21st of June

[shakingstevensfan]

I know no one knows what will happen. But I will be really angry if the restrictions end, the hospitalizations go up and we end up in lockdown again.
I know the current restrictions are really harming some businesses. But currently, a lot of businesses are able to be open and make money. People can see family and friends and children are in school and nursery.
If needed I would much rather we operate like this for longer than risk going backwards.

Well, he got his wedding and saved money by keeping it small looks like ha has got a result. My four festivals I've got planned are looking decidedly iffy sadly.

@AlecTrevelyan006

I’m starting to believe some people aren’t aware that there is now a vaccine

Are YOU aware that there are still lots of people not yet vaccinated??

No, you're as blinkered now as you have been since the beginning.

If we are starting exponential rise now then we may need to lock down again anyway? I suppose it’s a race to see if we can vaccinate enough people to stop this happening. But I wonder if we may not be able to avoid further tightening of restrictions

@Donitta

I’m happy with how things are at present. Shops, pubs and restaurants are open. Tourist attractions are open. Theatres and other venues are open with social distancing and limited capacity. We can meet up with people in small groups. Life is proceeding in a reasonably normal way. The last thing we want is to ditch all restrictions so numbers shoot up and then we get locked down again. Especially because a lot of people won’t comply any longer so it’ll be harder to get under control.

The other issue is that many people, especially those who are older or have health issues or anxieties, currently feel safe going out because restrictions are in place for their safety. If all restrictions are removed then lots of people will no longer feel safe going out.

This is how I feel too. No, life is not completely back to normal, but it is far far better than it has been. I'm fine with keeping things as they are now for a bit longer if it means avoiding going backward at all.

And things are much better here than in many places. I was just talking to some friends in Berlin, they cannot go to an outdoor cafe or non-essential shop unless they are fully vaccinated or have a negative test from that day, and it is a nightmare getting the vaccine.

Why can't we count our blessings? Things could be so much worse right now.

Apparently, we are at 50% of normality in terms of normal human interactions virologically speaking.

I imagine that percentage of normality varies by person though?

For me, life feels about 80% back to normal. For some people it may only be like 20%. So it's understandable people disagree about the 21st.

I think the aim is 70% by September October when the boosters are expected to begin. On an 11 week schedule those getting their first after the middle of June will get their second in September. Some from July could stretch into October.

At the current pace we'll be way, way ahead of that. Given that we currently have 74% 1st vacs (rising by 10% in May) and 48% 2nd vacs (rising by 20% in May), by early July we should have hit 85% 1st vacs and 70% second vacs.

I would imagine the 11 week schedule will revert back down to the original 4 weeks by that point, and everyone who wants a vaccine will have had the chance to have both shots by mid-August.

In other words, if things continue as they are, all adults will be double vaccinated (if they want to be) and have generated full protection two weeks post final vaccination, by the time schools return.

However, I believe vaccination rates are due to pick up in the next fortnight so it could be even sooner than that!

@dreamingbohemian

I imagine that percentage of normality varies by person though?

For me, life feels about 80% back to normal. For some people it may only be like 20%. So it's understandable people disagree about the 21st.

This. Normally at this time of year I'd be working and travelling abroad. Instead I've barely been more than about 5km away from my front door for 15 months now. So life is nowhere near normal for me now, and probably won't be any time soon. For others, however, life has been pretty close to normal for some time.

They can put us back in for all I care. Last year was bloody lovely. Hardly any traffic on the roads, pavements not chocked up and no idiots stepping of the kerb without looking if there's any cars coming. It's been lovely being able to get to calls on time and not sit in queue after queue of traffic all day. Now it's absolutely manic again

[quote userxx]@colouringcrayons nope, I'm done with them. The mask burning ceremony is arranged for 22nd June. [/quote]

I think you're going to be massively disappointed as if social distancing is removed it's highly likely that things like masks and sanitising will stay (IMO probably until next spring)

@AlecTrevelyan006

The overwhelming vast majority of vulnerable people have been vaccinated

We have enough data to know gets ill and who dies from Covid

At a population level the current unvaccinated aren’t a problem

TBF @AlecTrevelyan006 I can remember your posts from before last winter.

You don't exactly have a very good history of being correct on what will or won't happen.

Before every wave you've denied it will (or is) happening until we've been in the middle of it.

I'm glad you're not in charge of policy as we would have had a COVID policy to rival Bolsonaro's

Surely there is so much mixing as things stand today cases will rise anyway. People won't ditch masks completely anyway on June 21st and a few extra open air events aren't going to make a huge amount of difference. Hope things open up!

I'll be angry if we forever go into lockdown, and our poverty rises and economy plunged, despite most of the country being vaccinated.

When will it end? Do people want us in lockdown until there's zero cases? That will never happen

I agree that the roads were lovely during lockdown 1 , bliss in fact.
One of the very few upsides to it. Rest of it was awful.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

I'll be angry if we forever go into lockdown, and our poverty rises and economy plunged, despite most of the country being vaccinated.

When will it end? Do people want us in lockdown until there's zero cases? That will never happen

Most of the country isn't vaccinated.

41% of the population is completely unvaccinated.

Only 38% has two doses.

And third doses are expected.

@iminthegarden

Surely there is so much mixing as things stand today cases will rise anyway. People won't ditch masks completely anyway on June 21st and a few extra open air events aren't going to make a huge amount of difference. Hope things open up!

You're completely right that the current restrictions are not enough to stop the Delta variant spreading.

We know that because it's arrived here, seeded itself and become dominant in just 6-8 weeks.

But June 21at was supposed to be completely back to normal.

All indoor mixing back on the table.

And that's going to really help the virus.

Glad you started this thread because there haven't been 48 million of these types of thread recently

Scotlands Road map has been delayed a month so I presume England will follow. Nicola always likes to do it first !

The mask burning ceremony is arranged for 22nd June
Here too - bonfire is being built

And things are much better here than in many places. I was just talking to some friends in Berlin, they cannot go to an outdoor cafe or non-essential shop unless they are fully vaccinated or have a negative test from that day, and it is a nightmare getting the vaccine.

Exactly. Open up outdoors maybe but no more.

@wheresmymojo you’re not first person to have mentioned that they can recall my previous posts. I’m not sure whether to be honoured or horrified.

I certainly can’t put any names to anything I’ve read on here

c’est la vie

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

I'll be angry if we forever go into lockdown, and our poverty rises and economy plunged, despite most of the country being vaccinated.

When will it end? Do people want us in lockdown until there's zero cases? That will never happen

If we go back into lockdown some businesses will fail. This is why I want restrictions that will keep cases low enough so we do not have to go into lockdown. Everything back to normal in June does not seem a good idea.

@iminthegarden

Surely there is so much mixing as things stand today cases will rise anyway. People won't ditch masks completely anyway on June 21st and a few extra open air events aren't going to make a huge amount of difference. Hope things open up!

'A few extra outdoor events'

The next stage is no social distancing in pubs, theatres, concerts/choirs, large weddings... all of these are indoors and potential superspreader events.

The pubs spokesperson on news this AM was discuss the return of vertical drinking - this means busy pubs full of people standing up and shouting at each other. Yes we all enjoyed that in 2019 but is it wise at this precise moment? Clearly not in Scotland.

@vera99

Apparently, we are at 50% of normality in terms of normal human interactions virologically speaking.

This is very interesting!

Agreed. At the moment in pubs and restaurants, everyone is sitting down at tables and being served. Those who only go to places like this might not realise how crowded bars and floors can get in some pubs. I have been in plenty of pubs where you have to physically squeeze by people to get to the bar or toilet. It is very different at the moment.