague and technological advancement are always the things that have fundamentally changed the way lives are lived.
You might not like it but friends and extended family are going to be more of a virtual part of life now.
Life has changed for good -what you consider normal human things are no longer normal human things. It sucks but you will get used to it.

I can’t get angry at this. People should risk assess themselves. The government have lost control, they have no idea what’s going on. Let people socialise and take their own risks. They don’t give two shits about teachers who have been forced into close contact, indoors, with no PPE. Why the outrage if Sally down the road wants to see her family? For all you know she could have been suicidal, or have an illness she didn’t tell you about. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone a bit of happiness to be honest. At the moment we have become people who are told to go to work. That’s it, we are living to do what we are told by Boris. No thanks.

@GregariousMountains

Nobody is going back to how they used to live, its not going to happen. War, plague and technological advancement are always the things that have fundamentally changed the way lives are lived. You might not like it but friends and extended family are going to be more of a virtual part of life now. Life has changed for good -what you consider normal human things are no longer normal human things. It sucks but you will get used to it.

I'm curious about this viewpoint - do you think people are going to stay as they are permanently because of their desire not to get covid? Do you think there'll never be another big concert again?

Well of course we all WANT to do normal human things but at the moment it's against the law.
I don't like it as much as anyone else, I'm pregnant and isolated, it's horrible. But I'm also not so arrogant to think I'm so special I can ignore the law and just do whatever I want and to hell with the consequences to everyone else.

@TheDailyCarbuncle

I find the idea that if everyone followed the rules everything could go back to normal utterly incomprehensible. Is it the case that people really believe that we can follow rules for a while (how long?) and covid will just disappear or something?

I follow the rules, but not because I think it's going to make covid disappear but because I firstly would rather not get it myself and secondly don't want to be responsible for anyone else getting it who might end up extremely unwell. I work for the NHS and see patients, plus I've got family members who are shielding and I haven't seen since last Christmas. I am sticking to the rules because I feel that morally it's the correct thing to do, and I am trying to help others by doing all that I can to protect them.

Personally I think it's the individualistic attitude of many members of the public (and government) that are the problem, both with covid and so many other societal issues we have currently.

@GregariousMountains

Spanish flu and the Black Death did not cause people to permanently have less social contact . Cities did go through multiple lockdowns during Spanish Flu, though.

Humans are not built to live like that and we won’t. I think some people are getting a bit carried away with the doomerism.

@Itisasecret

I can’t get angry at this. People should risk assess themselves. The government have lost control, they have no idea what’s going on. Let people socialise and take their own risks. They don’t give two shits about teachers who have been forced into close contact, indoors, with no PPE. Why the outrage if Sally down the road wants to see her family? For all you know she could have been suicidal, or have an illness she didn’t tell you about. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone a bit of happiness to be honest. At the moment we have become people who are told to go to work. That’s it, we are living to do what we are told by Boris. No thanks.

So from now on we no longer follow any laws? We all just make our own decisions with no regard for anyone else. It's not about begrudging people happiness - if you think that you've completely missed the point. She's not suicidal and doesn't have an illness. She sees her friends every day, works in a busy pub chain, still socialises. Some people are just selfish.

Some people are just selfish, I agree. In order for them to avoid one risk, they want everyone else to increase hundreds of other risks. Because there's one illness they're afraid of, they want others to live in misery, lose their jobs, not see their families. Selfish doesn't really cover it IMO.

You'd hate me OP, we had 4 grandparents round for DD's birthday. We were allowed to see them one week and not the next. We're allowed to book adjacent tables in the pub or go to school, but not see grandparents in our home? Fuck the rules in that context.

I don't think people are going to keep going because of fear of Covid. It will be because this is now how it is. Humanity very rarely if ever takes a step backwards- not all of what we consider progress was considered progress by people who wanted their lives to 'go back to normal' after whatever event.
Regards concerts - yes unfortunately I don't see them coming back, along with large scale sporting event crowds and theatres. By the time the government allow them (if indeed they do) with sufficient crowds to be economically viable to many venues will have gone bust.

@GregariousMountains why on earth would that be the case once there’s a vaccine?

