How Much Longer?

[pinkyflloyd]

How much longer do you think covid and restrictions will go on for?

I don't think restrictions will be lifted in 21st June. I don't think things will go back to something resembling normality until next year.

I am still being careful and feel very isolated working from home and not really socialising.

@TheKeatingFive

In fairness, it’s a small, if very vocal minority on here. And it’s obvious there’s sock puppeting going on.

No one I know in RL will entertain the idea of further lockdowns.

Yes same here, I don’t know anyone who won’t continue to see friends and family. The government know anything they do will have low compliance now.

Plus private homes are where local spikes have taken place anyway so closing businesses will just increase that. Better to keep businesses open where there are at least mitigation measures in place. The lockdown fans can impose their own personal one on themselves.

An August lockdown would have huge and long lasting repercussions on a whole lot of things. We could see no foreign travel and the remaining restrictions still in place but I cant see Parliament willing to go much further.

This whole thing though has really shone I think a spotlight on our NHS issues and the fact that part of the problem was the system was never set up to cope with these things in the first place.

Also as well those that arent vaccinated are the age really that I think are prepared just to go for it and those that are double vaccinated are protected

I think that July for the restrictions lifting alongside the vaccination system being open to all over 18s (note OPEN not received) was a far better idea in the first place

@RedcurrantPuff

Plus private homes are where local spikes have taken place anyway so closing businesses will just increase that. Better to keep businesses open where there are at least mitigation measures in place. The lockdown fans can impose their own personal one on themselves.

Where I live the spikes are centred around schools and halls of residence. I do not want another lockdown. But if the choice is between a lockdown and some restrictions, I want restrictions to stay. We can see family and friends at the moment, eat out, go out for the day. I know there is a push to get all businesses open again like nightclubs. Another lockdown though, or even very high cases that scare people, will finish off lots of businesses that are already open.

I would rather keep restrictions we have and not lock down again than open up even more.

But this HAS to come with proper financial support for businesses, proper boarder controls and also proper isolation remuneration for people with wages etc.

We must avoid shutting leisure centres and non essential shops, there needs to be a continuation of allowances for cafes etc to spill out onto streets.

@RedcurrantPuff

Plus private homes are where local spikes have taken place anyway so closing businesses will just increase that. Better to keep businesses open where there are at least mitigation measures in place. The lockdown fans can impose their own personal one on themselves.

This is true so far but we have not had large venues/events open with no SD since pre-lockdown one.

It is expected that indoor mixing of the type we did in 2019 would drive the majority of transmission through the return of superspreader events. This would be more problematic than in home transmission.

I am concerned that when the pandemic ends, cafes will not give back the pavement space they are being allowed to use. It makes it a bit of a nightmare at the moment for any disabled people or visually impaired people.

@RedcurrantPuff

Whi are so many people seemingly desperate to lockdown?

It’s supposed to be W last resort not the default

The fact people think locking up a healthy population should be the default now is very worrying

Yep.

@pinkyflloyd

Long story but I don't really have anyone to socialise with at the moment.

I am dealing with vulnerable family members and that's just chats in the garden.

I'd be more inclined to "get myself out there" and meet new people after covid.

Don't wait

They're advertising covid jobs into 2023.

@Quartz2208

An August lockdown would have huge and long lasting repercussions on a whole lot of things. We could see no foreign travel and the remaining restrictions still in place but I cant see Parliament willing to go much further.

This whole thing though has really shone I think a spotlight on our NHS issues and the fact that part of the problem was the system was never set up to cope with these things in the first place.

Also as well those that arent vaccinated are the age really that I think are prepared just to go for it and those that are double vaccinated are protected

I think that July for the restrictions lifting alongside the vaccination system being open to all over 18s (note OPEN not received) was a far better idea in the first place

What about the health service in all the other countries that have struggled?

@TheKeatingFive

In fairness, it’s a small, if very vocal minority on here. And it’s obvious there’s sock puppeting going on.

No one I know in RL will entertain the idea of further lockdowns.

That's the argument for delaying June 21st by a few weeks if necessary though. The fact that another lockdown will be unacceptable.

@SonnetForSpring part of our problem is the NHS though and the fact that it was pretty much on its knees before all of that and clearing the backlog (of which there was already a large one) is an issue going forward

That isn't to say other countries don't have the same problem or indeed that different systems don't throw up other issues at all

TheKeatingFive

In fairness, it’s a small, if very vocal minority on here. And it’s obvious there’s sock puppeting going on.

No one I know in RL will entertain the idea of further lockdowns.

Funny that because it seems to me the opposite. In fact, not seems. I know. Opinions polls have again shown majority public support for restrictions if necessary - rather than ongoing lockdown on, lockdown off, more avoidable deaths and Long Covid disability - and longer term damage to the economy.

Failure to just deal with it, get unpleasant but necessary measures over with - contain Covid, is what's got us here. It's why we have to - yet again - face the prospect of another lockdown.

