What do you think will change for the fully vaccinated

[patsyA]

My sister and her husband are living in the US (have done for many years)

They are both fully vaccinated and things there are different for them now, the rule there is, once you are fully vaccinated you can live a “pre pandemic” life.

For instance, they are no longer required to socially distance.
They don’t have to wear masks (unless required by federal, state or local laws)
If they have been in contact with a positive Covid case, they do not have to test or self isolate, unless they develop symptoms.

What changes do you think we will see here in the UK for the fully vaccinated?

But what is “fair” about locking up healthy vaccinated people? Do you think that just because some people are still waiting for vaccines that makes that fair? I don’t

Well actually I do, as the least vulnerable are having the biggest impact on their lives to protect everyone else so it would have been a kick in the teeth for the over 80s to go out and party when their education was being massively adversely affected, driving tests cancelled etc. But having said that, things are much more open now than they were, and it wouldn't actually make much difference if you gave vaccinated people more freedoms (what would they do - nothing much different as most things are open now).

However, vaccinated or not, I am not sure I ever want to breathe in everyone's germs on an overcrowded commuter train again and I think masks should remain for public transport.

The US is culturally very different, they generally put much more emphasis on individual freedoms

Really? They're worse than us on smoking.

It's interesting to note that in the US, people who aren't fully vaccinated are advised or mandated to wear masks outside. I've also noticed that celebrities over there lead the way - with public mask wearing when out and about (not under noses or chins).

@patsyA

My sister and her husband are living in the US (have done for many years)

They are both fully vaccinated and things there are different for them now, the rule there is, once you are fully vaccinated you can live a “pre pandemic” life.

For instance, they are no longer required to socially distance.
They don’t have to wear masks (unless required by federal, state or local laws)
If they have been in contact with a positive Covid case, they do not have to test or self isolate, unless they develop symptoms.

What changes do you think we will see here in the UK for the fully vaccinated?

How do the masks and SD work? You show proof of vax on entry?

Nothing will change because many people have gone mad and seem to want this misery to last forever.

We have to bear in mind that the vaccines are done differently there. I think it was opened up to everyone, therefore it's easier to open things up the vaccinated.

Imagine if the young - who have had their lives put on hold to protect the elderly - were forced to stay home/abide by loads of restrictions - while the Boomers went out and lived a normal life double vaccinated. Wouldn't go down so well.

Ultimately though being fully vaccinated has to be ticket to freedom. It just won't be June 21st by the looks of it.

I’m in the US and as PP’s have mentioned, the rules vary from state to state and even local jurisdiction. The city I live in still requires masks indoors-the mayor has said that will be lifted when 65% of city residents are vaccinated. Some surrounding counties have lifted the mask requirement for fully vaccinated people though.

Our testing positivity rates are around 1% now ( in this area) so it seems logical to open up more.

Nothing, we're all cowering in fear for evermore in case anyone gets covid.
Because that's all that matters.

@StealthPolarBear

Nothing, we're all cowering in fear for evermore in case anyone gets covid. Because that's all that matters.

Oh well. Makes a change from 'cowering in fear' from cigarette smoke.

Where do you live, where everyone is 'cowering'? Round here, shops are bustling, pub full, restaurants busy.

Nothing within the Uk until much later - 2022-3.
Travel- yes vaccine passports into many countries and I think we should drop quarantine if fully vaxxed. Still 1 return PCR test (paid for by traveller).

The US is culturally very different, they generally put much more emphasis on individual freedoms compared to the UK and Europe where we tend to think of what's best for society as a whole

I agree about American emphasis on freedom (and a good thing too) but not that we're any better at thinking of "society as a whole"
I've spent years in the US and it's genuinely one of the most civically-minded places I know - except much is done at a local community level, rather than because of some government diktat

The overriding thing for me, though, is that in America they'll very often find a way that something can be done, whereas we'll drag our feet and find a reason it can't ... yet another consequence I've worried about since the start of Covid

I think the uptake for the vaccine amongst the younger generation in the UK isn’t going to be as high as the government had hoped so they will have the end up offering more freedom to the double vaccinated. The over 40s and vulnerable were on the whole just happy to get the vaccine. I had the vaccine because it felt like the right thing to do for society as a whole but because I spent two full weekends in bed and had a semi—allergic reaction to the Pfizer, I won’t be jumping at a booster, unless there is something in it for me personally, like travel and some extra freedom.

