When will normality fully return?

[ThornAmongstRoses]

The other night, when I checked on my youngest son at about 10pm, he felt quite warm and sweaty. My first thoughts were one of panic, not of Covid but that a temperature would mean he wouldn’t be able to go to the childminders and I wouldn’t be able to go to work. Again.

I checked his temperature and thankfully it was fine.

But when will the time come where temperatures don’t matter?

As in, he may have a slightly raised temperature in the evening, but I would give him some Calpol, he’d be absolutely fine in the morning so I’d send him to childcare as normal and I would head off to work.

When will normality in that respect come back?

I was just reading another thread about a woman who’d been told to isolate via the NHS app because she may have been in close contact with Covid in the supermarket, and so was having to isolate for 8 days. When will this stop?

When will we stop needing be monitored like this? Where even if you may have walked past someone in the supermarket with Covid, it doesn’t matter and you just carry on with life as normal?

When does the time come where a temperature doesn’t mean we have to get tested? When does all that stop?

The class have been in school since Thurs afternoon. They sent all kids home from that class + 2 other kids. They're at secondary and don't change classes for subjects,the teacher moves. So they've sent the whole class home as close contacts.

I am not in the UK, but a teacher in a European country where schools have been open since last May.

We don't test the children or ourselves.

We try to use our common sense with regards to sniffles, colds and cough.

Unfortunately myself and five colleagues tested positive in January and February, everyone rolled up their sleeves, even but joined classes and we got on with it.

The parents were given the option to send their kids in or work from home. 95% sent their kids in, because as you say, they have to work and the kids need/want to be in school.

I don't care what the NHS app says, I would not be isolating if I walked past someone (1-2 m) in a supermarket where everyone had a mask on. Thats ridiculous. Sitting on a bus for 20 minutes, yes, a fleeting pass in Tescos, no.

I agree though, when will it all end?

@zzzebra

"In Spain they protected workers who had to isolate or care for family for covid reasons."

I'll be interesting to see what impact this has on women in the work place over the next 5-10years.

Sounds great as a short term solution but if it was at any impact (financially or on productivity) to the businesses then surely it would have an impact on their view of employing women in the future?

I never understand why so many women argue against rights for female workers.

@ChameleonClara

I'm all for rights for working parents.

But history has shown that when only women have (or are encourage to take) these rights that it actually disadvantages women in the long run. This is usually a cultural thing.

What I'm trying to say is that if it was a case of the dad taking a week off and the mum taking a week off then the burden is equally spread. But often in these cases it's 100% on the mum and employers notice this. I say this as a women who's heard 'she's the best candidate but I'm not employing another women' as a lady walked out of a job interview.

Countries with better gender equality have almost identical rights for both the mother and father.

God, can I move there?

[quote zzzebra]@ChameleonClara

I'm all for rights for working parents.

But history has shown that when only women have (or are encourage to take) these rights that it actually disadvantages women in the long run. This is usually a cultural thing.

What I'm trying to say is that if it was a case of the dad taking a week off and the mum taking a week off then the burden is equally spread. But often in these cases it's 100% on the mum and employers notice this. I say this as a women who's heard 'she's the best candidate but I'm not employing another women' as a lady walked out of a job interview.

Countries with better gender equality have almost identical rights for both the mother and father. [/quote]
They are identical rights for mother and father, but obviously it'll be mostly mothers who make use of them because as we all know, a lot of the weight falls on mothers. My original comment was: In Spain they protected workers who had to isolate or care for family for covid reasons.

I am in favour of workers' rights and protections for working parents and carers. I have no time for right-wing bollocks about workers' rights making businesses less likely to employ women. It is sexism that makes businesses less likely to employ women.

@ChameleonClara

I think we're actually in agreement. It's great that governments has recognised the issue and stepped in. And that it is available to both parents.

But I'm interested to see what the long term impact is. Any negative impact is likely to be because of the cultural expectation that women will take the 'benefit' while the men continue to work.

I agree OP, life just doesn’t seem real right now, dd felt warm the other day and my first thoughts were the same as yours, no school, no work, will I have to try and get her tested (she has ASD and is bigger than me, it’s not easy). Her sister went back to school a couple days ago and already half her year have been sent home for 10 days. I don’t know if I’m coming or going half the time, worried school will call, worried I will have to let work down just because my child feels slightly off colour or has a slight cough.

21st June.

21st June.

If only.

I hope for next Spring if the government don't fuck it up any more times.

I'm going to be the token optimist and say this summer.
We're planning to visit family at Easter which we haven't done for a year, booked a UK trip away in April and a foreign holiday in September. Fingers crossed!

