To think those happy about the new lockdown are usually privileged

[NickVanDyke]

Seen many people on Mumsnet and on other social media borderline happy as soon as a second lockdown was leaked.

Am I missing the memo? So many our going to lose their jobs, homes, mental health.

Not to mention the cost of borrowing all this money that our dc and grandkids will have to repay.

I’m just confused how anyone can be happy about this. To me it’s a disaster.

No. I'm not thrilled about a lockdown, but it's needed to avoid deaths. We are not privileged, my DH was made redundant a couple of months ago after 20 years in the same company, I only work part time and am having to take unpaid leave right now for family reasons, so could do without any more financial worries, but I also don't want to lose my son, who often gets really sick with things, or my elderly mother, or my own life, (have conditions that may put me at greater risk). I can understand why people don't want a lockdown, why is it so difficult for those people to see why others do, without labelling them selfish or privileged?

We’re financially secure and I’m gutted about another lockdown.

I was just saying to my DH last night how lucky we are with jobs etc and that it must be so difficult for those in badly affected sectors.

I feel so sorry for so many people and wonder how they’ll manage Christmas.

I do think there’s a certain sector of society that have been desperate for another lockdown down and I suspect it’s the ones who have vulnerable people in there family.

That’s fair enough but I don’t think it’ll work.

I'm in a very lucky position in that my husband's the main earner and his job is secure. I still think lockdown is shit and I don't want it to happen. The long term consequences for the economy and our childrens futures are dire. I have so much sympathy for those who are already struggling and will be hurt further by this, and I'm angry on their behalf.

@NickVanDyke

It’s definitely two camps. Those who have been desperate for this and even want schools closed again.

The rest of us who were hoping to avoid this at all cost. Although I accept this may be a necessity, I don’t know the right answer if it’s lockdown or herd immunity or any other proposal.

It’s definitely the case between the have and the have nots.

I do agree with this I also think we are going to go into austerity and its going to be a big shock for anyone unprepared for it.

There is no way forward that saves the economy and saves lives. The circles in this venn diagram don't cross over - they are quite far apart. If you choose lockdown you screw the economy. If you don't choose lockdown, you screw health/health services/lose lives.

There's no wonder we're all feeling frustrated.

I’m always very suspicious about the people constantly calling for school closures. They either have no kids, are teachers or have anxiety issues surrounding their children/are vulnerable themselves. Everyone I know is DESPERATE for schools to stay open.

Seriously? Can anyone be happy about lockdown? I don't think so.

I only work part-time (as am over 60, semi-retired) and am v comfortably off.

I want an end to this. I don't want a lockdown - I'm sick to death of being stuck at home, unable to go and see my elderly Dad (who has dementia) but equally I don't want the NHS over-run and loads of people dying.

I really don't know what the answer is but it seems to me that Johnson is clueless at every stage of this crisis.

@justanotherneighinparadise

I agree. I don’t know anyone in real life who wants schools shut, and to be honest that includes the teachers I know.

@Eckhart

There is no way forward that saves the economy and saves lives. The circles in this venn diagram don't cross over - they are quite far apart. If you choose lockdown you screw the economy. If you don't choose lockdown, you screw health/health services/lose lives.

There's no wonder we're all feeling frustrated.

So true. They can’t save lives and the economy.

Will be interesting to see if those that are stamping their feet for a lock down - will still be championing it if they lose their jobs etc because there will be a knock on affect

I think that there would be a degree of overlap of those two positions on the Venn diagram Eckhart. Not least the fact that neither side accepts that the above is true.

@NickVanDyke

Very likely to be bankrupt because of this new lockdown. I own a restaurant.

We are up to eyeballs in debt and we are based in Central London so low footfall even over summer.

I don’t give a fuck about Xmas, I want to be able to feed my family and save my business and keep my home. I can miss Xmas just like I can miss a summer holiday.

The Govt seems to only give a fuck about Saving Xmas and summer holidays, simply to generate positive headlines

Same here, OP. Unfortunately.

What do you suggest for people who lose their jobs and businesses? What is it you expect them to do? Curl up and rot?

You use the benefits system surely? What happened during the last recession when people lost their jobs? You go on benefits and try and get another job. Losing jobs isn't something new or unique. I'm not saying it isn't awful, the last recession absolutely kicked our arses(we are Ireland and things got real dark for a while) but you suck it and make it through.

I think another lockdown is needed but I’m not thrilled about it.

I also feel angry for people who will be hugely affected by this when schools/colleges/ unis will
remain open

It should be all or nothing

I am privileged. Lockdown is fine for me. I do not want more lockdown. Altruistically for the effect on everyone else of a trashed economy, especially on those already in difficult circumstances.

