Is this really the end of Covid now

[Worriedmother666]

Or will there be more lockdowns

@Beaniecats well not once they've been fully vaccinated, but it is possible that a nasty new variant could develop that evades our current vaccines and the more people worldwide who haven't been vaccinated and the longer it takes for them to be vaccinated the greater the chance of this happening and once the UK's border open again for overseas travel the more likely it is that someone will bring it in!

Honestly this kind of stupid bullshit is just so frustrating. Yes, most people would comply with another lockdown the same way that most people comply with all our laws. The 'fear campaign' is a mind blowingly ridiculous term. You really think you're so much cleverer than everyone, don't you? Well you're not. They're just more empathetic and less narrow minded

You seem so nice 🙂 Let's be friends.

I think given that the vaccines will hopefully prevent so many people getting seriously ill, the likelihood of the NHS being unable to cope will reduce dramatically. So in theory, lockdowns won’t be necessary. But they might keep/reintroduce some of the restrictions like wearing masks in shops, two metre rule etc etc over winter when we’re indoors more.

• No it's not the end of covid. Majority of the world not yet vaccinated.
• Can't predict re lockdowns. Depends largely on mutations.
• Watch last Horizon episode, great information on this from experts

[quote zafferana]@Beaniecats well not once they've been fully vaccinated, but it is possible that a nasty new variant could develop that evades our current vaccines and the more people worldwide who haven't been vaccinated and the longer it takes for them to be vaccinated the greater the chance of this happening and once the UK's border open again for overseas travel the more likely it is that someone will bring it in![/quote]
Who even cares any more
I don't

I agree with @LucilleTheVampireBat

This needs to be the last lockdown. Cant happen again. Anyone still agreeing with it needs their head looked at.

Beginning of the end of ‘this’ but covid will be around for the long haul

This sounds realistic

[quote zafferana]@Beaniecats well not once they've been fully vaccinated, but it is possible that a nasty new variant could develop that evades our current vaccines and the more people worldwide who haven't been vaccinated and the longer it takes for them to be vaccinated the greater the chance of this happening and once the UK's border open again for overseas travel the more likely it is that someone will bring it in![/quote]
Hopefully this won't come true.
But nothing would surprise me.

End of the worst. But the start of controlling it and watching mutations like a hawk. Many countries haven't got going with vaccinations yet.
We can't even say if it'll be the final lockdown / public restrictions. A mutation might catch us out next winter.

I don’t think people would comply with another lockdown.

@Hairwizard

This needs to be the last lockdown. Cant happen again. Anyone still agreeing with it needs their head looked at.

Well the bar has been set somewhat. 30k in hospital and you lockdown. Then lift it at completely at about 2.5k. Unless it almost Christmas then you lift it at 15k.

The rules have been set. No need for timelines, just targets.

Don’t think we’ll be hitting 30k in a hurry, anyway.

Wouldn’t ask that here. There is a large number of people who think life will be like this for another decade or whatever.
I think it’s the last lockdown.

@AgeLikeWine

Probably.

The vaccines are highly effective, 29% of the adult population has already had a first dose and take-up among vulnerable groups has been much higher than anyone expected.

But...

Nobody knows what take-up rates will be in the non-vulnerable population, and most experts expect it to be significantly lower than among the vulnerable unless governments introduce tough ‘vaccine passport’ rules. Which they may do, of course. Also, new variants may emerge agains which the current vaccines are significantly less effective.

Which experts? I don't know anyone who isn't planning to have it.

I think anyone who sounds ecrtain about anything to do with covid currently needs their head looking at.

Hopefully no more lockdowns will be needed. But no one knows.

I am very concerned that UK is going for a 'pretend it has gone away' strategy which doesn't seem to me like it'll be as effective as a 'try to control it' strategy.

Which experts? I don't know anyone who isn't planning to have it.

Take up is widely accepted to be at lower percentages in the following groups:
-younger people
-women
-people from ethnic minority communities

Maybe you don't know any people who have told you they are not going to have it, but take up is likely to become more of an issue as we move through the program.

It all hinges on the efficacy of the vaccines now. As long as they keep the majority out of hospital things can return to normal(ish) but obviously no one really knows what will happen or how long they last.

Covid is going to be a background concern for a while yet. There has been a huge human and economic cost attached to measures so far; no one wants to repeat any of this so caution is needed to ensure that early warning signs aren’t missed (whether we have the leadership up to this is another debate). No one can say with absolute certainty that there won’t be another national lockdown or that regional measures won’t be needed again. All that said the goal is for life to get back up to speed to deal with the consequences.

Not the end of Covid- it will thrive in the non vaccinated under 18s. God knows what it will mutate into... I think it's the beginning of the end of experienced school staff (eg over 40) down to the nature of the virus loving classroom. A lot of us in our late 40s plus no longer feel safe in any way in schools.

It was always a problem losing experienced staff over 50 due to being managed out but I think over 40s now will start walking too.

I think as witty said, it will become manageable and managed like just another flu virus we live with, so I suspect this is the last lockdown due to Covid, as I think that’s what you’re asking.

I think it could be the end of the emergency response. I wouldn't be surprised by further local restrictions in autumn/winter but I don't think we will ever see anything like what we have had this past year for a long time.

I think the thing that makes me most worried it won't be the end is the persistent attempt from the UK government to treat it like flu.

Whilst it will be around forever in the same way that we do not expect to eradicate flu, we can not successfully keep on top of it if we treat it as if it were flu.

We really need a proper covid strategy, to prevent it spiralling again. Sadly we don't have a competent UK government at the moment.

@ChameleonClara

I think the thing that makes me most worried it won't be the end is the persistent attempt from the UK government to treat it like flu.

Whilst it will be around forever in the same way that we do not expect to eradicate flu, we can not successfully keep on top of it if we treat it as if it were flu.

We really need a proper covid strategy, to prevent it spiralling again. Sadly we don't have a competent UK government at the moment.

Agree.

"I wish it was just 2/3 weeks longer to let us get the numbers down more and even more vaccinations done first, as the plan currently stands it feels a bit dicey"

This. I think all pupils back full time is hugely risky at this stage. I'm hoping no more lockdowns, but think we will have local partial lockdowns (under a different name). I'd rather short, sharp lockdowns when required than this mess of the last year, where we have vastly worse health and economic impacts, with longer lockdowns (as act too late). The school thing seems absolutely nuts with numbers as high as they are and rotas for a short while would stand us in much better stead. I'm glad vaccines are going well and we are getting out of winter which should help, but fuck me, the school thing is bonkers.

@ChameleonClara

Which experts? I don't know anyone who isn't planning to have it.

Take up is widely accepted to be at lower percentages in the following groups:
-younger people
-women
-people from ethnic minority communities

Maybe you don't know any people who have told you they are not going to have it, but take up is likely to become more of an issue as we move through the program.

Won’t matter.

A proportion of those people will have had it
A proportion will get it
Probably neither of those groups will realise.

nope - not the end. there will be more lockdown as the infection rates yo-yo and the virus mutates. Might be approaching normal sometime in 2024.

You're deluded.

It's going to be at least 2030.