Refusing to go out until zero covid

[IrmaFayLear]

Bil and sil have not been out since March 2020. They wfh, in 50s with no health conditions at all. They have both been fully vaccinated - two doses (sil’s best friend is a GP ). Dh was speaking to bil yesterday and he said it’s not safe until cases are zero worldwide, and that because they care so much about each other (!) they have decided that they cannot take any risk.

Are there many people like this? I was in the shielding category and although I have been ultra cautious, I have still gone for walks, dashed into the chemist in a hazmat suit etc etc. I wonder if they are extreme outliers or whether there will be more recluses now, feeling fully justified.

BIL's wife has health anxiety (although we're not allowed to suggest this) and refuses to go anywhere non-essential. She's even avoiding certain walks for being "too busy". She is physically healthy, not overweight, and only 41. She talks about how much she's missed McDonald's, as she hasn't had one since before the original lockdown. Thank God she's been on furlough throughout (arts sector), as I really think she might give up work if she has to return before she's vaccinated.

There will never be zero COVID worldwide.

Sounds like it's verging into agoraphobia - and I suspect they're not the only ones who will be similar to be honest. I have a relative who hasn't been anywhere since March 2020 - pretty much not left the house, except to attend his wife's medical appointments and subsequent funeral.

The government has a lot to answer for when it comes to the level of fear they've instilled in people.

Aww, there’ll never be zero covid!

Is it a competition @IrmaFayLear?

Also don’t get your knickers in twist over people commenting on what you posted. I generally take everything with a pinch of salt on the internet, my general tone is aimed at being non-specific particularly when someone is posting about someone else’s situation from a second hand perspective.

Fair enough @CrazyNeighbour. Not my take on it but then we don’t all see these things the same way do we?

Why is it some posters are so aggressive? I just posted to wonder how widespread this might be.

I think some people are perfectly comfortable just staying at home. If they can make a living and get everything they want delivered, then there is nothing tempting them out, and they are not losing anything they value by staying in. Covid provides a justification to live the way they want to live.

It’s true, CrazyNeighbour, bil and sil are very superior! I suppose dh still feels like little brother who is being ridiculed for doing something silly.

I’m presuming that was aimed at me @IrmaFayLear? Aggressive? I really don’t think so, I was responding to your (arguably aggressive) capital ‘CHEEK!’ post.

Sorry my concern for your SIL & BIL unreasonable anxiousness comes across as aggressive to you. Maybe it’s best not to go too much in to detail on others peoples situations online if you don’t want that perspective to be considered. 🤷‍♀️

Seems insane to me, but it's their life, so their choice.
As long as the rest of us, who like living outside our houses, aren't expected to stay locked in whenever the government chooses.

I’ve got a friend whose DH has type 1 diabetes (he’s early 40s, white, normal weight, well controlled diabetes etc so didn’t even come under shielding). He is so petrified that they haven’t left the house since November apart from to have his vaccine (and even before that only a couple of times over the summer for walks in secluded places). The kids haven’t been to school since March last year and he won’t even let them go for a walk any more; they are only allowed in their small garden. They still quarantine all their packages and scrub down the groceries. I can’t make her see any sense that her DH is behaving irrationally. 😫

Maybe they don't want lockdown to end and are enjoying just being together.

It could be years before there are zero cases

I sympathise because it is scary. I am forcing myself to go out and socialise as I know it gets easier each time . I think they will eventually emerge but it might not be for a few months or even a little longer. The government did a cracking propaganda job and it’s hard to get past that right now. I’m sure they’ll be running similar campaigns to get everyone out again soon.

In these situations, I always wonder if there's an element of control or abuse going on.

You see it on threads here - one party is very anxious and tries to stop their partner going out, going to work etc. because of the fear of getting COVID. It's easy to see how that could get worse and worse the longer you're stuck inside.

Being a homebody is very different from "choosing" to never leave your house again.

Never met or heard of anyone with this attitude. So they must be fairly self sufficient ie cut their own hair and get any goods required home delivered. Can't imagine living like this indefinitely.

@CovidCorvid

It'll be like those Japanese soldiers in the jungles of borneo 30 years after the war ended.

They'll never be able to leave, the chances of there being 0 cases worldwide is remote.

You read my mind.

I also find it quite unnerving how quickly people made themselves terrified to leave their homes based on government adverts and news bulletins.

My dad hasn't gone into a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub or any communal indoor space for over a year, apart from when he went to get his vaccine. He's perfectly healthy (in fact, I would say incredibly so for his age), runs everyday and has no health concerns or underlying illnesses - it's quite odd to me that he just voluntarily gave up all his freedom overnight.

I'm fine with them doing this - fewer people to compete with when booking outside table service at my favourite pub / restaurants.

They are nuts though

It amazes me that a poster is being implied as being aggressive due to saying people are being unkind and it could be a mental health issue, but saying stuff like " that's fine they'll leave in a coffin" is completely fine

I can see their point of view TBH. We've only been going out for country walks, playing tennis and kayaking (all just us and friends for tennis when permitted) and out to work for the last 12 months and nothing else.

What will they do if covid is never eradicated worldwide? Would they really be willing to spend the rest of their life - potentially decades of it - not setting foot off their property?

I can understand feeling anxious about non-essential trips out, but taking it to that extent isn’t healthy.

My sister's neighbour is like this. But he was a weirdo even before. Covid became his time to shine.

@knitonedropone

I can see their point of view TBH. We've only been going out for country walks, playing tennis and kayaking (all just us and friends for tennis when permitted) and out to work for the last 12 months and nothing else.

But this is nothing like the scenario outlined by the OP. You have been out and about especially if you are still going out to work. Everyone's movements have been severely curtailed but most people are going for walks or going to the supermarket. Even my CEV friend who is very wary goes for walks and had her hair done a few times when the hairdressers were open previously.