To be hopefully that things will be back to normal by April

[Tellmelies65]

I’m convinced things will be mostly back to normal by April. Am in denial?

Looking back at the Spanish flu, there were 4 waves over 2 years

Looking at our government history on this pandemic, it’s not great so holding my breath on vaccination program, not enough vaccinations available at present

I’d say we will hopefully be in a different position in 12 months

@Aquamarine1029

I don't think there is any possibility of things being "normal" by April, sorry. I fail to understand why you're convinced it will be.

She probably thinks it will be because top government officials have repeatedly said it will be? I don't believe them either, but the OP hasn't made up the idea it'll be ok by Easter/the end of April, e.g. www.google.com/amp/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-johnson-says-have-very-19500761.amp

I find it interesting that on every thread ahead of Christmas where a poster was saying that they really wanted to see family and were thinking of maxing out or exceeding the three households they were told by lots of posters that they were being stupid because 'this will be over in a few months', 'have a big family Easter instead', 'we're just holding on for the vaccine, it's a matter of weeks now so why risk it at Christmas?'. Interestingly this MN optimism seemed to disappear as soon as people had been encouraged to give up their only guaranteed day to socialise properly with family for an indefinite period, which actually seems quite cruel...

I think it will be a gradual return. By April I think things will be better. Still some restrictions- rule of 6/ 2 households, still social distancing and mask wearing but starting to be able to do more.
By August I would hope that we’ll be closer to normal.

The Oxford vaccine will be a game changer because it will be so much easier to roll out on a big scale. We could be vaccinating thousands of people a day in every town. I would volunteer to help if needed!
Cannot wait to go for a meal with extended family or take my kids to cinema or just drive up to a national trust without booking!

I don’t think masks are going anywhere any time soon
I think that trAvel will be harder due to covid and brexit
I think a lot of businesses will not reopen
I also hope for a revolution in the way that white collar jobs are done and there is more use of technology to reduce the need for working in an office and the need for travel which will then have a positive impact on the environment

I haven’t seen my family since last Christmas due to them being on the other side of the country I was hoping to go up the Easter holidays but I’m holding off on booking travel as I’m not convinced we will be there yet back end of the year I think it’s more realistic for “normality”

I don't think that they will be normal as we knew it, but I do think that things will be much better.

I don't think things will be normal as such, but feel confident that life will be easier and manageable. I think we'll see some restrictions for a while yet in terms of limitations on capacity in venues, contact tracing and sanitising so while places will be open and events going ahead it will still feel different. I can't imagine we'll be back to being able to go about our lives without planning things closely for some time. But that's OK. If I can go out to eat, have days out etc I can cope with the small inconveniences that will come with it. I think autumn for bigger changes when rhe vaccine is more widely rolled out and/or available privately.

I am thinking Autumn, if all goes to plan but we do seem to be remarkably incapable of doing this. Not at ground level when everyone has been working their socks off but just the logistics and the big ideas that can't actually be achieved. Those in power/doing the talking never seem to consult with those actually doing the job so we get misleading headlines that those at the coal face know are the very best case scenario with a good dose of luck.

OP - I think around April too. Mainly because the vaccinations will start kicking in on the death numbers by end of Feb, which is when most of the higher risk people are supposed to be jabbed by. Obviously people under 70/without shielding level underlying conditions can die from covid, but they don't in big numbers. Each week that the NHS has capacity and death rates from covid are falling will put significant pressure on government to lift restrictions.

Most people are following rules because they are rules now, not because they fear covid, so as soon as rules change, we'll get back to normal fast. Few people are genuinely scared of it anymore, they are scared of the 10 days in the house if you get it.

'Normal' by April, I don't think so although I wish it were true. Better? Yes, definitely.

@hamstersarse

Things should be back to normal as the vaccination of vulnerable people should be at such a point where the death rate is reduced to a level which is manageable even for our shit NHS

BUT, seeing as we are no longer just about ‘protecting the NHS’ and we now seem intent on a zero risk society, no doubt this shite will still be hanging around pissing up the lives of the majority of healthy people

Well - there’s fucking gratitude. I currently live in a country which is famous for having a Rolls Royce private system. No one in it gives a shit about the ongoing health issue I’ve had since February as it’s not obvious what it is, and they’ve already hit my insurer up for all the obvious tests. The doctors are, in the main, massively patronising and sexist and don’t let you finish a sentence - your job is to be the “body” in front of them. And we shell out a £800 a month for a fairly basic package in which we pay £150-ish for each visit to the GP. The kids have state subsidy but I absolutely do consider whether or not my health complaint warrants a bill in an expensive month. Be careful what you wish for...

