Will life ever return to normal?

[lockdownlow]

Just coming here because I'm at home alone with my children after yet another morning of stress and exhaustion trying to WFH and help them complete their zillion tasks set by school, and my 8yo just came to me and said "Will my life ever be like it used to be? I miss it"
I painted on a smile and tried to reassure him that of course, it would be but inside I just had an awful sinking feeling.
I've come into my office for a quiet sob.
Will it? Is this his childhood now?

This is all really getting me down

To suggest that social distancing will be necessary for years, just ridiculous, and this is particularly when I'm glad to live in a country where people won't put up with that kind of state control.

I think a lot of people think that 'social distancing' just means standing on yellow circles in the Tesco queue. They don't understand that social distancing makes whole industries - hospitality, entertainment, the arts, leisure, travel, tourism and so on - financially unviable. Imagine having your maximum earnings cut by at least 50% to get an idea of what it would mean for businesses which in many cases already have a slim profit margin. Social distancing is also a complete pain in the arse for education, health care and life in general. People should stop and think about it before saying it can go on indefinitely. It really can't.

@Toocold

Why will we need track and trace still if the vaccines work to stop transmission? Which is looking likely, I genuinely don’t understand? The countries that have got very low or no covid won’t have had the vaccines so might have to continue with that but why would we if the mutations are vaccinated against like flu every year? Op it will get better, it is so hard when it impacts your children.

Exactly. I expect Pfizer,Moderna and the rest of the vaccines to follow suit at cutting down transmission. Infact it has already been mentioned in today's news that the differenr vaccines all target the same part of the virus so if one can cut transmission, there is a good chance the others will too.

@IcedPurple

To suggest that social distancing will be necessary for years, just ridiculous, and this is particularly when I'm glad to live in a country where people won't put up with that kind of state control.

I think a lot of people think that 'social distancing' just means standing on yellow circles in the Tesco queue. They don't understand that social distancing makes whole industries - hospitality, entertainment, the arts, leisure, travel, tourism and so on - financially unviable. Imagine having your maximum earnings cut by at least 50% to get an idea of what it would mean for businesses which in many cases already have a slim profit margin. Social distancing is also a complete pain in the arse for education, health care and life in general. People should stop and think about it before saying it can go on indefinitely. It really can't.

Thank you for this. So eloquently put. I couldn't have said it better myself. 👏🏽

@strawberrylipstickstateofmind

Your comprehension skills are very poor indeed. I'm not responsible for the pandemic and I'm not throwing anyone under a bus, its not a list of what I want to happen but what I think is most likely based on what the experts have been saying over the past year to date. If things go back to normal by summer with no further transmission of the virus then nobody will be happier than me.

I think a lot of people think that 'social distancing' just means standing on yellow circles in the Tesco queue. They don't understand that social distancing makes whole industries - hospitality, entertainment, the arts, leisure, travel, tourism and so on - financially unviable. Imagine having your maximum earnings cut by at least 50% to get an idea of what it would mean for businesses which in many cases already have a slim profit margin. Social distancing is also a complete pain in the arse for education, health care and life in general. People should stop and think about it before saying it can go on indefinitely. It really can't.

It's no use saying it really can't. It may have to.

Silly to think otherwise. We have to be guided by the science while hoping for the best. If full pubs and cinemas = overwhelmed hospitals it can't happen.

I know what you mean OP. At the weekend DD was asking if she could have a friend over, when I said no she immediately replied with “stupid virus”. We’ve bumped into a couple of friends from school in the park and it’s been great to see them running around together, playing and being kids.

I do think we’re on the home straight. The vaccinations are going well, infections are falling and if no more variants cause disruption I’m expecting them to start lifting restrictions early May (Sir Patrick Vallance said something the other week about backwards baby steps so that’s how I’m going to look at it) I’m optimistic that by September the country will be almost back to normal with maybe exceptions for big sports/music events and international travel - guess we’ll have to see how things are in September.

