When do you think life will be 'normal'

[positivevibes88]

Do you think by next Christmas? As in, allowing big gatherings, unlimited household mixing.. just wondering what people's best guesses are..

@Katie517

By Spring. People here saying 2023/2024 have lost a sense of reality and perspective. It’s simply not possible for it to carry on once the vulnerable have been vaccinated. Yes there might be precautions, hand sanitiser, giving people more personal space in busy environments but it will switch to personal responsibility. Society cannot continue like this indefinitely and the government cannot continue to fund 80% of people’s salaries for any longer and people’s mental health will not take much more. You can already see a stark difference in attitudes now to back in March (if you ask real people not the lockdown lovers of mumsnet). People need joy and a reason to live at the moment we are just existing without the fundamental things that make life worthwhile and enriched.

Totally agree with this the economy won't survive it goes beyond this year I think summer

@MistletoeandGin

Also the people who say ‘not until 2023’ etc, are you forgetting that in the summer we were down to approximately 5 deaths a week, and that was without a vaccine? Do you think once numbers are down to that level again and vulnerable people are vaccinated, the government are going to allow the economy to continue being destroyed?

But things weren't anywhere near "normal" in Summer were they? There were no large gathering events, most people weren't going on holidays, public transport was pretty empty, loads of people working from home, schools closed, social distancing in pubs/restaurants, etc etc. It was also after 3 months of lockdown with most things closed.

It was when things opened up again that cases started to rise, i.e. in August after the "eat out to help out" stupidity and after some people had been holidaying abroad etc.

@Sarahandduck18

I think masks, hand sanitising, the move to cashless and online shopping will all be permanent.

Masks will not be permanent

Masks will not be permanent

They may not be compulsory, but they will be pretty common. Before covid, people were ridiculed if they wore a mask. It has now become normalised. Some people, such as the vulnerable with health conditions, will be a lot more comfortable wearing masks in busy places, on public transport, etc.

But things weren't anywhere near "normal" in Summer were they? There were no large gathering events, most people weren't going on holidays, public transport was pretty empty, loads of people working from home, schools closed, social distancing in pubs/restaurants, etc etc. It was also after 3 months of lockdown with most things closed

Which is why I added ‘and vulnerable people are vaccinated.
Once the most vulnerable are vaccinated there will be little appetite from the general public or the government to continue restrictions. They already know they’re towing a fine line with the harm the measures are causing vs the harm of Covid.
Once the NHS is no longer in danger of being overwhelmed by Covid (although let’s not forget it was overwhelmed every flu season, so let’s pray they’re given some extra funding going forward) the restrictions will end. And that’s likely to be when the most vulnerable are vaccinated.

I think by summertime but if you really can't cope with having to socialise just claim to be a vaccine denier and you can continue to be a hermit 😊

We need a much higher proportion of the population to be vaccinated now there is a new variant. That will take time. Something like 80% will be needed.

@RMRM

We need a much higher proportion of the population to be vaccinated now there is a new variant. That will take time. Something like 80% will be needed.

Once the most vulnerable section of society are vaccinated, the death rate will decrease significantly and the affects on the NHS will be manageable.

I think things will have massively eased by summer, still a cautious winter and by next year back to normal ish.

@MistletoeandGin

But things weren't anywhere near "normal" in Summer were they? There were no large gathering events, most people weren't going on holidays, public transport was pretty empty, loads of people working from home, schools closed, social distancing in pubs/restaurants, etc etc. It was also after 3 months of lockdown with most things closed

Which is why I added ‘and vulnerable people are vaccinated.
Once the most vulnerable are vaccinated there will be little appetite from the general public or the government to continue restrictions. They already know they’re towing a fine line with the harm the measures are causing vs the harm of Covid.
Once the NHS is no longer in danger of being overwhelmed by Covid (although let’s not forget it was overwhelmed every flu season, so let’s pray they’re given some extra funding going forward) the restrictions will end. And that’s likely to be when the most vulnerable are vaccinated.

That depends on whether there are enough staff available in schools, hospitals etc. If only the vulnerable are vaccinated, there will still be covid circulated in the general population, meaning teachers and nurses will be contracting it, requiring time off to recover, and yes, some will have long term issues and some will die. So, even without the elderly taking up ICU beds etc., the NHS and schools may still struggle due to staff absences, which will mean that some restrictions need to stay in place to hold down the infection rates until most people are vaccinated.