I think the uptake for the vaccine amongst the younger generation in the UK isn’t going to be as high as the government had hoped

Completely disagree. Long queues have formed every time a centre opens up to younger people.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/covid-vaccine-harrow-pfizer-b1860275.html

Perhaps partly because they want to avoid Long Covid.

The real issue for now is limited supply.

I’ve had both vaccines, I should say first of all.

I really don’t think it’s fair to start differentiating between vaccinated and unvaccinated until everyone, including children, has had a chance of a vaccine. Especially as the people who haven’t had it were low risk all along.

I know we locked down to protect the nhs not individual groups, but in effect it was to protect the elderly and vulnerable. Young people have sacrificed a lot to protect others, and it would shitty to make them watch while older people had freedoms still denied them.

I saw a news story with a company offering a free round of beer ,(Over 21s) and in southern states a free gun.
I wish it was a joke.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/long-covid-symptoms-coronavirus-update-b1859578.html

Nearly 400,000 people still have long Covid a year after initial infection, new stats show

The NIHR suggested long Covid could be made up of four distinct syndromes which can mean for some patients active disease and organ damage leading to debilitating symptoms and disability. Some patients experienced effects on their brains while others suffered blood clots and inflammation.

It's very likely to be more than the reported figures because...

Patients are struggling to get help or treatment for long Covid as numbers affected surge

That struggle to get help starts with getting doctors to take their symptoms seriously.

patients were struggling to access testing and help from the NHS to treat their symptoms.

Young people have sacrificed a lot to protect others

Nice bit of ableism (and ageism). Aside from normal people caring about older family, friends, and acquaintances, Clinically vulnerable and Clinically Extremely Vulnerable young people (including children) exist.

And of course there's also Long Covid.

Oh - and Gertrude, protecting the NHS is for everyone, including you. If you get knocked down by a car or fall over and break something, or get a cancer diagnosis and so overnight turn into one of the non elderly vulnerable (they number in the millions in the UK), failure to protect the NHS means you don't get any care. It's impossible when hospitals and staff are at capacity.

As if anything was to protect the vulnerable. You have read about what happened with the care homes? Covid positive patients sent to homes full of the most vulnerable sitting duck residents. That is the very opposite of protecting the vulnerable.

The repeated long lockdowns weren't to protect the vulnerable or anyone else. Nor were they to protect the economy. Because none of that was protected.

The repeated long lockdowns were because the government prioritised international travel above everything and everyone else.

We seem to have a few US posters but none will say how the stuff for the vaxed is decided. Is that horribke blur between law and guidance again?

I don't expect much to change any time soon sadly 😒

@Ostara212. The CDC makes recommendations at the federal level and then states and local jurisdictions make decisions based on the vaccination and positivity rates in the area. That’s why the city I live in has a different mask mandate to the neighboring county.

Absolutely Naff all! We were all fed the vaccine will give us freedom bullshit yet here we are still isolating, still wearing masks, still social distancing, still unable to travel abroad . Waste of fucking time!

@Tealightsandd - well those are the young keen to get vaccinated. France has opened to all adults - I think we should do the same. Vaccinate all those keen to have it to increase the chance of herd immunity. Of course subject to sufficient 2nd doses but as many of those are AZ I think this should be the strategy now.

Thank you OP for sharing the US perspective. I have spent some time online on French, German, Russian and Spanish sites trying to see what perspectives there are in other countries. The Corona fear in U.K. seems higher than elsewhere - an expat on a Swiss site described it as “the U.K. Corona Stockholm syndrome”.

[quote Cameleongirl]@Ostara212. The CDC makes recommendations at the federal level and then states and local jurisdictions make decisions based on the vaccination and positivity rates in the area. That’s why the city I live in has a different mask mandate to the neighboring county.[/quote]
Thank you

What I mean is, of some states are saying "2 vax = no mask necessary" how is that enforced?

I’m not sure, tbh, I haven’t been asked to verify my vaccination status-although I could show it as it’s on my pharmacy’s app. Maybe others will know more.

Some places such as airports still require mask wearing regardless.

@Cameleongirl

I’m not sure, tbh, I haven’t been asked to verify my vaccination status-although I could show it as it’s on my pharmacy’s app. Maybe others will know more.

Some places such as airports still require mask wearing regardless.

I can imagine masked people aggressively asking to see proof of vax of the unmasked and it sounds a bit worrying.