Deflated after tonights press conference

[TFInearlyspring]

Hi,

Was starting to feel a bit more positive - a bit lighter, but it sounds as though people are already behaving like we're out of lockdown, according to latest hotspot data.

I felt a difference earlier today when walking the dogs. I noticed there were bigger groups together, likely not the same household. I haven't seen this in such bulk for months.

Please someone tell me this is just a blip.

If outdoor mixing is safe why don't the government just let us do whatever we want so long as it's outside?

Ok I see both sides . Yanbu op for wanting to be cautious but yabu to expect the whole country to have the same mindset. People only want to see their friends and family and rightly so .
Dont understand the press conference bit

Jonathan Van Tam said that numbers are going up in some parts of the country despite the vaccine rollout and being in Lockdown. @Dontforgetyourbrolly

i had to take my son to the doctors today, which required me getting the bus and walking through the town centre. the bus was full and there were only three people wearing masks correctly. and the town centre was quite busy. lots of people walking round, queues to get into boots and home bargains, barely any social distancing. it didn’t bother me because i’m honestly not overly worried about covid after having had it already, but it was very clear that a lot of people have had enough of lockdown. and can you really blame them? yes, ideally, everyone would still be following the rules, but after a year of restrictions and lockdowns, it’s no surprise that people have had enough. especially when the goal posts are constantly being moved, and most of the ‘rules’ make no sense anyway.

@PrincessNutNuts

Jonathan Van Tam said that numbers are going up in some parts of the country despite the vaccine rollout and being in Lockdown. *@Dontforgetyourbrolly*

Yes but it was also said that the link had been broken between cases and deaths.... meaning cases will become less and less relevant (yes there is a slight chance of a horrible variant but that could happen with any virus unless we went for a zero covid approach)

Ah ok thanks for explaining I didn't see the press conference.
Well it will go up and down I should imagine. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a surge next winter too .
But people catching it should end unless deaths hopefully as we build up an immunity either through vaccination or having had it.
All these figures are making people very anxious.
I had health anxiety a few years ago when I lost 4 members of my close family to cancer within 18 months . I couldn't even read a newspaper headline or hear a celebrity death without having a panic attack. There comes a point where you just need to zone out or you live in fear .

The New York variant is the one that stands out to me @Chatterbox1987.

New York was hit so hard you would assume they had a lot of immunity in the population but both lineages of the new variant seem to be able to evade immunity to some degree.

@LifeExperience

My daughter is a doctor and she was told last spring that the most likely outcome would be that the virus would mutate to become more contagious but less deadly. Scientists are very familiar with coronaviruses (most colds are caused by coronaviruses) and that is what they do. Viruses do not want to kill their hosts, because they die also. They want to multiply and find new hosts, and becoming more contagious and less virulent is the evolutionary solution to that.

Viruses don't 'want' anything. You've described them as if they have brains!

However, if we use you descriptive method, the virus would clearly 'want' to find a way round the vaccine in order to have the maximum possible number of hosts.

What really happens is viruses mutate randomly and some take off and some don't.

We don't need covid to be 'worse' to cause huge problems, it simply needs to not be covered by the vaccine. We must protect the vaccine.

Last time I checked, cars cant spread covid

But they do cause air pollution, which harms everyone in multiple ways, including increasing the likelihood that coronavirus infection will be more harmful.

How ridiculous is this farce getting

'cars don't spread covid' is another deliberately stupid comment we see often. I assume 'deliberately' as surely it is too stupid for anyone to mean it?

No dear, you're quite right that cars don't spread covid. I've noticed that most cars appear to contain humans who get out of the car, undertake an activity, and get back in again. Do you think that might have any implications for covid spread?

FFS. We all know how and why covid spreads. The divide between people now is whether going forward we:
A) want to suppress cases & believe it is possible
B) don't want to &/or don't believe it is possible

I actually wonder if it'd be better for the government to legally relax outdoor stuff now? As outdoors is so much safer, and it'd prevent secret indoor gatherings. I suspect some people have been meeting indoors for ages, in their homes, where they can't be found. Maybe legal outdoor activity would prevent, or at least reduce, that?
I also felt a little upset by aspects of the press conference yesterday, especially about cases having risen in some areas But if it doesn't result in serious illness, due to the vaccine, then it's not as bad as it seems. I'm so grateful for the vaccine, and I hope take-up continues to be high. It really is our only way out at this point. I'm hoping, in time, that Covid vaccine refusal will be seen as very socially irresponsible, much like smoking is...

I also felt a little upset by aspects of the press conference yesterday, especially about cases having risen in some areas sad But if it doesn't result in serious illness, due to the vaccine, then it's not as bad as it seems.

If cases rises too much now then we will see many more hospitalisations and deaths.