Fine. I give in. 2024 earliest.

6% economic contraction in Q1 2021, and Sunak muttering hopefully about February. I think he's optimistic but it's a clear indication that they won't wear many further restrictions once enough people have been vaccinated.
2024 or similar is ludicrous, we won't have anything left to pay for the NHS and furlough will be distant memory.

I think March 2021 when a big proportion of the vaccine/s has been rolled out. Ok hand sanitiser and masks might be more common but I don't actually see that as a bad thing. Maybe we'll be more educated about how germs spread? I, like a previous PP have been a lot less ill this year. Vitamin D helps too. More ventilation in public spaces I don't see as a bad thing either.

It won't go on forever. People find it hard to deal with change and catastrophic events, but then they don't think things will ever go back to 'normal'. They did in the past (1918 flu, wars) and they will again. Sadly, these things are part of human existence on this planet, it's never going to be 'finished' as in an end result or utopia.

@MistletoeandGin

Thankfully *@Onedropbeat* I can live my life normally despite some people being ‘nervous’.

You and I too

But if you or I have nervous friends or family that removes a level of normal from seeing them in what I would consider a normal environment

For example - going to the pub

2024 or similar is ludicrous, we won't have anything left to pay for the NHS and furlough will be distant memory.

They've just got to find the additional money for the benefits bill, which is going to be a whopper the longer this goes on.

I don’t know why people persist with this idea that we’re going to return to ‘normal’.

We will never go back to ‘normal’ I’m afraid. Life has changed permanently as vaccines do not prevent transmission. Allowing COVID to let rip would result in millions of healthy people left permanently disabled by Long COVID.

There will be no more large gatherings or casually meeting a friend for coffee. No more huge Christmas dinners with family. Zoom will replace all of the above permanently.

We will all be spending a lot more time in our own homes from now on. That is not a bad thing.

@LitPeach

I don’t know why people persist with this idea that we’re going to return to ‘normal’.

We will never go back to ‘normal’ I’m afraid. Life has changed permanently as vaccines do not prevent transmission. Allowing COVID to let rip would result in millions of healthy people left permanently disabled by Long COVID.

There will be no more large gatherings or casually meeting a friend for coffee. No more huge Christmas dinners with family. Zoom will replace all of the above permanently.

We will all be spending a lot more time in our own homes from now on. That is not a bad thing.

I'm surprised you haven't called for the army and ten grand fines, like you normally do.

2022. This is nowhere near over yet.

@LitPeach

I don’t know why people persist with this idea that we’re going to return to ‘normal’.

We will never go back to ‘normal’ I’m afraid. Life has changed permanently as vaccines do not prevent transmission. Allowing COVID to let rip would result in millions of healthy people left permanently disabled by Long COVID.

There will be no more large gatherings or casually meeting a friend for coffee. No more huge Christmas dinners with family. Zoom will replace all of the above permanently.

We will all be spending a lot more time in our own homes from now on. That is not a bad thing.

Because it's happened many, many times over human history and life has returned to normal eventually.

Okay, I concede there will still be some people living in lockdown until 2027 like those Japanese soldiers in the jungle still fighting WW2 in the 60s.

Maybe coming out occasionally for food and supplies and to say “it’s going to be another fifty years at least but we need to accept reality, I’m afraid. Sorry.” as the rest of the country conga-lines past them on our way back to the pub.

@Fizbosshoes

I do think some things that have occurred are positive and hopefully might stay. I've found my GP service far more efficient and would happily continue with phone apts (but with the option of f2f if needed) I think although one poster on a different thread wanted every social function to be on zoom forever more , I think it would be good if weddings etc were available on zoom as well as happening in real life! for people that couldnt attend in person (eg elderly relatives or those who lived too far away) and possibly church services.

I agree with this actually. I think phone conversations with the GP are much better for lots of issues. Of course sometimes people need to be examined, but there are plenty of consultations that don't require examination!

@GoldenOmber

More hygiene in general long term is a good thing.

I just knew LitPeach would pop up on this spouting nonsense as usual.

I casually met a friend for coffee today so that blows that theory out the water @LitPeach