I can now see a way out of covid!

[Icanseegreenshoots]

I can see the route out this spring and summer.

Those in the vulnerable groups and the elderly will be vaccinated soon, and whilst the rest of the country is being vaccinated - which will take some time the following could happen -

Schools will introduce bi weekly mass testing to stay open. Teachers will be vaccinated which means they will never close again.

Restaurants will ask for on the spot 15 minute tests before seating people, ditto all public venues. Mass testing will become part and parcel of our lives everything from music festivals to theatre shows will include a test regardless if you have had a vaccine or not.

The testing will become so common place we will not blink as we wait in careful lines to be admitted into places. Every company that works away from home will adopt their own policies.

Travel will be replicated by many tests and careful procedures allowing people to travel once again.

Masks will eventually be replaced with testing and vaccines, but they will still be used on public transport and other areas. We will largely be in control of all infection by this point, and drive it down to very very low numbers allowing for society to hug, dance and enjoy life once again.

This is the best case scenario in my view - and one I hope will be our reality soon enough.

I don't know anyone that is afraid of long covid. It does not last forever in the vast majority of cases, just a few months in the worst case scenario. The majority of us will have a mild illness and recover fully.

Restaurants unless they are very big and busy would not need to use them, but theatres and other places with lots of people could offer them as a way to reopen gwen

@Icanseegreenshoots

I don't know anyone that is afraid of long covid. It does not last forever in the vast majority of cases, just a few months in the worst case scenario. The majority of us will have a mild illness and recover fully.

We don't know how long it lasts for. I am afraid of it to be honest, but not enough that I would not go out if it was legal.

there are quick tests that are more accurate than you are indicating - the only problem is you can be negative one day and catch it the next .
I can see masks and SD will still be required but more normal life except for this may resume to a certain extent .

Then as more people get vaccinated the incidences will reduce and pressure will ease

if you have time read the report in the economist about Japan - there is more research to do into genetics but basically the population are aware of an respect the dangers and it seems it is their individual actions that have kept infection down . Everyone wearing masks / avoiding risky environments / etc etc .

Its an interesting article .

As one scientist said we have the problem of being a liberal democratic society . Plus the gutter press and social media experts .

@Icanseegreenshoots

Restaurants unless they are very big and busy would not need to use them, but theatres and other places with lots of people could offer them as a way to reopen gwen

So an usher would be performing the test? I wouldn't allow that either, but then I'm not bothered about theatres or any other very large gatherings. I miss pubs, restaurants, medium-sized parties.

gwen We don't know enough about covid you are right, but hopefully we will never need to if all goes to plan with the vaccines, we can leave the boring stuff to SAGE again, they can work out the dynamics of the virus and we move on with our own stuff - happier stuff like holidays, kids parties and all the things we took for granted.

@FoxyTheFox

It will eventually end up being treated in the same way we treat the flu. Those who are vulnerable will be offered a yearly vaccine, possibly bundled into the same syringe as the flu one so you have one jab instead of two. Those who want the jab but don't qualify to get it free can pay to have it done at Tesco/Boots/the pharmacy/wherever. Everyone else will just get on with it. There will eventually be no isolation, no testing (unless hospitalised where they'd test to guide diagnosis and treatment), and no quarantining, winter will be known as flu and covid season.

Spot on.

Standing in queues having cotton buds shoved up my nose and down my throat everytime I want to go anywhere, then having to wait for results? No thanks. I would rather not go. People will get tired of that quickly, and then places will shut because people aren't using them.
Who will be carrying out all these tests at all these venues? Where will the money come from to do this forever more? When have we ever done this with any other illness?

Schools aren't closed to protect teachers!

Schools are closed to prevent community spread!

I think my general point is that it won't stay as crap as it is now. We are making such amazing progress - incredible progress - even if it does not feel like right now in the middle of another lockdown.
We are reaching the darkest moment of the third (and hopefully final) wave, it feels like it has been going on forever, but it will end. For all of us, it will end.

I keep thinking of the saying it is always darkest before dawn, and this for me sums up the situation perfectly. We are going to be okay.

What happens when someone tests positive though?