@GregariousMountains

I do agree with you about venues going bust being a permanent change. Ditto with independent restaurants, and big chains taking over their business.

The idea that people are permanently going to stop socialising as much in person, or that there will never be big concerts/festivals/nightclubs again, seems completely barmy to me, though.

In New Zealand clubs are already open again.

Op you’re hysterical. You have no idea what is going on in someone’s life. The COVID laws are an utter joke. Even the PM doesn’t know. Stop being nosey and controlling.

As for the person who thinks humans will learn to interact virtually on a permanent basis. Maybe you can lock yourself up with the other hysterical doom bringers.

I rather agree with GregariousMountains for lots of reasons. Humanity was vastly overreaching itself for a good fifty years, with travel and rampant capitalism etc. None of that's going to rush back because much of it will have been dismantled and the benefits of it being dismantled will be great to the collective even though the individual level of losses will be huge.

[quote AgentCooper]@GregariousMountains why on earth would that be the case once there’s a vaccine?[/quote]
Or even if there isn't!

@TheDailyCarbuncle

Some people are just selfish, I agree. In order for them to avoid one risk, they want everyone else to increase hundreds of other risks. Because there's one illness they're afraid of, they want others to live in misery, lose their jobs, not see their families. Selfish doesn't really cover it IMO.

That's just a ridiculous statement. Anyone who follows the LAW that they have no say in deciding is selfish?? Not having a big party is living in misery? Good god, if an adult can't go one year without a big Birthday party in a pub there's something very very wrong with them. This is the most melodramatic statement. I work in a Children's Safeguarding team, I go the extra mile for my families every single day with no thought to my own risk/safety to make sure others are safe. I worked through lockdown - 60 and 70hrs a week whilst caring for my toddler, I've sacrificed seeing my own family for months on end. Selfish is one thing I'm certainly not.

You might not like it but friends and extended family are going to be more of a virtual part of life now. Life has changed for good -what you consider normal human things are no longer normal human things. It sucks but you will get used to it.

You’re funny 😂

@Itisasecret

Op you’re hysterical. You have no idea what is going on in someone’s life. The COVID laws are an utter joke. Even the PM doesn’t know. Stop being nosey and controlling.

As for the person who thinks humans will learn to interact virtually on a permanent basis. Maybe you can lock yourself up with the other hysterical doom bringers.

Not hysterical at all. Front line worker as I have been throughout. I go out every day. Not doom mongering either, I'm very optimistic for a huge improvement for Spring. Not nosy - she posted it all over FB. Not controlling - she has no idea how I feel, I have no say over what she does - who do I control?

It's frustrating to me that lots of people are going to be locked down longer who are trying to do the right thing. That's all.

I'm sure you're working very hard to help the many many children that were thrown under the bus by lockdown @MaryShelley1818.

What really irritates me is that when all the analysis of this shitshow comes out next year, there'll be endless handwringing about the long term effects of isolation, about how for many people 'the cure was worse than the disease.' And yet now all people can say, zombie-like, is 'law, law, law,' while pointing fingers at other people and claiming to occupy a moral high ground. Everyone will act next year like it wasn't foreseeable, like they couldn't have known it was happening. It's so fucking predictable.

@Itisasecret

Op you’re hysterical. You have no idea what is going on in someone’s life. The COVID laws are an utter joke. Even the PM doesn’t know. Stop being nosey and controlling.

As for the person who thinks humans will learn to interact virtually on a permanent basis. Maybe you can lock yourself up with the other hysterical doom bringers.

@Itisasecret agree wholeheartedly. It surprises me how many folk seem to have embraced this miserable way of life. They’re welcome to it. The rest of us don’t want your shit ‘new normal,’ thanks.

@StylishMummy

You'd hate me OP, we had 4 grandparents round for DD's birthday. We were allowed to see them one week and not the next. We're allowed to book adjacent tables in the pub or go to school, but not see grandparents in our home? Fuck the rules in that context.

The whole point is that Covid is continuing to spread in private homes, not in pubs or schools. So yes, the rules in that context should be followed.

"Fuck the rules" from people like you is going to keep the rest of us having to follow them for longer. Thanks so much!