Interestingly if you listen to the experts the tone is changing though with Delta though. There is increasing widespread acknowledgement that it cant be contained compared with previous variants. Thats the problem.
I was reading what Singapore's strategy is and how they intend to exit restrictions. Its remarkably similar to the Uks.
Australia and NZ are starting to change tact about zero covid and what happens next too. There is a growing acknowledgement there that Delta changes things and its an issue.
I acknowledge that there are a few things I think the uk government could do differently (masks being the no1 thing here) but I also think that we've had some of the longest, most harsh restrictions in the world and that cant be discounted in terms of how effective restrictions can remain.
It may be a simple choice between restriction now or in the winter when we perhaps need them more.
Is it realistic to think the majority or people will carry on like this much longer?
My friends who are teachers or run kids groups are noticing the kids are pretty much feral for want of a better word. The status quo is untenable for things like that alone.
Even if the government kept restrictions they are only sustainable with public support. I think that support is waning and at the point of collasping in the near future. After that point they become unenforceable and a point of active public unrest.
We did actually exceed expectations on restrictions, and thats given a lot of people a chance.
The big thing here is that what is advised by health bodies and officials doesn't also take into account the behavioural science side of things and balance that with other health issues which governments do.
Its easy to say we should do x, y and z in principle. In practice things are as simple as that.