To think they should pause meeting inside

[LastOrdersMaura]

In the last person to be overly concerned about the virus but the SAGE minutes show that there is something to be concerned about.
I think the economy can't take anymore and I really feel for all the businesses who are gearing up for opening on Monday. My friends cafe hasn't opened since October last year so she missed all the Christmas trade and has no outside seating. Her customer base are mostly elderly so unlikely to come out for takeaway. It would likely bankrupt her to hold off opening any longer.

The mixing in people's houses seems the least destructive part to hold off on. I know a lot of people have been looking forward to it but prolonged contact in a small space seems to be a major factor in transmission.
I'm looking forward to seeing others for a drink in their houses but I can see how it can go wrong. Most people aren't able to go for a meal in a restaurant every night of the week. I could however go to a different friends house every day, even multiple friends houses! Then if that friend does the same, that's a lot of indoor mixing. We have small children so the likelihood of them SD'ing is unlikely. Then there's older siblings at school, working parents, nursery etc leading to an increase in transmission. I feel restaurants are quite safe in comparison.
Those who want to will mix indoors anyway but it might make some think twice or not accept as many invitations. It has no impact on the economy. Yes it will have an impact on mental health but I think we're screwed on that part anyway. Anxiety is through the roof!
I'm fully expecting people to tell me to fuck off but this is the most sensible decision that BJ could make in light of the new variant. I'm not a lockdown lover, frankly as I haven't had a lockdown due to working out of the house throughout. I just want this to be over, properly over, not just kicking the can down the road.

The numbers are now fairly low overall so track and trace should be working effectively and we must surely have a more sophisticated method for curbing the spread now than blunt county wide restrictions.

Most people are now meeting indoors anyway- I've been doing it for about 2 months now. I work from home and so do my friends and I'm failing to see much difference between sitting outside together and sitting in the conservatory. I'm not meeting huge groups just one or two at a time. I've had one jab and getting the next in a week.

I think we have forgotten that it's natural for people to actually want to spend time with one another, rather than it being some sort of mortal sin.

No lavender. I'm only going on what many doctors have said in the news, that we don't need to overreact to every new variant.

I completely get the need to see people and spend time with people, I can't wait either!

@JellyTots2009

OP if you don't want to meet people inside that's your choice. I will be seeing fiends and family who I haven't seen for months and months. I'm full vaccinated and test 3 times a week due to work. I feel safe enough that way. Most of my family are vaccinated too

Well that’s all good for you. But there are plenty of people you will come into co tact with who aren’t vaccinated

I’m not saying you shouldn’t meet in peoples home, but I hate this attitude of ‘I’m fully vaccinated so I’m alright’

Unless there is clear evidence that the vaccine is not effective against a new variant we need to get back completely to normal now. Our elderly and vulnerable are vaccinated with 2 doses. Everyone over 40 has had or been offered a first dose. The healthy under 40s are so unlikely to suffer serious consequences that the AZ vaccine is deemed more risk to them than catching the virus. We cannot keep running around after this crap.

@Oblomov21 but that's not what all doctors say, read the SAGE minutes

@amylou8 please read my OP, vaccine uptake is actually low, especially in my area. There are a multitude of reasons for this. Do we not owe these people protection?

Nope. You do you, others should be allowed to do themselves. Fuck meeting outside, it's miserable out, lots don't have gardens, blah blah blah. I'm headed to go and clean a mate's flat on Monday, she's been shut up for months and it is literally killing her. We are both fully vaxxed.

Fuck this 'we need', you're not 'we', you're yourself. You carry on doing what you feel is right.

This is here to stay. It's going nowhere.

@secretllama

No, it shouldn't be paused. Enough is enough. Noone is/will listen anymore anyway.

That's not true. There's a minority (myself included) who have done nothing but stick to the rules! So now to go back/pause it makes me really upset. I can't do it anymore.

A large proportion of the population have been meeting up indoors for months! No point in delaying it now as hardly anyone will follow the rules!

