Do people really think all will be ok in the next few years ?

[LemonSherbetFancies]

You've got people saying this will never end and then others who seem to think that it will all be over by July with no restrictions. I have been in both camps.
I am definitely of the belief that restrictions will be eased and we will have more freedom. But I also think that there is a going to be a huge knock on effect which will last for years as well as an ever widening divide between the rich and poor.
I think long term unemployment, mental health and economic fall out will be beyond what we realise.
I do think eventually we will recover as a country but it will take years. I am surprised at those who think this will all be done and dusted by the end of the year and into 2022. Maybe it's the middle classness of Mumsnet with many people working from home and saving money? Just think some are in for a shock.

I don’t want to come in here being all Miss Pessy Mystic (welcome to the stage...) but for me, of course COVID is here forever much the same way flu is. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep on top of mutations and variants and having your COVID shot when you go for your flu shot will be normal. Economy and global politics... I’m trying not to think about that.

I do think the world just got rather a large wake up call. Continue to decimate the planet, destroy natural habitats, and use and abuse animals or finally realise we need to make some changes. Not enough people care or understand that what we do to animals and nature is what is going to bring about the next pandemic. And the next one. It’s incredibly sad, and it makes me relieved I don’t have children.

All that said, I’ll be very happy to run my flabby naked arse through the streets of London in 25 years if somehow we turned it all around. Happy to be held to that.

Not sure but I read nelodees post on climate change and thought that one day I’ll be dead and it will be a relief.

@dreamwatch absolutely spot on. Brilliant post.

Yep, it'll be years. But I try to take it monthly, even weekly. Look at the little things.

dreamwatch agree. May I think of you as Missy Pestic from now on?

Incidentally, SF led to the great depression,

Nope. It had little economic impact, actually. The depression was caused by other things!

@Whatnow100

I feel as if us humans dont stop with our arrogant misuse of nature and animals then yes we are onto self distruct. For example our selfish use of natural resources .. they need to be respected. It is not ok to feel entitled to fly to far away places of you want a world for your dc s dc .. be' entitled' to that but realise the cost ? Similarly .. have we not noticed that our illnessess and pandamic s have been linked to our unatural mistreatment of animals .. messing with nature.. well sorry humans.. its our choices . .. my real hope out of all this wd be for us humans to be grateful for what we do have and be kinder to our world and creatures amd ultimately our grandchildren . Worth not fyling to hotclimes for ..? Treating our natural world better for .

Maybe covid is mother natures way of saying humans need culled basically. Although you would think ebola would be for that.

With the way we treat the planet we don't really deserve to remain here and eventually either by disease or natural disaster we probably will be gone for the most part. It's the only way to fix things really, getting countries to agree and actually make change will never happen.

I love to be away from this fucking country with its 18 degree summers and grey drizzle

Emigrate then.

Honestly, people thinking they've got a god given right to leap on a plane at a moment's notice is a major part of why we're in this current shitshow.

It's statements like the above that make you realise how fucked we actually are environmentally, given all the handwringing about holidays abroad.

Knowing how selfish human beings are, no I do not think we will recover in the way we would like (ie regaining any sense of security, economic prosperity or comfort) - we’ve still got terrorism, war mongering, international tax avoidance, virus mutations, habitat destruction, climate change, and what will be a snowballing of unwelcome climate-change driven mass human migration with resultant conflict, instability of water, food and energy supplies, and arguing over who should take responsibility for any of it/fighting over who should get the limited resources.

It's made me think though. I wonder if people in lovely hot countries like New Zealand and Spain etc travel abroad as much for holidays as people from this country. I'm not really a fan. I prefer a colder climate and have a crippling fear of flying and honestly highly doubt I'll ever go abroad again by choice and if I do it won't be by air.

I haven't flown in years and probably won't again.

If someone hates the climate here that much, just move. I wouldn't stay anywhere that made me that miserable.

The biggest problem for our planet is overpopulation and no one ever seems to offer any remedy for that.

