I can’t bear the thought of another full lockdown but it seems inevitable

[cantfaceitalloveragain]

I’ve only just this week been allowed to see sister without social distancing, as she lives in residential care, had a lovely meal and a big hug but at the end all I could think was, will it be another year before we can meet again? She’s been hugely, horribly affected by this virus - she’s dreadfully ill through anxiety - and has been only just told this week she can see two relatives and one friend, and she might be allowed back to day care services the end of this month - first time since Feb 2020 .

I can’t bear the thought of another year indoors, no haircuts, no socialising, no shopping, no travel, no seeing sister or friends or family ...

I live in a tiny village with shit public transport that was largely stoped over both lockdowns ... can’t bear another year in this three mile square and relying on online delivery and zoom ... GP rang this morning and even yapping to her I thought, how lovely it would be to see someone else face to face - most friends and family are still heavily avoiding all socialising, this is my experience of most people now that there’s a lot of fear and anxiety around covid .

I realise restrictions are necessary and probably inevitable, and things could be so so much worse - but I’m struggling so much now . Finding I’m dreading getting out of bed as I keep thinking, what’s coming next?

And obviously temporary immunity until the next variant evolves, which it probably already has considering the level of infection they have experienced.

Let's just lockdown the whole world indefinitely. Who knows what variants might evolve otherwise! It's the only way to he safe!

Ffs.

@AnotherSunrise

Who says it's inevitable?

It wouldn't be inevitable if we had an adequate travel and border policy combined a fit for purpose test trace and isolate system. And herd immunity.

But this government's covid strategy relies primarily on two things: vaccines and putting restrictions on us when they've let things get out of hand again.

On June 21st only about 45% of the country will be fully vaccinated.

This variant has been able to achieve dominance during restrictions.

What's going to happen when the government take the restrictions away and sends us nightclubbing?

@FromEden

And obviously temporary immunity until the next variant evolves, which it probably already has considering the level of infection they have experienced.

Let's just lockdown the whole world indefinitely. Who knows what variants might evolve otherwise! It's the only way to he safe!

Ffs.

Well there's no need to be over dramatic.

@SonnetForSpring

All I keep hearing is where is the data. Check the SAGE minutes. Look at independent sage. Look at PHE. It's all there!

If people want the data they can do five minutes on Google the same as the rest of us. If they don't want to do that they don't want the data.

I must say I'm pretty relaxed about what may be coming next. It's just is what it is.

But I live in Brighton and life didn't actually change that much for most people here. It's really surprising how much people in other parts of the UK have been so strict on themselves.

All I keep hearing is where is the data. Check the SAGE minutes. Look at independent sage. Look at PHE. It's all there!

But anyone who says that and "this is why we a need a lockdown" (like some posters on this thread) are doing the equivalent of arguing for Brexit and saying "Look at the data provided by the fishermen. Every single Fish Expert is saying you can all have more fish! Fish five times a week for everyone!"

Without recognising that Brexit has consequences for everyone as well as the fishermen. And fisherwomen. Whatever.

It also completely fails to recognise that some people don't or can't eat fish.

700,000 people in the UK put into poverty as of Nov 2020. Double that if it weren't for the slight bump in tax credits. Poverty reduces your life span by 10 years.

So at least 700,000 could have shortened their life span by 10 years in order to control a virus where the average age of death is higher than life expectancy.

People bought this last year, because we were told it wasn't about that, it was about stopping the NHS being overwhelmed and the economy would be devastated regardless.

But now, when the people it mostly killed are vaccinated? When we can look at places with virtually no restrictions and see their outcomes weren't always so different and the world didn't end for them? Why should we listen only to SAGE when there are other problems and consequences that need to be considered?

We won't be going into lockdown again. Boris won't want it. We have the vaccine. At worst the 21st June may be delayed.

@JanuaryJonez

I must say I'm pretty relaxed about what may be coming next. It's just is what it is.

But I live in Brighton and life didn't actually change that much for most people here. It's really surprising how much people in other parts of the UK have been so strict on themselves.

Really even with schools (and most things) shut you didn’t notice much change?

We’re having a garden party today with 25 people - cannot wait! It’s within the rules and I’m not putting my life on hold any longer.

@Rocket1982

I don't think there will be another lockdown. There will be another big spike in cases, maybe as big or bigger than the one in January. Deaths and hospitalisations won't go up so high as they did in January.

Yes the UK is in a reasonable position with vaccinations. However, while I don't think there should be another lockdown, I think we should be stepping up social distancing again to where it was in early May (e.g. no indoor gatherings, limits on outdoor gatherings). In another couple of months we will be in an even better position on vaccinations. What is the point of having a very large number of non-fatal cases and the associated long-term health complications (long covid) when in a couple of months with most of the population double-vaccinated that could probably be largely avoided?

In a couple of months there'll be something else and then it'll be "just a few more weeks, hold tight" As a pp has said, once all adults are vaccinated what are we waiting for? What else is going to change? But I guarantee there will be something.

