'We've not been out since all this started'

[TheVampiresWife]

I heard this yesterday from someone DH works with (they're all wfh). A couple in their late 40s, no health issues with no vulnerabilities, fully vaccinated but 'you can't be too careful'.

They've not left the house apart from their vaccine appointments since the start of the first lockdown.

I understand how worrying it's all been for some people, particularly if you're vulnerable or have health anxiety. But it's so sad that people are this terrified. I wonder how they'll cope when restrictions end. The MH fallout from all this is going to be massive, isn't it?

Eh? In 18 months?

I know a couple of people like this too. It's strange for those of us that have been going out to work throughout.

I know a couple like this but they’re late 70s ... I thought that was bad enough but 40s 🙁

I know of a couple who are literally the same, the only exception is that she has to go out to work. They have a DD who goes out, but she has to be extremely careful around her friends.

Lifting up restrictions is going to be a great thing in many ways, but there are going to be many who will struggle.

@YesDisney

Eh? In 18 months?

Yep!

Christ that’s unhealthy

I know people like this. It’s maddening. They won’t go out until there is no risk of covid. Or until covids been eradicated.

Haven’t set foot any further than the boundary to their property since the March last year.

Some people may be anxious, some people may be embracing their inner introvert and like the excuse, some people may use this to sit on their soap box and say condescendingly that they've followed ALL the rules...

Or like me, some people have got lazy and get more things delivered within the hour and socialise less with people they realise they don't actually like much

Yes I have friends in their 40’s like this.

They text me asking why people aren’t observing lockdown rules. I said well we aren’t in lockdown anymore. They said I was wrong. They will not meet people even outside yet. WFH forever and only left the house for vaccinations.

They are terrified. I’m worried for their MH.

Lots of people like that round my area (Norfolk). It’s more common than people think. We have a lot of food delivery services and haven’t had to scrabble to get stuff delivered in the same way other areas have so it’s been very easy for people to just stay home or keep to rural walks.

I’ve been living as normally as possible for a long time now - double vaccinated, was in the clinically extremely vulnerable group- and I am always a bit at those who haven’t ventured out.

I remember being absolutely terrified for the first few weeks of the first lockdown. I didn't want to leave the house (but had to for shopping). I'm CV and was 100% certain I would die if I caught it and if I went out I definitely would catch it. It was absolutely knackering being so terrified constantly and was a really, really dark time. Living like that for a year and a half must be utterly unbearable.

MH provision was under such strain before the pandemic, I can't imagine how it's going to cope with the fallout from this.

I know some people like this. I've just let them get on with it to be honest. They have been quite shocked that I have been out and about...but I have worked throughout so going to the supermarket or a walk with a friend has never been particularly frightening for me.

Let them crack on. It's their life they are wasting in my opinion.

There are going to be lots of people left with mental health issues after this. My sister and family are still totally "locked down" The children are allowed to go to school but that's it, they don't leave the house otherwise. I've given up emailing/phoning her as she cannot be reasoned with. She and my brother in law are both doubly vaccinated and have no health issues but are absolutely terrified. It's very sad.

They haven’t even left the house to exercise? Even my parents who are in their 80’s have been out twice a day for walks. It can’t be healthy not even to leave the house for some fresh air.

It sounds like they’ve developed anxiety. If you can remember the start of this things were very scary - those hospital scenes from Italy, reported mass graves in a Middle Eastern country (I can’t remember which one), people starting to wear masks seemed very strange. We are in our 30s with very young children but we had to shield due to DH being ECV - this was a shock in itself as we think of him as being healthy. It was very scary for us to send DD1 into school in September.

Case numbers have significantly risen in the last couple of and if this continues and all restrictions go in a months time there will be many people who will really struggle to get out and about.

They exercise in the back garden. 😕

One set of my parents is exactly the same. In a dire emergency one of them (the same one) will go to the local coop (driving, its under 2 minutes to drive) at the crack of dawn when it opens. Other than that they have been nowhere and plan on going nowhere, apart from when they had their vaccines. Early 70s. Its really sad. I can't persuade them otherwise. They also live very northerly in a small coastal village, not a big city or even town.

OMG - I can't imagine not having my haircut for that long. I looked like a cavewoman after the last 3 months lockdown! Sorry, that's probably very vain and self absorbed but bloody hell!

@Whatalottachocca

There are going to be lots of people left with mental health issues after this. My sister and family are still totally "locked down" The children are allowed to go to school but that's it, they don't leave the house otherwise. I've given up emailing/phoning her as she cannot be reasoned with. She and my brother in law are both doubly vaccinated and have no health issues but are absolutely terrified. It's very sad.

This is what I find so strange about so many of these people. They won’t leave the house - except their kids going to school, or to go to Tesco, etc etc. Do they think schools and supermarkets are exempt from covid? It’s all so crazy.

I also know a couple in their 40s like this. They also have 2 children who haven't been anywhere! It's shocking. I'm sure their children will be deeply traumatised by this.

Thing is they can only do this through the services of others - home delivery, postal services etc.

Thankfully even my octogenarian DPs go out for walks, take the car for a spin and venture to a well ventilated fruit farm, oh and the library which always bemuses me as surely everyone touches the books so it's not particularly covid safe, but as they're both double vaccinated I don't mention it. Their world is small enough with this, so goodness knows what people are like if they aren't doing even that.

In my opinion they have lost their lives to covid anyway then. Even though they are physically present, that’s not a full and fulfilling life.
The stupid thing is that covid was most likely here in Nov/December 2019 which means that everyone was going about their business unaware for 4/5 months before lockdown. It’s the government’s fault people are so scared though and for that there is no excuse.

People have got used to outsourcing their risk to those generally worse off than them. Those who can't afford to turn down crap pay and conditions to deliver stuff to the well off. It doesn't sit well with me at all, that attitude.

It’s like they didn’t realise there was risk before? Do they eat a perfect diet, don’t drink etc?

It’s a real shame isn’t it