Covid is here to stay but I do believe we’re at the point of learning to live alongside it.

Why do people give false hope, yes it’s nice to dream, but this pandemic has a while longer to play out, it’s the hope that hurts, We will be lucky if life is back to full normal by next year, it will depend on how the virus mutates here and in other countries, how the vaccines work out, if the economy can pick up and return etc

Yes I agree @Sirius99but there's a big difference in saying life will never get back to normal and it's going to take a while to get back to normal .

*It's no use saying it really can't. It may have to.

Silly to think otherwise. We have to be guided by the science while hoping for the best. If full pubs and cinemas = overwhelmed hospitals it can't happen.*

We can't only be guided by 'the science' though. We also have to think of the economy, education, society, and people's mental and physical health.

And the vaccines are working better and faster than had ever been expected, with more on the way. There really is no reason to believe we'll need SD indefinitely. And before you rush to remind us all of the dreaded 'new variants' there's good reason to be optimistic that vaccines can be adapted to deal with them too.

[quote Inthewhiteroom95]@strawberrylipstickstateofmind

Your comprehension skills are very poor indeed. I'm not responsible for the pandemic and I'm not throwing anyone under a bus, its not a list of what I want to happen but what I think is most likely based on what the experts have been saying over the past year to date. If things go back to normal by summer with no further transmission of the virus then nobody will be happier than me.[/quote]
If you think my comprehension skills are poor, I think your understanding of how long people will tolerate 'social distancing' for is pretty poor too, as well as your empathy for everyone who will be screwed over if certain sections of society continue to scream for lockdowns and distancing.

Those voices have been the loudest so far but I think they're the ones who better prepare themselves for everyone else who is sick of the restrictions to start being a lot more vocal once the vulnerable are vaccinated. This is the one time that having Boris as prime minister will serve us well as Boris always wants to be popular and I will also give it to him that he is one of the least likely politicians ever to want to continue restricting people's lives.

I’m expecting them to start lifting restrictions early May

If infections continue to fall at the current rate they will be under a lot of pressure to lift restrictions well before then.

I am confident that once the kids are back in school everythings gonna feel a whole lot better and more normal. Your kids will at least see other children and then when the weather gets better at least they can be outdoors more. It will get better.

@strawberrylipstickstateofmind

Why is it so hard for you to understand? I am not advocating for any of this, this is how I think it will be irrespective of my personal wishes. My own business relies on people having disposable income and its tanked in the past year due to covid. If you can't see that I'm speaking objectively and not rubbing my hands with glee at all the suffering that will be the collateral damage of covid then you're a lost cause.

I think some on the thread not only lack empathy (coming on a thread where quite obviously the OP is not in a good place mentally and emotionally to bring her down even more!)but also don't seem to understand that once the top 9 groups are vaccinated, it does not make sense for the economy to crumble even more or for people to accept these "indefinite" restrictions anymore.

Not trying to give the OP false hope but being realistic in that while few things might stay such as increased WFH, increase of hygiene, maybe few restrictions on international travel that wouldn't affect the normal the OPs kid's probably misses.

I don't think it helps that so much media (both mainstream and SM) is negative purely because people don't like the government. It's fair enough to not like them and criticse mistakes but they neglect the positives - like us leading the way in Europe in terms of nos of vaccinations - just to suit their own political agenda.

@Inthewhiteroom95 I don't know why you would imagine that a Tory government would want to trash the economy so catastrophically as you are effectively suggesting.

I think so many people have been conditioned to the government's current messaging and imagine the aim is to stop all illness and death any death at all by some posts on here it seems. Once the NHS is no longer in danger and the vulnerable are vaccinated then the government aren't going to want restrictions to continue, not when the public mood changes and the people most affected by restrictions become louder. I think some people are really going struggle when the message from government begins to change.

