Normality by the summer

[Hellin301]

With the vaccine toll out set to commence, do you think we will be close to normality by the summer?

Yes if enough people have the vaccine, I think it's 60%+ of the population need to have it to suppress it. If not then the shit show will rumble on.

I think it will feel very normal by summer even if there are still huge chunks of population needing vaccination

As soon as I have had the vaccine I will be resuming my normal life insofar as I am legally able to do so. I’m in the lowest priority group so all vulnerable people should have had the chance to be vaccinated before me.

Yes I think so. We just need to get enough people to take it.

Yes I would put money on it. They have said once the most vulnerable are vaccinated it will go to personal responsibility rather than national restrictions and they are estimating this by Easter.

I also don’t think they will have a problem getting enough people to have the vaccine. There are many people who want it, those who don’t will just leave more available for the rest of us who do!

Yes, I though Matt Hancock speaking this morning was hinting that there could be relaxations of restrictions about Easter/April/ish if the immunisation programme went well (and all the vulnerable/elderly have had the opportunity to have it)

So we're in the hands of the manufacturers and how quickly they can fulfil orders

Yes, I think so.
If we’re not I think it is more likely to be due to vaccine supply issues rather than not finding enough people who want to take it.

No

Yes definitely. Then we just have to deal with any Brexit fallout

Yes. What’s was the whole goal of this? We seem to forget? To not overwhelm the NHS. If most of the elderly and vulnerable and NHS workers have had the vaccine by say March. Couple this then with the seasonal aspect to this virus. I can’t see why we wouldn’t have normality?

It may not be eradicated and may be circulating at low levels? But if nobody is dying and hospitals are running normally what would the justification for more measures be?

The economic fallout from all this is another matter!

For those who say no, could you explain why you think not?

Yes and no. There are just so many questions right now, for example some countries will require proof of vaccination, but if the UK decides to not vaccinate those under 18 years old, will they be able to travel with their parents? How are schools going to function if children (mostly teenagers) will still pass on the illness to one another? is the self isolation policy going to carry on for kids? etc etc.

I'll answer your question fully in about two months time!

I'll return to normality as soon as the law permits me to, vaccine or no vaccine. I'm optimistic of there being real moves to this by late spring.

@QueenBlueberries I imagine that as the majority of children are asymptomatic or only suffer mild symptoms that it may just be treated like a normal illness once vaccines are widely available.

I think once the vaccine is out there and readily available then the country will have to try its best to pick up where it left of (as much as possible) and carry on.

There will be people who will refuse the vaccine. Some out of fears, which should be addressed, others out of stupidity/stubbornness. Those in the later category should be made to take responsibility for themselves. That is the only way they country can carry on. They can’t be allowed to continue ‘shielding’, ‘isolating’ or pulling on NHS beds at the governments expense whilst rejecting a vaccine.

(Although I honestly think everyone who contracts an illness they’ve been offered a vaccine against and refused should be charged for their treatment at NHS cost price. There are very few illnesses/injuries in life which can be so easily avoided by such an easy little prick in the arm.)

I would wait until June to get it on the basis that I’m pregnant and want to give birth first (no one wants to be trailing new vaccines whilst pregnant) but the moment baby is out I’ll be in the queue to get mine!!

• I’m very happy to avoid pubs/restaurants and other high risk areas until June though as fully understand this is my choice.

I think we'll be much closer but we'll be paying and doing tests to prove that we don't have Covid so we can go to gigs or whatever.

(We = healthy people under 50 who are lowest priority for vaccine)

@rosie39forever

Yes if enough people have the vaccine, I think it's 60%+ of the population need to have it to suppress it. If not then the shit show will rumble on.

You only need to vaccinate the most vulnerable that take up 90% of the hospital beds before you release everyone.

The difference in death data between old and young is orders of magnitude.

God I hope so!

I could not bear another summer like the last. I found it thoroughly depressing. I don't mind the restrictions so much now as winter is normally 'down time' for me. But another summer 'interacting' with people via Teams and going for yet another walk? No. Just no.

I’m not sure I can remember what normal was. If I’ll be doing my best to set back to it as soon as possible!

*but not if 🙈

Day to day in the UK, I think that there will be very few if any restrictions, yes. Whether that leads to “normal” in terms of businesses still going, employment levels, nhs waiting lists etc is another story.

Going on “round the world cruises” or backpacking round Australia type stuff, no I think that’s a long way off still.

I hope so, I can't cope with these restrictions for much longer. Things feel so hopeful today.