Confused about other countries

[Lissy23]

So I have a friend who lives in Alabama (USA) and another who lives in California. Both of these friends are posting on Facebook pictures of them going out and about with friends. One of them even posted a video from Disneyland, so they’re clearly travelling around as well.

I have another friend in Germany who has recently posted a photo of her travels around with her kids and they don’t appear to be staying at home or only doing essential travel.

Why are we the only ones that seem to be doing this? I know our rates are bad and we’ve messed up a lot, but I thought the states were also not great either? I can’t see any restrictions there whatsoever, except mask wearing. I’m so confused!

@EileenGC I can se a school from my house all the windows are wide open and nearly all kids wear masks even under 6 who legally don't have to obviously they won't stop under 6 going to school but most kids comply

@CaptainSirTomMooreismyhero

So I have a friend who lives in Alabama (USA) and another who lives in California. Both of these friends are posting on Facebook pictures of them going out and about with friends. One of them even posted a video from Disneyland, so they’re clearly travelling around as well. I call BS. Disneyland in California and World Disney Resort in Florida are closed and have been for about 7 months and aren't expected to re-open until the summer.

DisneyWorld in Orlando IS open. Florida and Alabama (and many other southern states) have few restrictions in place. I regularly check the various US states' corona website information and wish I lived there instead of this bloody country.

'variant anglais'

Lockdown is evidently getting to me as this made me laugh.

The schools were shut for the first 3 months in Spain and no one could leave their house full stop and then only kids for an hour it was horrible I think most people would avoid that happening again if they can. But yes they can't seem to stay away from family sadly otherwise I feel it would be much lower here. They also shouldn't have let the students return. In my area the students were having parties and everyone would pay 10£ to go incase they were fined absolutely ridiculous

@byebyeboyee exactly. No kids have been traumatised by wearing a mask like adults seem to suggest on here, they get on with it quicker than grown ups. They remind you when your mask isn’t on correctly .

And even with all those cases and huge incidence, the Spanish healthcare system is amazing and the death rate could’ve been so much higher. At the end of the day, it really is a balancing act and everyone’s trying to get it right...

Well each country is free to deal with it as they see fit so obviously there will be differences. I'm in Italy and my kids are at school except for ds16 who is in on alternate days. Lots of things are closed but it is a lighter lockdown than in the UK atm and much lighter than we had last Spring.

Yeah I see 2 year olds wearing them! Mine hates theirs and mostly refuses but I'm going to buy ones that go over the head. But my kid isn't in school as I delayed their start as they don't legally have to attend until 6. I think if he was in school he would probably wear it more easily

But we are generally not around anyone, I've noticed recently that their are much less people out now. We go out around 2 when everyone is in having lunch so we don't see anyone really

California are having a dreadful time with very little support

This is very interesting and it would appear that we have some of the worst restrictions, but also the worst cases.
As pp have explained many other countries have a state/ regional approach as opposed to national/ - but you can’t really compare without our tier system because in other places states have far more autonomy (only the devolved nations can do their own thing here).
My cousin in Chicago says until things improved very recently no one was really going anywhere, and definitely no school for months, BUT it’s mostly been advisory not the law. No law stopping you visiting your mum. She actually crossed into Wisconsin a few times to stay in her log cabin. No problem there either.

Ps I think portugal currently has a very strict lockdown like here. As does Ireland.

Buisness in Spain are pretty angry though most of the funding went to fat cats with hotels and loads of places are closing and the students are leaving as their is nothing to do and everything is online learning.

*The US states are a great test study to show that restrictions have minimal effect. All states have different levels of restrictions, but there are minimal differences in case numbers and deaths between neighbouring states with similar climate conditions and populations.

In the U.K., we’re still in lockdown because the British press and the government have done a splendid job of convincing the public that we’re all dirty germ machines who are all at high risk of death. We have convinced ourselves that lockdowns work, because we’ve put a lot on the line for them. So we must continue with them, because to admit our strategy was wrong would mean that most of it (hand-washing, protecting the vulnerable and investing in healthcare and cluster tracing measures aside) was a waste of time.*

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

What a load of utter shite.

The US is a terrible country to use as a benchmark. They’re losing 4-5k a day thanks to the anti-science, mask-stigmatising legacy of Trump.

Still less death per capita than the UK, but hardly something to aspire to.

I also think it's really hard on kids Spain's culture was like treating kids like god's gift, cuddles kisses,sweets and all round pampering and now you have to be distant it's pretty sad.

Schools are open in other countries because they actually out measures in place, not send them all back in full time and open a window. Hand sanitiser available.

