Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Do you think we will be locked down this autumn/winter?

187 replies

SparklesandGold · 14/08/2021 17:14

I wouldn’t like this to happen but I can’t help but think it will.

What do you all think?

OP posts:
ExpressDelivery · 15/08/2021 09:15

Why are people determined to believe that new more dangerous variants will come. That's not how viruses mutate. Yes, there will be new variants, but as we've seen, the sensible virus becomes more transmisible but less dangerous. It's not in the virus' interest to kill all it's hosts.

So yes, there may be more cases, but if they're less dangerous and we have a good vaccination programme, it doesn't matter.

lightand · 15/08/2021 09:15

Or covid mixed with flu or something[dont even know if that is possible but you get my drift].
Like another poster says on here, I too think colds/coughs/flu etc will be worse than normal this coming Autumn/Winter.
Colds/coughs seem to have been worse over summer than usual already.

ButteringMyArse · 15/08/2021 09:18

I would imagine in the case of another lockdown it would be because the situation has gotten pretty dire, new variant, vaccine no longer working....or potentially a new variant that impacts more heavily on the youngest unvaccinated in the population.

Not saying at all that this will happen but it is probably the only scenarios in which we would lockdown again.

Fundamentally, I disagree with this premise. I don't claim to know whether there'll be another lockdown or severe restrictions again, but I do not believe for one second that the bar is going to be something that affects children, iyswim. I think if we got something that was eg a lot worse for over 50s but still left children overwhelmingly unaffected, the possibility of a lockdown or at least enhanced restrictions would very much be there.

But in the event of there being something completely new, that did pose a higher risk to children, I'd act in my DCs interests as I have throughout. When I took the decision not to comply any more, it was more for their benefit than mine really, as I am much less affected by having to socialise remotely etc. When the state decided they were unworthy of a proper education and the ability to spend time with other children outside the home whilst thousands of others were to be permitted this, I arranged social contact for them with their peer group myself. When they were asked to isolate as a contact, we had walks and exercise outside when it was quiet, because it was reasonable, sensible and in their best interests to do so.

So I'd be making any decisions this winter with their interests rather than piss poor laws in mind once again. If it would actually be of more benefit to them to have their social contact and activity limited, I'll facilitate that. If it won't, not happening. Same principle, possibly applied to different situations.

applesandoranges221 · 15/08/2021 09:20

@ExmoorValley Ok... I'll play, although why I'm bothering with someone that just name calls I don't know.

Why do YOU think the government are removing the right to protest?

boobot1 · 15/08/2021 09:22

Yes, definitely
New variant, absolutely no doubt.

nomore3lw · 15/08/2021 09:36

@boobot1 definitely? You sound very certain. Got your crystal ball out?

FWIW - no. Restrictions maybe, full lockdown - no.

Sparklingbrook · 15/08/2021 09:39

@boobot1

Yes, definitely New variant, absolutely no doubt.
Is there a reputable source for this information?
tattymacduff · 15/08/2021 10:10

@lightand

Yes. A "bad" variant will turn up. Or one will be found in cats or dogs, or something somewhere.
So do you think the government will just invent a “new” variant in order to lock us down again @lightand? Why would they do that when they have already lifted almost all domestic restrictions? Why would they actively want another lock down and all the negative economic consequences?
MarshaBradyo · 15/08/2021 10:21

@boobot1

Yes, definitely New variant, absolutely no doubt.
No one is this certain - can you link to what you’ve seen?
namechanged984630 · 15/08/2021 11:12

@ExpressDelivery the delta variant is more transmissible and twice as likely to hospitalise. So not becoming less dangerous at all.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2021 11:12

No

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2021 11:14

Today 11:12 namechanged984630

@ExpressDelivery the delta variant is more transmissible and twice as likely to hospitalise. So not becoming less dangerous at all“

Hospitalisations and deaths have been pretty constant for several weeks despite high infection rate. They are what matter.

Lilifer · 15/08/2021 11:14

[quote Katie517]@jumpbounce I can honestly say I wouldn’t. Nothing would stop me and my child seeing our loved ones, we would be cautious as we were when seeing loved ones early in the pandemic, I have seen my (non vulnerable aside from being over 50) parents and in-laws throughout! the risk of keeping my child as a recluse for a huge part of their life is a worse risk for me. So no I would not comply with any further lockdowns. Me or my child could end up in hospital for any number of reasons but a life of avoiding risk at the expense of everything else is no life to me.[/quote]
This ⬆️

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2021 11:15

ExpressDelivery

Why are people determined to believe that new more dangerous variants will come. That's not how viruses mutate. Yes, there will be new variants, but as we've seen, the sensible virus becomes more transmisible but less dangerous. It's not in the virus' interest to kill all it's hosts.

So yes, there may be more cases, but if they're less dangerous and we have a good vaccination programme, it doesn't matter.“

Absolutely

jumpbounce · 15/08/2021 11:19

Of course you or your child could end up in hospital for any reason. I am all too aware of this but I just can't see that if children were being hospitalised and requiring intensive care etc in large numbers (this is all hypothetical of course because it hopefully won't ever happen) with a disease that was running through schools etc that people would not then take precautions to protect their child from that...especially whenever so many on mumsnet would never put their child through the 'trauma' of a covid swab yet they would still be happy enough for them to contract covid and end up in hospital?

