Anybody else feeling very conflicted about today’s announcement?

[Wherediditgo]

I (as many are) have been waiting for this day since March last year. I remember believing Boris when he said ‘12 weeks to turn the tide’
I remember thinking how great it would be when we could go back to our old lives.

Ive never really worried about catching Covid. I’ve seen the stats. I’m 3 weeks post 1st jab. I don’t necessarily think that masks make much difference (not the ones most of us wear) and I’ve always thought that lockdown measures have been overly harsh in some instances and have worried about the state of people’s MH and financial positions.

Now, all of a sudden, I feel afraid. I read that they’re scrapping almost everything on 19th July and I can’t get my head around it. I all of a sudden feel anxious about going back to ‘normality’

Does anyone else feel this way?

I was reading a thread earlier about the Delta variant and people who had been vaxxed/double vaxxed and it really unsettled me. People are still catching it despite the jab and being sick. No, not hospitalised, but still very unwell. I was ill after my first AZ jab and if that is a fraction of what Covid is like I don't want it. So, you all enjoy your freedom, genuinely, but I'm going to keep staying home. Having said that, I'm in the swing of things being a home body having been out all the time before and don't miss it anymore.

He’s not a government minister, he’s a scientist. The government have to consider the wider picture not just the science.

I know hes not thats my point he disgrees with boris

Reading all these comments - on this and other threads.

This is a real vote loser for Boris and the Tories, isn't it?

He may disagree with Boris but he only has to look at the situation from a medical point of view. He doesn’t have to think about all the other implications.

Depends whether you think the views on here are really representative of the electorate as a whole!

We need normal if such a thing will ever exist again. Life needs to go on and we need to live with it

I was reading a thread earlier about the Delta variant and people who had been vaxxed/double vaxxed and it really unsettled me.

That thread in no way reflected the data in real life.

The vast majority of cases are in the unvaxxed or partially vaxxed.

I am fairly pleased with today’s news and will boycotting anywhere after 19th that tries to carry on with restrictions unnecessarily

I think this is what’s the most dangerous to be honest.

The Government has just put the onus back on employers and businesses to keep their workforce and their businesses safe.

In addition the consumer sentiment reports we’re receiving about how people feel in hospitality, travel and tourism sectors suggest 50% of the population want some form of restrictions to stay. And so, many of those will continue to cap their capacity, pre-register, enforce mask wearing or encourage social distancing.

And if we don’t? We’re probably not going to have many front line staff because the hospitality staffing crisis has left us absolutely stretched to the limit. To the point where, we’re turning away business at a time we need it, because we can’t staff it.

In addition, those staff are often the ones on casual contracts or on SSP. And so, are they going to self isolate or even test, knowing their wages reduced?

We’re now entering a situation where on the 20th July you might go to the Tate and they ask you to wear a mask, on the 21st you might go to the races and you don’t have to, on the 22nd you might go to Kew Gardens and they ask you to socially distance and adhere to rule of six inside.

All it will do is create confusion and angst. Because each sector, each business, is now going to have to dream up their own guidelines and decide where they’ll accept risk and won’t.

From what I’ve read tonight from my industry body, you’re going to be boycotting a lot of places, because at the end of the day, not putting those measures in place has the bring a business to its knees. And we’d still rather have some business than none at all.

"I feel so sorry for shop workers and other who are going to have to face idiots without masks"

I feel this is ironic as when schools went back with no masks or social distancing, a lot of people on here said they should get on with it like shop workers!

Making masks voluntary will mean probably between a third or half might wear them based on what I see in schools. I found you just have to accept you will be infected sooner rather than later. At least now most adult will have been vaccinated so your chances of recovery are so much better.

Almost everyone I work with was infected before the vaccine roll out even started. This is probably true of hospitals and care staff too.

Living with it means you have got to get used to the idea that you will get infected repeatedly. Hopefully less seriously each time.

I can imagine things wil get disrupted in the summer as staff members go off infected and people get nervous as more people around them catch it. It will be worrying as unlike flu you will have to isolate for 10 days likely woth no support unless you qualify for benefits and the 500 quid.

This might dissuade people for going for tests if they get no sick pay or only get SSP. Maybe the government will be more generous going forward as you can't game the system for a positive PCR but I doubt it.

We’re now entering a situation where on the 20th July you might go to the Tate and they ask you to wear a mask, on the 21st you might go to the races and you don’t have to, on the 22nd you might go to Kew Gardens and they ask you to socially distance and adhere to rule of six inside.

This especially when other countries in the UK aren’t lifting restrictions. So people will be coming into Scotland from England expecting no social distancing and no masks and they will still be required here .

