Your thoughts on when life will be normal-ish

[charcb]

I realise this is purely speculative but what are people's thoughts on when we will be back to a semi-normal reality? Knowing what you know on vaccinations, when, according to you, can we expect the most simple of things to be back up and running again? I am referring to the simplest of things such as getting people back to their offices/places of work, having shops/gyms/entertainment venues permanently open, and the like?

I know we are a long way away from normal as we know it and that it may take several years to go back to it so I am not talking to getting back to total normality - ie no masks, no social distance, no restrictions.

I work in a school and usually I have constant colds from October to about Feb, usually peaking at Christmas (just after we break up for the holidays normally!) when I feel extra shite.

This year, I literally haven't had as much as a sniffle. The most I have had is the ghost of a sore throat, which hasn't come to anything. I do now have a daily smoothie and take vitamins which is new this year and may have something to do with it, but the difference has been so stark!

Sen school teacher here; vastly reduced colds, coughs, tonsillitis, norovirus etc.

We've had a few normal colds and coughs, yes, but no where near what we usually have. Its been commented on by the senior leaders.

I have very virally reactive asthma and I've had nothing. I've usually had at least two or three by now.

But yes we've had a fair few Cv cases too. And within the first week back, staff and pupils. Some asymptomatic, some not. Thankfully none more than a very bad cold though I do know of other teaching staff in other schools who aren't as lucky.

I've got a rotten cold. So have both my teenagers.

I'd rather have that (or Covid) than Noro, though. The only good thing about shitty lockdown is that there has been less Noro around.

@vaxmeup

I've started to accept that we'll never get back to the 'old normal'. I really do think things have changed forever. It's utterly devastating and we should be allowed to grieve for our old lives. I can't imagine I'll ever feel safe in a crowd again, go to a bar, get on a busy train without the worry of covid hanging around.

Most of the economic devastation is still to come (businesses cannot survive with social distancing restrictions) and it is going to be horrific. Sorry if this sounds gloomy but it's probably realistic. I'm actually envious of younger children as they won't remember what our old world used to be like as with all its faults, it was amazing compared to this.

You sound like you are anxious ..... if you don't feel safe then fine but people will go back to normal it is what humans do

@vaxmeup

I've started to accept that we'll never get back to the 'old normal'. I really do think things have changed forever. It's utterly devastating and we should be allowed to grieve for our old lives. I can't imagine I'll ever feel safe in a crowd again, go to a bar, get on a busy train without the worry of covid hanging around.

Most of the economic devastation is still to come (businesses cannot survive with social distancing restrictions) and it is going to be horrific. Sorry if this sounds gloomy but it's probably realistic. I'm actually envious of younger children as they won't remember what our old world used to be like as with all its faults, it was amazing compared to this.

But not everyone feels like you. Social distancing is a pathetic and unrealistic way for society and the economy to function. Once I’m fully vaccinated and not at risk of severe illness I’ll do all those things happily and more. It’ll be no worse than getting the cold or flu which I don’t cower in my house in fear over either catching or spreading.

This will end this year. Either the vaccines work or the virus mutates and everyone just gives up. That might sound callous but its not in the way currently being expressed ( ie. lockdown is not fair on the youth/ not at risk). I think it will get to the point where those at risk or elderly start to wonder whether the risk of illness outweighs a life with no/little social interaction.

No words.

So, basically people like me (i.e. with family not in the UK) have to accept that we'll never see our family again?

Nobody will ever be able to meet friends indoors again? (Like, too bad if you don't have a garden.)

There will be no hospitality industry - too bad if you happen to work in it.

But that's all okay, because it will keep people safe and save lives. Never mind that the might question whether life was worth living?

@etopp

What do you mean?

@FranklyTruly

Personally I wish people would stop referring to 'normal' and asking when we will be back to it. There will be no normal I'm afraid - life has changed permanently and that will have to continue in order to keep people safe and save lives.

Vaccines may prevent serious illness, but they do not stop transmission. As a result, COVID will still be with us unless everyone in the world is vaccinated- which will never happen.

Therefore, everyone will still be at risk of permanent disability through Long COVID and 'mild' illness that will leave them in bed for a week.

Restrictions will therefore need to be in place permanently. Lockdown will stay for this year. We will when move to a slightly more relaxed regime in summer 2022 with people allowed to meet in gardens and go on holiday within the U.K.

But there will be no more large wedding, no more drinks with friends and no more large Christmas family gatherings. In order to keep people safe and save lives

The sooner we all accept this, the better, I'm afraid.

People like you make me laugh out loud and wind me up in equal measure. Let’s forget, for a moment, your irritating constant use of the phrase “I’m afraid” as if you think it confers some authority on to the bullshit you’re spouting... it doesn’t. And furthermore, what you’re saying shows a complete lack of understanding of science, virology, epidemiology etc etc Of course life will be the same again. I don’t know how you can proclaim that it won’t!

I just really hope that there aren’t any mentally vulnerable people, or people on the edge who have read your post and who will take it seriously. Writing such doom-mongering crap online could really upset some people who might believe it.

FranklyTruly sorry but what a load of old clap trap

I think restrictions will start to ease after Easter and summer will feel very much like last summer (for those who weren't in areas that pretty much stayed locked down). Possibly more restrictions on foreign travel depending what is going on with the rest of the world.

