Are you looking forward to the 19th..? Can you slip back in to “normal” life.

[loobyshoes]

As above….

How do you feel? Can just go back to Pre Covid life?

I'm looking forwards to normality, but Monday 19th ain't it.

I will gain from the return of parkrun and longer term, races (other than the handful of trail races that were so quiet that they didn't really hit the spot)
I know of a couple of recreation facilities announcing their reopening, but the jury is out on a lot of businesses/ facilities changing their conditions to make them more accessible.

I don't cope with wearing masks anyway, neither myself nor the communication barriers from others wearing them. The world will not feel normal until they are gone, or at least a rarity (specifically vulnerable people wearing a regulated product I can understand, but the general wearing of any cloth/ random disposable product is false security). I don't like the way that the virtue signalling agenda is being fed here, and it's really not as simple and consequence-free as the zealots like to make out. Much of my anger on this issue in the past year has been fed by a core of people constantly dismissing and minimising the range of difficulties that obstructing faces can cause.

With a frail relative in another country, we can't just hop over with the family if there is an emergency. I still don't know if it's viable to go in two weeks and only DH can book to see her in person anyway. There is a real possibility that after going nearly 2 years without seeing her, that the DCs could never see her again.
Not sure who we're saving from what here, because no one is immortal.

I was looking forwards to the 19th but there are more loopholes than a colander. I hope it's brtter than I feel because right now it's just another dose of uncertainty after a rather turbulent term/ year.

Want to walk up to the bar in a pub and order a pint.

I had actually forgotten this was a thing! Very much looking forward to that too, though it will be a bit longer for me as I'm in Wales.

The only thing I was really looking forward to is ditching masks in supermarkets but Sainsburys will be keeping the rule to wear them in store so that won't change. Apart from that I've been working as normal throughout, and OH just had a complete mental breakdown caused by Covid stress, lost job and has temporarily moved in with me as he has no income. Thus I have no money to go away even in UK or go out to eat so my life will remain pretty much the same.

I don't think life will be 2019-esque for me ever again. My friendships have changed and moved on, the hobby groups I did are no longer around, DH is permanently WFH, I am still trying to avoid busy places and unnecessary outings.

I haven't seen my family abroad in 2.5 years and that won't change this year as flights are abnormally expensive there, plus extra costs. My family don't want to visit the UK this summer because they'd have to isolate and also our rate is much higher than theirs.

So Monday won't really be any different than any other week. I'll probably still wear a mask as well inside. I'm just hoping that none of my DC get told to isolate and have to miss last week of school activities. That would be the cherry on the cake.

Sainsbury's are not requiring masks though- like most shops they seem to be "encouraging" them. I can't see the majority of shops kicking out anyone who comes without a mask as they want your business (whatever anyone's personal views are on what the rules ought to be).

I was looking forward to it, but I still yearn for 2019 normal.
Which I sincerely hope will return at some point in the near future.

@LaurieFairyCake

Yes. I'm in London and I really want to get the overground into town without having to wear a mask (it's really empty) and walk up to Liberty and buy scent (a Frederick Malle perfume I want to replace)

Then I want to go to a cafe and sit near someone on the next table and drink a coffee.

I'm sick of having takeaway coffee and fumbling with a mask anytime I want to go in anywhere.

There’s no reason to be on takeaway coffee. You’ve been able to sit inside a coffee shop for weeks.

Can also go into shops and buy perfume.

The mask fumbling I agree with. I don’t have an issue with wearing a mask on transport. I think that’s a sensible idea. But it’s annoying when you’re in and out of places.

You can sit inside a coffee shop but with social distancing half the tables are taken out - not been able to be in a coffee shop for a year as all full

No, I'm worried about the projected high infection rates over the next few weeks and whether the NHS will be able to cope without the govt bringing back restrictions.

I'll be avoiding indoor places while infection rates are high as I don't want to take my chances with long covid.

I find all the gloating about not having to wear a mask really distasteful. For CV people and people with CV children the 19th is basically another lockdown.

@TempsPerdu the point of mask wearing is that infection rates are soaring - particularly in the young. An estimated 33 000 children are suffering from long Covid and rising. 10 to 20% of Covid cases - included mild cases - estimated to result in Long Covid.

I’m also concerned about the link between Covid and type1 diabetics in children.

I will be wearing a mask and continuing to take precautions where I can.

I'm already back to normal.

Office most of the time. Seeing friends. Going out.

Cannot wait to ditch the masks on Monday.

• sorry I meant potential link between type 1 diabetics and Covid

adc.bmj.com/content/early/2021/05/27/archdischild-2020-321220

Diabetes!

@CrouchEndTiger12 - hope you won’t need transport in London, you won’t get very far without a mask.

Things won't ever actually be 'normal' again.

They cant be. There's never a huge event like this where everything goes back to exactly how it was.

Like, our office will never be like it was in Jan 2019. Because most people are opting to hybrid. So we have had loads of policy changes to ensure that works for all colleagues and that younger colleagues aren't left newing in terms of experience and learning. And those that don't like wfh at all.

Not much will change for us, we're not clubbers or big event goers

It won’t be anywhere near “normal”

I have 2 kids in nursery so until they scrap the rules on school/early years bubbles self isolating for close contacts (in August I believe) then we still have the risk of sudden disruption to our lives hanging over us (kids are in separate bubbles at the same nursery). There always seems to be one kid or another being sent for a Covid test. When that stops we can actually start to make plans.

I was looking forward to it. I work in care and have two vaccinations and am PCR tested twice a week and have two lateral flow tests too. I work in an office, on my own and feel that all that adds up to me being a very low risk person. I was SO looking forward to striding up to the bar in our local lovely pub, sitting on a bar stool and asking for a pint, all without a mask. I feel more than a little sad this isn't going to happen.
Colleagues of mine who went to a Green Country on leave have come back and been asked to self isolate as it seems someone on their flight might have been infected. Now I don't feel I want to go on holiday either, it could so easily have been a trip to Scotland or Cornwall that resulted in this.
I don't think the shops are going to do good business again until the restrictions and recommendations are lifted, there is no pleasure in shopping with a mask.

Nothing changes for me really, I am continuing to work from home and we are already doing all the things we loved before Covid. I don’t mind prebooking or wearing a mask. I might be being pessimistic but masks and distancing will probably be back by September anyway!!

Not sure what really is going to change (assuming this is about England of course)

Think nightclubs and strip clubs are opening? Great for strippers I guess, they must have really taken a hit during the last year.

Those who don't want to wear a mask likely weren't wearing masks anyway.

In Scotland, I'm going to continue doing the stuff we've been able to do anyway. I'll continue wearing a mask where it's safer to do so.

Good news:

Sainsbury's and Tesco have joined the bookseller, Waterstones, which has said customers should wear masks to protect staff and other shoppers.

I think that masks should still be worn on public transport and in shops. Sadiq is right on this one. What changes on the 19th? The virus isn't going to magically vanish, even though the government is acting as though it has. Half of the country isn't vaccinated.

I really miss gigs and the theatre...those are huge for me. We have tickets for Tom Jones at Shepherds Bush Empire on the 27th of this month..still not convinced it''s going to happen. Maybe if it was seated, but a standing gig?

I find all the gloating about not having to wear a mask really distasteful. For CV people and people with CV children the 19th is basically another lockdown.

Except CV people will have been vaccinated and those with CV children will be going back to the normal they had pre February 2020, as they will have been CV vulnerable to things like the flu. It's not a lockdown.