I think it’s going to get worse...

[Silverthorny]

...I don’t want to be doom and gloom, but I think the virus will mutate to evade the vaccine - and potentially become more deadly. I think we will face a third wave.

I watched a webinar organised by the Zoe app. The experts there said they weren't all that worried about mutations, because there are only so many mutations a virus can make before it renders itself unable to infect humans. They were pretty confident vaccines can be easily tweaked and they thought it quite possible that we won't even need an annual vaccine.

I can understand your logic of posting your worst case scenario hoping people will argue you out of it, I have anxiety and have been tempted to do this several times but there are 2 problems with this.

1. There are some real doom and gloomers where who will tell you your worst case scenario is actually the best we can expect by 2025 if you're really lucky. It will be a load of old arse but an anxious brain will pick up on the negatives even if you have 100 opinions, even with scientific articles to contradict it.

1. There are plenty of equally anxious people on here who will read your post and decide that since you have posted it and understand science (I have and MSc in a totally unrelated science if anyone wants my 'qualifications') that you must be right and they will feel worse. Mental health may be the next big pandemic and scaring people pointlessly is the equivalent to wiping your nose on strangers in tescos!

I would recommend the positivity thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4189268-Good-News-Part-12-So-Much-Good-News-We-Needed-Another-Thread?pg=1

We have just started another but there is a link there to the last one. Lots of positivity, all reinforced by the science. Latest news being that both Pfizer and AZ give some if not good protection against varients and the paper discussing how much the spike protein can actually mutate before it can no longer bind to our cells anyway and how this limits mutations. I would link the articles but I can't be bothered to trawl though 40 pages to find them, the threads fill up fast as there's so much positive news about.

Stop scare mongering. Theres no evidence of a 3rd wave.

If there's a major mutation they can alter vaccines in 6 weeks.

I'm not going to get stressed over the odd variant that isnt particularly doing anything.

I think it could go either way, but the vaccines are better than hoped so a major positive.

I do find certainty on either side feels unwise. We just don't really know, which is a hard feeling to get used to.

I've just been told our WFH is extended to next year, to see how this winter goes.