Restrictions on large gatherings likely to be in place 'for next few years'

[vera99]

Gulp. This is pretty bleak if true.

Experts have warned that restrictions on large gatherings could remain in place for "the next few years" as the world learns to live with the coronavirus.

Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, told Times Radio that he "can't see us suddenly having another Cheltenham Festival with no regulations again".

"I can't see us having massive weddings with people coming from all over the world, I think for the next few years those days are gone," he added.

Prof Spector also suggested that basic infection control measures - including physical distancing, face masks and handwashing - should remain in place as they "don't cost really anything to do".

"I think we need to get used to that and that will allow us to do the things we really want to do more easily and more readily," he said.

On a more positive note Prof Spector, who created the Zoe Covid Symptom Study, said the infection survey indicates that coronavirus rates are "generally much lower everywhere" in the country, with around one in 170 people infected on average.

He suggested that reinstating the rule of six allowing people to meet outdoors should be "definitely encouraged" around the same time as primary schools begin to return.

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Gosh, that sound so bleak but probably realistic. I just don't think it will be possible for people to fly across the world for weddings and events with quarantine/testing- what if you get a positive test and aren't allowed to fly back as planned- you'll have to pay extra for accommodation to isolate in for a start.

I'm not sure what he means about physical distancing not really costing anything to do- it has a huge economic implications as so many businesses aren't financially viable under social distancing.

Hm, I think within a year or so being able to have the whole family at weddings and funeral etc will be possible though perhaps with certain social distancing restrictions. I think they also aren’t going to bother restricting large gathering’s on people’s private property (big family parties at a house etc) once most are vaccinated because people simply aren’t going to comply with that.

I do think the likes of concerts, festivals, Cheltenham being back to completely normal could well be years away though.

One gets the impression even if you get it sorted in your own country with vaccination, healthcare etc it will be raging and mutating elsewhere so you won't be able to compromise your own success by opening to the unknown variables elsewhere.

Surely though there has never been a weight of science and knowledge being a solvable problem in the history of mankind. That's what's different this time or so I would like to believe.

how depressing :(

One thing I miss the most is races. Some of these are large gatherings (Great North Run for example). I give up now

That is really depressing. My DS is (was) played competitive sports and has not been able to compete for a year. Do many young people will quit if the competitive element doesn't happen for years!

Restrictions could mean you cannot book/turn up last minute, could be restricted numbers, could mean you have to have been vaccinated. All seem possible to me.

I'd be supportive of face coverings in certain places and situations on a long-term basis myself, especially GP and dentist waiting rooms.

Yes I think this is realistic. I feel sorry for all those wanting a wedding. Unless we get rapid proven testing before each event?

Very depressing
But he's not an economist. How does he think businesses will survive?
Yet another academic only thinking through his own lens.

But they already are having mass gatherings in countries where they’ve got in under control, so once the vaccine is rolled out why wouldn’t that be the same here?

What are we not being told though that makes this true? That the disease is incurable and unvaccinatiable for years? I refuse to believe given the progress to date how that can be so.

I doubt it, tbh. Maybe big festivals like Cheltenham will be off for a while but big weddings are in a different sort of category.

Restrictions will only work if they have broad public support, and even more so for long-term restrictions. Chances of getting broad public support for ‘no weddings with more than 25 guests’ or whatever once vaccinations are widespread and hospitalisations are hugely reduced are going to be very low.

@Starfish50

Very depressing But he's not an economist. How does he think businesses will survive? Yet another academic only thinking through his own lens.

Exactly.

He says social distancing costs nothing but clearly he doesn't run a pub, cafe, salon, cinema or any of the many other businesses which need to operate at full capacity to make a profit. In which cases social distancing costs everything.

My small thin gipsy wedding - I don't thinks so !

unvaccinatiable

What's the point of vaccines if we are going to still live under restrictions for years? Together with the news from Imperial and Warwick on projected deaths (something like 130,000 by June 2022) if we relax restrictions it does make me wonder why we are bothering with vaccines. Why not just keep everything shut, keep us all indoors and give everyone a decent universal income for the next few years and be done with it. I've lost all hope now.

Thank goodness! I might make it to retirement without being a shocking embarrassment at another works Christmas party.

@SmudgeButt

Thank goodness! I might make it to retirement without being a shocking embarrassment at another works Christmas party.

Ha ha yes, it doesn't really bother me either, except that a friend would like to get married sometime - she was meant to get married last June.

I didn’t expect large gatherings until the virus had stopped mutating and we had vaccines and boosters in place with very few cases.

A wedding is about the exchange of vows, it doesn’t need a big party, it’s just a want. Maybe more focus on the commitment and less on the big day will lead to less couples splitting etc.

Concerts etc will likely adapt and go outdoors more and businesses are already changing the way they operate to accommodate the safety measures.

Prof Spector also suggested that basic infection control measures - including physical distancing, face masks and handwashing - should remain in place as they "don't cost really anything to do".

While I'm happy to wash my hands, he can fuck off if he thinks I'm socially distancing from family and friends. It does come with a cost no matter what he thinks. He just proves what my MIL used to say, there are people with brains and there are people with common sense but not many have both.

I don't really believe this - if we vaccinate almost all adults in the UK by the autumn then I don't see why we can't basically return to normal, with annual Covid jabs for the vulnerable

I can imagine that international travel may be more constrained for a while longer.

A wedding is about the exchange of vows, it doesn’t need a big party, it’s just a want.

Yes, but people want more from their lives than an endless socially distanced trudge. That’s why humans have gone back to normal after every other pandemic.

Most people have been willing to make big changes to the lives they’d rather be leading as a short-term response to a raging virus with no vaccines available. Most people are not going to be willing to make long-term changes that keep going when barely anybody’s dying and almost every adult who wants to be vaccinated has been. They’re just not.

Yes, but people want more from their lives than an endless socially distanced trudge. That’s why humans have gone back to normal after every other pandemic.

Exactly, there has to be more to life than our current existence otherwise what's the point?

There won't be many weddings if people can't meet new partners anyway!

@ilikegrapes21

Yes, but people want more from their lives than an endless socially distanced trudge. That’s why humans have gone back to normal after every other pandemic.

Exactly, there has to be more to life than our current existence otherwise what's the point?

There won't be many weddings if people can't meet new partners anyway!

Exactly.

So many MNers would be happy to lock themselves away indefinitely, but they're a minority. People will accept these restrictions in an emergency, but not on a semi permanent basis. Not to mention the massive damage to the economy. Despite what the above poster says, many businesses can't simply 'adapt' to having their profits cut by 50% or more, while maintaining the same if not higher overheads.

@ilikegrapes21

What's the point of vaccines if we are going to still live under restrictions for years? Together with the news from Imperial and Warwick on projected deaths (something like 130,000 by June 2022) if we relax restrictions it does make me wonder why we are bothering with vaccines. Why not just keep everything shut, keep us all indoors and give everyone a decent universal income for the next few years and be done with it. I've lost all hope now.

It's not just about this country is it? It's about the fact that vaccination programmes won't be as well developed in other countries, making sporting events and concerts difficult.

He says no big weddings with people coming from abroad. That’s not the same as no big weddings. International travel is clearly going to be more restricted for a while.