GP surgeries are gearing up to start vaccinating with the AstraZeneca vaccine in early to mid January, it's expected that its approval is imminent.

I'm also wondering how things will work once people have had their vaccine. Will they be able to go out and mix with others, even if people who haven't been vaccinated still have to adhere to certain restrictions? Or will everyone be under restrictions until so many people are vaccinated?

My sister is convinced she'll be able to travel to our parents house with her kids and stay with them over February half term because hopefully our parents will have been vaccinated by then. But I'm not sure it will work like that?

April 2022 maybe?

I don’t understand why the vaccines aren’t going to the 20-50 ish year olds who are keeping the virus in circulation rather than the at risk groups who are less out and about. Unless I’ve misunderstood how vaccines work. Although I get the general idea of reducing pressure on the health service it just doesn’t sound like the people most responsible for the transmission of the virus in the general UK population will be vaccinated until much later on in 2022?

I feel like the main issue will be getting enough supply of the vaccines with every other country in the world needing theirs too. How realistic is it the UK could have tens of millions of dozens available by late Feb-early March?

After the new variant they seem to be saying the percentage of the population vaccinated needs to be higher now in order to reach herd immunity.

Wintertime6 the rules might not have eased by then but if your parents have been vaccinated I would 100% go and see them as normal

Agree that the ease of administrating the Oxford vaccine is the key to releasing restrictions. Mass vaccination programs can be done with this vaccine, 1000's a day via drive ins, community vaccination hubs and large scale distribution across schools, universities etc. What does need to be considered is how long do the effects last and what happens into next winter.

Oxford will get approval imminently and the NHS have a proven record of max vaccinations as the flu vaccine can be done in 6-8 weeks with far less resources thrown at it.

I am very optimistic for 2021. It will need patience and hopefully the general public will help by not missing appointments, being proactive and flexible with times etc. Once the extremely vulnerable and vulnerable have been vaccinated then distancing will remain in public places but the pressure is off and tier 3/4 and maybe tier 2 should be behind us!

Hunker down for now and enjoy the cozy hygge. Spring into summer will be such a relief ☺️.

Things I hope will be greatly improved by April. Hope is all we have. I can also see this happening in people’s family’s/networks: as soon as extremely vulnerable/vulnerable are vaccinated they will be out and about visiting family etc even if it goes against the rules. The rest of us will see this and some of us who’s had enough of restrictions will just slowly start getting back on with life.

My 88 year old neighbour sat for 3 days phoning for vaccine...only to be told they’ve all gone and phone back in January

The normal flu jab doesn’t have the take up that this one does

I think the reality is different from what we all hope, sadly

@hamstersarse

Things should be back to normal as the vaccination of vulnerable people should be at such a point where the death rate is reduced to a level which is manageable even for our shit NHS

BUT, seeing as we are no longer just about ‘protecting the NHS’ and we now seem intent on a zero risk society, no doubt this shite will still be hanging around pissing up the lives of the majority of healthy people

So much this! Once the elderly and vulnerable are vaccinated we should be able to get back to normal. We don't need to wait for herd immunity before getting back to normal.

I am the eternal optimist and am hoping for a relatively normal Easter. I agree that the Oxford vaccine could really speed things up.

I really am hoping for a good 2021 🤞

@dolphinnoises I may be wrong, but I read it as the NHS being shit because it's been chronically underfunded for years. I don't think the poster was wishing for a private health care system.

@katienana

Wintertime6 the rules might not have eased by then but if your parents have been vaccinated I would 100% go and see them as normal

Out of interest, would you be as supportive of someone going to go see a relative 'no matter the rules' if they just happened to both be low risk due to age/health rather than one of them having been given low risk status through vaccination?

I desperately hope so! I'm s'pose to be getting married in April, Ive got everything crossed.

Who do they think is going to administer this vaccine. Nurses and docs stretched to capacity already! Maybe the milkman?