As numbers go up, will you be avoiding public places?

[Twoforthree]

I will certainly be cutting back on visits when numbers rise higher, even though I’ve had it and am double vacinated. I really don’t want to be ill again. It wasn’t pleasant.
At the moment I’m taking the risk but when masks are relaxed and if/when numbers are higher, I’ll be restricting my movements. I know I’m “low risk” but I still don’t want to be ill in bed again.

Anyone else?

[quote TheVampiresWife]@kindaclassy DD lost her job at the start of first lockdown and still hasn't found another. Those who rely on some sections of hospitality for their livelihoods haven't worked for a year. Theatres, music venues and other cultural venues that haven't been able to reopen. Are you saying that your local live music venue is open? Your local nightclubs?

Lockdown and restrictions haven't fully ended, that's why it was big news yesterday that they would be on the 19th. People couldn't meet up with loved ones for months. I think people have shown tremendous resilience in the face of a truly terrible time.

Looking forward to simple things like going to a gig or a play is not the same as a lack of resilience.[/quote]
Absolutely. Many of my friends work in the arts, entertainment, music, events etc and the whole nighttime industry has been absolutely decimated and many of those who work in those sectors have been unable to work since March 2020

Personally I was made redundant in April 2020 and despite applying for over 300 jobs, I have only managed to work for 16 weeks in the entire 15 months. If I didn't have a redundancy package and an ISA I have had to cash in, I couldn't have met my bills,

@MarshaBradyo

I think we’ve shown huge resilience too Vampire as a collective. Huge sacrifices for a prolonged period

Children and adults

I agree. Mental and emotional health issues have spiralled amongst school and college age kids/young adults so to dismiss a generation that will pay the price for years to come as not being resilient is appallingly crass imo

I work with children across education and healthcare settings. There have been many dark dark times in homes in the past year.

I’m a foster career.
I pay no mind to the shite spouted about resilience. These kids have more resilience in their little fingers than most posters here.
Lock down has been awful for them. Yes, they’ve survived. No I’m not going to say it’s been okay for them.

Yes. Cev adult in the family - although double jabbed and cev child in the family who can’t be jabbed. Also a vulnerable child not cev but not sure how they’d fare with the virus.

No. I've had enough. I'm not worried about catching Covid and I don't live with, or know, anyone vulnerable.

I have a 4 month year old baby so will avoid very crowded places.I'll also continue to wear a mask as it's to protect those not vaccinated and ECV. I don't see why people wouldn't if it's a matter of choice as it's not a significant inconvenience.

@sulee

I intend to avoid testing my resilience with long covid, new vaccine resilient strains and passing on risk of same to immune suppressed relatives so yes, I will leave crowded indoor places to others. This is an experiment I do not intend to be part of but I guess others are less risk averse.

Not that I am any amateur armchair epidemiologist but it does seemingly appear as if “freedom day” will be an English Petri dish real life lab experiment. Possibly double vaccinated are the control cohort, placebo would be the Covid recovered and guinea pigs would arguably be those super brave anti masks anti vaxx conspiracy protesters. Risk mitigation will as according to the science help to reduce risk but again this will be up to employers and premises controllers as to what their preferred risk appetite comfort level is or subject to public indemnity insurance operational conditions. I will be intrigued as to whether hospitalisation includes those that have been double or single vaccinated as to real data for vaccines efficacy. Long Covid syndrome suffers will be a concern as to whether many of these will be requiring masked ventilation or suffer premature fatalities. Children as always will be thrown under the bus. I will test test test daily and remove child from the school incubation transfer hub as soon as I sniff any symptoms. Of course Indian Delta Covid has ripped through many schools because of deliberate asymptomatic testing avoidance in case of logistical inconvenience rather than sustainable civic duty of care preventing perpetual chains of onward transmission. Is the government negligent in this approach as cases rapidly increase? I will take a rain check to see how this experiment goes while UK residents in the home nations outside England will probably follow the science instead of experimentation and play it safer. I will assess what the Scottish advice is and their margin of safety seems more palatable. Scottish population age over four (as I am informed) are for instance mask mandated in most appropriate situations eg indoor education environments. None of the high risk nonsense in England. I am assuming this will only be possible if rigorous test test test is “voluntary” but conducted to separate and treat the ill as necessary while the Covid free fit and healthy can get on with mixing living and dying with pandemic new normal/abnormal.

It's probably going to shake down in the way it did pre-Christmas. Some people will be very cautious, for their own sake, or for people they know/love. Some people will relax and enjoy a restriction-life, while trying to be careful/mindful in some situations, knowing that people around them could be vulnerable.