Are you not doing anything in between the lockdowns OP, we are making the most of when stuff is open to go out and we have used our touring caravan a lot more than usual this last year. When there is a bit of freedom make the most of it, no point in sitting in worrying about it or you will waste the better times.

The govt may have to get inventive in how they describe future restrictions. They promised no more lockdowns and then had to renew on that. They keep saying no more lockdowns but I notice their retoric has slowly changed (as it did last time). Maybe the restrictions will be a bit different next time so the word 'lockdown' can be avoided and a new word used instead. I was hoping that the impact on schools would be minimal after all the reassurances that schools were a priority. However, as the new Indian variant (and possibly future variants still to come) seems to be having more effect on children, and children will be the last group left unvaccinated and hence become the main spreaders of the virus I worry that schools will close again at some point. The vaccines don't seem to be as effective against some of the new variants and given the level of worry each new variant causes I can't see the current vaccine providing reassurance for long. We are in a race against time to develop vaccines that will be effective against new or all variants!

But all adults aren't ever going to be vaccinated for many reasons

Good info re hospitalisation on radio just now - re Bolton as matter of higher interest ie front of wave hot spots

‘Encouraging and reassuring’ - re breaking link plus he broke down into type of care but missed it

‘But there is still risk’

Chris Hopson NHS providers. Still not sounding as bad as some on here.

Next guy talking about people on SM being too certain, we can’t be yet.

@SonnetForSpring

All I keep hearing is where is the data. Check the SAGE minutes. Look at independent sage. Look at PHE. It's all there!

'Independent' Sage?!? You really think we should be listening to them?

It's like groundhog day on here with the same three or four people popping into every thread with their doomsday scenarios.

Saying "oh but only 40% of people are fully vaccinated" while simultaneously ignoring the fact that the 40% who are vaccinated are the most vulnerable.

Ignoring the fact that cases don't matter as long as those don't translate into hospitalisations.

Pulling maths and stuff about variants being more transmissible out of their arses without any real evidence that what they are saying is true.

Chucking in the odd "sadly" or "i'm afraid" to make it look like they are nice people really.

As with many other people on this thread I will not be locking down again. Obviously you can't break into shops or bars which aren't open, but I doubt they will do that anyway. I will be seeing friends, and relatives. Especially my parents who have become increasingly isolated over the past year, my dad has some form of dementia as yet undiagnosed as the GP won't see him. Mum needs my support and to see her grandchildren. There are lots of things more important than Covid.

Some posters seem totally unable to accept that Covid is not ever going away, and that we are always going to see cases in the same was as we see cases of lots of other diseases.

At the other extreme people who are scared of vaccines are shouting wake up and you’re morons at posters on other threads

Can we get all those together with the few on here to shout wake up morons at each other in their own section and leave the rest to have measured discussions

@PinkSparklyPussyCat They were the ones who warned us about the second wave whereas real SAGE were near enough silent because they didn't want to get on the wrong side of the government.

Good idea Marsha

And regarding increased transmissibility, Neil Ferguson was on BBC News last night saying that Delta is 30%-100% more transmissible than the Kent Variant.

The previous worst case scenario was only 50%.

Can we get all those together with the few on here to shout wake up morons at each other in their own section and leave the rest to have measured discussions

Genius

@MarshaBradyo very presumptuous. I'm not willing for my unborn baby to be a guinea pig for a vaccine that was made in record time 👍🏻

@NannyAndJohn

And regarding increased transmissibility, Neil Ferguson was on BBC News last night saying that Delta is 30%-100% more transmissible than the Kent Variant.

The previous worst case scenario was only 50%.

Yet I read an article on the WHO last night that said it there was no evidence it worse.

@RaspberryCoulis

It's like groundhog day on here with the same three or four people popping into every thread with their doomsday scenarios.

Saying "oh but only 40% of people are fully vaccinated" while simultaneously ignoring the fact that the 40% who are vaccinated are the most vulnerable.

Ignoring the fact that cases don't matter as long as those don't translate into hospitalisations.

Pulling maths and stuff about variants being more transmissible out of their arses without any real evidence that what they are saying is true.

Chucking in the odd "sadly" or "i'm afraid" to make it look like they are nice people really.

As with many other people on this thread I will not be locking down again. Obviously you can't break into shops or bars which aren't open, but I doubt they will do that anyway. I will be seeing friends, and relatives. Especially my parents who have become increasingly isolated over the past year, my dad has some form of dementia as yet undiagnosed as the GP won't see him. Mum needs my support and to see her grandchildren. There are lots of things more important than Covid.

Some posters seem totally unable to accept that Covid is not ever going away, and that we are always going to see cases in the same was as we see cases of lots of other diseases.

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 well said

Here is link regarding Kent v Delta variant www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-latest-update-from-phe-on-the-delta-variant/

And remember - more transmissible doesn't mean more clinically severe