Ever changing goalposts....the cynic in me...

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

....wonders if there is more going on.

First we had to “flatten the curve”. Then we needed to wait for a vaccine. Now we need to wait for a vaccine against a new strain.

But new strains will always appear. There will be a new one come September by the time the next vaccine is out.

I can’t see a way out of this using current strategy but no one is discussing any other strategy.

At what point does it end? When our children have no future? When most service business are gone? When we are all vaccinated every three months?

At what point do we aim to reduce serious illness in the vulnerable and then get on with our lives? We have vaccines that do that.

This isn’t me saying that long covid isn’t a thing or that I’m not worried. But I gravely fear for other things at this point.

I’m no conspiracy theorist usually but it does feel like this is a new world order of control through the back door. There is no dissent. There can be no opposition nor protests

I’m no conspiracy theorist usually but it does feel like this is a new world order of control through the back door

It isn't. Occam's Razor applies. We have a novel virus behaving as viruses normally behave (mutations etc), coupled with a shambolic government which is constantly wrong-footed (and that's putting it kindly).

But we haven’t really been told we “need to wait for a vaccine against a new strain”, have we?

The plan is still to get children back to school from March 8th, and other relaxations will follow.

I’m sticking with that for now, until we’re told different

I’m not sure where the money will come from to fund all this when nobody has a job to pay taxes. Or how the government have the capacity, funding and manpower to vaccinate 68 million people continually.

New strain and new vaccine every 3 months? Good luck with that one.

Well, considering protesting is also now illegal, it’s going to take nothing short of mass civil unrest or civil war to get our freedoms back. We’ve sleep walked into a draconian authoritarian regime under the guise of keeping us safe, and it seems most people are only toohappy to keep spreading their cheeks and begging for more.

Is anyone really begging for more Randominternetbitch? I think we all want out of this asap.

The UK gave up civil liberties in WW2. They were given back when the crisis was over. The same will apply to this crisis. No need for unrest or civil war.

@Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow

....wonders if there is more going on.

First we had to “flatten the curve”. Then we needed to wait for a vaccine. Now we need to wait for a vaccine against a new strain.

But new strains will always appear. There will be a new one come September by the time the next vaccine is out.

I can’t see a way out of this using current strategy but no one is discussing any other strategy.

At what point does it end? When our children have no future? When most service business are gone? When we are all vaccinated every three months?

At what point do we aim to reduce serious illness in the vulnerable and then get on with our lives? We have vaccines that do that.

This isn’t me saying that long covid isn’t a thing or that I’m not worried. But I gravely fear for other things at this point.

I’m no conspiracy theorist usually but it does feel like this is a new world order of control through the back door. There is no dissent. There can be no opposition nor protests

I totally agree. And today we are being threatened with 10 year prison sentences. It is terrifying now.

Sadly, I imagine most people would do whatever the government says despite the ever changing goal posts.

I’m someone who’s followed da roolz, wears a face mask in shops, not seeing friends or family etc.

"But we haven’t really been told we “need to wait for a vaccine against a new strain”, have we?"
I think they are prepping us for that.

@Randominternetbitch

Well, considering protesting is also now illegal, it’s going to take nothing short of mass civil unrest or civil war to get our freedoms back. We’ve sleep walked into a draconian authoritarian regime under the guise of keeping us safe, and it seems most people are only toohappy to keep spreading their cheeks and begging for more.

This! The government's growing unlimitedness is scarier than the virus

I want to believe this is all for a reason but that is fading fast at the minute.

10 year sentence in England? What the fuck are we going to get in Scotland the death penalty. It's frightening now.

What is the point of static goalposts in a changing situation?

I’m not sure people would really have listen to the government better if they’d presents 1001 different possibilities for every eventuality in March last year and then said the eventual outcome is one of these and we don’t know which one yet.

For a start a lot of posters on here would have labelled them as dementors, or scare-mongerers. Not to mention the fact that everyone would probably end up really really confused.

Are you sure it is the cynic in you? Sounds more like your lack of understanding of the current situation.

Crawl or 10 years in prison!

Yes, it's frightening.

The goal posts HAVE changed.

We've given up our human rights and we don't know when we are getting them back. That's scary.

These conspiracy theory posts are all the same, do you guys write them together?

• Vague, clickbait-y post title
• I'm really worried about [thing that's in the news today]
• It feels like [wildly overstated rumour, vaguely hysterical questions]
• "more going on"
• vague references to "dissent" without any idea of what exactly you want to protest or how you'd go about it

and creeping in there:

• I'm not a conspiracy theorist but [classic phrase only used by conspiracy nuts]

In this case "new world order". On another post earlier today I think it was "sinister government plot" It'll be something about George Soros and lizard people in the next one I expect.

Get a hobby

Its beyond a joke I have been saying this for ages but thankfully other people are starting to realise.

I don’t think there is an ulterior motive but I do think we have an appalling government who are relishing in their new found power (Matt Hancock especially) you can just see the glee on his face when he realises what control he has. We are also being influenced by one dimensional experts and scientists who have no grasp of real life. Whitty has been described by many as an anti social loner so it’s not surprise that he doesn’t give a second thought to the devastating impact lack of social contact and isolation is having on mental health. The thing that keeps me going is that the number of people starting to question the measures is rising rapidly as is the number of MPs speaking out about lockdown and the voices from ministers who care about the economy and getting us back to normal are also getting louder (Rishi Sunak for one!) these will become more influential now cases and hospitalisations are going down.

You only have to look at Italy opening its ski resorts, children in schools in most European countries, 25000 fans at the Super Bowl in the USA at the weekend, South Africa easing restrictions to know that we are now over reacting. The more normality people see in other countries the more we will challenge our government especially if they also hit the vaccine target.

I believe that the government are scared to allow any return to normality because when we get there, the absolute mess that we are in will become truly apparent and the public will demand answers.

Mainstream media are reliant on government advertising funding at the moment, so will not rock that boat.

The longer that we are kept scared, in lockdowns, and blaming Joe Public, the longer the government have to feather their nests and figure out a way to pass the buck.

There is no dissent. There can be no opposition nor protests

Well that's a load of bollocks for a start op. There has been plenty of dissent and opposition, in parliament, in the press, all over mumsnet! There have also been plenty of actual protests.

I suppose they got so much criticism for letting thousands into the country and now need to look like they are doing something with the ten years in prison thing.

Schools are planning to go back soon, literally a few more weeks. Calm the fuck down OP.

Well, considering protesting is also now illegal

Do you mean mass gatherings or protesting? Because protesting is most certainly not illegal.

Great response @Katie517

The idea that other European countries are suddenly opening up widely while we are all being repressed for Hancock's fun is not true. A nightly curfew is currently in force in metropolitan France, for example. Germany is still under restrictions etc. Italy may be opening its ski resorts, but it has banned UK residents until at least 5 March.

'Whitty has been described by many as an anti social loner so it’s not surprise that he doesn’t give a second thought to the devastating impact lack of social contact and isolation is having on mental health'

What a ridiculous thing to say. Whitty has said on many occasion it is trying to find the balance, taking into account direct effects of covid and the indirect effects such as economic and mh issues, so yes he does give the impact of the restrictions a 'second thought' 🙄.

@Randominternetbitch

Well, considering protesting is also now illegal, it’s going to take nothing short of mass civil unrest or civil war to get our freedoms back. We’ve sleep walked into a draconian authoritarian regime under the guise of keeping us safe, and it seems most people are only toohappy to keep spreading their cheeks and begging for more.

Begging for more? Get over yourself. Most of us are miserable as sin but understand why we can't just crack on.