Selfishly because there is no magic money tree and it will be me and my business being taxed to fuck in future years. I'd be happy if that money were going to build a stronger system of healthcare and social care but it is not going there, it is being pissed away on trying to abolish death.

Is there a best solution?

No lockdown will cause the NHS to be overwhelmed.

A lockdown will cause people to be in horrific situations and further ruin the economy.

I just know know what should be done, both are horrifying situations and it's so depressing. I think the whole 'save Christmas' thing is more to try and make sure people are compliant rather than saving one day however

I want a lockdown to slow the rate of infection and people dying/having long term complications. Because I look at the stats and they are horrifying. Every day there are another 20+ thousand, then that's another couple of hundred deaths to come down the line. And it's just going up and up and up.

I have elderly relatives we've not been able to see since February (who have very full lives, despite having health conditions that are managed fine normally, but which would put them in severe danger if they caught Covid). I want to be able to see them again one day.

But the government needs to get it right this time and to support everyone financially, support businesses. It needs to give money to mental health charities.

Of course lockdown is a completely different experience for people in small flats and people in detached houses with gardens. Now we know there's much less risk outdoors, hopefully parks will be kept open, and meeting friends outside, at a distance, maybe with masks, be okayed.

This is asking a lot, but if we don't lock down, the impact on everyone will be horrific, and possibly far worse than a few weeks of isolating. We can't just let the numbers creep up and up indefinitely, as so many people will die. This is a national crisis, and ignoring that won't make it go away.

The big issue for me is why didn't we have a 2 week lockdown over half term only to end up (probably) with a month lockdown in November.

I don't think the govt are doing this to save Christmas or save the elderly, the NHS won't be able to cope that is why they will do it.

I dont even see the point of another lockdown - and neither does dh who us a hospital consultant. Because yeah sure you might temporarily dampen down the spread for a short while (whilst damaging people in the process), but what then? As soon as we are back out boom! The virus doesn't give up and piss off because we hid from it! And if this Government hadn't run our NHS into the ground with their cuts and austerity measures our hospitals would be coping a damn sight better.

We have to find a way to live alongside Covid because it aint going anywhere for a very long time. Repeated lockdowns are just not a viable answer.

If you choose lockdown you screw the economy. If you don't choose lockdown, you screw health/health services/lose lives

Eckhart:

If you choose lockdown, you screw the economy and lose lives through suicide, cancer, heart failure and myriad other conditions. If you don't choose lockdown, you allow more people to catch Covid, the majority of whom will not die of it.

That's slightly more accurate.

I will be making the best of lock down and yes I am in a fortunate position to be able to do so. It doesn’t mean I don’t have empathy for those who are going to struggle, whether that’s financially, mentally etc. But me sitting around complaining would be even more insulting to those in difficulty. I wield no power. I couldn’t change the situation for anyone. Yes I wouldn’t be so insensitive as to post something on FB or whatever but the truth is I don’t know what’s for the best. I suppose I am not for or against lockdown. There are no easy answers.

YABU

Many people won't be directly affected by the lockdown, it doesn't make them HAPPY.

Only the super rich can keep traveling and enjoy themselves, everybody else is affected one way or another.
People on furlough made the best of a bad situation, why blaming them? How would it help anyone to be miserable?
People like me who have been WFH throughout are not specially enjoying themselves either.

Then there are people who believe that lockdown is the least dramatic option. Ignoring the pandemic in a country where NHS already cannot cope every single winter would be insane.

You don't have to agree with it, but there are not many people who are HAPPY about the whole mess.

If you choose lockdown, you screw the economy and lose lives through suicide, cancer, heart failure and myriad other conditions. If you don't choose lockdown, you allow more people to catch Covid, the majority of whom will not die of it.
Do you not think that if lockdown doesn't happen hospitals could be too overwhelmed to deal with other conditions anyway? Has that not occurred to you?

If you don't choose lockdown, you allow more people to catch Covid, the majority of whom will not die of it.

not sure why saturating the NHS which has been at breaking point every single winter for at least a decade seems like such a positive option frankly.

@ihatefacemasks

If you choose lockdown you screw the economy. If you don't choose lockdown, you screw health/health services/lose lives

Eckhart:

If you choose lockdown, you screw the economy and lose lives through suicide, cancer, heart failure and myriad other conditions. If you don't choose lockdown, you allow more people to catch Covid, the majority of whom will not die of it.

That's slightly more accurate.

I think we can safely discount the opinion of anyone called 'ihatefacemasks'.

I work from home. I'm not happy about this at all, and don't get how other countries are getting back to normal while we're still in the shit.