Young people

[2021ismyyear]

So next week we will all start mixing again in the uk. Who are the people that will be mixing lots... young people! They have missed out on so much, making up for list time. I don’t blame them.

I noticed this week, my local town was busy, it’s bloody impossible to get a table for food (outside), people have been up booking soft play and other local attractions.

Surely, the Indian variant will just grow and grow in these younger people (below 40). I’ve not had my vaccine yet and am just in this group.

Ok I know the young people probably won’t die. But some might. And what about long Covid? Won’t increased circulation in the unvaccinated mean more chance of another variant?

I don’t really know what this post is for. I guess I just feel the government probably know what will happen but are being quite vague. I support opening up again I am just trying to weigh up risks and preempt what might be coming.

Scotland gets this

4 people from 2 households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight
6 people from 3 households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant
8 people from 8 households outdoors

You still need to distance and wear masks where directed. Wash your hands regularly.

The last thing you need is an outbreak setting you back a level.

I'm hoping that a lot of young people have had covid recently and may have some short term immunity if it lasts.

Lots of my dd friends mostly 19/20 have been vaccinated through work, circumstances and just being there with an older relative and getting lucky. I'm surprised how many people in her age group have been vaccinated.

Fingers crossed all will be ok.

I’m 37 and not vaccinated. Neither is my husband. And I’m pretty sure I’ve not had Covid. I’ve been part of the ONS study for a while and it’s never picked up a positive test or more recently antibodies.

The scientists seem pretty worried for the same reason.

I hope the politicians are not about to set us back again.

Ae have been mixing outside for 4 weeks now and pubs/ restaurants are busy
Measures will still apply indoors and if weather is nice many will sit outside anyway.
We have to attempt to open up at sometime and spring /summer is better time to attempt this

Exactly this op i am wondering about, we have just had covid in our house, I’m still not recovered but today was a better day, I’ve had one dose and dh has had two, four kids non are vaccinated of course , yet.... the covid came via youngest child from school, poss travel involved for index patient we don’t know for certain and phe concern over the variant we tested positive for. Community
transmission very low but once all these unvaccinated or part vac people and include myself in that, start mixing loads then it’s bound to lead to more outbreaks.... I’m young but have been very poorly, I guess it as young as the ‘young people’ you describe but am far from elderly or obese and have no known underlying issues.... i assume my vaccine helped in that I was very ill but would have been even worse if body had no prior defence at all. I want to mix and do more but won’t be going mad after this illness and will just be happy my kids continue to recover and stay well, we all lost taste and smell,. Society needs to be back to normal but We will not be the only ones to be surprised by a nasty bout of covid despite various vaccinated status of adults in the household

Surely, the Indian variant will just grow and grow in these younger people (below 40)

The UK strategy is to keep R at or below 1, which means the number of cases should NOT grow.

In the absence of vaccines, the only way to achieve that was with lockdown.

The impact of vaccines is to reduce R. The impact of lessening restrictions is to raise R. The government have tried to keep these two things in balance and so far this year that's worked out.

Another factor that helps is that when case numbers are low, the impact of Track and Trace is enhanced.

Finally, there is nothing about the Indian variant that suggests it is more contagious than the Kent variant.

In summary, there remains a risk, but things are going well. What happens next depends a lot on whether everyone goes mad or not. Hopefully there are enough sensible people out there who can tell the difference between a relaxation of restrictions and an abandonment of them.

there is nothing about the Indian variant that suggests it is more contagious than the Kent variant.

We don’t have that information yet that’s why. They’ve actually said there are indications it could be but we don’t know yet.

I’m cautiously hopeful we’ll be lucky enough to get away with this gamble but let’s not state unknowns as facts.

@WaverleyPirate

The scientists seem pretty worried for the same reason.

I hope the politicians are not about to set us back again.

The scientists are worried about the impact of travel not on easing per sa and they have been modelling for a third wave in the summer for a while.

