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Original poster

People who say 'We've got to learn to live with it'

203 replies

Mixmeup · 10/07/2021 17:53

People say this when they mean, 'I think we should ignore Covid, crack on, never mention it again and tough shit to the vulnerable'.

Before anyone asks, yes I absolutely believe we've got to learn to live with it. But my version of 'We've got to learn to live with it' means we've got to find a way to open up society, live our lives and deal with Covid better at the same time. Not just attempt to go back to exactly how everything was before and stick our fingers in our ears. I'm talking about continuing to work on improving treatments, rolling out vaccinations and looking at improving them, funding the NHS much, much better, improving ventilation in schools, working on reducing crowding in schools, encouraging hybrid working - etc etc. Why does 'learning to live with Covid' mean throwing all the restrictions out of the window rather than actually finding ways forward?

OP posts:
wasthataburp · 10/07/2021 17:55

Ok I'll bite. Yep that is what they mean. At least that's certainly what I mean when I say it and I'll easily admit it. There has to be a cut off point.

CraftyGin · 10/07/2021 17:55

On a personal level, hand washing/sanitising, social distancing, and face coverings.

CrouchEndTiger12 · 10/07/2021 17:56

Do you seriously think all research will stop into treatment and vaccines for covid Confused

What a bizarre thought.

We do have to live with it. 'Flu is still here 100+ years after the last pandemic. We learnt to live with it and vaccination is ongoing to this day.

XenoBitch · 10/07/2021 17:56

When I say it, I mean that Covid will never go away. We have no choice but to learn to live with it, but also life has to go on. We can't lockdown, self isolate etc forever.

GingerandTilly · 10/07/2021 17:58

I’m with you OP. I have been living with it - going to work, sending my kids to school, socialising. But we have been doing it with masks, social distancing and good ventilation (ie being outdoors). I’d rather live with it this way until more people including kids are vaccinated than risk more deaths and long covid. Living with it doesn’t have to mean just letting it rip.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/07/2021 18:00

When I say it, I mean that Covid will never go away. We have no choice but to learn to live with it, but also life has to go on. We can't lockdown, self isolate etc forever

But if we open up fully, healthcare will be swamped. Then what?

SuperstoreFan · 10/07/2021 18:01

We do need to learn to live with it but when I say that I don't mean burying our heads in the sand, I mean giving schools proper ventilation, mandating maks when necessary, giving employees the legal right to WFH (only if the job can be done at home obviously, getting test and trace up to scratch etc.

It's not total lockdown or nothing, there are things that can be done that are not at total extremes.

Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting · 10/07/2021 18:02

The vulnerable are vaccinated now. Where does it end?

herecomesthsun · 10/07/2021 18:02

Yes also with the OP. Of course we have to live with this, hopefully taking sensible precautions and respecting vulnerable people, while finding things to enjoy and socialising responsibly.

The more careful we are, the less likely we are to find the NHS overwhelmed or find ourselves back in lockdown at some point over winter.

herecomesthsun · 10/07/2021 18:02

@Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting

The vulnerable are vaccinated now. Where does it end?
It doesn't end; that is why we have to live with it.
Confusedandshaken · 10/07/2021 18:03

I think we need to learn to live with it. For me, at the moment that means staying home for the next 10 days so there is no chance of my having to isolate during my DDs 30th birthday celebrations. That means skipping my yoga class and not using the theatre ticket I have booked for next week.

Once those celebrations are out of the way I will keep an eye on the infection rates and while they remain high I will distance, wear masks, sanitise, avoid public transport, crowded places and people who are not double vaxxed. I am double vaxxed and will have all recommended top ups. I will 'follow the science' and manage my own risks.

wasthataburp · 10/07/2021 18:03

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

When I say it, I mean that Covid will never go away. We have no choice but to learn to live with it, but also life has to go on. We can't lockdown, self isolate etc forever

But if we open up fully, healthcare will be swamped. Then what?

But I won't though will it. We have the vaccine now
Confusedandshaken · 10/07/2021 18:04

I should add that I am retired so don't have to choose between WFH and going into an office.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/07/2021 18:05

It will be swamped if a new variant evaded the vaccine.

herecomesthsun · 10/07/2021 18:06

With the more infectious variants, we can't get herd immunity through the vaccine alone, we need other mitigations to keep covid under control.

Also, it appears that the vaccines may not be very effective unless people have had 2. Only about 50% of the population have had 2. Children are almost all unvaccinated so far.

So raght now we do need to be careful re behaviour and mitigations.

WhenSheWasBad · 10/07/2021 18:09

I would like “learn to live with it” to mean improved healthcare, vaccines, sanitation, ventilation and mask wearing.

XenoBitch · 10/07/2021 18:12

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

When I say it, I mean that Covid will never go away. We have no choice but to learn to live with it, but also life has to go on. We can't lockdown, self isolate etc forever

But if we open up fully, healthcare will be swamped. Then what?

The healthcare system needs a revamp. The NHS was there to protect us, not the other way around.
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/07/2021 18:16

Well it ain’t gonna get a revamp with this lot!

So what else would you suggest?

XenoBitch · 10/07/2021 18:18

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Well it ain’t gonna get a revamp with this lot!

So what else would you suggest?

I do not have the answers to that.
Original poster
Mixmeup · 10/07/2021 18:19

@WhenSheWasBad

I would like “learn to live with it” to mean improved healthcare, vaccines, sanitation, ventilation and mask wearing.
Yes, this is what I mean. But people are using it as basically a big aggressive 'shut up about Covid forever'.
OP posts:
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/07/2021 18:20

So how could we learn to live with it and open up fully if it swamps healthcare? Which it will when it mutates again

orangejuicer · 10/07/2021 18:20

@xenobitch do you think the NHS hasn't protected you then? Genuine question.

Skool · 10/07/2021 18:30

@Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting

The vulnerable are vaccinated now. Where does it end?
They aren't all vaccinated.

CV children aren't vaccinated.
Some pregnant women aren't vaccinated.

CovidMary · 10/07/2021 18:33

Every time I hear this, I also hear “Ending is better than Mending…” murmured in conditioning undertone but I’m a twisted old boot.

wasthataburp · 10/07/2021 18:36

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

It will be swamped if a new variant evaded the vaccine.
Big pharma are continually looking into this. Just like the flu vaccine has to keep up with different strains every year so I can't see that happening
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