@PrincessNutNuts

I hope for next Spring if the government don't fuck it up any more times.

I agree with this, I am just not optimistic our government is capable, sadly.

A PM who wanted to 'ignore it' doesn't inspire confidence.

The SAGE papers from last February are a killer. Literally.

SAGE said 1.3 million British people could die.

The government looked around, couldn't see how, shrugged, and did nothing.

@ChameleonClara

I've also wondered this.
How long will there be testing centres, or places where you can pick up LF tests. Our local one takes up most of the leisure centre carpark. Hopefully the leisure centre will open some time later this year but where will the test centre be.

And agree OP even if covid circulates in the community at a low level when will we get to the point that theyisolate for x days but not their household and close contacts.
Things like norovirus and chicken pox have advisory isolation for the patient themselves (and by default, sometimes a parent, if it's very young child) but the whole household and anyone who came into contact with them doesnt have to isolate.
I'm thinking about small businesses for example. If one person out of say 6 people in a small shop or workplace, tests positive, how often will they have to close the workplace for 10 days.

I’m glad I’m not the only one pondering this.

My FIL has a long term history of rhinitis which flares up every now and then for which the GP gives him a nasal spray when needed.

His symptoms started again yesterday so he went to the GP who told him he needed to go for a Covid test. My FIL has already had Covid, he’s had both injections, he’s perfectly well, no temperature, no coughing, no other symptoms of Covid, but because he’s got a blocked nose he was told he needed a test.

It’s madness.

This is what I mean - when will normality return? When can people start using their common sense?

It struck me when DS got Covid just how much had changed.

I answered numerous calls (on behalf of DS) and multiple emails daily from Test & Trace. It was suffocating. Often during work Zoom meetings.

My children have had 9 self isolations between them, which meant 90 days or so of our house being off limits for weeks, including when we had no heating or hot water.

I'm feeling a bit deflated due to the vaccine news, being 48 and obese, working in schools again soon and struggling with anxiety.

I'm trying to cling on to the little normality we seemed to have over the summer and hope that once most are vaccinated, we might get some semblance of normality, but with school aged kids it's hard.

@ThornAmongstRoses

I’m glad I’m not the only one pondering this.

My FIL has a long term history of rhinitis which flares up every now and then for which the GP gives him a nasal spray when needed.

His symptoms started again yesterday so he went to the GP who told him he needed to go for a Covid test. My FIL has already had Covid, he’s had both injections, he’s perfectly well, no temperature, no coughing, no other symptoms of Covid, but because he’s got a blocked nose he was told he needed a test.

It’s madness.

This is what I mean - when will normality return? When can people start using their common sense?

Sadly I think this is going to dominate NHS care for a long time.

Well, I think it's going to dominate everything.

I just found out that some residents in my block of flats have even complained about essential works because of workers having to enter the building.

I sometimes wonder if the government didn't realise the level of hysteria they were creating but now they make £ out of it, it's all feeling hopeless.

Hysteria is the word.

I still see people walking towards each other on the pavement purposefully give each other a wide berth and I can’t help but think to myself,

“what risk do they really think that person is going to pose during the 1 second they have to walk past each other?!”

If T&T say that you need to be in contact with someone for 15 minutes for it to be classed as a ‘risk’ then why on earth are people worrying about walking past another person for 1 second?

I just don’t get it.

I think you're bang on about the level of hysteria they've created. My concern isn't he government action or lack of it,it's that common sense seems to have disappeared from most people's consciousness.

@ThornAmongstRoses

Hysteria is the word.

I still see people walking towards each other on the pavement purposefully give each other a wide berth and I can’t help but think to myself,

“what risk do they really think that person is going to pose during the 1 second they have to walk past each other?!”

If T&T say that you need to be in contact with someone for 15 minutes for it to be classed as a ‘risk’ then why on earth are people worrying about walking past another person for 1 second?

I just don’t get it.

I thought it was a lot less than 15 mins, unless that's changed?

@ThornAmongstRoses

Hysteria is the word.

I still see people walking towards each other on the pavement purposefully give each other a wide berth and I can’t help but think to myself,

“what risk do they really think that person is going to pose during the 1 second they have to walk past each other?!”

If T&T say that you need to be in contact with someone for 15 minutes for it to be classed as a ‘risk’ then why on earth are people worrying about walking past another person for 1 second?

I just don’t get it.

Have you heard of social distancing OP?

Or "2 metres"?

"One metre plus"?

"Hands, face, space"?

Or the more transmissible new variants?

The second wave that we're locked down in the middle of and Europe is just starting?