[quote LastOrdersMaura]@amylou8 please read my OP, vaccine uptake is actually low, especially in my area. There are a multitude of reasons for this. Do we not owe these people protection?[/quote]
No, or we'd never do anything. Things kill people, all sorts of things kill people. 'We' should therefore do nothing that can harm other people. Oh, wait . . .

My family (I mean immediate family and parents) had followed the rules completely until about a month ago. We’ve spent all winter hanging around parks in the rain to be able to see each other. But enough is enough, they’re fully vaccinated and we’re not at significant risk. So we’ve moved it indoors. I’m sure a lot of people have done the same and yet despite that, rates are still incredibly low. I don’t think most people are waiting for permission any more, all this bollocks about safe hugging has demonstrated that.

@Parky04

A large proportion of the population have been meeting up indoors for months! No point in delaying it now as hardly anyone will follow the rules!

Indeed. But on MN they've all been following stringently.

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline like everything else to do with this thread, if you want to open a window, fine. If you don’t, fine. It shouldn’t be legally mandated. Sitting in a room or an office right now with a window open would be cold and unpleasant.

I’m not waiting for it to ‘be over’ as it will never be over, it’s not going to disappear, new variants will always be found.

Time to learn to live with it, and to actually start living again.

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

I don't mind keeping meeting up inside, as pp said our economy and people's lives can't cope with more lock down.

BUT BUT BUT I do hope it's law that windows and doors open are a must.
It's a simple effective way of easing the spread and viral load and most places have a window.

Law to open windows and doors? Are you for real? FFS. That's just hilarious. I've heard a load of codswallop on this site the past year but this is right up there for 1st prize. 'Yeah, police? I think someone on floor 15 of that toweer block among a sea of tower blocks on an estate in Aberdeen where it's freezing has people in there and the windows and doors are shut!' 'We'll get right on it!' 😂😂😂

There's a Rangers v. Aberdeen match on today. Our nice neighbour has people over. I hope they don't open the bloody windows as they are loud AF.

Rose it depends whether your on your own.

Public places should be legally required to have good ventilation or air the place every half hour at least, opening windows or door or both is the simple most efficient way to stop the spread and severity of this disease

Some being a little cold when they can wear layers and make themselves warner seems the easiest way to get over feeling a little cold?

What people can't do is self filter the air they breathe in?

Op, if it helps, as I think you may have misunderstood, lock down is to prevent the nhs being overwhelmed. It is not to eradicate Covid. With that in mind, I think logically you must know of course it shouldn’t be paused. Right?

Osber,

For Public places like pubs and restaurants

Fresh air.

Goodness, such vicious attitudes to an open window now in spring!

It's the easiest way to ease the spread and severity, I'm not talking about policing someone's flat 15 levels up

@Bluntness100

Op, if it helps, as I think you may have misunderstood, lock down is to prevent the nhs being overwhelmed. It is not to eradicate Covid. With that in mind, I think logically you must know of course it shouldn’t be paused. Right?

That's the problem, Bluntness, that word, 'logically', logical thinking seems to have gone out that window we're supposed to be leaving open forever in case we breathe on each other, OMG!

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

Osber,

For Public places like pubs and restaurants

Fresh air.

Goodness, such vicious attitudes to an open window now in spring!

It's the easiest way to ease the spread and severity, I'm not talking about policing someone's flat 15 levels up

Scotland is cold. Nah, thankfully it's not another stupid bloody law. If people don't like how the pub or restaurant runs things or don't want to sit with fucking layers on freezing then they are allowed to go to another one that's not so bloody paranoid, thank fuck.

@RoseRedRoseBlue

As fascinating as your responses are can you desist from pm please! I don't urgently need to tagged into your comments

Hamster, for public places like cafés, restaurants and pubs, Windows open and ventilation. Not people's private homes.

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline most places already have some sort of process for this. You are really, really overthinking this.

Hamster, for public places like cafés, restaurants and pubs, Windows open and ventilation. Not people's private homes.

Says who? The law according to you? Thankfully you don't run things. The business decides and if patrons don't like it they go elsewhere. Personally I don't give a shiny shite anymore.

I don’t care anymore. I’ve abided by all the rules so far but will be meeting my family/friends indoors after Monday come what may. We have all suffered enough. I’m done.