How long do you think the public majority (IRL) will put up with this for?

[Quit4me]

How long do you think public opinion and action will continue to support not seeing friends and family?
I’m asking based on your real life experiences (not mumsnet views)
I’m not after ‘I’m giving up my life for as long as it takes’ views here, or ‘I’m happy watching tv and hugging my yoga mat for years.
I’m asking for realistic views of 2021 and public opinion as the year goes on.

I have been sticking to the rules. I have been going beyond the rules. DH is a tradesman and works in peoples houses and I have been terrified of him getting something and passing it on. We took DD out of nursery, we chose not to have a support bubble despite me being alone at home 5 days a week with a 2 year old and a newborn. I havent driven my car in 5 weeks. I have gone nowhere. I could go whole weeks without having a conversation with anyone else other than DH. I am doing 11 hours solo parenting a day. On saturday I had my first ever panic attack. I was sobbing so hard and I couldnt breath, and I couldnt pick up my baby because the room was spinning so much I thought I would fall while holding her. I am ringing the nursery this morning to start DD back. I have reached my breaking point. I expect by march many will have reached theirs too. We arent robots. We cant simply exist forever. For some people its harder than others. Nobody had any right to judge others based on their own situation

I suppose it depends where you live in the UK ? Where I live we haven't been locked down for a year, I was able to go on holiday in August last year, schools went back as normal after the Summer, Eat out to help out , remember that ? Pubs and resturaunts were open well into the Autumn, as were non essential shops.

The PM declared a new national lockdown on the 4th of January 2021.

I’m prepared to wait until the vaccine rollout is completed. But if they delay the UK rollout by diverting our vaccines to the EU or other countries (as suggested by the WHO) then I’m done.

Very few follow many of the rules.
I will give it till the sun is shining again then it will be full on rebellion this time I feel

@Dustyspringfield10

People saying "It's just one year so we can have many more years together." Well a lot of people don't have "many years left".

I agree with this and have personal experience of this.

@nonono1

I’m prepared to wait until the vaccine rollout is completed. But if they delay the UK rollout by diverting our vaccines to the EU or other countries (as suggested by the WHO) then I’m done.

But that could be another year away if yearly boosters are needed? I am guessing that they will get down to the last eligible adult sometime in the autumn say November. Followed by 12 weeks for the second dose. Then we are back into flu season and if boosters are needed for the vulnerable would you be willing to write off the whole of 2021?

@nonono1 when you say vaccine rollout is completed, do you mean to the most vulnerable groups, or to all adults? If the former then hopefully about Easter, if the latter then September provided no issues with supplies.
I'll do the former, but not the latter.

Unfortunately I live in Scotland, where they seem more interested in campaigning for Indy Ref 2 and making lockdown ever stricter although high numbers due to one or two areas and always have been, than sticking needles into as many peoples arms as possible. So I'll pretty much be done at Easter provided hospital numbers and deaths are down a lot from now.

I think most people will comply for a few more months. Most people I know are complying completely. I think however it will get very nasty once there is a large percentage of the population who are vaccinated but still a large amount who are not. If they decide not to vaccinate the under 50s there will be riots for sure. Ditto if there are significant regional variations in rules, or if the vaccinated are able to move more freely than the unvaccinated.
Personally I have been struggling since I used the vaccine checker and saw my ETA was September. My 16 yo is struggling with not seeing friends and GCSEs, particularly being told no exams and it now looking like there will be externally set tests after all.

I think most people will stop following restrictions so rigidly once hospital rates and deaths have fallen, public opinion will start to change massively at that point. At the moment it’s mainly the fear keeping people compliant to a greater degree.

Totally agree.

Nerdygirl is right. Originally this was to flatten the curve and allow the NHS to cope.
Now we seem to trying to prevent anyone getting covid, ever. I didn't sign up to that and don't think it's feasible.
Once the vulnerable are vaccinated, why wouldn't we relax restrictions? Can anyone answer me that?
If the answer is "because others will get covid" - well yes of course they will! Are we seriously trying to prevent anyone getting it ever? Surely we're protecting the people who are most likely to get ill and die from it?

IRL my friends and family have been pretty robust with doing the right thing and following the advice but there is a limit!
One if not two of my children are now really starting to have problems with their MH out of shear loneliness,boredom and cannot see the light at end of tunnel. Their generation will feel the fall out for many years,financially and relationship wise....how does a young person start a new relationship or get the opportunity to meet new people when there are all these restrictions? This year of Uni has been a disaster for most students .
So TBH their mental wellbeing will start taking priority . We obviously will not be doing anything reckless but by Easter it will be family first! !

Yes let's not forget that once the over 70s are fully vaccinated, they are unlikely to be staying at home and complying with restrictions, as their lives have been so seriously curtailed over the past year.

Once the general population sees the elderly out and about, there will be little desire for full compliance. I'll do the small things like mask wearing and a bit of distancing , but if my DS is not back to school as soon as it is feasible then I'm definitely done with this. Although what I can actually do, I'm not sure

Why on earth would young people need to meet new people? Can't they just hug their yoga mat and chat to granny on zoom?

@Dustyspringfield10

Yes a family member was diagnosed with terminal cancer 6 months ago and spent his last 6 months of life in lockdown, he’s since passed away. He was 62.

@StealthPolarBear except vaccinated Granny will be down the garden centre with her pals and unavailable for zoom calls.

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@Dustyspringfield10

Yes a family member was diagnosed with terminal cancer 6 months ago and spent his last 6 months of life in lockdown, he’s since passed away. He was 62.[/quote]
Just tragic

People seem to forget that not everyone has a year left.

When the schools go back I'm going to see my sister and my neices.

We will sit in the garden. It will be an hour. My son starts nursery in August and he hasn't seen another child since March. I'm worried for him.

We are all young and healthy. It will be an hour outside. I see minimal risk.

Once the weather gets better people will start breaking the rules I think. It's easier to stay at home when it's cold and crappy outside. If socialising outside isn't allowed people will have bbqs etc anyway.

Oh no vaccinated granny would never be so selfish. This is how we've always lived so as not to pass on flu, measles, mumps, polio, right? Any risk is simply too high, let's live in a bubble for the rest of our lives.

how does a young person start a new relationship or get the opportunity to meet new people when there are all these restrictions?

Don't worry. After the Great Reset young people can spend their time swapping pleasantries with their own personalized chatbot hologram. Reproduction can be done via turkey baster samples ordered online and delivered to your home. Or maybe we can just all donate gametes to some sort of data center which mix them together in some kind of tank.

I would have laughed along with that six months ago. At this stage and with people about who think no one must get covid ever I'm not so sure I want to laugh.

The ignorance of government thinking vaccines will stop this is bizarre.
We need to get in with lives now it’s that simple

Until the people we know and worry about in community are vaccinated. Definitely by second vaccine I think people are going to be making much more of their own rules.

I think people will accept lockdown for a few more months with an end in sight once the vaccine rolls out to most of the vulnerable groups and maybe a ramp up in lateral flow testing, and I think most would accept some restrictions such as wearing masks in public places. If it becomes an ongoing issue maybe because the vaccine is not as effective as they hoped I don't think people will accept lockdowns or very harsh restrictions in the long term but they may accept or even choose some restrictions; like masks, increased distancing in public places and workplaces, screens and more hygiene measures, maybe taking a fast acting test before certain events or visiting a vulnerable person.

I'm sorry but this just seems like curtain twitching to the max... Never would I know or even care about who or how often or for how long my neighbours have people round!

A tonne of cars parked up was a bit of a give away, can't really miss them when you are outside really. I certainly don't care what they do, good luck to them.