How much longer are we meant to do this?

[Creamteaincornwall]

I have so many friends who are at the end of their tether. Some suicidal, many almost.
I attend a zoom support group for my mental health and emotional well being as I have BPD and ASD. The last few weeks have been horrendous, every person is at the lowest they’ve been since the beginning of all this.
The amount of posts I’ve read on various Facebook groups of people saying they don’t want to get up in the morning anymore, they just stay in bed. Surely this isn’t doing anyone any good physically or mentally?
Surely this will put most in a weaker position if they were to catch covid?

How much more are we all suppose to take of this? With no end in sight?

I think @BlowDryRat has summarised the situation correctly. I don’t know anyone on real life who is as pessimistic as the ‘we’ll be in lockdown until 2025’ brigade on Mumsnet.

Once the vulnerable groups are vaccinated we’ll be back to normal otherwise we won’t have an economy or a healthcare service as there will be no money to fund it.

Zero Covid isn’t the strategy here. Once the pressure is off the hospitals everything will open up. Maybe not large concerts just yet.

I’d even bank on some foreign travel this summer. Won’t book it yet but hopeful for a last minute getaway. Much like last year.

@Moonstone1234

I would like to ask those you want lockdown to continue for the foreseeable, schools to be closed and online learning to continue and for holidays/travel abroad to be banned indefinitely - why do think like this?

Has anyone said they want this to last any longer than is necessary? I think everyone wants this over and done with. Did people actually say this, or are you reading what you want into other people's posts?

There will always be deaths from various diseases. Dont 500k die every year anyway so we arent going to stop death.

I find Whitty and Vallance to just be interested in stopping deaths. They have no real interest in the economy. Their roles and salaries are safe regardless. They put up graphs that the vast majority of people dont understand and although Track and Trace didnt do what it was meant to do I was listening the other day to an agent who said the amount of people who wouldnt engage when she asked them to isolate was shocking - the abuse she got was terrible (and no its always because they cannot afford to lose wages - its sometimes because they just cannot be bothered).

Rather like the people in the UK re masks. Why are we the only country who cannot manage the mask scenario. We basically say wear a mask and if you cant/wont then dont worry - you wont be challenged.

Dont get me started on the young people who are having parties and when challenged say they are bored and the virus wont affect them (it will you fools when you go back to your homes and mix with your family)and those idiots who had a 1 year old's birthday party and hung bunting outside their house.

I also wonder how many people who are fined actually pay the fine? Does anyone know?

@TwirpingBird

Of course I try to find joy. I have 2 kids that I have to stay sane for and not top myself. But i am at home alone all day for 11 solid hours with 2 kids under 2 and my family in a foreign country. I say 1 square mile because I try to follow the rules and stay local. I am doing my bloody best. Telling me to shift my mindset is NOT helpful. I have tried that. My situation is still unbearably difficult.

I say this as my toddler has her 3rd meltdown of the day because she wanted to slam a door shut, my baby wants to be rocked to sleep AGAIN, and my DH just rang to say he will be late.

Trawling through MN looking at threads about how long this is going to last maybe isn't the best thing to be doing if you are unable to handle posters giving a different opinion to what you want to read, others asking how they come to that assessment, and how they deal with it, and them explaining it clearly and rationally.

Can I say that o have a sibling with cancer and has had surgery and now chemo and has had astonishingly good nhs treatment throughout lockdown. Has excellent nhs cancer nurses, no appointment cancelled etc. I know there have been some awful disruptions but always feel sorry for those nhs staff who are providing great treatment for other things despite everything. Heck I had to go to A and E for urgent eye problem and was seen right away and appointment the next day also. Thank you nhs.

But moonstone for you still to be saying ‘don’t 599k die anyway’ does mean you haven’t seen the charts and listened to the explanation of that very point. ! Google it. You’ll understand this isn’t ‘ usual’. Bloody hell of it were usual do you really think we’d all be sitting at home and teaching our kids ourselves. I despair.

The vaccines prevent serious illness and hospitalisation...

