People don’t really understand the purpose of the restrictions, do they?

[Notcontent]

My DC has already had Covid and I am not in any vulnerable category (and probably been exposed already). On a personal level, the restrictions have had a very negative effect on my life and I also feel that the way the Government has handled everything has been very erratic and inconsistent.

BUT, “we are where we are” and I fully understand the purpose of the restrictions - they are there not necessarily to protect me personally or my DC but to halt the spread of the virus and therefore reduce the number of people who will get really sick with it.

But it seems that a lot of people still don’t get it and say things like “well, it should be a personal decision” or “we are having a party because none of us are vulnerable”.

YANBU

Their only purpose is to protect the NHS hence why they get tighter when hospitals are close to breaking point. If the NHS had been better funded and "protected" for the past ten years then we wouldn't be in as bad a situation for a start.

Restrictions aren't to eradicate the virus as people seem to trot out. I constantly see people say things like 'if people don't follow the rules, we'll never get rid of this virus' etc. You can't get rid of a virus, aside from getting the entire population vaccinated. As long as people are allowed to leave the country or need to go to work etc, then there is always potential to spread a virus.

Don't forget that the reason we have distancing etc is because you can have it without knowing as you could be asymptomatic- in fact a large proportion who have it are asymptomatic. Yet people still seem to think they can't possibly have it if they're not sick in need with a terrible cough.

And some people still don't get that if you have a temperature you need to test (or isolate).

@Wtfdidwedo

Their only purpose is to protect the NHS hence why they get tighter when hospitals are close to breaking point. If the NHS had been better funded and "protected" for the past ten years then we wouldn't be in as bad a situation for a start.

Restrictions aren't to eradicate the virus as people seem to trot out. I constantly see people say things like 'if people don't follow the rules, we'll never get rid of this virus' etc. You can't get rid of a virus, aside from getting the entire population vaccinated. As long as people are allowed to leave the country or need to go to work etc, then there is always potential to spread a virus.

This. And I'm not interested in protecting a health service that hasn't been fit for purpose for years.

I agree OP. I can't bear hearing people say "I'm willing to take the risk". These people are utterly clueless. It makes me so cross.

Utterly clueless and utterly selfish is, unfortunately, how I'd describe the vast majority of the British population right now.

This. And I'm not interested in protecting a health service that hasn't been fit for purpose for years.

See this is such a stupid comment. The reason for ‘protecting the NHS’ is for you and yours as much as anything, not to protect the institution per se. It’s irrelevant that you think that the NHS is chronically underfunded, currently it’s what we have and what you will rely on should you or your loved ones get sick with anything requiring medical care. Not just Covid.

I think most people “get it” perfectly well - they just don’t particularly care. I’m not sure why this is surprising: I didn’t particularly care about a bunch of strangers prior to March and I haven’t had a magical personality transplant since. If I keep to restrictions it’s through not wanting a fine rather than out of any real benevolence towards others.

I find it interesting though, how when it comes to obeying the rules and social distancing, it’s considered entirely unacceptable and massively selfish to say that you aren’t going to comply with tier rules or lockdown because they don’t suit your personal circumstances and you aren’t in a risk category and don’t know anyone vulnerable anyway; but totally acceptable to say you won’t be having the vaccine for the same reasons. Both are about looking after vulnerable people regardless of whether Coronavirus would affect you as an individual badly. To achieve the herd immunity which will protect those who cannot have the vaccine for medical reasons and those for whom it’s ineffective, we need wide take up of the vaccine. Yet the same people whose favourite word this year has been “selfish” when it comes to condemning other’s behaviour over lockdown, don’t see the irony of their own refusal to be vaccinated, which they believe should be personal choice based on their own risk assessment.

they are there not necessarily to protect me personally or my DC but to halt the spread of the virus and therefore reduce the number of people who will get really sick with it.

But it seems that a lot of people still don’t get it and say things like “well, it should be a personal decision” or “we are having a party because none of us are vulnerable”.

Absolutely agree, @Notcontent

I awoke to news of the new strain now upping numbers of hospitalisations in Cumbria. It reminded me of the dreadful time 20 years ago when we were struck up here with foot & mouth disease.

Everybody then saying how terrible it was, but still moving around, moving livestock around, and then wringing their hands at the huge bonfires of infected carcasses of livestock.

Clearly all those people high-tailing it out of the SE to get north have carried the virus with them. People need to understand that their actions have an impact far more widely than just them.

We all need to act as if we are carrying the virus, and are a risk to others.

The prohibitions are to prevent hospitals from collapsing through all emergency beds, oxygen supplies, and medical personnel, being taken over by covid sufferers. Because if that happened, tens of thousands of people - young, fit, healthy people - will die from conditions and emergencies that would not kill them had there been a bed or a surgeon available for them. That's all. The restrictions are NOT there to save the lives of the elderly or vulnerable per se. Plus if a quarter of the country's ill in bed at the same time, life truest does grind to a stop, albeit temporarily.

What this pandemic has rammed home is just how fucking stupid many people are

@ComtesseDeSpair excellent point about the vaccine - I noticed that too!

