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Original poster

Whitty warns: Its not over

207 replies

palacegirl77 · 09/03/2021 11:54

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56334902

Not surprising when you look at the Spanish Flu model. Need everyone to get those vaccines!

OP posts:
vera99 · 09/03/2021 12:00

Professor Gloom and Doom. Great and the good epidemiologically speaking but as advisers they advise and politicians decide.

ComtesseDeSpair · 09/03/2021 12:02

Well, he’s basically saying we can’t remove all restrictions at once because we need to monitor progress at different stages of relaxing them... which is what’s happening, so why do we need warnings?

BlackeyedSusan · 09/03/2021 12:07

Warnings are needed because as restrictions are relaxed, it's easy to relax too much and forget.

Elderberry84 · 09/03/2021 12:07

I don't honestly care anymore.

Almost everyone I know is experiencing some form of mental health crisis. No exaggeration. People need people. Not raves, not huge parties, not even a bunch of mates down at the local pub, just a little regular close contact with our closest family / friends. A 5 month ban (which it will be before we are legally allowed to socialise with six indoors... Unless you're in an indoor venue with strangers in which case it's up to a thousand people Hmm) which at the moment is the best case scenario (and those goalposts can be shifted at any time) is not in any way sustainable. It's all very well if you're local and can go for walks with your nearest and dearest, although it's not a perfect substitute... My family live abroad, I haven't seen them for over a year. It has very nearly broken me.

I will be taking my children to see their vaccinated grandparents (my in-laws) at Easter, whatever the rules state.

We cannot keep living like this.

Elderberry84 · 09/03/2021 12:08

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that people with local friends and family were finding this easier, am having a really bad day.

SeldomFollowedIt · 09/03/2021 12:15

Of course it’s not over, it never will be. We will learn to live alongside it like flu.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 09/03/2021 12:17

I don't know what he wants people to do with that information tbh.

There will be a 3rd wave but we don't know when...Could be any time this year...we could have another 30,000 deaths amongst those who haven't been vaccinated or for whom the vaccination hasn't worked.

Great...thanks! So those people who have been vaccinated (which by June/July - which is before he's predicting this 3rd wave - should be every uk adult who wants it) should what? Cower in our homes , continue to not see our families just so the people who choose not to have the vaccine don't die?

Every death is a tragedy, but we can't keep living like this. It's inhuman

Dolciedolly · 09/03/2021 12:24

@Elderberry84

I don't honestly care anymore.

Almost everyone I know is experiencing some form of mental health crisis. No exaggeration. People need people. Not raves, not huge parties, not even a bunch of mates down at the local pub, just a little regular close contact with our closest family / friends. A 5 month ban (which it will be before we are legally allowed to socialise with six indoors... Unless you're in an indoor venue with strangers in which case it's up to a thousand people Hmm) which at the moment is the best case scenario (and those goalposts can be shifted at any time) is not in any way sustainable. It's all very well if you're local and can go for walks with your nearest and dearest, although it's not a perfect substitute... My family live abroad, I haven't seen them for over a year. It has very nearly broken me.

I will be taking my children to see their vaccinated grandparents (my in-laws) at Easter, whatever the rules state.

We cannot keep living like this.

Me too ... my mental health is dipping fast I am done
megletsecond · 09/03/2021 12:24

I agree with Whitty. Even when I'm jabbed I'm not heading off to restaurant's and the gym. My dc's are at school so that risk is still there.
I'm so bored with it I'd rather keep my head down for a while longer and we might be ok next year.

Dolciedolly · 09/03/2021 12:25

@megletsecond

I agree with Whitty. Even when I'm jabbed I'm not heading off to restaurant's and the gym. My dc's are at school so that risk is still there. I'm so bored with it I'd rather keep my head down for a while longer and we might be ok next year.
Are you still working and have a monthly salary coming in ... as most people don't and need to get back to normal enough now
megletsecond · 09/03/2021 12:26

Yes, WFH. So I can keep out of the way.

Sunshinegirl82 · 09/03/2021 13:09

I don't read that article particularly negatively to be honest. Seems to suggest that it's not a good idea to speed up the relaxation of restrictions due to the need for data to come through which is fair enough.

Then that there won't be zero deaths going forward but that this was also the case for flu. Given that I would happily(?) press myself up against unmasked strangers on the tube, sit next to them in restaurants, theatres, cinemas etc with out even a tiny iota of concern that I might catch flu in pre covid times I'm not sure that a similar level of risk coming from covid would make me feel I needed to stop doing any of those things.

