Packed restaurants- people just not worried anymore?

[avenueq]

Lunchtime today in a tier 1 town. Area with several restaurants. They all had long queues and/or wait times of 1 hour plus. I'm not judging, I was there myself, but it just made me think how rising cases don't seem to worry people yet? Or is it anymore?

Same in my area OP, probably pubs and restaurants busy, shops busy, kids meeting for play dates and sleepovers, some have Halloween parties planned. How long will it last?

Same in tier 3. I'm fed up of it now. Crack on and live life- following guidelines that is. We cant go trick or treating :(

When you consider that somewhere between 50-70% of cases are asymptomatic, and the average age of a covid death is greater than the average life expectancy in the UK, its surely irrational to be worried...?

Minimize talking about something people will pay less attention. 367 deaths in the UK today. And it’s not mentioned in the BBC News page. In fact, it’s not even mentioned in the BBC’s Coronavirus Evening Update:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54708284

This is almost certainly deliberate (keep the economy going, don’t scare people). But of course they’re going to reverse tack at some point and start sounding alarm bells. Yo-yoing depending on whether the economy or the NHS seems more dire at that point in time.

The fear factor has gone. I don’t feel frightened of covid anymore. I don’t underestimate it, but the fear and anxiety I felt in the early days has gone. Thank god, it’s not great for your MH living in constant fear.

I'm in tier 2, cases still rising and people are still going out. I include myself in that. Most people aren't worried because for most people Covid will be mild. Personal risk assessment.

It’s gone on too long now and people are bored/annoyed with it. People are just getting on with their lives doing the things we’re allowed to do. What else can you do, no ones going to stay in for over a year?

We were out latest and tried to grab a bite on our way home. First place we stopped was full. On a Monday night in the home counties.

I agree. Most people have lockdown fatigue and are fed.up trying to adhere to ever changing policy, wearing face nappies to protect Granny who cannot hear you through mask and who values quality to over quantity of life anyway.

@Rabbitholebonkers

The fear factor has gone. I don’t feel frightened of covid anymore. I don’t underestimate it, but the fear and anxiety I felt in the early days has gone. Thank god, it’s not great for your MH living in constant fear.

Any tips for being more relaxed about it, we are in T1. I’m barely going out of the house and still terrified.

@DobbyTheHouseElk

I used to suffer from health anxiety quite badly a few years ago. I bought the CBT book for dummies online, and it’s been my go to book ever since. It really helped me. Maybe it will help you.

I’m in Tier 2. Being sensible on the whole and not underestimating covid but the fear factor has almost certainly gone for me. Life is unpredictable, and we most certainly can’t control all outcomes, so we have to live each day the best we can.
Feeling terrified for a sustained period of time is no way to live.

All restaurants are full round here too. Couldn’t book a table last Saturday. Tier 1 but over here 100 cases per 100,000. Nobody seems worried anymore.

Or just getting out while they still can?

@Rabbitholebonkers that does make sense. I did a few normal things this week and got a real rush to joy! Then DH came home and told me loads of cases at his work, so I am back to worrying again.

We have long queues at lunchtime (sd queuing) around here because there are less tables and no booking ahead. I feel relatively safe, staff masked, hand sanitisers etc. I get a feeling of less stress when I'm out, people aren't rushing around, knocking into one another, pushing in queues etc. I don't actually mind waiting for a table as no one's getting cross!

Any tips for being more relaxed about it, we are in T1. I’m barely going out of the house and still terrified.

I would look at the statistics - I don’t mean the numbers of daily deaths but the number of deaths for your age group. Even if you are a high risk group, it is still highly likely you will survive. It might give you some reassurance you can live your life a little instead of hiding away.

I’m in tier 3 and whilst I am working from home, wearing masks when out, using hand sanitiser, not mixing with other households, not travelling out of the area - we are still doing the things we are allowed to - going to museums, restaurants, the gym, for walks, for coffee. They are all places where people are socially distant, numbers restricted and feel safe. Well not completely safe as nothing ever is, but as safe as can be

There are many other reasons for this shirt.