For goodness sake, can't we just finally do what we need to now, so that we never need to again.

However, clearly if at all possible we want to avoid another lockdown. Which is why we need to actually do something to not need one.

We need to get masks back in schools, test and trace properly (with isolation support), increase our supply of vaccines, - and (the key issue) control the borders: truly essential travel only and proper quarantine, until we have the majority of the population fully vaccinated.

@worriedatthemoment

sorry Tealightsandd where in europe is ahead of the uk and where is giving to 12 year olds ? do you have the links to reports because not what I am reading

I don't know if every EU country is ahead of the UK but if France has enough supplies to open to everyone over 18, and Germany is able to start over 12s from June (so presumably tomorrow), I assume they're getting there.

Remember they're mainly using Pfizer and giving the second dose with a shorter gap than here. Fully vaccinated is what matters. One dose is only 33% effective.

www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/first-covid-19-vaccine-approved-children-aged-12-15-eu

The CHMP concluded that the benefits of Comirnaty in this age group outweigh the risks.

I assume when they considered the risk benefits, they bore in mind Long Covid.

Comirnaty is the EU name for the Pfizer vaccine.

The United States, Israel, and the UAE, are already vaccinating from 12+.

Germany is starting in June but I think initially limited to CV children due to limited supplies.

I think there is a difference between being supportive of another month's delay til "Freedom Day" putting it where everyone in the higher groups has had 2, most over 40s have had 2 and over 18s have had 1. Which is a sensible plan and ties in with the summer holidays anyway.

And ongoing restrictions beyond that. Delaying to get more vaccinations done and another lockdown.

I think other countries do vaccinations differently by opening up to all - we have always been group by group

I'm not at all for more lockdowns, and I'm sick of hearing that cases are rising (yes, duh, of course they are). But chucking all the masks in the bin and letting everyone fill the supermarket aisles again in just 3 weeks feels premature.

@Quartz2208

I think there is a difference between being supportive of another month's delay til "Freedom Day" putting it where everyone in the higher groups has had 2, most over 40s have had 2 and over 18s have had 1. Which is a sensible plan and ties in with the summer holidays anyway.

And ongoing restrictions beyond that. Delaying to get more vaccinations done and another lockdown.

I think other countries do vaccinations differently by opening up to all - we have always been group by group

I think so too

Holding off a few weeks on removing restrictions might be sensible to look at data. Shouting about variants, waves and viewing lockdown as the default option isn’t.

@Ellpellwood

I'm not at all for more lockdowns, and I'm sick of hearing that cases are rising (yes, duh, of course they are). But chucking all the masks in the bin and letting everyone fill the supermarket aisles again in just 3 weeks feels premature.

Are they still controlling numbers going into supermarkets? Hasn't been the case near me since last year.

@Tealightsandd

How are countries like France and Germany managing to get through the sheer number of vaccinations required so quickly though considering they started behind us?

Why oh why aren't we finally controlling our borders during a pandemic (until majority fully vaccinated)?

And - proper test and trace, isolation with support, and masks back in schools.

Simple measures we could and should take immediately to reduce the likelihood of another lockdown.

Why are we not doing that?

[quote BlueBlancmange]@Tealightsandd

How are countries like France and Germany managing to get through the sheer number of vaccinations required so quickly though considering they started behind us?[/quote]
I don't know.

It's either hare and tortoise - and they've got more supplies than us now. Or, higher levels of vaccine hesitancy (which means they're not actually doing so well afterall).

Perhaps a bit of both?

I think Germany is manufacturing a lot (all?) of it's Pfizer, which might explain why, if they've increased their supply?

With being ahead also it's more that because they have a shorter gap between doses, they might have more fully vaccinated. That said, I must admit I don't know. It could be they're opening to younger people because older are turning it down? I'm not sure of their take-up rates.

Based on what are France and Germany ahead

Germany is 17.6% full, 43% one dose and on target for 90% to have one dose by July

France is 16.5% fully vaccinated

We are 38% and 59% (Whole pop not just adults) - the difference is that they have decided to open it up to all we are going through it more methodically.

US is the same - they have been open up to all over 18s being able to have an appointment for ages and are 41.2% fully vaccinated but and with 50% one dose but are hitting a wall with take up

@Tealightsandd

Why oh why aren't we finally controlling our borders during a pandemic (until majority fully vaccinated)?

And - proper test and trace, isolation with support, and masks back in schools.

Simple measures we could and should take immediately to reduce the likelihood of another lockdown.

Why are we not doing that?

Same reason we have not invested in schools at all - terrified of anyone seeing an improvement and wanting it to be continued.

There will not be an August lockdown.

There was ZERO covid deaths today. More and more are vaccinated. If the ridiculous could realise that vaccination is the way out of this mess then got vaccinated it would be quicker back to normal.

Covid will not go, we better get used to it and an ever mutating virus. We have to live with it as we do with other viruses. Vaccination will help that and countries worldwide are gradually Vaccinating more and more.