Visiting Cornwall

[redferrari]

Booked a holiday ages ago to go to Cornwall next week with some friends but for some reasons I am worried about it now.

I had covid last year and it was terrible. Still can't smell or taste. I have taken two doses of the vaccine. I have not been going out at all and just order everything online and never been to a coffee or restaurant since pandemic.

Been made redundant so no work to go back to anytime soon.

I am feeling v anxious about returning back to normal life and feel like cancelling my trip. My worry is catching covid again. I have been reading about the lamda variant and feel worried. I know I can't go on like this. Anyone else feel like this?

No. But I did, right up until I caught COVID for the second time at Christmas.

The first time was terrible and I ended up with long COVID. I lived in terror of reinfection.

The second time was scary (once I knew what it was) but felt like a bad cold. And afterwards I wasnt terrified any more, which was wonderful.

And you've been vaccinated.

I think you should go. Take precautions (masks in enclosed areas fi) but start to live your life again. You may possibly get sick again but I think you'll find it much milder if you do.

Spend as much time as you can outdoors if you go

Thanks all for your replies. @BarbarianMum I am most terrified of reinfection and long covid. I still am suffering from loss of taste 7 months later. Hope you are feeling better.

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe yes outdoors is the plans but I might be going to restaurants which I am worried about.

I used to be fun person ready or go out but now I am a always filled with anxiety and worries.

1st time I had Covid I was really ill.
Second time it was like a bad headachey cold.
My first vax made me feel a bit tired and yucky.
Fairly sure I have Covid again (waiting for the PCR result) and it’s just a mild headachey cold.

@redferrari yes, nearly back to normal thanks. Go enjoy your holiday

We are also going in a couple of weeks. DH is CEV and dd ( 16) not vaccinated. We have decided we will not be eating in any pubs or restaurants so just take aways or self catering. Lots of beach walks with the dog and sitting in a hot tub. We are just going to be as careful as we can.

@LaMariposa hope you feel better soon and it's not covid.

@BarbarianMum thanks.

@Babyroobs yes we are self catering too so will have breakfast and dinner in but usually we will be out in the day and stop for lunch. Maybe I should pack some food and carry a flask of tea. I haven't stepped into a restaurant because I am asthmatic too and haven't dared to be indoors. My friends are pub mad so I might have to ditch them and go for more walks.

We are in the South West at the moment - not Cornwall though. Rates in the south west are well below national average.

I don't think this level of fear is normal to be honest, you had Covid last year because you were not vaccinated. You are now vaccinated with two doses which gives you a high level of protection. Exactly when do you think it will be safe to go back into restaurants and bars, given that Covid is never going away?

@TheGenealogist, yes I think I have developed health anxieties following covid and also this prolonged mysterious loss of smell taste has left me feeling depressed. I have consulted ENT privately and had steroids but it's a side effect of covid which is yet to be properly understood. I have seen people dying too in India and all this has had an effect on my mental health.

I have tried to access some help but haven't been able to even get an appointment. We have to fill a form and wait to be called and you can no longer speak to a receptionist. The one time I managed to speak to someone the advise I got was to go for more walks and try to keep a positive attitude.

This whole holiday was an attempt to feel more normal and was booked when cases were going down in March April.

I had Covid in January and I fully understand your fear - particularly as you are still not fully recovered.

If you stick to quieter areas there are plenty of outside walks you can do and beaches to visit. A lot of pubs and restaurants have outside tables. Choose ones with large outside areas to allow space.

Pick your activities carefully and you can be outside with social distancing pretty much all the time.

I think perhaps the break and healthy sea air would do you good.

I was in St Ives about 3 weeks ago. There had been a spike in cases, blamed on the G7 summit, half term., and young unimmunised people working in hospitality. It did mean that some hospitality venues had to close and others being shortstaffed.

There was a huge drive to get immunisation done as a result.

Tbh it only had minimal effect on our trip and hopefully it should have improved.

@Lindy2 thanks for your understanding.

Thanks all for your replies, its really helpful as many in real life who haven't had it don't get it.

Yes I think walks in beach sounds good I could try and do that and use tables outside. I was wondering if we should carry some rapid tests. I will be using the nhs app to track everyday.

Ooh, Cornwall will be a lovely holiday, loads of nice walks on the beach and fish and chips outside, enjoy!

Oh should have mentioned, even though cases have increased in some bits lately, if you're up to date on vaccinations you should be fine.

We went to Cornwall 3 weeks ago and at first we only ate outside etc but we could see how careful the restaurants were and it gave us confidence to go inside.

It really eased me in to the new normal - no I don’t go into crowded places.

I am not sure how I will feel when social distancing stops - so now is probably the best time to go.

Whatever the weather have a lovely break we all need a change of scenery.

I'd hope given you are asthmatic that your friends would be sympathetic to not having lunch indoors at the very least.

OP, I live here all year, we had that massive spike for G7 and we are now on a much gentler trajectory - in fact cases today were actually down on last week in the county, and the town where I live is now below the national average.

So there is a pretty good chance that you may well be safer here than at home.
Bring a good lightweight waterproof though, cos as I was saying on a post elsewhere, the weather is very erratic currently. It's not cold but when it rains it rains!

Thanks all, your replies are helping me to stay sane. I am planning to do take away and eat outside mostly.

@MrsRussell, thanks for the tip about jackets, will definitely carry one. It's reassuring to know cases are reducing.
@fairislecable, yes you are right I am concerned how it will be after 19th.
Having seen the crowds in Wembley and local pubs it will not be long before London is a hotspot again. So I am probably at the same level of risk. I think after 19th I will definitely be extra careful and will be wearing my masks.

Just a heads up. Cornwall is heaving at the moment, so not the best place to go if you want peace & quiet.

I am in cornwall depending on where you are heading it maybe reassuring to look at rates in certain areas? I have just been looking for another thread and the small towns areas around me range

Sorry posted to soon.
The range is huge from under 50 to over 500. It may mean you can find some lovely not typically tourist spots but somewhere you feel safer. Have a lovely time

I'm in Cornwall and if it's mainly lunches that you have out then you'll find loads of cafes with outside seating areas. I had lunch out today, and it was a bit drizzly but we were fine under the umbrella. Where are you staying? Maybe I can give you some recommendations?!

Re: the loss of smell - one of my friends is an ENT surgeon with a particular interest in post-Covid loss of smell. We were chatting a few months ago and he recommended smell training:

abscent.org/learn-us/smell-training

I have zero involvement with this company, and as far as I know neither does he. And you can make your own kit with normal essential oils. But thought you might find the link helpful.

I am staying at a driving distance of 45 mins from Eden project. We have booked to see eden project and i just looked at the place it's near Darmoot national park. We also plan to visit the beaches if it's not too crowded. Someone is printed some maps for walks all close the coast line.

I am also vegetarian and have parosmia which means some things taste weird to me. Initially I had loss of smell and then it was slowly coming back now it's all smells weird and wrong. This would probably make eating out a lot more challenging. I have not been out anywhere since the pandemic.

@Changechangychange thanks for the information, I have tried to my own kit but I been wondering if I need to buy a professional one where the smells might be more stronger. I'll probably order after I am back. I used to be able to smell lavender faintly but it's distorted now and smells chemically.

We have a kitchen in the cottage so I'll have to make food if I find it hard with my loss of taste. At the moment I can't have most fruit. It tastes v acidic.

A few holiday makers have expressed anger over Cornwall following the rules too rigidly which may comfort you.
Hopefully the weather brightens up for you! Enjoy your holiday