BellamyBells · 09/03/2021 13:11

@vera99

Professor Gloom and Doom. Great and the good epidemiologically speaking but as advisers they advise and politicians decide.
Yes, doom and gloom but also right. Sadly having your head in the clouds does nothing.
Girlmama3 · 09/03/2021 13:30

It’s pregnant women who will be at risk. We are advised not to have the have the vaccine unless high risk.

Are we supposed to separate ourselves from everyone else until we’ve had the baby and have been vaccinated?

Circumlocutious · 09/03/2021 13:38

@Girlmama3

It’s pregnant women who will be at risk. We are advised not to have the have the vaccine unless high risk.

Are we supposed to separate ourselves from everyone else until we’ve had the baby and have been vaccinated?

Pregnant women, clinically vulnerable children. There needs to be clearer guidance on these groups and how they can continue to safeguard themselves when cases inevitably rise following reopening.
MarshaBradyo · 09/03/2021 13:41

He’s just said not speed up hasn’t he

Haven’t read the article but that’s the general theme which is not new info

ACovidofWitches · 09/03/2021 13:42

I don't actually think he's doom-mongering either and there is no need for a particular thread on this as if it's this big piece of new news. There are calls for things to open up more quickly - I think he's just stressing the need to do things slowly and the media are jumping on the idea of there being a 3rd wave based on his comments. They like you being scared, remember, it makes you click on articles. When you look at what he's saying it's just we will have further deaths in the way sometimes we have c.20k flu deaths in winter so we do need to take our time opening slowly and get more vaccinated as we do that.

Of course this isn't 'over' any more than coughs and colds and flus are ever going to be over. We all need to adjust to that reality. It doesn't mean there is a massive wave ahead of us in a few weeks time.

TL:DR = 'calm down.'

Nerdygirl · 09/03/2021 13:43

His statement doesn’t fill me with confidence the vaccine works. If the vulnerable have been vaccinated and the chances of death are minute for the non vulnerable then to get a large number of deaths must mean the vaccination not working for many

vaxmeup · 09/03/2021 13:52

@Nerdygirl

His statement doesn’t fill me with confidence the vaccine works. If the vulnerable have been vaccinated and the chances of death are minute for the non vulnerable then to get a large number of deaths must mean the vaccination not working for many
The vaccines do work but will not be 100% effective and nor will 100% people take them. Plus, children will not be vaccinated until at least 2022. If the vaccines are 80% effective (perhaps they will be more?) at stopping hospitalisations, and 75% of adults will take up the offer it will still leave millions of people vulnerable to needing NHS care if Covid spreads without any other mitigations in place.
RosieLemonade · 09/03/2021 14:15

Whenever I see Chris Whitty or read his name I automatically feel worried. Poor man!

Beaniecats · 09/03/2021 14:18

He just can't help himself can he. Probably terrified his time in the limelight is coming to an end

MarshaBradyo · 09/03/2021 14:28

I doubt it since he wasn’t in the limelight / talking to media just the S & T committee which is his job. I bet the opposite is true and all the SM bumpf couldn’t end quickly enough. Although he probably doesn’t pay any attention to it.

SonnetForSpring · 09/03/2021 14:47

@Beaniecats

He just can't help himself can he. Probably terrified his time in the limelight is coming to an end
I'm very grateful for Chris Whitty.
Waxonwaxoff0 · 09/03/2021 14:48

@megletsecond

I agree with Whitty. Even when I'm jabbed I'm not heading off to restaurant's and the gym. My dc's are at school so that risk is still there. I'm so bored with it I'd rather keep my head down for a while longer and we might be ok next year.
Many of those businesses might not be here next year if no one uses them. I'll be out and about as soon as I'm allowed to.
BugsAndBeesAndBirdsAndButterfl · 09/03/2021 14:55

I like Chris Whitty. I like his measured responses and once when it was bad news I loved that he had a doctory pastoral moment of saying not to give up and there is hope, it will be over etc...

So I normally listen to him. I've had my vaccine (cv) and after a year of fear was beginning to think J could risk a food shop... or letting the kids mingle when allowed (littlw things!) My mh has been much better...

I don't want to have to hide again. But if 99% of deaths were in groups 1-6 and they've been done what exactly is he fearing?