Others won't give a flying fuck about anyone else, as long as they get to do exactly what they want.

How successfully we can avoid local lockdowns and avoid reintroducing restrictions come the autumn/winter will depend on the 'I don't give a fuck/I'm doing what I want' lot staying in a relative minority.

@Thekindofwindowsfaceslookinat

It's probably going to shake down in the way it did pre-Christmas. Some people will be very cautious, for their own sake, or for people they know/love. Some people will relax and enjoy a restriction-life, while trying to be careful/mindful in some situations, knowing that people around them could be vulnerable.

Others won't give a flying fuck about anyone else, as long as they get to do exactly what they want.

How successfully we can avoid local lockdowns and avoid reintroducing restrictions come the autumn/winter will depend on the 'I don't give a fuck/I'm doing what I want' lot staying in a relative minority.

I don't really think that's fair. I probably will be slighlty cautious but there is probably no need and people SHOULD be able to do exactly what they want now we have so many vaccinated.

I don't really think that's fair. I probably will be slighlty cautious but there is probably no need and people SHOULD be able to do exactly what they want now we have so many vaccinated

Even our cack-handed government is encouraging some restraint. BJ is apparently to going to wear a mask in crowded spaces (we'll see).

Everyone exercising SOME caution, when appropriate, will hopefully mean that these freedoms are not rolled back.

To a certain extent yes. Will still wear a mask in crowded places. Try to social distance. There will still be people vulnerable to the virus working out and about. Even though jabbed, the vaccine isn't failsafe. A study released today from Israel suggests the Pfizer one isn't that effective to the delta one, and on the tail of that is the lambda one which is even more infectious.
I've got long covid and found the whole covid experience bl*y frightening. I work on ICU so have seen it at first hand, but also I feel for my colleagues who have worked all the way through in abysmal conditions. I don't think some of them will cope with another year of this, we've had loads leave so we are already massively understaffed. If there's another surge in hospital cases it will be bedlam.

@Twoforthree

No I didn’t worry about other virus’s before Covid but the chance of catching Covid will still be greater as the numbers rise. I’ve just had lunch indoors in a pub. But if the figure increase the way they are, I really don’t think I’ll continue to feel so comfortable.

I work in a school. That’s where I caught Covid previously. I have no choice to expose myself there until the summer holidays. But I can see myself avoiding indoor socialising/shopping over the summer to try to reduce risk as much as possible - at least until September when bubbles are supposedly going

I understand you are worried and of course it’s horrible to feel ill for a week. However, don’t let precious life slip by. You are pretty safe having had covid and also been double vaxxed. Every day is a new opportunity to enjoy what short life we have. To make a difference, to feel joy, to help others feel joy. You never know when your life will be over so make the most of every day. Don’t hide away all holidays, that thought just makes me so sad. My Lovey mum died in an accident at 41. Literally waved her off in the morning as a teenager and never saw her again. Find joy and worth in every single day.

I will continue to use up all the 'risk budget' that i have (and then some) at work every day, in close contact with 30+ unvaccinated individuals - to rise to many hundreds next term, as there will be an expectation that mixing within the school will resume, hugely raising my daily contacts.

It will therefore be sensible for me to keep my 'other risk' low, and also to minimise my interaction with anyone away from work who might be vulnerable (like my elderly parents, for example).

@Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree

IRL I don’t know anyone who is wanting to rush back to normal life. And most people I see on the street or at work are still giving each other plenty of space. Lots of people seem visibly anxious being in public.

I’m really surprised there is such a different opinion on mumsnet . Doesn’t add up for me.

I don't know anyone in real life who isn't counting down the days til the 19th. I speak to clients all day, people of all ages from all different backgrounds and varying walks of life. They have all said the same thing. Its only on here that I hear/read all this hand wringing.

Spend my days in close contact with 30 primary school children, so no chance of avoiding groups in indoor spaces unfortunately.

I wonder if time spent on these boards has fuelled anxiety. I just never hear such things in real life.

Even my CEV father in law is happy to be out and about now he’s been double vaccinated and he was so cautious before.

There seems to be a real lack of faith in the vaccines. I know for a small minority they won’t work but that’s not the case for every vulnerable person.

@kazzyhoward I think many disabled people those with long term illness will be similar.

Tbh the entire vulnerable/shielding thing has been a dereliction of duty imo. The concept was only invented because the government and health service had lost control of the situation to the extent that everyday activity was rendered unsafe.