I like your optimism and it sounds like a great plan.

I just hope it’s not using the lateral flow tests that have been proven to be useless as they appear to miss as many positive cases as they catch.

That’s a fucking depressing ‘optimistic way out of this’.

@FoxyTheFox

I like your prediction better.

and what happens when tonnes of people at the music festival on sunday test negative and go around hugging everyone then when they test in work on Monday they are positive ....meaning that while they were hugging everyone at the music festival the day before they were cautigious ?
Sorry OP good to be optimistic but i don't see that this will be the way out of this !

Well as long as they are not over eighty or highly vulnerable in some way what difference would it make gall? The virus exists, we can't stay locked up forever. When the vulnerable and elderly are vaccinated, every effort should be made to fully reopen society. We are only locked down to help the NHS cope, and for no other reason.

Literally everyone around me has covid or is recovering from covid. It is beginning to be the case now that I know MORE people that have had it, than the other way around. It is no big deal if you are reasonably healthy and under sixty.

If you go to a festival and sign a disclaimer and take your test - and test negative. Assuming you are young and healthy why would you be worried?! Even in the very worst case there is a slight risk you catch it, you are ill and you recover as you would with anything else.

Grannies that are not vaccinated and go to festivals and catch it take that chance themselves. They sign a disclaimer and know the risks.

We are not going to be living in a closed society for very much longer. Sorry to those that are enjoying being locked up, but really it is coming to an end.

I think in the shorter term, testing regularly in school is the way forward. And yes, I work in a school as a TA. Train us to test safely, give us the right PPE and schools stay open.

Personally, I think that the economic situation is as dangerous as the virus. Open shops, masks, queueing outside, limited numbers. Tests to get on a plane? Abolustely. And if needed, yes, before large events. Not everyone has a phone, granted, but there must be a way of testing regularly and carrying a negative result on an app so that events can go ahead......

And, if you had Covid three months ago? Bad luck, the tests still show you’re positive, so you’re screwed for three months.

Testing for everything without highly sensitive and reliable tests is frankly a ridiculous idea.

@SoupDragon

Shame you can't see your way to the coronavirus topic.

Oohhhhhhhhh how crabby of you.

Oohhhhhhhhh how crabby of you

It has been going on for a year, can't blame anyone for losing their shit when the word covid comes up - have an inner groaning for the subject myself. One day it will be a distant memory! TG

@Cheeserton

Go read the thread about how many people don't want to have the vaccine. the light at the end of the tunnel will get significantly dimmer when you do.

I really wouldn't worry about it. From every other source, take up has been very good. Just look at the threads on here with people demanding schools close, but the reality of everyone fighting to claim themselves as key workers to get their child into school

Last spring and summer we saw such a difference regards cases.

This virus is extremely seasonal like flu.

I agree likely flu and coronavirus jabs will become yearly.

"If you could roll up your sleeves"

The good news is as much as we are in a bad place now we are going to head to summer anyway and the vaccine.

I think there won't be such testing going on but I think distancing and reduced numbers in mass events will remain until we are through winter.

Now is bleak but I do genuinely believe this is the worst it's going to get.

@Icanseegreenshoots

jungle The accuracy will improve, the availability will increase, and people can pay for their own if they are going to a show/gig etc so the cost can be covered by the ticket price. It does not need to be bankrolled by the state, but by us the desperate public.

A good friend of mine ICU consultant uses lateral tests constantly up to now, he has since been vaccinated. They will be a short term sticking plaster until we can reopen properly. Only the vaccine roll out can offer us true freedom, but we may be able to reopen parts of society in the meantime using ideas such as this.

I'm not sure why you think there accuracy will improve? And yes, your friend is obviously using them, we all are in the NHS. That doesnt mean they are accurate or useful though. you may want to read this article in the BMJ: www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4848 And a future that involves using a lateral flow test to facitlitate a theatre trip is not for me thanks! (the vaccine though is indeed excellent news)

@Chipsahoy

Fuck no, not a normality I want. Instead maybe government starts dumping money into nhs so we don’t have this shit show again and we get on with life

Yep!