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

@Seriouslymole

I’m quite happy that more people are questioning this. The willingness with which we have given up our civil liberties has been staggering. However, in my more logical moments (which, I admit, are few and far between at the moment) I cannot for any reason see why a conservative government particularly would want to screw over the capitalist society we lived in until recently. Time will tell I guess.

I agree about civil liberties, and I applaud anyone who makes the effort to stay concerned about them, but most posters on here are not questioning, are they? They are assuming doom scenarios and repeating conspiracy theories and feeling aggrieved against imaginary futures.

@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.

Furlough, school vouchers and the scare mongering media have kept the plebs at bay.

The government keep changing the goal posts, I agree OP.
Some people are waited for zero Covid deaths to go outside and to 'feel safe'. Well never be safe from any virus or illness, we take risks everyday.

Yes yhe government haven't said we have to wait til the we get a vaccine for new strain yet but they're prepping us. Whitty keeps saying although deaths and hospital admission are on the decline we must stick to the rules.
Even when people are vaccinated and over 90% coverage, they're still asked to keep to rules.

When will this end? What can we do?

I would riot. I seriously would. We need to do something.

But the NHS is no longer overwhelmed. In scotland it never has been - not even close, even in January.

That's because capacity was massively expanded and staff brought in from other disciplines to help.

mobile.twitter.com/doctimcook/status/1359252464155910146

mobile.twitter.com/ActuaryByDay/status/1359257780754997255

Yanbu. I spent a decent amount of my PGCE learning about the importance of social interaction between children in the early years of childhood and how fundamental it is in so many ways to brain development and other things. Long-term damage can be done if we mess with stuff like that. I know many disagree with me and the people who love to point out that there were wars 'and everything was fine' probably think I'm being OTT but it's my opinion and I can't change it.

Now there are a significant number of children who have lost that interaction for nearly a year and it really worries me what this country has become. Illegal for kids to be kids.

@Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow

Can you imagine back in March had they implemented a ten year jail term?

We have been conditioned to this.

So I ask what is next? Jail for students who have parties? Extended jail for those who protest or even say they want to? Do we forcibly vaccine? Do we have countries implementing the death penalty for a breach of the rules?

Because right now, none of that seems so
far fetched any more.

What happens if we are no further forward in two years?

Doom-mongering and future faking.

I find the constant likening of lockdown restrictions to Nazi policy really, really distasteful. When it comes to conspiracies you always need to ask yourself, who stands to gain? and follow the money. This lockdown is costing the government money, therefore they will relax it as soon as they can, probably prematurely if anything, so they can get the economy going and make more money.
If the conspiracy theorists out there got themselves into as much of a froth about the genuine fuckery this government is responsible for as they do thinking the queen is a lizard they might really be a force for good.
Never mistake conspiracy for sheer ineptitude, and the government has that in abundance.

@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!

Its all fucking insane and I'm actually pretty scared tbh. I'm far more scared of how we have had our freedoms taken away than I am of covid. I can understand certain restrictions, something had to be done in order to keep the NHS from being completely screwed. But making it illigal for us to see our family and friends is simply beyond the pale and should never have happened. And yes I know that it's how the virus spreads but I do not think that it can ever be justified.

Good too see that the NHS was called out today as being ‘nothing special’ by a think tank.
It’s feted like a bloody religion, I’m sick of hearing protect the NHS

I spent a decent amount of my PGCE learning about the importance of social interaction between children in the early years of childhood and how fundamental it is in so many ways to brain development and other things.

I've been astounded by the way our children and their future have been so swiftly and casually thrown under the bus.

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'I simply cannot believe this is happening in the UK. Ten years in prison for travel.'

Well its not 10 years for travel is it. Its 10 years for refusing to test and quarantine. Behaviour which could continue to import variants leading us to being stuck with restrictions, which ironically is what your moaning about.

It's 10 years for lying on an official form about here you have travelled from not for travelling itself

@Cornettoninja they (my MP) have expressed a concern at the extent to which lockdown measures are going and voted against the last lockdown in parliament. Particular concern re. The impact on mental health and on children and the cost to the economy and small business owners. Funny that perhaps you would like to reply to her and address her as a conspiracy theorist as well?

I also think there does need to be a massive deterrent for people with no regard for others, possibly bringing a vaccine resistant strain into the country that sets everything back where we were last March. I do wonder how many people would still think it was too harsh a punishment if that happened.

@IdblowJonSnow

What a lot of bollocks. Schools looking likely to return at some point next month. They are simply trying to stop people from dying and the NHS from being overwhelmed. Why on earth do you think they'd want us cooped up otherwise?

That's what they have said from the start. Stop deaths, stop people getting seriously I'll and stop to overwhelming the NHS. We have vaccines which over 95% efficiency rate, the over 50s will be vaccinated by May, who count for 99% of Covid deaths and hospital admissions...but will the lift these restrictions in May? Will they tell us we dont have to wear face masks in May?

Will they fuck.

Now its mutant variants (which they'll be hundred as they do for viruses) so let's start with some new goal posts.

@DuchessofHastings1

Who’s ‘they’? Who’s responsible for this and why? The Tories? What’s the motivation? Explain.

@CoolShoeshine

The mood on this site is constant swings and roundabouts. When the cases were massively rising late December people were scared and in the main calling for the government to lock down, blaming them for not acting sooner, worrying about how the nhs will cope. When cases start to decrease and people become less scared, the chat then turns to the government taking away our freedom, ruining the economy, ruining education. If lockdown eased now we’d all be back to calling for it again in about a month.