Then there's the entire narrative that built up around it eg "protect the vulnerable". You do not protect vulnerable people by ordering them to refrain from life. That is not protection but exclusion which is something that disabled people and people with long term conditions experience anyway.

And now here we are 18 months down the line and still no further forward to making society and opportunity more accessible again for this group, even with all the science, research and money we have at our disposal. And what few measures we have been taking about to be discarded.

Yes will be avoiding crowded public spaces as case numbers go up because I don't fancy participating in this covid experiment even though double vaccinated.

At the moment I'm not too worried popping into somewhere quiet and socially distanced for a drink or food with table service but there is no way I'm going to a crowded pub with people are standing or a packed theatre/cinema. The local supermarket next to the office is quiet because people are mostly WFH but if it gets busier then will revert to bringing lunch, snacks etc from home even though will make my bag even heavier!

@TheVampiresWife

I'd go as far as to say that claiming people have not been resilient is an affront to those who have been especially affected by the pandemic and lockdowns, and shows a real lack of empathy and understanding to those who have lost loved ones/lived with the fear of being CEV or having loved ones who are. Imagine having lost a parent or spouse to covid and coming on MN to be told how lacking in resilience you are.

Yes, whenever I read shit like that I always think the gate got left open at the cunt farm again.

No you could get hit by a bus

[quote MyCreateIsUsernamed]@kazzyhoward I think many disabled people those with long term illness will be similar.

Tbh the entire vulnerable/shielding thing has been a dereliction of duty imo. The concept was only invented because the government and health service had lost control of the situation to the extent that everyday activity was rendered unsafe.

Then there's the entire narrative that built up around it eg "protect the vulnerable". You do not protect vulnerable people by ordering them to refrain from life. That is not protection but exclusion which is something that disabled people and people with long term conditions experience anyway.

And now here we are 18 months down the line and still no further forward to making society and opportunity more accessible again for this group, even with all the science, research and money we have at our disposal. And what few measures we have been taking about to be discarded.[/quote]
I agree. Making the ECV "hide away" is a real cop out and totally wrong.

In any case, they can't hide. My OH has had to visit hospitals numerous times over the last 15 months. The lack of proper precautions/safeguards for patients is criminal. When he's been having his infusions at the day treatment unit, the nurses didn't even change gloves nor wipe down equipment between patients - he had to "remind" them to do it. It's been haphazard what checks they do, if any, upon entry. Sometimes it's been a forehead temperature check, other times (randomly) they've insisted on a negative covid test a couple of days beforehand, sometimes no checks at all. The worst was when he had to go to a consultants appointment - the main waiting area (out patients) was all cleared, no chairs, lots of hazard tape keeping you away from the receptionists (who were also behind glass), but then ushered into a ridiculously small/cramped waiting area in a corner directly outside the consulting rooms with no social distancing, no ventilation - must have been about 20 people there and we had to wait 90 minutes in that - we asked the staff to open the windows but they said they were fixed closed! And that was for a cancer consultant, i.e. high risk patients, being mixed with a succession of people coming in for blood tests which were in the next room. The entire OP dept was huge with lots of empty rooms, an entire empty main waiting area, but everyone was forced into a tiny corner of it. If "vulnerable" aren't safe from covid in hospitals, it's a very obvious failure of the NHS!

Nope. Everyone I know was over the moon at yesterday’s news. My main friendship group all have kids starting school in September & we are relieved it’ll be normal. And it’ll be beyond lovely to be able to smile at my baby when collecting her from nursery! Rather than mask face. And it’ll be a real luxury to be able to go into nursery & not stand peering in at the door! Maybe we’ll even be allowed to see the school my DD will be going too, rather than throwing her in the door of a building none of us has ever been in & with children and staff she’s never met 😡

No ffs what is the point of everything we have done and the vaccines if we continue to shut ourselves away. Won't be wearing a mask either .

My main friendship group all have kids starting school in September & we are relieved it’ll be normal.

I wouldn't count your chickens as yet! (Remember January 2021 - schools were all returning as normal, but in the end opened for a single day, as by lunchtime the Government had had to backtrack)

I work in a school. We have plans for no restrictions, some restrictions - like now - greater restrictions - like last September - and of course group or school or national lockdown at a moment's notice due to outbreaks. We have the plans from the partial opening last Summer filed safely for re-use if necessary. We fully expect to run through much if not all of that range of plans over the course of next year, though we would all love to avoid full national lockdown if we can.

You will probably know what will ACTUALLY be in place at the same time as schools do, which will be no earlier than late August Bank Holiday, and very probably not until the day after the start of term (see January example again!).