Why do people keep saying this?

[Stalagmitesstalagtites]

We’re going to keep being in lockdown, how? Why? How would they justify this after vaccines here, and why would they do that?

@zafferana

I wasn't knocking old people *@Kazzyhoward*, I was using what they're doing now that they're vaccinated as an example of what's going to happen when all age groups are vaccinated.

People just aren't going to tolerate being told to stay at home once they've had their vaccines.

True, but being "at home" is pretty low risk.

The higher risks will be controlled. I.e. people can't go to a theatre or cinema if they're not open. If a pub or restaurant doesn't comply with whatever rules are in place, i.e. if they don't limit numbers or don't collect customer details, then they are likely to be closed down by the local council. Festivals/carnivals etc need council permission to go ahead.

@Msmcc1212

No idea what restrictions are staying or going but saw something saying that we need to get numbers low enough to give Track and Trace and chance to be successful at dealing with outbreaks - including new variants for which we don’t yet know the efficacy of the vaccines. I guess keeping going with this lockdown for a bit longer now might mean less chance of nation wide lockdowns later in may be? Just speculating though.

Track and trace isn't the answer everyone thinks it is. It can help, certainly, but when we have cases of people not filling in the forms properly, giving false details on entry to pubs/restaurants, not answering their phone to unknown numbers, it's destined to fail.

Boris Johnson was so cheerful and optimistic and I just felt like “yeah, okay, I’ve seen this show before” because we’ve already had two lockdowns and been told we wouldn’t need another. I just can’t bring myself to get my hopes up again, it was so awful last time.

This sums it up for me too OP. This is why.

Because people were desperate to Lord it over people with their "superior knowledge" over the last 12 months and cannot bear the fact they might not be as prescient as other people who they deemed stupid optimists.

@Nyala

I think there is a lot of concern about how effective the vaccine will be in practice.

Sure, in a clinical trial it was approx 90% effective, but often things turn out differently in real life due to the people receiving it in the trial usually being in perfect health and receiving the second dose of it exactly on time etc. In the real world, it's become apparent that the vaccine may have a much lower success rate in some groups. For example recently it's been shown that obese people seem to only be producing 50% of the antibodies that a healthy person creates (and obesity accounts for almost 1 in 3 people in the UK). We don't know what that means yet, but if half the antibodies means half the effectiveness, we may be in trouble. Similarly if similar, less severe numbers occur in overweight people, we'll be in trouble (63% of the UK are overweight or obese). There's also the lack of testing about the 12 week gap between Pfizer vaccine doses, so we don't know whether it'll be as effective as in trials.

I also think there is an element of being unwilling to believe it because it seems too good to be true. Because last summer they were saying we wouldn't be locked down again and yet it happened twice more.

I don't 'keep saying it' like the people you must know, but I do feel that the road map was pretty optimistic. I think that's because Boris Johnson is quite simply a liar... So I don't believe him on this.

I agree with all of this.

I work for an NHS trust which has advised that the corporate staff wont be returning to the office this summer as there is a prediction of another wave in the winter and they dont want to reorganise th currently socially distanced layout to allow us all back, only to have to change it again in September.

I hope that this is the last lockdown and am hopefull that hospitilisations and deaths will be very low even if there is another wave due to the vaccines but it is a possibility.

What I find interesting with the plummeting cases the last few weeks before is that a lot of the very negative argumentative threads have gone...... like people don't know what to do now things are looking very positive

Time will tell next week when all the children go back to school.
I think that people will start to mingle more and if we get a nice spring and some sun people will go out and about a lot more
Then the rates may start to go up again.
I hope not. I hope that things improve and the vaccine starts to work really well and the road map works , but I'm not sure really.
I was optimistic last year , then it all went sour again. I'm starting to think this will carry on for another year ? All I know is, I'm sick of it all !

@Pootle40

What I find interesting with the plummeting cases the last few weeks before is that a lot of the very negative argumentative threads have gone...... like people don't know what to do now things are looking very positive

Can't imagine them coming on to say "sorry I was wrong. Turns out I don't know everything. Sorry I was so contemptuous"

I think we need to move away from ‘cases will go up’.

It’s hospitalisations and deaths that matter. If the cases are mild and not causing issues then...