The age group 50-70 is a huge number, many are working so can't hide away, and many are at serious risk.

It is a myth that we've vaccinated the hospitalisation group - this hasn't happened yet. We've part vaccinated the 'deaths' group.

@Dustyboots

I agree. I am sick of selfish people not following the rules. This is what led to the last lockdown.

People who have been fined should be at the bottom of the vaccine pile.

[quote Justa47]@Dustyboots

I agree. I am sick of selfish people not following the rules. This is what led to the last lockdown.

People who have been fined should be at the bottom of the vaccine pile.[/quote]
Vengeance isn't a very sensible approach.

Let's remember who has caused the most deaths - the government.

[quote Justa47]@Dustyboots

I agree. I am sick of selfish people not following the rules. This is what led to the last lockdown.

People who have been fined should be at the bottom of the vaccine pile.[/quote]
Covid has really allowed people to be happy to write somehow horrible stuff. Medical care has never been attached to good behaviour. Can't you see what an awful slippery slope that is?

If a murderer got hurt during a brutal murder they'd still get treated according to their clinical need. You may not like it but the medical profession don't weigh your soul before treating you. Maybe think why this is before splitting the deserving and undeserving of treatment. If you want a starter for 10 think how we demonised single mums in the past. Should they have been denied treatment?

Honestly enough of all this judgement.

@that1970shouse

Cases are on the increase in my area. It’s so depressing. We’re all fed up of it but why do so many people fail to understand that breaking the rules just prolongs this.

Same in my area. Cases have started rising, hospital admissions haven’t decreased and deaths are holding steady yet it’s been plainly obvious in the last week that various neighbours on our cul de sac think it’s now okay to have visitors going into their houses, either people arriving in cars or another neighbour.

And before anyone says that it’s none of my business, it’s everyone’s business when the potential consequences affect us all.

The government message has changed over the past few weeks but every now and then, like last night, they have to turn up the fear and hysteria level a bit to keep us on our toes. Where I live (large city) groups have been meeting for ages and there’s been a lot of vehicles on the roads, nothings changed here since the roadmap was announced.

I agree. I am sick of selfish people not following the rules. This is what led to the last lockdown.

It's really not

I think the government message last week was clear in what they said people could do. I don't agree with it but I do follow the guidelines. Personally I think the government should relax the guidelines but I think when children go back to school mixing will naturally increases households mixing. Infections will rise but the vulnerable will have been vaccinated as the vast majority of them have already been vaccinated

@Xenia

Since March 2020 we have had one of the biggest breaches of our human rights in our history which has gone on about 12 months too long.

This. And frankly ( and I say this as an ex- teacher and current Brownie leader, before anyone claims I hate children) people can get to fuck if they think I’m not meeting people outside in the next few weeks - if the kids can go back to school, I’m simply not prepared to endure further solitary confinement. Enough now. More than happy to take that TINY risk, which is probably a lot less than the chance of me getting knocked over on the way to park given the average standard of driving.

To the pp who said you don't need to o to a park to play outside.. You do know those things called flats yes? That lots of people live in? Or tiny, North facing gardens, or miserable neighbours who complain about noise? FFS.

I went out for the first time in two months yesterday (to collect new hearing aids before anyone jumps on me). I'd read so much on social media about people ignoring lockdown that I was expecting to see queuing cars and crowds of people blocking the street but our little section of London was very, very quiet. I could cross the normally gridlocked intersection without using the pelican crossing because their was so little traffic. When I walked down the high street I didn't have to step aside to let anyone pass. There were only a couple of school kids waiting at the bus stops. There were some takeaways open with a few socially distanced delivery drivers waiting around. It was eerily quiet and I was glad to get home.

Very impressed with my new hearers btw. They have a volume control app attached to my phone so I'll be able to turn the footie down when DH has it blaring out.

I felt deflated because once again we are in the position where we are told, don't let your guard down and don't mix, and yet schools is starting back, pupils will be mixing on site before they get their tests. No mandatory mask wearing... So once again... School is bearing the brunt of weak inadequate leaders.

@PrincessNutNuts

Jonathan Van Tam said that numbers are going up in some parts of the country despite the vaccine rollout and being in Lockdown. *@Dontforgetyourbrolly*

The vaccines help prevent serious cases, ie someone might get it but not as badly as they would have. Numbers in the community don't matter as much as numbers in hospital as for most people it will be a mild illness.

The government message depends on which minister is speaking. There is a divide between those nearer to the view of the Tory so-called Covid Recovery Group (end restrictions, if people are ill/die that is to be expected/accepted) and those who are focused on reducing infections. This partly explains why every set of restrictions was introduced later than would have been the most effective, and have been longer in duration that would have happened with prompt action.