I'm recovering from covid slowly (mid 30s) it sucks is a horrible illness if your unlucky like me to get a moderate case. But I was the worst in my household. Ours came through nursery so zero avoiding it.

I fully understand the anxiety bizarrely after having covid despite being ill still I'm a lot more relaxed about it. But we do need to learn to live with it and the general population immunity is now quite high.
People get scared by variants the reality is our own home grown one is what is currently sweeping through the rest of Europe!

I'm 30 and unvaccinated. Not worried at all. Rather take my chances than carry on with this half life.

I'm not vaccinated and hardly anyone I know is (late 30s). I am a bit nervous about stuff opening up. No one else seems to be though!

Stay in if you are worried.

Life needs to happen we need to move forward

Honestly? I think young people have missed out on enough now.

Exactly this. Unis going back too and people not bothering to get tested. I guess we shall see but it looks fairly inevitable that there will be a big rise in cases. Whether these lead serious illness and hospital is unknown. I guess the government are waiting find out, like we all are.

Unis going back too and people not bothering to get tested.

Generally or at uni? My DS has to get tested twice a week at uni.

@Appyalpaca

there is nothing about the Indian variant that suggests it is more contagious than the Kent variant.

We don’t have that information yet that’s why. They’ve actually said there are indications it could be but we don’t know yet.

I’m cautiously hopeful we’ll be lucky enough to get away with this gamble but let’s not state unknowns as facts.

It is creeping to be a higher percentage of total cases than it was, which is how the Kent variant started?

Depressing to think we are gambling again. I hate Johnson's lazy approach to this.

Early 30s here, is and all our friends are just happy to be getting back to more normal, we don’t care if we’ve been vaccinated or not. The risk to us from covid is so low, it’s been a hard year knowing the risk is very low but we had to stay in anyway. Cases may rise but deaths should stay low because the majority of people unvaccinated are not the people at risk.

The scientists are worried about the impact of travel not on easing per sa and they have been modelling for a third wave in the summer for a while.

This is not correct, many scientists including SAGE members identified this domestic loosening as the key phase as we move indoors again.

The fact the government is ignoring direct advice on small measures like masks in schools is not encouraging, Johnson has failed to listen throughout this and is a person who takes big risks.

I guess time will tell but if you have concerns about your risk you can choose to avoid certain situations. I think the emphasis is now learning to live with Covid. Also many people have been mixing all along despite the rules especially over the last few weeks. Trying to enforce mask wearing and social distancing at DCs secondary school is like herding cats. So there is a certain amount of what is now officially permitted that has already been happening without numbers rocketing so that gives me some hope it will be ok.

Sorry, I meant people not testing generally.

It doesn't really matter so much now if cases rise, as long as deaths stay low. There will probably be more covid circulating round schools but most children are very low risk. We can't keep restrictions if the risk to most is very low, it makes no sense.

I'm in my 40s. I'm not worried. If I was, I would only do what I was comfortable with.

I feel I made the mistake of being too cautious last summer when cases were seasonally low. Having seen the pattern, I'll be watching for a seasonal resurgence in autumn, hopefully only a small one due to everyone's immunity.. Having said that, I don't expect to not get it..

Surely this is why the recommendations are as they are?

Still advised smaller gatherings indoors, larger groups outdoors, hospitality indoors with distancing still required. Wait 5 weeks to review the stats.

The advisors will have crunched these scenarios. Vaccinations continue.

I understand hesitancy to waiting until you personally have your first vaccination, and it really won't be long now. Yes cases will go up, guess shortly we will find out how robust the vaccinations are in the real world.

Some young people still die of the flu. We still expose ourselves to the ever mutating variants of it every time we go out, we expose ourselves to the risk of then developing pneumonia or bronchitis, which can leave scarring and subsequent chronic pulmonary illness that needs permanent medical management. I'm not trying to be arsey, I completely understand everybody's concerns, I don't particularly want to be ill either, but at some point we're going to have to just live with it alongside us. It's not going to go away. At this point I think MH issues from social isolation are far, far more dangerous.