Exactly this.

Unfortunately our government is doing the same —constantly scouting public opinion. Watching the public mood.

It doesn't want to impose restrictions, so it doesn't do anything at all. Until it is too late, and then it has no choice. Every time. First Labour calls, then Sturgeon acts (mostly opportunistically, to show Borris up), then sometimes Wales, and finally, but much too late, Borris falls into line.

It's no way to manage a crisis.

The Conservatives need to swap out Boris for someone that can lead.

@goodnightsugarpop

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

Oh dear here's a little Piers Morgan.

If you say anything against Covid, lockdowns, vaccines then your a Covidiot/Covid denier/Conspiracy theorist.

The OP has pointed out a change in the goal posts by our government. From the start of this last year, they said the vaccine was the way out, our knight in shining armour back to normality. The aim to produce a vaccine to power hospital admissions and death rates.
Roll on now when we have such vaccines, now its follow the rules still and we cant be too cautious. Mutant strains bla bla. Goverment scientific advisers would have told them about new strains from the start, as all viruses have new strains and can mutate.
Now it seems we all have to sit tight for another vaccine for new strains then they'll be another goal post moving.

Also our government allowed people to mix over Christmas knowing it would cause another spike. Why would they do this? Because they knew people would mix anyway, they have to stay in control.

Questioning our shoddy government's narratives is not conspiracy theoring when they have blatantly lied to us.

I spent a decent amount of my PGCE learning about the importance of social interaction between children in the early years of childhood and how fundamental it is in so many ways to brain development and other things.

I don't disagree that this is important - but kids under 5 are exempt from the rules. So I've been regularly going for exercise with a Mum-friend with a pre-schooler and the pre-schoolers play as normal while we socially distance. Also, nurseries are open.

Presumably this is WHY preschoolers are exempt from the rules.

Schools were open Sept- December pretty much as normal, no social distancing (not possible in the classroom / occupancy ratios in all the schools near us).

I really, really agree that children need social interaction.. which is why I keep asking why they're not doing socially distanced outdoor PE (for the kids 100% at home, of course a lot are in school). Risks very low and benefits to mental health and socialisation huge.

But it's not as if they haven't had any interaction all year - they've just had 3 months pretty much as normal with all clubs running pretty much as normal too.

I do think the chopping and changing is damaging and half-time in schools that are safer - and not likely to close at a days notice - might be more consistent and better overall. But the government can't seem to organise a piss up in a brewery so.... we are here.

Plenty of countries don't start formal schooling until 6 or 7 and arguably have better outcomes for their kids. Of course they will play with others before they start school, but again, this age group of children are exempt from the rules and it's allowed for them to play together. It's also legal to form a childcare bubble.

I can't believe I'm actually defending this shitshow of a government - but then again, keeping playgrounds open and allowing younger kids to be exempt shows that someone, somewhere was paying attention for once and learning from mistakes in the first lockdown.

I do think this false narrative that everything is absolutely dreadful and our kids have been locked away for a year (when they quite clearly haven't) is probably as damaging to children as the shitshow this government's made of it all.

10 year sentence in England?
maybe private prisons are the current best idea for propping up the economy:(

jk nurseries are shut in scotland and it’s VERY hard to meet one other person outside up here for longer than a quick play in the park. It’s either sideways sleet or snow or freezing.

I am lucky that I have a large family and my kids play. I have several lone parents desperately worried and I think that’s a reasonable worry to have

@Donoteatthekittens

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.

This is for the stupidest meme I've seen on the internet today and possibly, ever.

@Katie517 where did I accuse you of being a conspiracy theorist? I’m simply questioning why people are choosing to dramatise on the internet and seemingly do nothing of substance irl. Good on you for engaging with your MP.

Maybe a few Mnetters would do well to follow your example instead of whipping each other into an impotent frenzy and extrapolating scenarios based on nothing but their own imaginations.

@baroqueandblue

Weird how people are quick to suspect their government yet think it’s perfectly safe to join a rabble online when we know that there are parties that have an interest in controlling the tone of social media.

Yes and some of them wound people up to make sure we dismembered ourselves from the EU, and then used similar algorithms to get Boris the GE. You can't have it both ways.

What do you mean both ways??

@IloveJKRowling my 2yo DS has not interacted with another child his own age since March. I don't know anyone with a child under 5 to take him for a walk with. We can't afford preschool/nursery and don't get the funding until he is 3. When a few toddler groups opened over the summer the spaces were booked up before I could find them and the ones that I used to take him to never opened back up. We don't need childcare so are not entitled to a childcare bubble, not entitled to any kind of bubble actually. I doubt we are the only family in this position.

@Cornettoninja apologies as you didn't call me a conspiracy theorist it’s just that’s the impression anyone seems to give who voices an opinion against lockdown. Thank you I am a firm believer in being proactive and trying my best to do something productive to get my point across rather than just complaining about it and doing nothing.

And my opinion isn’t intended to downplay the seriousness of covid but to offer a counter voice for those struggling with lockdown and concerned for where things seem to be heading it is possible to be concerned about both things. I just think the reaction needs to be proportionate to the threat and if we continue criminalizing natural human behaviour and having such harsh lockdown measures once the vulnerable are vaccinated and hospital pressure is eased that is not proportionate.