Stick with it and keep taking all possible precautions, you do not want to be dealing with the longterm effects of a viral infection because that messes with mental health in a dreadful way. I contracted a viral infection aged 12, I'm 50 now and still suffering chronic pain and fatigue, it has prevented me having more than one child, broken relationships, caused early retirement and left me quite unable to live a normal life, I'm reliant on strong medication to get through each day and I hate it. All caused by a minor infection 38 years ago.

@KriekAndWaffle

Boris did not say we would be normal by Christmas but he did say he hoped for significant normality.

One of the biggest problems in this whole shitshow has been his failure to level up with the people and just bluster and fudge his way through everything.

I've argued the same all the way through, but huge numbers of people would go into meltdown if they were confronted with reality. Nicola Sturgeon has tried being more honest, but she is hampered by the political realities of admitting that they are trying to manage an ever shifting scientific nexus and all the time trying to herd cats who want to do what they want to do regardless of what is in the best interests of the many.

According to Prof Peter Openshaw, an immunologist from Imperial College London, mild forms of the illness meant that the virus was only present in the nose and upper airway, whereas "the disease that we are most fearful of is when it gets down deep into the lungs" and potentially affects other organs of the body.

"I think there is very little doubt these vaccines will prevent that sort of spread of the virus outside the confines of the upper respiratory tract," he told the BBC.

I'm fed up. Generally have stayed quite positive. But I'm desperately bored now and lacking motivation.

Though I dont get the 'enough is enough' comments. There is no personal risk assessment that can be made, it's a public health issue not a personal health issue, as long as there is covid still being transmitted (as the vaccine doesnt prevent transmission 100%) theres still a chance of it not just spreading when life returns to normal but mutating to a point where all our previous vaccinations and efforts are pointless.

Life in this level of restriction cant go on forever. But for everything to go back to 100% normal would backfire significantly and make everything so much worse.

I think though if restrictions could lessen slightly, e.g very small gatherings allowed, restaurants etc to reopen with social distancing measures then there will still be enough joy in life and hopefully wont be too much of a risk of mutation. But I think the damage to mental health and the economy would be significantly worse if a mutated virus spread out of control again and cancelled out all our previous efforts.

And the people saying "why are we doing this for something with a 99% survival rate". It was never about deaths but a functioning NHS. My friends relative died due to not being able to access treatment properly, due to her age and comorbidities it seemed they thought her staying in hospital at risk of catching covid was a greater risk of the injuries sustained from her fall, she ended up passing away from a clot from lack of mobility. This was during the first peak in a hospital very badly hit by covid, and my friend described the whole process as "frantic" in a&e, there weren't enough staff and she feels decisions were rushed and Ill thought out. Without a functioning NHS due to covid this would be a regular thing impacting all age ranges.

All @TwirpingBird is doing is saying that they are frustrated with how things are for them which they are entitled to do. It is infuriating when people come in and just appear to minimise what they are going through. Sometimes you just need to say what your reality is. Some people get pleasure from listening to birds etc and some don't. You can't just jolly people out of a crap situation. They are perfectly entitled to post where they see fit

Nicola Sturgeon just announced warned those who do receive a vaccine that it does not become affective for 2-3 weeks after receiving the first dose, and that it does not stop you from getting the virus or transmitting it to others, so you must follow locked down even if and when you receive a vaccine.

I have a couple of things planned in May with friends. And I'll be doing them regardless.

I've had enough of putting my life on hold to save the lives of some people I don't know and never will do.

Deaths are sad for their families, but their deaths don't have any impact on me.
In much the same way that the wider world didn't care (why would they?) when I lost loved ones while my world fell apart.

Everyone is always pointing out that life is short and you only get one chance to live it.
Well, I've paused it for a year while this government has dithered around putting in half arsed measures and changing their minds.

I'm done waiting.

@WhateverJohnnyMcNofriends I think you make a very valued point.

People go on about us not being selfish but ultimately anyone wanting rules to continue much longer is selfish IMO.

And you're right, so many people turn a blind eye when people need help in the street pretend they can't see what's happening so why should our lives be fucked to help others?

We have already fucked up a year of life I too am not prepared to do it much longer either.

Well yes were being asked to care more about strangers than ourselves and our own family it it goes completely against all our natural instincts doesn't it.

