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?

I’m aware of that @BlueBlancmange but the pp asked how she could feel less anxious as she was is still ‘terrified’ and ‘barely leaving the house’. In my view that level of fear is just not proportionate to the risks, when considering the statistics, and is not healthy

Lots of people have appraised their risks as far as possible and don't want to restrict themselves beyond what's compulsory. As it's half term I assume a lot of kids were out, and of course they're particularly low risk.

And presumably a lot of the venues wouldn't be using all their tables, would be short staffed, or both. So that would mean longer queues potentially.

Tier 1 here. Everywhere is busy. Have made decision I won't be going out to eat for a long time.

I will pop for a takeaway coffee and wait outside while they make it and that's my biggest risk at the moment.

It's half term so maybe thats why restaurants, shopping centres are busier. Also people doing these things in case we suddenly go back to full lockdown. This year has taught people to not put off things. Plus seems most people are doing Christmas shopping earlier in case they struggle in December

Tier 1 here. I want to go out and meet friends whilst I can. I'm sure being moved up to tier 2 is inevitable.
Single parent and pretty lonely so I will take the risk due to benefits it has to my (already shite) MH.

We take precautions. Don't hug or get too close. It's critical time IMO for us all (my grp)

I am sorry for those of you who are really worried or scared. I can't imagine feeling like that at all.

Not really sure what anyone else is seeing, but every restaurant and pub ive been in since hard lockdown ended has taken the rules extremely seriously... am I missing something somewhere that people seem to think they are a hotbed of steaming virus?.. these people are trying to save their businesses and livelihoods.. they are all, without exception doing everything they can.

I’m more scared of being locked down again so want to go out whilst I can

I think most people's response to the virus now is entirely proportionate to the risk it poses to them personally. I started voluntarily going back to the office one day per week a few months ago. The first time I was genuinely nervous; now I don't give two shots. I go in virtually as normal, wear my mask, sanitise, and get on with it. The same with the first time we went out to a restaurant. It was genuinely tense. We've been since with no issues.

I just think that as most people have no reason to assume the virus will have anything other than minor effects on them as individuals, it's inevitable that a large chunk of the population are going to be fine with being out and about.

@DobbyTheHouseElk

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.

Well Covid is not a merry thing unfortunately. While it is not good to be constantly terrified, I think it's best to keep the less than pleasant realities in mind.

Local restaurants here (Tier 3 but enhanced measures since July) very quiet this evening (1 or 2 tables occupied) not sure if many will make it out of lockdown sadly.
Also noticed quite a few of the pubs which serve food have chosen not to open, so quiet it mustn't be worth their while.

I was never worried in the first place and I'll happily eat in a restaurant. I am worried about being stuck in the house, my toddlers development if she is stuck in the house, people missing out on medical care because of covid rules and GPs making themselves practically inaccessible, long term effects of people losing their jobs etc etc.

Have rarely given COVID a second thought when out and about have enjoyed the freedoms we have while we have them.

Sometimes I wonder why that is but I think it may be due to growing up with parents who had life limiting illnesses my whole childhood and who have both passed away -age 51 and 70. Life is too short to worry about this.

I are in a restaurant today. It was almost empty - tier 3 so they are losing the half term trade and also losing out on business lunches.

I'm clinically vulnerable and have still eaten in restaurants throughout whilst we've been able. We take precautions and to be fair nowhere has been busy really.

I've just had Covid and I'm gradually recovering. I'm not there yet, 3 weeks on but I can go out again and I need too. If nothing else I need somewhere I can take a gentle walk to and from, and the weathers so bad right now it's also indoors whilst there!

All the places we've eaten have had lots of precautions in place and haven't been busy or crowded. Since tier 3 it looks like many places are almost empty, at least at lunch times anyway.
Fwiw I didn't catch it from a restaurant. I'd not been to one in the run up and hadn't had close contact with anyone outside my household except at work.

I'm fairly sure the place I caught it was school - probably from an asymptotic young child. It's the only place I have prolonged close contact with no masks, etc except with Dh.

I'm in tier 3, we took the kids out for lunch today. We are obeying the rules, not mixing households, wearing masks when masks are required, but it's just so bloody boring. There's so little we can do atm. Going out for lunch at least breaks the day up a bit.

@cakewitch

Not really sure what anyone else is seeing, but every restaurant and pub ive been in since hard lockdown ended has taken the rules extremely seriously... am I missing something somewhere that people seem to think they are a hotbed of steaming virus?.. these people are trying to save their businesses and livelihoods.. they are all, without exception doing everything they can.

Agreed. I’m making a conscious effort to go out to cafes and restaurants as I want them to survive for the benefit of those working in them. I generally feel very safe there or I wouldn’t go.

I don't think everyone is making decisions based on fear of getting or not getting the virus, eg will I survive, will I get sick, will I make a full recovery.

It's surely more about keeping numbers down because whatever happens to our individual health, a big surge in the virus will impact our lives negatively in so many ways....nhs, education, economy etc etc. Many people are fighting against the society wide consequences of exponential growth and how that would affect us all as individuals, not their own odds of dying from covid!

Not that I criticise anyone for eating out when they are allowed to. Just commenting on the idea that our main consideration must be personal health risks...not at all.

Lockdown fatigue
People have had enough and just want to get on with actually living their life

Chatting to people recently and it seems the mood is changing from fear to acceptance
Why stay inside in fear of a disease 99% of us will recover from

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.

It's a stick their heads in the sand and pretend nothing's happening attitude.

Just because a person has no symptoms doesn't mean that damage isn't being done.
All sorts of things could be going on silently and unseen.
Weakening of the heart, immune system, who knows?
These things might only show up in old age..
I think it's reckless and short sighted to have a "I don't care if I get it" attitude.
So little is still known about this decrease, why would you want yourself or loved ones to get it?
It's madness.

I think most people, is included have decided that life is for living. Covid is likely here for good in some shape or form and for us (we had it in March) it was very mild.

@Inkpaperstars yes! Everyone who says ‘sod this, let’s just get in with it’ is failing to recognise that exponential virus growth will in itself have a huge economy impact as business have to shut through infection and staff illness. Meanwhile health services are under pressure and operations cancelled anyway.

This isn’t that about braving it out and letting the virus work away while we get on with life. We won’t be able to get on with life as normal. I’m in T3. I hate all these measures but recognise we have to negotiate a path through it somehow.

BlueBlancmange

That’s the point. I admitted I was terrified to leave the house, and it’s because of posters like you.

@Redolent

People die everyday anyway, everyone dies of something and in the past it was often flu etc that technically was the cause of death but in reality perhaps they were elderly, perhaps cancer had taken hold, perhaps they had severe underlying health issues. Every now and again a younger person with no known underlying health conditions does die of flu or other "normal" diseases, or gets a post viral condition but they are outliers.

At an individual level deaths are very sad, a beloved partner, parent, grandparent and/or friend has died but at a society level if it's within the normal expected deaths for the year then there's less concern. Covid is new so has swept through the population - once this first winter is over they will be able to see if this is more deadly.

Sorry long comment but I am currently involved proofreading articles on this! Again I don't want to belittle the sadness at an individual level, but as a society there's lots more factors to consider including those currently dying from preventable conditions because the health service paused their treatment or those committing suicide due to business failure, extreme loneliness etc.

I was having this convo the other day. If I didn’t have someone vulnerable and disabled to look after I probably would go out more. Maybe out to lunch on the weekends like we used to.

I do think people just want some normal. I was going to start to relax, then yesterday eve 3 of the places I was considering going to are all closed due to an influx of positive Covid tests.