Older people booking holidays

[Doffodils]

I've been away from MN for a few days so apologies if this was done.

Following the news that the vaccination programme is in full swing, apparently travel companies have had a rush of older people booking holidays for this summer.

We're being told that behaviour will need to carry on with social distancing, restricting travel etc despite some people having the vaccine.

Young people have been disproportionately affected by the restrictions and been reminded often of their duty to protect the more vulnerable, but apparently those vulnerable people aren't going to give a second thought for the youngsters once they've had the vaccine.

Is this a common view among the, say, 60+ people you know?

Or is it OK, or even good, that some people can start getting back to normal/supporting the economy etc?

How will this kind of 2 tier society operate?

If travel is permitted, I don't see that they're doing anything wrong. If it's not safe then it shouldn't be permitted. Either way I don't think we should expect pensioners to be the ones who are responsible for interpreting the data, positive rates etc.

Surely it's a good thing if it means the travel industry can survive. DH is 66 and so in band 5 for vaccinations. I'm 46 so god knows when I'll get it but I'd been vaccinated I'd book without a second thought.

It’s the travel companies desperate to get some cash in to assist cash flow, even if they have to refund it.

By then they can be selling the next tranche if holidays, with which to pay the refunds , and so in.

Meanwhile it sets everyone against each other ‘waaaah! Why can THEY go on holiday...’

Meh.

Its not fair, but life's not fair.

This pattern will be wider than just holidays. Over the next few months the old will begin returning to normal life while the young will stay in limbo.

We undertook lockdowns to protect them, we will suffer for decades rebuilding the economy and the addressing the mental health and educational impact, meanwhile they will return to normal more quickly and put pressure on us to provide services like normal for them. It makes me angry and yet I expect our generation would do the same in their shoes, it’s human nature.

@Restorationandredecoration

This pattern will be wider than just holidays. Over the next few months the old will begin returning to normal life while the young will stay in limbo.

We undertook lockdowns to protect them, we will suffer for decades rebuilding the economy and the addressing the mental health and educational impact, meanwhile they will return to normal more quickly and put pressure on us to provide services like normal for them. It makes me angry and yet I expect our generation would do the same in their shoes, it’s human nature.

Yes, that was my point really. Some people will be able to get back to normal, while young people, arguably the worst affected, are stuck in this limbo. It was just the holiday bookings article that highlighted it for me.

I'm 60 and won't be going abroad this year. I don't want uncertainty, quarantine, faff.
I certainly hope I can get away in this country for a few breaks.

On the television after having the vaccination an elderly woman said she'd be going to hug her grandchildren. The reporter pointed out that it wasn't allowed, to which she replied that she'd be doing it anyway.

In principle I agree with you that they should be exercising caution. But the travel industry needs the business. I'm CV and I'm planning on travel around the UK over summer. I'll have my vaccination in March.

We can only see what happens. If they do contribute to the spread, or it doesn't make a difference.

I understand why it may seem unfair but as above if travelling is allowed then I don't think they're doing anything wrong, without people booking the industry won't survive.

As morbid as this may seem, younger people will have more chances in years to come to go on holidays and enjoy themselves (obviously there's exceptions but on average) whereas these older people are trying to enjoy retirement of what time they've got left. It may seem selfish to you but I don't grudge older people trying to make the most of the years they've got left

Why will the young be in limbo? Once all the most vulnerable groups have been vaccinated (and hospital numbers come down) everyone should go back to a fairly normal with some restrictions lifestyle. Young people can go on holiday as well!

On other boards people seem to think schools won’t be going back till September. I certainly hope the over 50’s won’t be swanning off on holiday whilst my children’s education suffers all year

I would’ve thought the same overseas travel rules applied to everyone for a good while yet. I doubt there will be vaccination passports in place by this summer, most other countries are well behind us in vaccinating their populations.

And if you can still catch and transmit it, even once vaccinated, you can presumably still test positive? So vaccinated people would still have to do a test 72 hours before departure either way.

Don’t see the issue atm. Unvaccinated uk people can book uk holidays. There’s not going to be a 2 tier restriction on travel with the uk is there. I can imagine it now, oooh you haven’t been vaccinated, not letting you across the county border into Wiltshire . They can’t even police county borders when we’re in total lockdown.

And it would prevent every family with children going anywhere for years as the kids can’t yet be vaccinated.

I would find that hard to stomach, actually.