@Delatron

I think we need to move away from ‘cases will go up’.

It’s hospitalisations and deaths that matter. If the cases are mild and not causing issues then...

Yes

You have your glass half full people and your glass half empty people. I am a half full and look forward to being out of lockdown!

People who are fat and old are loved ones too

These two descriptive terms dont exempt them from mask wearing so they will have been doing that to protect you too
@joystir59 I bloody HATE this. Ive been comfort eating as a way of dealing with it. Lockdowns have affected us in different ways. Please try to remember that we are all human.

Lots of people on this thread must just LOVE these lockdowns - so many so desperate to have a few weeks of madcap socialising, before everything shuts down again.

If you're sick and tired of this rollercoaster ride, tell these muppets to shut the up, follow the rules, and hope that the government THIS time actually deals with the virus before telling everyone to go the pub.

Yet another poster to come on to say we're all shit and stupid. Compared to them.

I'm sure they'll be first on here to say "hey! I got it wrong!" if things continue in the current trend.

@picknmix1984

Because this virus will mutate and we will keep needing slightly altered vaccines. However it won't necessitate more lockdowns I don't think. Possibly just mask wearing or social distancing.

It drives me nuts when people say 'just social distancing' and lump it in with mask wearing as a possible long-term, low impact measure. Do people not realise that neverending social distancing would mean never going to a wedding or party again, never celebrating special occasions with family indoors, never having friends round for a meal or a cuppa. It's unthinkable - there's no 'just' about it!

Cases aren't 'plumeting' sadly, the rate of decrease has slowed and in 20% of council areas cases are rising. Overall cases are still falling but the government is now watchful of this slowing.

We need to avoid hyperbole on both sides of this argument - things are currently precarious but we all want the same thing ultimately.

I am wary of trying the same approach as last year and failing again. I just want this to be the last bloody lockdown.

We need to knock on the head the obsession with cases numbers. Look to hospitalisation and deaths. There's your answer @ChameleonClara

People go on about masks. They are not great but social distancing is far more damaging.

@tobee hmm, well that's one approach.

The majority of people are unvaccinated. We just need to be scientific really.

Cases still matter at the moment.

[quote ChameleonClara]@tobee hmm, well that's one approach.

The majority of people are unvaccinated. We just need to be scientific really.

Cases still matter at the moment.[/quote]

I'm not sure hospitalisation numbers and death numbers are unscientific.

Vast majority of people who respond badly to Covid statistically are vaccinated in the U.K..

And hospitalisation numbers etc are what scientists are saying matters since they don't think Covid will be eradicated. You react as if my suggestion about case numbers is fringe and outlandish.

The problem with 'just watching hospitalisations' is that it takes about 3 weeks for a surge in transmission to become a surge in hospitalisations. In those 3 weeks, infections are spreading, resulting in what we saw in January - hospitals almost overwhelmed.

A 'slowly slowly' lifting of restrictions gives time to see if the vaccination programme is achieving its goal of keeping people out of hospital. Case numbers can rise, as long as hospitalisations don't rise 3 weeks later.

Of course slowly, slowly. Which is what is due to happen.

I think you'll find that data is being taken from what has happened so far. Then modelling and monitoring will be extrapolated from that.

@ChameleonClara

Cases aren't 'plumeting' sadly, the rate of decrease has slowed and in 20% of council areas cases are rising. Overall cases are still falling but the government is now watchful of this slowing.

We need to avoid hyperbole on both sides of this argument - things are currently precarious but we all want the same thing ultimately.

I am wary of trying the same approach as last year and failing again. I just want this to be the last bloody lockdown.

Down 34% from the same day a week ago.

If you say so.

@ChameleonClara

Cases aren't 'plumeting' sadly, the rate of decrease has slowed and in 20% of council areas cases are rising. Overall cases are still falling but the government is now watchful of this slowing.

We need to avoid hyperbole on both sides of this argument - things are currently precarious but we all want the same thing ultimately.

I am wary of trying the same approach as last year and failing again. I just want this to be the last bloody lockdown.

Sorry to disappoint you but they are Sadly for you we are on the road out of this. I know some people don't want to hear it as they are loving the lockdown experience.