Lots of countries have many restrictions in place, they may be different to ours: some have curfews but things are open for a few hours. Many people living without restrictions are self restricting their behaviour. Others like those you see on social media are not.

It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have restrictions in the U.K. when we still have a very high rate of infection despite being in ‘lockdown’ and deaths/ hospitals still busier than the first lockdown.

@OnItCarBonnet

We were always going to be hit badly by this pandemic, regardless of measures, because so many factors went against us. A North-temperate climate, low flu seasons for prior 2 winters (high proportion of vulnerable individuals), high obesity, an international travel hub, covid being in the country since late 2019 (first registered death was 30/01/20) and establishing itself during the winter months, high population density particularly in areas with high deprivation, an underfunded and madly managed healthcare system, and more.

Australia and New Zealand got VERY lucky. Being in the Southern Hemisphere with temperate climates (Australia partly tropical but most live in temperate areas), the virus arrived in their summer months. They would have done pretty well anyway, but their seasonality, along with the location and set-up on their countries, allowed them a longer timeframe to organise and close the borders. They are not the shining example that a lot of people think they are.

The US states are a great test study to show that restrictions have minimal effect. All states have different levels of restrictions, but there are minimal differences in case numbers and deaths between neighbouring states with similar climate conditions and populations.

In the U.K., we’re still in lockdown because the British press and the government have done a splendid job of convincing the public that we’re all dirty germ machines who are all at high risk of death. We have convinced ourselves that lockdowns work, because we’ve put a lot on the line for them. So we must continue with them, because to admit our strategy was wrong would mean that most of it (hand-washing, protecting the vulnerable and investing in healthcare and cluster tracing measures aside) was a waste of time.

We went into lockdown in autumn, going into winter.

And we actually locked down - very different from the ‘lockdowns’ the UK has had.

In my country, school are open except for short period of time last year. But like other countries, mask wearing is 100%, and other measures were taken.

It's really high in America but people won't accept restrictions. Germany varies by state. Many European countries are under nighttime curfews! The reality is that there's a trade off in the long run, we should be able to release once vaccination rates are sufficient

@alwayscrashinginthesamecar1

I'm in Western Australia. We just had a five day lockdown because we had one case of covid. It has been lifted now as we had five days in a row of zero cases. Life here is pretty normal, except for now overseas travel. And interstate travel is risky, as borders can be closed very quickly, and you risj having to do two weeks qurantine.

I do want to correct something that was said upthread though. Yes, Australia was lucky, and had the benefit of watching events unfold in Europe before things got bad here. But they acted quickly, shutting the border hard and fast. Most people can't get their head around your borders still being open. But the virus hit in March/April which is in Autumn, not summer, although admittedly winter here is warmer weather than UK summer, so there is that. Actually it all kicking off as we were going into winter maybe helped as Aussies tend to hibernate a bit when the weather is cooler. So yes, we were lucky, but our State Premiers also acted decisively and quickly, which certainly helped consolidate any luck we had.

This!!! Also in WA, glad to be going back to school but really really appreciative of the swift firm action that was taken. It’s not by luck that the figures are good. And many many people desperate to see family from interstate and overseas but we will just need to be patient.

I'm in Iceland and we've always been more relaxed than the UK in some ways and more stringent in others. With testing and contact tracing, quarantine and isolation, it's been really strong from before the virus arrived in the country. There have also been a lot of measures at the border.

We've never had restrictions on people travelling round the country, though they asked us not to last Easter. Gatherings have been limited down to 10 maximum at the most restrictive but you could always see your family and friends as long as you didn't exceed the gathering limit. Schools for the under 16s never closed, though they were every other day for a bit. Masks adopted for shops very late to the party, in late autumn 2020, and children born 2005 or later are exempt. They lowered that age briefly but put it up again. Various things like pools and hairdressers have been closed and opened on and off.

We're lucky to be in a strong position as an island with a small resident population but I do think the response has been pretty good and focused on the right things. Life is relatively normal again right now, except for international travel and masks in shops.

Sigh if Spain had shut its borders especially to the UK we wouldn't be having so much trouble...and also bloody Christmas and students.

You have to also remember the USA is a very varied country, much is rural and southern parts pretty warm. Cities have been badly affected but much of small town America less so because people aren't as mobile there, I met people via my online support network (for condition) and some have never been to the coast, barely been outside their state. Covid thrives in densely populated areas, public transport and poorly ventilated inside areas, something that isn't an issue everywhere

I think in Catalunya it is still got complete home learning?

I wondered this as saw a friend in Texas posting days out on Instagram. I’ve since read about restrictions in different countries and it seems like we have the toughest restrictions at the moment. Lots of places let you meet more than one person outside and schools only seem to be closed in a couple of places.