Worried this pandemic will never end

[JuneMoonstone]

Just watching Dr John Campell's Coronavirus update on YouTube. He said that the new variant of the virus has implications on herd immunity; that scientists had hoped herd immunity would be reached when about 70 % of people had been infected with covid 19, but with the new variant being so much more contagious, we may now need about 80% of people to be immune, in order to reach herd immunity. As a result the pandemic could go on longer as it'll take longer in order to reach this herd immunity. I honestly don't know how much more I can take of this horrendous situation. There is no end in sight. Just when there seemed to a tiny glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, the news of this new variant has snatched it away. I honestly believe this pandemic will never ever end and even when we think we've got it under control, some new mutant strain will crop up and we all get thrown right back to square 1. It seems like life will just be totally shit from now on and it breaks my heart, especially for my 5 year old daughter and all other children and young people. I'm sorry to be so negative but I am so utterly low and depressed and the news just gets worse and worse.

The solution is vaccination, OP.

If the number needed for herd immunity is now higher, well, I hope that those who are concerned about the lack of long-term testing will be persuaded by the time we get to them.

As a society, we will eventually decide to accept the virus circulating at low levels and some deaths each year - much as we do with flu - as the price we have to pay in order to have a fully functioning society.

Agree the vaccination is the way out. No need for herd immunity.

Yes, vaccination is the way out of this. The decision about the Oxford vaccine will hopefully be made on 28th or 29th December. Hang on in there OP.

Of course it will end. This isn't the first pandemic, all the others have ended without the scientific and medical knowledge we have today so why wouldn't this one?

It will take a while, it's not even been a year which is pretty short in terms of a pandemic. We just need to be patient.

Hang in there

We have a working vaccine tg

Yes herd immunity by vaccination. If you think about it, there should be around 25 million vaccinated by spring, which is more than a third of the population. That will be enough to make a good dent in the case numbers. Added to that around 10 million who will have had covid by then (the official recorded cases are no where near the actual number). That's over 50% of the population by just spring! By summer we will be a lot closer and things will seem more normal.

I get it, my kids are a similar age. I’ve been so depressed about it all. The Biontech vaccine guy was on saying we wouldn’t be saved this winter but hopefully by next winter we’d be in a different place. I don’t think he was necessarily banking on there being other vaccines though.

News is looking good re AZ vaccine and there is a good chance we will be vaccinating LOTS of people in January onwards. There is a light at the end of the tunnel but I agree it’s quite a dim one. If the pandemic had happened 10/20 years ago it would be a hell of a lot worse .

Vaccination and strict border controls - proper quarantine or show proof of a vaccination certificate. That’s what’s going to get us out of this mess, and stop the risk of further mutations arriving in the U.K.

imo the old norm of free, unfettered travel will be no more for quite a while yet. The sooner countries concede this the easier it’ll be.

Yes the vaccine is the only way out. Which is why it irritates me beyond belief when I see the usual idiots on my FB feed saying they’re not having it 🙄 You just stay in forever then and let us all start living again.

I feel you OP, I've had a baby this year,have a 10 and 11 year old and am so worried about their future. I didn't even know there was a press conference today until my mum mentioned it,then to hear about the other strain....my heart just sank. I've signed up to be a vaccinator and am hanging on to just hear whether I've been accepted so I know there's light at the end of the tunnel. But god,news like today makes me so worried.

You're not alone x

I see where you are coming from op but don’t forget, there was no guarantee the vaccines would work at all and they turned out to have a super high efficacy, not just 50% or 60% but as much as 95.

This has given us some slack to play with and means we are able to handle a more transmissible strain without herd immunity becoming impossible to reach.

Meanwhile, the flip side of it being more virulent is that more people will have caught it which will also push us towards herd immunity- not by the method we would have hoped for but nonetheless it will help.

It will be ok, we will get there.

Spanish flu lasted 18 months... most other pandemics have a similar lifetime.

With a bit of luck, we are nearly half way.

Add Vaccinations to the mix and its not as bad as it seems.

But then I am a firm believer that this thing has to run it's course- whatever the outcome.

I feel the same.
I'm not even a sociable person at all but I just miss my family and I feel awful for my 3 yo who doesn't understand why we can't see people anymore and the fact my baby will be 1 before she's held by my family.
Just hoping we'll all feel a little better in summer when we can make the most of the outdoors.

I don't think it will end either, OP.

We've been in this mess since March with no improvement and in fact it is looking more bleak every single day.

Not helpful I know, but just letting you know you aren't alone in your thinking

Pandemics always, always end.

This isn’t a new situation, it’s just new to us.

Hang in there.

You might find this a comforting read. I did.

hopeful

It’s not untested.

I think your tinfoil hat might be on a bit tight.

An ever mutating vaccine, given every year.

It will get better. I’m in tier 4, so far only 3 people I know have had it.
A 95 year old, who fell at home and tested positive in hospital, my cousin and a work colleague (none had symptoms).

I hope that the vaccine is whacked out soon, so that we can all have it and be done, whatever the consequences and get on with our bloody lives. Have China and NZ rolled out a vaccine already? As they seem near normal there?

Getting fed up of it now and the Government’s approach to it.

Thank you all for your replies and for the positive words. Im so sorry for all those who are really struggling with this mentally also. I do try to tell myself that like all pandemics, this one will end too, but phrases like the new normal and scientists saying that we will have to socially distance and wear face coverings for quite some time, possibly years more, makes me feel total despair. I hate this way of life. It isn't even a life, just a miserable, boring, hopeless existence. LunaNorth thank you for the article, I'll have a read of it. The loneliness I feel really doesn't help, being cooped in a tiny house and trying to stay positive for my DD when my mental health is in tatters. All I want to do is curl up in bed and put the duvet over my head.

All it means is that instead of 70% getting the vaccine 80% will need it. We are well on the way with the vaccine, hopefully Oxfords will come on line soon

Stop looking at SM, look at the bbc news once a day, think of Christmas and your child

It will end OP. The vaccine is being rolled out for healthcare workers with incredible speed and we are all embracing it. There are new vaccines on the horizon. Keep the faith