Time to "let it rip"?

[Warhertisuff]

Firstly, let me say that I've been in broadly in favour of restrictions put in place since March 2020, but surely, once we get to 19 July, and we have widespread vaccination coverage (not to mention non-vaccine immunity), we should just go back to normal, completely, and treat Covid like the flu, as effectively that's what we've tamed to be akin to.

No more masks, no more isolation, no more testing and tracing....

Yes, they'll be a spike in cases, and many will get ill, but as long as hospitals aren't overwhelmed and people aren't dying in droves, so be it.

I appreciate that there are those who remain vulnerable even after being double-jabbed, but I'd have thought it would be far better for them to shield themselves for a short period as it rips through and burns out like past epidemics, rather than keeping it simmering and retaining a moderate level of risk over a much longer period as we neither do enough to suppress it completely, nor allow things to open up fully enough for it to rip through in a few weeks.

Then as and when variants do arrive (which they probably will) we'll have an even more comprehensive base level of population immunity.

I agree the demographic of those suffering long covid are the age group on Mumsnet

And I have to also say that the level of health anxiety is huge on here

People on Mumsnet do post stuff that can only be described as erratic and paranoid

Long covid should NEVER be a reason to extend restrictions and thankfully government agree

I can see why the 2m figure is highest amongst middle age women and it’s becahse so many worry- as evidenced on these threads - worry about everything.

God we’ve had threads on here about covid and periods, vaccine and headaches

The level of anxiety is through the roof! It’s not healthy and that covid questionnaire plays into their hands

Many may not have even had covid in first place!

For many vulnerable people, vaccines are useless or confer so little protection their risk is still very high. If covid were to become as commonplace as rhinoviruses, then we'd be condemning a lot of people to death - far fewer than without vaccines of course, but still a significant number. Not an argument NOT to do this, but people need to be honest about what they're saying. It's not a case of "let it rip, the vulnerable are ok" - it's "let it rip, the economic damage outweighs the lives of a hundred thousand or so CEV people".

^^ Hi OP. This is me. I'm a mother of two children aged 7 and 4 undergoing intensive treatment for (hopefully eventually curable) lymphoma. I've been double vaxxed but likely to have very low protection due to my immune system being wiped out every 3 weeks by hard core chemo. Covid could easily kill me.

I'd be collateral damage in the 'let it rip for the sake of the economy' strategy.
Are you indeed saying that the economic damage outweighs the lives of people like me?

@Watapalava errr threads on periods because of irregularities after having the vaccine is not something to be dismissive of nor anything to be shamed for.

I don’t think most people are worried about long Covid they just want to get on with their lives, people aren’t locking themselves away, even my parents in there 80’s want to come for a weekend in London, traveling on public transport. Only in mumsnet I see this view that we should all hide in our homes even when we’ve been vaccinated. I’ve been working the whole time, travel to London on pubic transport every weekend even before I was vaccinated,

@Babamamananarama read every page, some of the comments are disgusting and quite disturbing. It’s a consistent opinion across all of the coronavirus threads, needs of the few mean feck all to these people.

Watapalava confirming with her last post that she doesn't read any of the reports, studies, or research.

Including the link I posted upthread. About the young woman suffering with Long Covid.

Her symptoms were dismissed as 'health anxiety'. Standard scans came back clear. Only when she found a specialist who gave her a different scan was her diagnosis made.

The specialist scan found life threatening clots in her lungs. To think that was dismissed as 'health anxiety'.

@Babamamananarama this is going to sound harsh but I’m afraid people won’t lock themselves away because of your circumstances. They have their own circumstances and children to worry about. Whether the government decide to let restrictions drop on the 19thJuly or not people will stop following the guidelines as the government have completely messed this up. If it’s safe for all the football fans to go to London and 130k to go to Silverstone then it’s safe to get back to normality.

Tealights

There will be genuine cases

No one said there wouldn’t

But more people will struggle with restrictions than long covid and those unprotected through vaccine

It’s not dismissing them it’s about the balance of benefit tipping the other way

People will die but we can’t allow more to die or be seriously ill to save a few

don’t think most people are worried about long Covid they just want to get on with their lives,

Agree that too few are concerned. Which will make the second part of your sentence hard for them. Very difficult for somebody to just get on with life when suffering from a debilitating condition.

Particularly if their condition is being dismissed as 'health anxiety' and therefore they don't have access to the diagnosis and treatment that might improve things...so that they are able to get on with life.

Only in mumsnet I see this view

Well it's a female dominated forum. And Long Covid seems to be more of a risk to women.

Agree watapalava restrictions are shit. Which is why it's a shame we still have a need for some. And why we need to actually - finally - tackle the problem, and suppress and contain. So that, like other countries already can, we will no longer need any.