Quite frankly the only thing I care about now is my dcs getting an uninterrupted education now that they're entering their big exam years. If things open up and schools keep closing as a consequence it's all going to be a fucking joke. I might as well pull my kids out of school and have them home educated.

It would also be nice if dentists and gps could start functioning normally again, it's about bloody time.

But hey ho so long as you can queue up at the bar for a pint and not wear a mask while out shopping eh.

in a queue with people practically touching you
Easy enough to avoid queues.
I hate them - nothing to do with covid d as so prefer places or at times where there aren’t queues.

I'm anxious about feeling too excited. Feel like we've had our hopes dashed too many times already. Everytime I start feeling hopeful and excited for a holiday booked for next summer I remind myself I felt like that for my holiday booked this year. Oh and the year before...

But I do think we are in a different place now. But as they say once burnt twice shy...and I've been burnt many many times with plans and bookings forever hopeful, me.

@Spandang

I am fairly pleased with today’s news and will boycotting anywhere after 19th that tries to carry on with restrictions unnecessarily

I think this is what’s the most dangerous to be honest.

The Government has just put the onus back on employers and businesses to keep their workforce and their businesses safe.

In addition the consumer sentiment reports we’re receiving about how people feel in hospitality, travel and tourism sectors suggest 50% of the population want some form of restrictions to stay. And so, many of those will continue to cap their capacity, pre-register, enforce mask wearing or encourage social distancing.

And if we don’t? We’re probably not going to have many front line staff because the hospitality staffing crisis has left us absolutely stretched to the limit. To the point where, we’re turning away business at a time we need it, because we can’t staff it.

In addition, those staff are often the ones on casual contracts or on SSP. And so, are they going to self isolate or even test, knowing their wages reduced?

We’re now entering a situation where on the 20th July you might go to the Tate and they ask you to wear a mask, on the 21st you might go to the races and you don’t have to, on the 22nd you might go to Kew Gardens and they ask you to socially distance and adhere to rule of six inside.

All it will do is create confusion and angst. Because each sector, each business, is now going to have to dream up their own guidelines and decide where they’ll accept risk and won’t.

From what I’ve read tonight from my industry body, you’re going to be boycotting a lot of places, because at the end of the day, not putting those measures in place has the bring a business to its knees. And we’d still rather have some business than none at all.

Very true.

Very happy about the news.

If businesses still want to keep masks and other restrictions then presumably they are happy to do so and those that want them will shop there.

Personally I will shop and eat where I don't have to wear a mask or check in after the 19th.

Not concerned for myself because I will be taking any precautions that I personally feel are necessary.
I'm very pleased that others will have the freedom to make their own decisions and assess their own risk in terms of activities and behaviours.

Personally not concerned. I have never been afraid of catching covid but have always followed the guidelines to protect others. I know a lot of people feel like you though. After a year of being told how deadly this is, how it will overwhelm hospitals and how anyone can get long covid etc, it will take a lot of adjustment for people to just ditch all restrictions.

@Wherediditgo I feel exactly the same.
I've been so busy recently with soft plays, play dates, lunches/dinners and haven't socially distanced with friends or family in months but the thought of everything going back to normal terrifies me.
It's like I'm convinced it's gonna be like scenes from the walking dead 😅

Yes, I feel simultaneously Woo Hoo and Aargh. Not looking forward to the trains being rammed again. My commutes have been lovely!

I've been advocating for a long time for people to use a bit of common sense instead of anguishing on here about whether their husband wfh in another room or a baby asleep in a cot means they're breaking the rule of 6 indoors 'law' or whether driving 1 mile west but crossing a boundary is better than 10 miles East but not. I strongly suspect that many places will hang on to the signage and systems they've spent £££ on so queues might well remain spaced out and table service at bars likewise.. Its much easier to spend money on another drink or some nibbles if you scan a code, tap tap, done. If its 3 deep at the bar you might not bother.
I've been teaching in school throughout, am on the bottom end of 'scrupulous' wrt handwashing and sanitising and have not caught it so far, ditto my soap dodging y7 son. The risk of doing so is, for me, an acceptable one and the bubble issue should be scraped NOW. Happy to provide online assignments as well if parents chose to keep kids home for the time being. We've had long enough to get organised with this and it takes 2 mins tops. It won't be as good quality as lie teaching but that's where the choice comes in.

Personally I will be avoiding crowds (don't like them anyway) and wearing my mask for a bit longer. I'm over 40 and won't get my second jab until after 19th July. I feel for anyone in this position working in retail etc

I have 1 dd off as her bubble had closed. If another bubble closes on 14th July do they isolate for 4 days then are ok to go back on 19th?

Just read you still have to isolate for ten days. I reckon school bubbles will be closing even more frequently than they are now?

Already booking things in! Most good, some boring.