It partly belongs to the psychology of risk normalisation: weve gone from seeing covid as an acute threat to a chronic, long-term one, part and parcel of the everyday decisions and risks we take. We engage in certain activities, at first nervously - eg dining in a restaurant - and then when no palpable harm emerges to us, there’s a positive feedback loop, and we feel emboldened to do it again. Refraining from these activities carries no immediate gratification or reward, other than the distant notion of preventing the spread, whereas taking part in them does. So if becomes more tempting to normalise them.

The saddest thing is the normalisation of deaths. It happens constantly when wars and natural disasters are being reported. People would absolutely get accustomed to 500+ deaths a day as part of the background noise of their everyday lives.

This shift*

I ate in a restaurant today. They had plexiglass partitions between tables, staff wore masks, as did everyone else unless seated. Door was open (it's a small place). We have one of the lowest infection rates in the country. I'm not worried about eating out if they meet the recommended criteria and I take precautions too.

Yup, am in London, and restaurants all packed. DH and I ate out three times at the weekend, and all but one place was heaving (only because we ate really early for dinner, 5pm). Had brunch at 10am on Sunday, and people were queuing up as soon as the place opened. At lunch time we went to Wagamama, and although there were screens up, I’d say that we were seated less than 2 metres from the next people.

@AllTheUserNamesAreTaken

Any tips for being more relaxed about it, we are in T1. I’m barely going out of the house and still terrified.

I would look at the statistics - I don’t mean the numbers of daily deaths but the number of deaths for your age group. Even if you are a high risk group, it is still highly likely you will survive. It might give you some reassurance you can live your life a little instead of hiding away.

I’m in tier 3 and whilst I am working from home, wearing masks when out, using hand sanitiser, not mixing with other households, not travelling out of the area - we are still doing the things we are allowed to - going to museums, restaurants, the gym, for walks, for coffee. They are all places where people are socially distant, numbers restricted and feel safe. Well not completely safe as nothing ever is, but as safe as can be

It's not just about whether or not you die, there is also potential Long Covid and long-term organ damage to consider.

Tier 1: indoor shopping centre absoutely rammed today. I didn't go, a friend did. Crazy.

@Redolent

There are many other reasons for this shirt.

It partly belongs to the psychology of risk normalisation: weve gone from seeing covid as an acute threat to a chronic, long-term one, part and parcel of the everyday decisions and risks we take. We engage in certain activities, at first nervously - eg dining in a restaurant - and then when no palpable harm emerges to us, there’s a positive feedback loop, and we feel emboldened to do it again. Refraining from these activities carries no immediate gratification or reward, other than the distant notion of preventing the spread, whereas taking part in them does. So if becomes more tempting to normalise them.

The saddest thing is the normalisation of deaths. It happens constantly when wars and natural disasters are being reported. People would absolutely get accustomed to 500+ deaths a day as part of the background noise of their everyday lives.

Epidemiolgist Michael Osterholm talks about this in one of his CIDRAP podcasts. That people take a risk going out a few times and each time they do and nothing happens they become more convinced that nothing will. And then the next time Covid gets them.

I'm tier 2. Been out to three restaurants the lasy three days due to half term.

Booked online, no queues, tables spaced out, staff masked up. Very safe.
Can't wait to go back as my favourite leisure activity (live music) is non existent right now.

@Christmasfairy2020

Same in tier 3. I'm fed up of it now. Crack on and live life- following guidelines that is. We cant go trick or treating :(

silver linings...

It's not just about whether or not you die, there is also potential Long Covid and long-term organ damage to consider.

Thanks for that merry thought.

I no longer have that rush of horror when waking up in the night. But I am very high risk so no question of going in a restaurant. However as time goes by my wish to be closer than 2m to my adult DC is growing and outweighing the risk.
Not that they can visit now as in tier 2.