Once the NHS is no longer in danger and the vulnerable are vaccinated then the government aren't going to want restrictions to continue, not when the public mood changes and the people most affected by restrictions become louder.

I think the public mood is already changing, and the govt know this.

Hence all the emphasis on scary 'new variants'.

@IcedPurple

And the vaccines are working better and faster than had ever been expected, with more on the way. There really is no reason to believe we'll need SD indefinitely. And before you rush to remind us all of the dreaded 'new variants' there's good reason to be optimistic that vaccines can be adapted to deal with them too.

Not sure why you said this. I didn't say indefinite SD. And why assume I'd remind you of the new variants? Your imagination has carried you away. Stop making things up.

@Cam2020

I don't think it helps that so much media (both mainstream and SM) is negative purely because people don't like the government. It's fair enough to not like them and criticse mistakes but they neglect the positives - like us leading the way in Europe in terms of nos of vaccinations - just to suit their own political agenda.

@Cam2020 this is so true. I'm a leftie, hate the tories, would never vote for them in my life and think Boris is a total oaf.

But I think the way our government went about securing vaccines and the rollout of them has been fantastic and they deserve a lot of praise for it. Politically I don't align with them one bit but have been very impressed with them on this one issue. Even more so when they made it a priority to get a first dose into as many people as possible. Praise should be given where it's due.

[quote Radio4Rocks]@IcedPurple

And the vaccines are working better and faster than had ever been expected, with more on the way. There really is no reason to believe we'll need SD indefinitely. And before you rush to remind us all of the dreaded 'new variants' there's good reason to be optimistic that vaccines can be adapted to deal with them too.

Not sure why you said this. I didn't say indefinite SD. And why assume I'd remind you of the new variants? Your imagination has carried you away. Stop making things up.[/quote]
My post referred to those who believe SD can go on indefinitely so it was reasonable to assume your reply did too.

And if you don't believe 'new variants' will make SD neccessary in the longer term, what do you think will?

I never suggested that the economy would be shut down long term, you're all projecting your own trigger issues on to what I'm saying and are seeing things that aren't there! I think you all just saw 2025 and flipped without actually reading what I wrote. That's on you I'm afraid. It was clearly a mistake to think we could have a reasonable discussion on here without everyone being triggered all over the place?

@Inthewhiteroom95

I never suggested that the economy would be shut down long term, you're all projecting your own trigger issues on to what I'm saying and are seeing things that aren't there! I think you all just saw 2025 and flipped without actually reading what I wrote. That's on you I'm afraid. It was clearly a mistake to think we could have a reasonable discussion on here without everyone being triggered all over the place?

You suggested that social distancing would remain potentially til 2025, which surely means the economy being massively affected, no?

And then did the standard response of calling everyone who has a different opinion to you stupid.

@IcedPurple

I’m expecting them to start lifting restrictions early May

If infections continue to fall at the current rate they will be under a lot of pressure to lift restrictions well before then.

I say early May due to all people in groups 1-9 will have had their vaccinations by mid April and then three weeks to take effect. If there’s evidence that safe to lift restrictions earlier then I’m all for it - I’m desperate for a swim .

I don’t know why those put a date on when will be normal . Like someone said next year and someone said 2025.
Things are getting better 10 million have had the first vaccine so the majority this year alone which is amazing news so imagine in a month .
Certain areas better than others, I took my son today because he’s classed as vulnerable and they asked if I wanted mine too , if course I did . It’s the beginning of the end so just a bit longer and now when the 65 and over plus the vulnerable aged 16-65 which will be on target by mid February. After that we will have a slight relaxation on rules .
Of course masks/ social distancing will be here for some time as it will take a long time for everyone to have both vaccines but I’m very happy at how many have been vaccinated so far . It’s the best news in a long time .

Well at current rates all adults will have had the vaccine by August. Just on the radio now.

Why will we social distance after that?

Anyway thankfully most posters are sensible on here rather than plucking 2025 out of thin air.