This isn’t going to end, is it....?

[fallonT]

I was FaceTiming my friend tonight, I told her we’ve booked a uk break for August.
She laughed at me and said to her husband “should I tell her the bad news or do you want to”

Her husband is a respiratory consultant and said that the new variants of Covid will cause another wave and further lockdowns.

I asked how he could possibly know this and he laughed and said “inside information”

I suffer with anxiety and haven’t stopped crying since I got off of our FaceTime chat.

I can’t do this anymore. I realty can’t 😭

[MrsTerryPratchett]

It's bollocks.

Variants generally make diseases more catching and less serious. So either the vaccine or the variants will sort it all out.

[unmummsymummy21]

These people sound like horrible idiots. I would never do this to anyone. Even if for some reason I could accurately predict the future. I just wouldn't do it. I hatte people who do stuff like this.

I also have friends who work in the field ( actually in infectious diseases ). They simply don't know and are cautiously optimistic. Preparing for the worst, that's their job.

They would never laugh at me for booking a holiday.

[Sunnyday321]

@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum
Send help ! my cat sleeps at the bottom of my bed

[fallonT]

@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum

By the way my dog groomer says this summer cats are going to try and take over the world. You have been warned

Ok this made me LOL. I appreciate the humour.

My friends husband is a consultant though so either he’s a massive twat and he’s trying to make me more anxious or he really does know something.

I’ve known my friend a long time and I’d be massively disappointed if they were making fun of me. I just can’t see that they would do that.

[Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum]

@PurpleDaisies

Usually it’s someone in the cabinet that’s the high level secret source. This is a change.

Nice to have a shake up of the stories now and again

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

I’ve got anxiety too OP.

But if my friend knew that and spoke to me like this she wouldn’t be much of a friend.

I’m hopeful even with a lifelong history of anxiety, depression and pessimism. And if I’m hopeful anyone could be😁

[namechange63524]

I should think august would be fine for a uk break. Better weather and lots vaccinated. Obviously booking anything is subject to change at the moment, but August seems a good bet to go ahead.

[LunaNorth]

Why does being a respiratory consultant mean he has inside info?

Surely he just treats cases as they present to him? He’s not an epidemiologist/in SAGE/Mystic Meg is he?

[Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum]

OP I'm going for the twat option

Maybe we should all take a vote

[Atalune]

Some people just love to piss on everyone’s chips. And that’s what he’s done.

Inside information??? He may be a consultant but he’s also a stupid liar. No one knows.

More variants- possibly. Who knows! All we ca do is try and stay in the moment and live our lives.

[Marypoppinsbrolly]

A respiratory consultant wouldn’t have any specific future lockdown details.
They might be involved in strategic planning INCASE cases peak and we do end up with some kind of restrictions again but that doesn’t make it fact. That’s sensible planning.

Sounds like he enjoys his own sense of self importance and superiority. The reality is nobody knows how this is going to go but at the moment things are looking up.

The fact that we can identify new variants is a positive as it means the vaccines can be tweaked. And that’s not me saying that, that’s scientists and the people behind the vaccine

[Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum]

Mystic Meg that is what this pandemic has been missing

Or that octopus that could pick the lottery numbers

[smallandimperfectlyformed]

[quote fallonT]@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum

By the way my dog groomer says this summer cats are going to try and take over the world. You have been warned

Ok this made me LOL. I appreciate the humour.

My friends husband is a consultant though so either he’s a massive twat and he’s trying to make me more anxious or he really does know something.

I’ve known my friend a long time and I’d be massively disappointed if they were making fun of me. I just can’t see that they would do that.[/quote]
I don't think that they were colluding to make fun of you but what I was trying to say earlier is some people actually appear to enjoy telling people this is never going to end. They may just be enjoying the idea that they have inside knowledge, which isn't particularly pleasant about them but doesn't mean it was specifically aimed at you

[PurpleDaisies]

My friends husband is a consultant though so either he’s a massive twat and he’s trying to make me more anxious or he really does know something.

He does know something about respiratory diseases-that’s not exactly insider information. It’s not a secret that respiratory diseases are worse in winter. It’s not a secret that the current vaccines are likely to be less effective against new variants. It’s also not a secret that new vaccines are going to be relatively easy to produce. The government has been talking about a booster programme in autumn/winter. This is not some great conspiracy.

[Weepingwillow22]

Cases were very low last August even without a vaccine due to the seasonality of the virus. This year with a vaccine (even with a reduced effectiveness against new variants) things will be so much better.

I am usually a pessimist and predicted this winter would be awful but I think there is an extremely high probability that summer holiday plans in the UK will go ahead and we will have a pretty good summer.

[Honestlywtf]

He sounds like a dick. He's a dick. Don't worry about them, sound up their own arses.

[kunterbunting]

@Acesulfame

Respiratory consultant and fortune-telling mystic? That’s quite a skill set. Or it’s total bollocks, one or the other.

This.

[Dustyboots]

They sound like very mean ‘friends’.

I sort of agree with them -but have no science training to go on. Just common sense/gut instinct.

I won’t book a summer holiday until last last minute but admire those with the positivity and courage who will.

Nobody knows what’s going to happen. What a pompous set of friends.

[InterfectoremVulpes]

So you changed name to doomplop because... 🙄

[LunaNorth]

Sounds like he enjoys his own sense of self importance and superiority

Not unheard of among consultants, ime.

[titchy]

I’ve known my friend a long time and I’d be massively disappointed if they were making fun of me. I just can’t see that they would do that.

The smirk tells you that in fact they were making fun of you. There is no insider information, certainly none known to a resp. Consultant. You need better friends I'm afraid

[Atrixie]

Honestly, he hasn’t a clue, vaccines appear effective, summer seems to suppress it. My gut is that it will be fine. Some People will get it like other viruses and most will crack on and be fine

[Quartz2208]

Even if it is true (which I doubt, the NHS is planning for the possibility but its by no means true) the way he said it laughing and with a smirk on his face makes him a twat of the highest order and designed to make you anxious.

Given that I suspect he was simply winding you up for effect. They sound highly unpleasant

[LifeExperience]

He's a massive twat.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

My friends husband is a consultant though so either he’s a massive twat and he’s trying to make me more anxious or he really does know something.

Massive twat! Which is a shame as there's a vaccine for COVID but not for twattery.