@ComtesseDeSpair

I find it interesting though, how when it comes to obeying the rules and social distancing, it’s considered entirely unacceptable and massively selfish to say that you aren’t going to comply with tier rules or lockdown because they don’t suit your personal circumstances and you aren’t in a risk category and don’t know anyone vulnerable anyway; but totally acceptable to say you won’t be having the vaccine for the same reasons

Because one thing is to have to wear a mask, not see people outside of your household, etc, and another thing is to be forced to have medical treatment (inoculation with a newly developed vaccine) which may (or may not) put your health at risk

Two very different asks

@ComtesseDeSpair and @tappitytaptap

regardless of whether Coronavirus would affect you as an individual badly

Currently the Covid vaccines are solely to protect the individual, they are not proven to stop transmission

I don't think it's surprising that people don't see the point in the rules when there has been so much inconsistency with the rules.

When people were allowed to go to school, work, non-essential shops, hairdressers, museums, sporting events, pubs.... of course they're going to say hang on, why can't I go see my family and friends?

When people can stay out drinking until 11 pm, why go home at 11.01 on the dot?

If you could see people on Christmas day, why not the day after?

People are tired and stressed and sad. They want their lives back. I'm not saying people should break the rules but I think it's not surprising, it's just human nature.

I don’t think they’re “very different asks” at all for the many people who have been prevented by law from earning a living and lost their livelihoods as a result; or for the many people whose other health issues have been neglected or exacerbated during the past year. I think you’re in a very fortunate position indeed if lockdown and restrictions have only been about wearing masks in Sainsbury’s and not seeing your friends.

There is not a health service in the world that can cope with unchecked exponential spread. You could have 4 times the capacity, and if cases are doubling every week, that extra capacity would last a whole fortnight. The only way to prevent any health service from being overrun is to prevent the exponential demands that are being placed on it.

People who say that our NHS is not fit for purpose forget that public satisfaction with our NHS peaked during the Blair years, at which point we were said to have the best value for money health service in the world. I'm sure there was plenty of money being wasted, but waiting lists were down and outcomes were improving across the board.

They understand perfectly, they are making a valid choice that after nearly a year of living with restrictions to protect other people they want to do something enjoyable with their friends or family. Or they’ve decided that if the government thinks it’s acceptable for them to be at risk at work, then it’s a acceptable for them to take a risk at a family members house.

People were never going to buy into long term restrictions that make little sense. I understand the point of the restrictions completely, I still think they make no sense when schools are open.

If you break your arm today you are v likely to have to wait 12 hours to see a doctor. If you need oxygen for an asthma attack you might need to wait 12 hours to get some. If your loved one needs an ambulance for a heart attack/stroke/car accident then they might have to wait 6 hours plus for one as they are all busy. Or might not get one at all.
That's what protecting the NHS is about. Making sure doctors do not have to decide who gets treatment and who doesn't - not just for Covid. Making sure everyone can be treated for any emergency and not left to due because they are full. It's really v simple.

@Jinglingmod

Utterly clueless and utterly selfish is, unfortunately, how I'd describe the vast majority of the British population right now.

Complete rubbish. The vast majority are complying, more or less. There is a small minority of idiots.

I do wish people would stop exaggerating - does it make you feel better to exaggerate?

I understand the point of the restrictions completely, I still think they make no sense when schools are open

Schools = education. Education is important.

Pubs = parties. Parties are not important.

It's very easy to understand but lots of people like to wilfully misunderstand including my own, normally quite intelligent, dc.

Yet the same people whose favourite word this year has been “selfish” when it comes to condemning other’s behaviour over lockdown, don’t see the irony of their own refusal to be vaccinated, which they believe should be personal choice based on their own risk assessment.

You don’t think having a medicine injected into you is something that should remain personal choice? So we’re supposed to have the right to bodily autonomy when it comes to everything except vaccinations? I’m up for having the vaccine, but I couldn’t criticise anyone who isn’t. It’s entirely up to them what they do with their own body, same as when people take choose to do things that could impact the nhs like overeating unhealthily or riding a motorcycle.

@ComtesseDeSpair

If you were forced to have a tonsillectomy to avoid overburdening the NHS with recurring throat infections or forced to have an abortion to help with overpopulation, would you go ahead an do it?

Of course they are very different asks when it comes to your own body and health

@annevonkleve

I understand the point of the restrictions completely, I still think they make no sense when schools are open

Schools = education. Education is important.

Pubs = parties. Parties are not important.

It's very easy to understand but lots of people like to wilfully misunderstand including my own, normally quite intelligent, dc.

I understand that, but actually schools being open and education isn’t important to everyone.

To plenty of people who don’t work in school, don’t go to school, don’t have children in school, school really isn’t that important. But having a social life might be very important to those people. Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to judge them. We all have our own things in society that are most important to us that might mean nothing to someone else.

And I'm not interested in protecting a health service that hasn't been fit for purpose for years.

Prize winner of the most stupid post of the day.

So, I presume that poster doesn't want any treatment if they fall ill or have an accident if they aren't interested whether we have a functioning NHS or not!

Speechless!