For me, last summer was tolerably 'normal' and with a bit of thought I could do most things that I could in 2019, other than attend large events - I don't tend to meet more than six households at once in any event and whilst masks and track and trace (remember that?!) and table service where an inconvenience, they didn't significantly detract from my enjoyment.

The threat of tighter restrictions over winter perhaps; I don't think we will see another lockdown like we have now. But people will be keeping a close eye on hospitals.

I do think that it will be a while before there are no restrictions in place whatsoever and some may stick around as good practice anyway. The bits I can see lasting longer are:

• More restrictive hospital visiting. Prior to this at our local one it was pretty much a free for all between 2pm and 8pm, with multiple visitors per patient.
• Foreign travel - this will change regularly and will of course depend on other countries too
• track and trace - once cases get low enough. I know they made a total balls up of it though, so whilst a useful tool, may well get dropped.
• restrictions on very large gatherings. So football stadiums not at full capacity

These things wouldn't hugely impact me in my day to day life, nor most other people.

Just my thoughts, obviously.

@FranklyTruly

Personally I wish people would stop referring to 'normal' and asking when we will be back to it. There will be no normal I'm afraid - life has changed permanently and that will have to continue in order to keep people safe and save lives.

Vaccines may prevent serious illness, but they do not stop transmission. As a result, COVID will still be with us unless everyone in the world is vaccinated- which will never happen.

Therefore, everyone will still be at risk of permanent disability through Long COVID and 'mild' illness that will leave them in bed for a week.

Restrictions will therefore need to be in place permanently. Lockdown will stay for this year. We will when move to a slightly more relaxed regime in summer 2022 with people allowed to meet in gardens and go on holiday within the U.K.

But there will be no more large wedding, no more drinks with friends and no more large Christmas family gatherings. In order to keep people safe and save lives

The sooner we all accept this, the better, I'm afraid.

Top trolling You nearly had me for a minute.

Of course life will be the same again

I think restrictions will ease but I'm not confident we'll be back to 2019 life anytime soon.

all LucilleTheVampireBat It must be regionalised, because nobody around here has had a cold etc, if the supermarkets, pharmacies etc have said the same sales of cold medicine are down 80% this cold/ flu season

all LucilleTheVampireBat Perhaps you all haven’t been socially distancing like you should have?

@FranklyTruly

Personally I wish people would stop referring to 'normal' and asking when we will be back to it. There will be no normal I'm afraid - life has changed permanently and that will have to continue in order to keep people safe and save lives.

Vaccines may prevent serious illness, but they do not stop transmission. As a result, COVID will still be with us unless everyone in the world is vaccinated- which will never happen.

Therefore, everyone will still be at risk of permanent disability through Long COVID and 'mild' illness that will leave them in bed for a week.

Restrictions will therefore need to be in place permanently. Lockdown will stay for this year. We will when move to a slightly more relaxed regime in summer 2022 with people allowed to meet in gardens and go on holiday within the U.K.

But there will be no more large wedding, no more drinks with friends and no more large Christmas family gatherings. In order to keep people safe and save lives

The sooner we all accept this, the better, I'm afraid.

Oh, away and shite. Changing your name and adding “I’m afraid” to your posts doesn’t make it all any less bollocks than the hundred other times you’ve posted the same.

The vaccines should reduce the risk of serious illness and death by over 90%. No one is going to tolerate living like this to save a few hundred people a year dying or the rest of us becoming mildly ill. What nonsense.

@vaxmeup

One of the issues for the economy is with the distancing though- there is just no way that businesses can survive with distancing in place which limits customers/footfall. The events industry cannot run with distancing in place, it's just not economically viable and so on and on. The govt cannot just scrap all SD either with the majority unvaccinated - while hospitalisations are generally low for the under 50s - if SD is scrapped and millions get Covid the NHS will not be able to cope. I think we need to build a completely new way of life from now on if we are to co-exist with this disease for the next few years.

This post seems to be based on the assumption that the under 50s will never be vaccinated. Isn't it the plan that all adults - obviously including the under 50s - will be offered the vaccine by September? So why would we need to "build a completely new way of life from now on if we are to co-exist with this disease for the next few years"?

I think the government will try and keep restrictions on meeting on private homes for longer as they don’t have the same impact on the economy. However, if groups of families and friends are vaccinated I suspect they will just ignore those restrictions. I know I will be.

Well, this will be an interesting thread to come back to in 12 months time.. much like some of the threads in Feb/ March last year, where opinion was divided on whether Covid was anything to worry about... wonder who will be right?

Proper normal admin no restrictions Spring/summer 2022.

I think we'll have a more relaxed summer like we did last year and I hope they make more concessions for cafes and restaurants to spill out onto streets/towns (where it doesn't impact accessibility) to help the economy. I think masks will still be needed for indoors.

Then in winter I think we'll have times where local restrictions are needed as a responsive strategy but numbers will be much lower due to vaccine programme and once through the next winter we'll start to remove things such as masks etc.

Considering how quickly things changed in a bad direction, I think they can change quickly to better times. I do think perhaps the concept of "going back" is not true.
I cannot bear the thought of years of this.