Also you may give yourself or your dcs a big old pat on the back for giving up plastic drinking straws, but meanwhile China has built two factories in the time it takes you to do that pat.

People used to travel less. After WW1 travel died down, which led to the containment of the Spanish Flu (spread by returning troops). Now there are people travelling the world in vast numbers and infecting regions with viruses previously unknown to those areas, just like the Spanish wiping out the Aztecs with the common cold.

For me my biggest worry long term is that my parents live abroad. Many get their family back once restrictions are lifted but many people want international travel to be halted for a long time. That's heartbreaking for us who have loved ones abroad. The idea of facing years without my parents makes me feel sick.

@TwirpingBird absolutely. I feel the same. This is one of the most heartbreaking elements of this whole situation. Having family abroad makes it very hard

@HesterShaw1

The point remains about the money though, and the disproportionate terror many perfectly healthy young people have of what for most is a mild illness.

@HesterShaw1 it's true that many recover from it. But speaking to friends who are doctors and work in ITUs, it's a terrifying disease and has hit many many people, of all ages. And spreads quickly. While I take my small risks and don't live in fear (and work outside the home), I have learnt from speaking to those who know about Covid that it shouldn't at all be underestimated

Also you may give yourself or your dcs a big old pat on the back for giving up plastic drinking straws, but meanwhile China has built two factories in the time it takes you to do that pat.

This is the main problem. Our recycling does nothing in the grand scheme of things. Electric cars do nothing. Saying that Britain isn't doing enough quickly is pointless, as the the whole world isn't doing enough quickly.

To save the world, we ALL have to stop travelling to other countries at all, stop using cars at all, reduce the amount of food we eat drastically possibly going onto rations as food wastage is far too high, stop buying random crap we don't need, and stop or lower production in most factories worldwide. All of us. No excuses. No reasons. Just end everything.

Anyone willing to actually do that? Nope. Hence why it will never happen. We are too selfish.

@HeronLanyon Ha! I was actually looking for a new username, done!

There are some really excellent posts here. It’s somehow sadder when there’s a group of you all watching the same car crash and feeling helpless. As the late, great Bill Hicks once said, “We are a virus with shoes.”

Instead many people have an utterly disproportionate terror of covid, and and no worries about climate change and the environment at all. Seems quite mad.

In fact even worse, and they will actively engage in conduct that is detrimental to the environment, just to protect themselves from Covid. I have found the use of wipes, chemicals, single use masks etc by so many people totally depressing and very selfish.

@frakas

It's statements like the above that make you realise how fucked we actually are environmentally, given all the handwringing about holidays abroad.

Agree

"Covid is here for good, just like Flu is. However it's time for people to learn how to live with the virus, just like we live with the flu, and the vaccine will mean we can do that"

Agreed.

Single use masks are the safest though aren’t they? Because they are disposable, so in effect the virus gets thrown away.

Fabric ones need to be taken inside and washed at high temperatures. Isn’t repeated washing at high temperatures as harmful to the environment?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Single use masks are the safest though aren’t they? Because they are disposable, so in effect the virus gets thrown away.

Fabric ones need to be taken inside and washed at high temperatures. Isn’t repeated washing at high temperatures as harmful to the environment?

They don't need to be washed at high temperatures as soap is used (as with hand washing).

They do need to be washed at a high temperature to kill the virus.

Why else is hospital bedding washed on 90 degrees?

I teach Textile science, it’s a combination of temperature and soap which kill germs, not just soap. Temperature is the most important thing. Ideally they should be bleached too.

A low temperature wash doesn’t attack germs. You need a minimum of 60.

Depends what you mean by ok doesnt it? I've been on this earth long enough to know that economic boom and bust cycles, unemployment, viruses and mental health problems are all part of life. They existed pre 2020 and they'll exist after it. Maybe ones perspective is less to do with what class you are and more to do with how old you are?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow it's the detergent and the drying out that kills most bacteria and viruses, temp is neither here nor there.

And if you leave a mask for 3 days then any cv on it will just die naturally. However if you wash or reuse a mask too many times then it loses its filtration properties.