Why do some think this will never be over?

[LemonSherbetFancies]

Just reading on Twitter and other sources where people think the government want to keep us on lockdown forever and this won't end until we say it does.
Do people genuinely believe this? What's in it for the government to keep us like this forevermore? I am not understanding the rationale behind these people's thinking.

Some people think this will never be over - because we have an inept, incompetent government in charge - who do not follow the science. They might try to. But they give up as soon as they feel the science is no longer winning them any popularity points. And so we hurtle (yet again) into fast reverse.

There's no way we'll be getting out of this whilst our STUPID government insists on playing out the same pattern of reactionary behaviour again and again. They'll never learn. That's why we'll never get out of this.

There is literally not a single good reason for the government to extend the lockdown longer than is necessary.

I think a lot of people who think this way have delved deeply into conspiracy theories. I have a friend who believes the vaccine contains a micro chip and that we are being prepared for the New World Order.

Although some people are paranoid or frightened, I think it largely comes down to distrust of government or authority figures, some of it justified. And people who are vulnerable to distrust seek out information elsewhere, which may be utterly wrong or questionable. For them it feels right because the truth feels 'upside down.'

A few people I know no longer watch or read mainstream news because they believe there is an agenda. My old HR boss even used to tell me about 9/11 being an inside job and various other conspiracy theories and he was a very well educated man. I think people don't really know what or who to trust fairly often.

Well restrictions aren't being lifted are they?

@yeOldeTrout I think you have described the things that may be long term very well. Some indeed such as wfh (at least for most of the week) and PPE/face coverings in medical settings I would welcome.

It's not just our government who is acting like this. Our restrictions are very much in line with other countries, in terms of timing and extent.

The UK vaccine roll out is the main thing which marks us out as different.

@RoseAndRose

Which other countries are doing what we're doing right now?

It scares me that the government have taken away our freedoms so easily. And it really scares me that people don't question it and are happy to have their freedoms taken. And I hate that the way that people are turning on each other, calling people selfish for doing basic human things, reporting their neighbours etc. I think that that the government have achieved this by scaring people witless. And they encourage us to turn against each other and blame each other because of we are looking at our neighbours/friends/family then we are not looking at them.

I don't deny that covid exists, I am fully aware that it is dangerous to some and I agree that some restrictions were needed. I also don't believe in any conspiracy theories about the vaccine and will happily have it when I am offered it.

I think that the NHS was at such a high risk of being overwhelmed because of how badly it has been underfunded and for so long. So the government used fear to make people comply with restrictions because they couldn't just admit "look we've run the NHS into the ground so we need you all to suffer for a long time to stop it from collapsing".

I think that they are easing restrictions more slowly than they actually need to because they have scared people so much to get them to comply that they can't now just say "actually it's all OK, we can get on with our lives". People won't believe them, they now believe that it's the government's job to stop anyone from ever getting ill or dying from covid. Basically the government have dug their hole too deep and now it's going to take them a while to get out of it.

I don't believe that they want us in lockdown any longer than necessary, but if they lift things quickly then there will be a huge backlash because people are scared (thanks to the government and MSM).

People are just fed up there is no real end in sight because for a whole year any goalposts has been constantly moved. The vaccine was supposed to be a way out but it isn’t because we told we still need face asks, testing, social distance.

@Shelovesamystery exactly, I think you've hit the nail on the head

Well to me still needing face masks but less chance of future lockdowns is a great step forward

@Avidreader12

People are just fed up there is no real end in sight because for a whole year any goalposts has been constantly moved. The vaccine was supposed to be a way out but it isn’t because we told we still need face asks, testing, social distance.

Exactly this

I really can't imagine that self isolation if you have been near a coronavirus infected person will continue for years to come. It's just not workable.

Streuth - well - yes this is boring and tedious but the vaccine rollout is doing well - it seems & yes the Christmas thing all went a bit west. Not sure I am a huge fan of the Govt but I can't see anyone with a better plan just right now - well not that they have articulated. This thing is unprecedented . & a bit shit. But I am hopeful once more people get the vaccine - the more we can get back to some normality. I am not sure this is some 1984 scenario. Lots of people get - until this thing is under control it makes sense to adhere to some guidelines. Normal arguments about the NHS aside - surely there is no way we could sustain an NHS which could cope with this scale of pandemic on a regular basis . So - I am happy to adhere to guidelines and don't think I am in some dystopian universe .

Just my opinion - others are available

Hope all staying well & ( as importantly , cheerful)

I reckon to some extent people are afraid of mission creep and the normalisation of lockdowns as intervention for other diseases/general reluctance to accept that some diseases do kill people. I don't think the government actually benefits from crashing the economy - although realistically they don't care about small businesses as much as their branding would suggest and imo most Tory MPs would be happy with high streets consisting only of big business/chains - BUT I do think their response has wavered so much that in future they might see it as easier to take really quite drastic measures when the NHS is at risk in future, in order to avoid dealing with any underlying issues.