@WhateverJohnnyMcNofriends

I have a couple of things planned in May with friends. And I'll be doing them regardless.

I've had enough of putting my life on hold to save the lives of some people I don't know and never will do.

Deaths are sad for their families, but their deaths don't have any impact on me.
In much the same way that the wider world didn't care (why would they?) when I lost loved ones while my world fell apart.

Everyone is always pointing out that life is short and you only get one chance to live it.
Well, I've paused it for a year while this government has dithered around putting in half arsed measures and changing their minds.

I'm done waiting.

Well done you. Go for it.

But no-one should complain if the next step is detainment for people who refuse to follow the rules.

But then none of us would be in this situation if they had locked everyone down at the beginning, closed the borders, and used the army to distribute food parcels to the nation.
28 days and it would have been over.

What do you do if they start locking people up who cannot be trusted to remain in lockdown? Can you family make do if your are detained for medical reasons? Or do you not give a care like you said?

[quote tootsytoo]@WhateverJohnnyMcNofriends I think you make a very valued point.

People go on about us not being selfish but ultimately anyone wanting rules to continue much longer is selfish IMO.

And you're right, so many people turn a blind eye when people need help in the street pretend they can't see what's happening so why should our lives be fucked to help others?

We have already fucked up a year of life I too am not prepared to do it much longer either.[/quote]
...ultimately anyone wanting rules to continue much longer is selfish IMO.
Who is lobbying for ongoing lockdowns? Or are you reading things you want to read into people's posts?

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Well yes were being asked to care more about strangers than ourselves and our own family it it goes completely against all our natural instincts doesn't it.

It certainly does. It also goes against our culture and our upbringing to care for others and think about them before ourselves. That is why our country is the way that it is.

But no-one should complain if the next step is detainment for people who refuse to follow the rules.

Detainment where? Prison? Not enough room.

But then none of us would be in this situation if they had locked everyone down at the beginning, closed the borders, and used the army to distribute food parcels to the nation
Youd have loved that wouldn't you?

28 days and it would have been over

No it wouldn't. It couldn't have worked. Would you have just shut the hospitals turned all services off? And how many people would that have killed?

What do you do if they start locking people up who cannot be trusted to remain in lockdown?

They won't.

Can you family make do if your are detained for medical reasons? Or do you not give a care like you said?
Why on earth would this happen? Unless you mean they get it? In which case surely most people are prepared for the possibility of this.

It certainly does. It also goes against our culture and our upbringing to care for others and think about them before ourselves. That is why our country is the way that it is

The way it is? What do you mean?
Name one country in the world where it is normal to put others before the welfare of your own children?

It's not right to do that.

@twirpingbird Not a pissing contest, but try three small children! The youngest has fallen asleep on me after screaming for an hour, and I has to take a call from a recruiter with loud snoring in the background. 😳

It certainly does. It also goes against our culture and our upbringing to care for others and think about them before ourselves. That is why our country is the way that it is.

Ah yes all those people working hard to vaccinate so many. The scientists working endlessly.

What is your situation? Do you personally see harm of lockdown or only get benefit?

Well done you. Go for it.

But no-one should complain if the next step is detainment for people who refuse to follow the rules.

But then none of us would be in this situation if they had locked everyone down at the beginning, closed the borders, and used the army to distribute food parcels to the nation. 28 days and it would have been over.

What do you do if they start locking people up who cannot be trusted to remain in lockdown? Can you family make do if your are detained for medical reasons? Or do you not give a care like you said?

Lol do you really think they're going to lock people up for not staying in lockdown? Where are they going to put these people? In our over crowded prisons? Maybe they'll just let all the convicted criminals out so they can lock up Dave and Mary who had a couple of friends round for dinner.
No I don't much care if I'm locked up. I have no dependants and its not really much different to now is it? I didn't get respite in the summer for various reasons - I've been stuck in my home for a year.

Can someone get elli an off grid shack and a hat made of tin foil?

Spring is around the corner. I sincerely hope our council will plant beautiful flowers at the parks. I’m going to research plants I could grow in my flat. Plants are good for my mental health, especially witnessing one growing from a seed.