One year ago I warned that we needed border control, masks, test and trace - and that if we failed to do this, we'd end up dragging it out unnecessarily. Unfortunately the government didn't listen and here we are again. At crossroads. Which way will we go this time?

@TealightsanddBut is it after you’ve been vaccinated? I will still go to London tomorrow on public transport, have lunch and not worry about Covid, so will most people. I didn’t worry before I was vaccinated even less now.

@Tealightsandd it’s the view from the minority on mumsnet I think there are far more on here ready to get on with their lives.

Have a nice time in London tomorrow @Baileysforchristmas

I will thanks

Every bed occupied by a Covid patient is a bed lost to someone on the waiting list.

My aunt had her long awaited operation postponed several times recently because they couldn't be sure there would be an intensive care bed available for her afterwards.

And the higher the cases the more pregnant women will catch covid. So much is u known about delta that that seems like a really bad idea.

I don’t think you can stop people now though, people won’t stay at home and save lives much longer. Unless they in force it, which is a slippery slope.

Unless they are forced to I meant , my phone seems to have a mind of it’s own.

I'm by no means advocating that we stay locked up forever to protect the small vulnerable minority like cancer-ridden ole me. However, neither to I think 'back to normal' is reachable or appropriate yet. We are still in a global situation which is evolving, very serious and where there are some unanswered questions about the progression of the virus. It is not, with the best will in the world, going to 'burn itself out' if we 'let it rip'; neither is it going to downgrade to the severity of the common cold once we stop giving it all this attention and carry on with our lives. It's not a naughty teenager, it's an evolving virus which is still rampantly out of control in large parts of the world.

I think we need to be imaginative and flexible enough to find a way that is liveable and enables people to enjoy life while still accepting that there will be some adjustments we need to make for the foreseeable future.

Agreed @Babamamananarama

@Babamamananarama well yes I do agree we can’t go back to normal, I think this is the new normal.

@Babamamananarama

I'm by no means advocating that we stay locked up forever to protect the small vulnerable minority like cancer-ridden ole me. However, neither to I think 'back to normal' is reachable or appropriate yet. We are still in a global situation which is evolving, very serious and where there are some unanswered questions about the progression of the virus. It is not, with the best will in the world, going to 'burn itself out' if we 'let it rip'; neither is it going to downgrade to the severity of the common cold once we stop giving it all this attention and carry on with our lives. It's not a naughty teenager, it's an evolving virus which is still rampantly out of control in large parts of the world.

I think we need to be imaginative and flexible enough to find a way that is liveable and enables people to enjoy life while still accepting that there will be some adjustments we need to make for the foreseeable future.

THIS

@Babamamananarama I don’t think over 2.2 million people is a small minority to be dismissed either.

@Babamamananarama- I agree with you but I think this government will drop most remaining restrictions in July. I think it suits them to do so as that is where public opinion now seems to lie.
I think the government are happy for nobody to travel and spend money here etc- they actively want that. I wonder if they are going to stop testing as much if they drop most restrictions too.
I really do hope though that they are honest with CEV people though and tell them openly how dangerous this is for them. A family member has leukaemia and her nurse told her all along to be ultra carefully especially when things open up fully again.
Hospitals, in particular, will need to be ultra careful so hopefully regular testing there will remain for the foreseeable future. But I also think we just need to spend more on health care long term and that includes paying health care staff more. I would also like Cev to have extra working from home rights. Not sure what to do about schools though and your kids being in school, it is very hard.

@Babamamananarama what adjustments do you think are reasonable to keep for the foreseeable future? What do you think people will comply with? I’m all for low level measures to stay, such as test and trace, but there’s no way I’m going to stop seeing family and friends again, no way I’m going back to social distancing and continuous isolation for school children and workers isn’t sustainable.

Still, looking on the bright side it would offer a shiny new excuse to the idle
And this, people, is exactly what Long Covid sufferers are up against

Sadly, yes it is, and precisely because the idle I mentioned may well spoil things for the genuine. We all know this shouldn't happen, but self diagnosis isn't always the wisest route to take in these circumstances

And unfortunately, for everyone like the poor lady with the blood clots, there's likely to be another with the "special" type of Long Covid which only kicks in when it suits. I'd mention a few I'm acquainted with personally, except I'm well aware that anecdote isn't data

I think the requirement to SI around a positive case will remain, but will gradually be reduced to something much closer to the measles requirements.

Masks in peak respiratory virus season, but only on public transport (where you are cooped up together with very iffy or non existent ventilation) and in all healthcare settings (which need to be kept reasonably safe for all other vulnerable patients)