I just think more fool anyone booking multiple abroad holidays. We still don't know what restrictions may or may not be in place, and I wouldn't want the risk or stress. Plenty of things I love to do at home/in the UK to fill up 2021!

I do know what you mean though OP. It's difficult feeling like the world has shut itself down and the youngsters at the bottom of the vaccination list will be held back the longest, but we don't really know what will happen yet. Hopefully research about transmission when vaccinated will be available soon as that will be helpful moving forward.

I’ve read this today too. I don’t think it is fair. I haven’t seen anywhere that the vaccine reduces transmission, just severity. I don’t think it is too much to ask to get children back to school before people who have had the vaccine gleefully tell us all about their holidays they have booked. We’re all living through the same rubbish situation at whatever age we are experiencing it. You could just as easily say that the vaccinated age group have already had more good years than the rest of us.

Could be horribly selfish, could be bias media reporting 🤷🏻‍♀️.

This is up there with complaining about having to travel to get a vaccine for me (assuming it is possible to travel). Utter CFery.

It's not the elderly I see 'influencing' in Dubai and Barbados, it's the 'young people that youre talking about. This old vs young talk isn't helpful at all. Some young people are living selfishly, going on their holibobs now whilst some old people have been virtual prisoners in isolation in care homes.

It’s not just abroad travel too, remember the uproar about the rush to leave London before Xmas. Yet coaches full of vaccinated folk potentially spreading it across the country.. a ok.

@Toptop498

I would find that hard to stomach, actually.

Me too, it’s a bit of a smack in the face to people who have lost jobs, stayed in, protected those who are vulnerable, children lost education and we still have to keep ourselves safe whilst club 65-80 go off to Benidorm living their best lives

Are they actually saying that these holiday bookings are for imminent travel?

My parents have just booked a holiday for April 2022 - their theory being that all the vaccinations will likely be done by then, and that there will be a massive pent up demand (people with rebooked dates from cancelled holidays as well!) so better get it booked now.

As morbid as this may seem, younger people will have more chances in years to come to go on holidays and enjoy themselves (obviously there's exceptions but on average) whereas these older people are trying to enjoy retirement of what time they've got left. It may seem selfish to you but I don't grudge older people trying to make the most of the years they've got left

I've seen this argument a lot but isn't the counter argument that they've already had their younger years to enjoy? I feel really sorry for students, for instance - that's such a short and formative period of your life that I don't think 'losing' a year then is comparable to losing it in your 30s (my age)

I’m not really bothered. Once I’ve had the vaccine I’ll be going back to normal as much as I can. What’s the point in having the vaccine if you’re not able to enjoy the benefits of having had it.

Pressed post too soon

Influencers no one cares about them anyway. We should all continue to protect each other until it’s under control properly, seems unfair for people, it’s awful for people in care homes young and old, let’s not forget that their are young adults in care homes too. But there has been a surge in holidays being booked and it’s annoying for people who have stayed at home and continued to do so

If you look at the figures in the reports, it was deliberately skewed. For example TUI said it had more bookings by over 50s than usual, but not by how much. 3% higher than usual or 70% higher? I suspect it was a very low figure, or they would have said. National Express said that there bookings had increased on last year. No shit Sherlock. The report (BBC said more over 50s are booking for coach trips in the UK. Not Europe. These people have been at home a lot. Some alone. Coach trips are social and relatively "safe" in that you have exposure to the same 30 people each day.
For all the critics, like the OP saying that young people are making sacrifices, but older people don't appreciate it, remember that these are people in the later part of their life who are mainly booking coach trips or multigenerational family holidays (according to the article). Booking a UK staycation with their grandchildren, or going to Bath for a weekend. Wow, how very dare they!!

There’s also the perspective that many people outside of the top priority vaccination groups can’t afford holidays, they lost their job/business in multiple lockdowns. Their income hasn’t been protected like many folk who are now so happy to be getting back to ‘normal’ after their vaccine.

I’ll take this all back if it turns out it’s not possible to transmit after vaccination. But for now, it just seems horribly unfair.

Most elderly wouldn’t have got a holiday last year, as it wasn’t safe for them to go, whereas a lot of families went abroad in July and August, so they are obviously hoping to go this year. Cruises have been cancelled for 10 months now and instead of giving refunds, the cruise companies have been offering future cruise credit for a different cruise in the future and now that they will have been vaccinated, they will feel safer to go on holiday.