BluebellsGreenbells · 15/08/2021 11:26

If you see what’s happening in Texas - children have been admitted to hospital in high numbers, particularly amongst teenagers.

They suggest this is because they are social creatures and mix with a lot of others indoors.

However they do point out the death rate is 0.03%

lljkk · 15/08/2021 12:09

@screwcovid

Nope people won't adhere and no money also sick of saving the nhs which is the failure if government and cuts and a lot of people feel the same Enough is enough
I am not having a go at this poster. Just that this argument is the least convincing one. Support for the Lockdowns has been huge & believe will continue to be strong. Public resistence is not a reason we won't get any future Lockdown.

My bet is on more 'restrictions' but not another Lockdown like UK had in Jan-May 2021. To control flu, noro & RSV as much as covid. Those 'more restrictions' might look like what was called Lockdown in Germany & other places.

Ohsotirednurse · 15/08/2021 12:17

I held a young mans hand who was dying of Covid19- he was 37- I hope I never experience this stressful situation again as a Frontline Nurse- I refuse to get involved with anti- vac folk who say “ I don’t believe in it” and some nurses say this?! We have to have Hep B to practice nursing- I find it odd that medical Professionals use evidence based practice for their roles but Covid19 vaccine? Nope. I do not wish to see at least in my career lifetime Covid19 Pandemic- that is all .

IcedPurple · 15/08/2021 12:25

I am not having a go at this poster. Just that this argument is the least convincing one. Support for the Lockdowns has been huge & believe will continue to be strong. Public resistence is not a reason we won't get any future Lockdown.

Support for lockdowns was high when they were sold as an emergency measure, with vaccines as a way out.

Now that most adults have been vacccinated and hospitalisations are low, I doubt such support would remain. If lockdowns - or significant restrictions - are still required when most people have been vaccinated, what really is the end game? Now that people have enjoyed 'freedom' without the sky falling in, I think future lockdowns will be a very hard sell.

SamW98 · 15/08/2021 12:40

@IcedPurple

I am not having a go at this poster. Just that this argument is the least convincing one. Support for the Lockdowns has been huge & believe will continue to be strong. Public resistence is not a reason we won't get any future Lockdown.

Support for lockdowns was high when they were sold as an emergency measure, with vaccines as a way out.

Now that most adults have been vacccinated and hospitalisations are low, I doubt such support would remain. If lockdowns - or significant restrictions - are still required when most people have been vaccinated, what really is the end game? Now that people have enjoyed 'freedom' without the sky falling in, I think future lockdowns will be a very hard sell.

I agree. I might be wrong but I think the majority will rebel against any further lockdowns. I believe one reason the July 19th date wasn't pushed back again was that after Wimbledon, Ascot, the Euros and the G7, most people were already saying that its one rule for us and another when big corporate money involved

Any further lockdowns would be very difficult to sell to the public and I believe adherence would be much lower than previously.

NearlyAlwaysInsane · 15/08/2021 13:00

@BluebellsGreenbells

If you see what’s happening in Texas - children have been admitted to hospital in high numbers, particularly amongst teenagers.

They suggest this is because they are social creatures and mix with a lot of others indoors.

However they do point out the death rate is 0.03%

You forget that children in the US are far more likely to be obese, which puts them in a high risk category.

Yes, there were 783 child hospitalisations in Texas in July-August 2021. This is down from the massively overreported and wrong figure of 5,000+ which has been acknowledged to have been a mistake by the paper that reported it. In the US as a whole, children make up 2.4% of all Covid hospitalisations, see here

However bear in mind that Texas has a population of 29 million, just under half the population of the UK.

CookPassBabtridge · 15/08/2021 13:34

Maybe increased restrictions once the weather is colder, more illness and mixing indoors.. and schools back.

herecomesthsun · 15/08/2021 13:50

No, we won't be locked down.

We might need more restrictions of different kinds over the next year at least, but I bet they won't formally label it a lockdown.

I'm sure we will be encouraged to take lot more care over the winter, possibly with the support of the law at times.

user1497207191 · 15/08/2021 14:09

@IcedPurple

I am not having a go at this poster. Just that this argument is the least convincing one. Support for the Lockdowns has been huge & believe will continue to be strong. Public resistence is not a reason we won't get any future Lockdown.

Support for lockdowns was high when they were sold as an emergency measure, with vaccines as a way out.

Now that most adults have been vacccinated and hospitalisations are low, I doubt such support would remain. If lockdowns - or significant restrictions - are still required when most people have been vaccinated, what really is the end game? Now that people have enjoyed 'freedom' without the sky falling in, I think future lockdowns will be a very hard sell.

Most of the people who were supportive of lockdowns didn’t suffer a dramatic loss of income, loss of their jobs or their businesses. It’s easy to be supportive if you continue to get your wages, benefits or pensions. The anti lockdown ears were often those who fell through the many gaps in Sunak’s support lottery.
herecomesthsun · 15/08/2021 14:17

Yes, someone on here put that they would be happy to see me die if their business could re-open...

I think most anti-lockdowners don't manage that level of honesty.

Of course, business wouldn't do very well in the situations we saw in Italy or India either. There is a balance to be had, in a number of ways.