Has anyone given up on clubs and groups?

[DevonBelles]

Just wondering...

I belonged to a reading group and a language group. Both involve sitting around a table in close contact with up to 10 people, one in a pub, the other in a booked room.

Since CV we went online but as from this month we are meeting up.

I feel quite unsure of whether to go back.

Age-wise I'm over 60 and DP has some health issues so some of my concern is for him .

I am going about normal day to day things, but am worried about sitting so close to a group of other people (am fine meeting friends 1:1) who may be infected but asymptomatic and many of them have teens at home.

Comments?

@AussieMozzieMagnet

It’s not endemic. We are in the midst of a pandemic. Just because ignoramus politicians tell you otherwise, does not mean it’s true. I refuse to risk my life or my family’s to bow to schoolyard peer pressure.

Given that "an infection is said to be endemic in a population when that infection is constantly maintained at a baseline level in a geographic area without external inputs." and that seems to be what Covid is transitioning to in the U.K., I don't see what your problem with the word is.

[quote Stasiland]@musicalfrog I think comparing covid to flu like illnesses is on shaky ground. And rather a flippant remark from someone who clearly hasn't any ill health issues.[/quote]
Pre-vaccine it was clear a Covid appeared to be about 10 times more deadly that flu...Post vaccine things are much more even, but it seems many people believe the vaccine programme was a flop and are still believe the risk isn't altered.

post-vaccine the risks are much more comparable to the flu

This is just not true.

Covid is currently killing 1000 a week. How many is flu killing? Probably close to zero.

At these rates we are looking at 60,000 Covid deaths a year. Flu typically kills 7,000 a year, and 20,000 in a bad year.

Covid is currently killing 1000 a week.

Yes, but the people dying are mostly not vaccinated.

OP, re the groups, do what you are comfortable with.

@AussieMozzieMagnet

It’s not endemic. We are in the midst of a pandemic. Just because ignoramus politicians tell you otherwise, does not mean it’s true. I refuse to risk my life or my family’s to bow to schoolyard peer pressure.

It absolutely is endemic. It'll still be here in five, ten, twenty years time. There will never be zero covid.

If that's what you're waiting for, it'll probably never happen.

Most groups I know of or are part of have taken steps to remain distanced in appropriate premises that make this possible. I am happy to start attending these again. There is one that has gone back to sitting round a table at close quarters and I will not be attending that one just yet, partly because I work in a school and so I consider myself a possible risk to the older members. I have had 2 vaccinations but I am aware that I could still transmit Covid to them.
I see it as weighing up the risk, accepting Covid hasn’t gone away and avoiding activities where the risk outweighs the benefits to my mental health.

[quote GoldFrankensteinAndGrrr]@DevonBelles you say you're going on trips, holidays etc - why do the social events you mentioned feel different in terms of risk to these?[/quote]
Because I can manage contact better in those situations.
Travel by car, stay in self-catering, avoid crowded indoor places etc. Choosing my times when it's quieter, etc.

My understanding is that the main risk of Covid is being next to someone who is infected, in a poorly ventilated area, for at least 15 minutes.

I have not knowingly put myself in that situation.

There is a big difference between what I have done so far and sitting next to 10 people round a table in a pub with closed windows, for 2 hours.

I know Covid is not going away nor will there be zero risk and zero cases. Some of the comments here are patronising in the extreme.

I think some posters forget or ignore one fact: my DP had cancer not long ago with major surgery involved. It's turned our lives upside down more than Covid.

I assume most members of my clubs will go back this month but I started the thread to ask if there were people like me who were avoiding indoor gatherings for a bit longer.

@Egghead68

post-vaccine the risks are much more comparable to the flu

This is just not true.

Covid is currently killing 1000 a week. How many is flu killing? Probably close to zero.

At these rates we are looking at 60,000 Covid deaths a year. Flu typically kills 7,000 a year, and 20,000 in a bad year.

But flu deaths generally occur over the 3 month winter period meaning weekly deaths are similar....Covid hasn't settled yet into an equilibrium, and as more and more get it and acquire immunity (and even waning immunity is generally far better than having never been exposed), I'd expect numbers to settle down at a lower figure than 1000 per week.

I live opposite a community hall which, before the pandemic, was hired out to local groups for their meetings. It's essentially been closed since March 2020 but in the last couple of weeks has started up again. I'm amazed by all the pensioners turning up for book clubs and exercise classes, WI meetings and local history lectures. None of them wear masks & they all seem very happy to put the pandemic behind them. I'm not at that stage yet; I have to really want to do something to meet inside with a big group of people (or feel obliged to do so through work or social pressures).

I’d go, wear a proper (FFP2) mask that protects you as well as those around you. But obviously it’s all about what you feel comfortable with, and it’s reasonable to decide not to go.

So in the future covid may be less of a problem than flu ? Great

But the OP is talking about now when her vulnerable husband is vulnerable even with the current vaccine

Oh gosh OP you have me thinking now. Our book group is due to meet up towards end of the month - it's in someones house, but there is around 8 of us in close proximity. Normally wouldn't bother me, but I really want to be able to go abroad in October holidays, so thinking about it I may skip this one.

It's about everyone weighing up their personal risk versus reward. Numbers are high at the minute, so if you're worried about passing it to your DH yes I'd skip for now.

I worked throughout, commute on public transport in London, have a DC in primary school, and I am avoiding nothing.

However transmission rates in the UK are high, and vaccination rates (certainly in London) are not great. Every person who adopts the OP's strategy reduces the probability of spreading Covid by a little bit. If she is willing to do that, why on earth would anyone persuade her otherwise?

@Kokeshi123

Covid is currently killing 1000 a week.

Yes, but the people dying are mostly not vaccinated.

OP, re the groups, do what you are comfortable with.

In the OP’s age-range (over 50s), most of the people dying are vaccinated.

I love languages. And no I have not yet. Desperate to get back out honestly.

But flu deaths generally occur over the 3
month winter period meaning weekly deaths are similar

No. 7000/50 = 140, which is a lot less than 1000. Even 20000/50 = 400, which is a lot less than 1000. Basic arithmetic.

I'd expect numbers to settle down at a lower figure than 1000 per week

Yes me too, but 1000 a week is where we are at at the moment.

@Egghead68

*But flu deaths generally occur over the 3 month winter period meaning weekly deaths are similar*

No. 7000/50 = 140, which is a lot less than 1000. Even 20000/50 = 400, which is a lot less than 1000. Basic arithmetic.

But as they occur over 3 months or so, the denominator should be c.12 rather than 50.... That gives a range of 600 to 1,600, a figure similar to the 1,000.

I'm not saying there aren't differences,
and that it's not an issue that we have current levels in September, rather that Covid is of a similar magnitude to flu, rather than an order of magnitude greater (ie x10) that was the case back in March 2020 before we had vaccine and infection derived immunity.

OP, I'm in a similar situation to you, with a CV DP. Also I have long covid so get exhausted easily.. You're in Devon, going by your user name? Last time I looked, Exeter had the second highest covid rate in the country, so you are right to be cautious. Also, what you say about catching it after being with someone for 15 mins - this is not the case with the Delta variant. The research says you can catch it from brushing past someone who has it, or speaking face on very briefly.
I think if I were a lot younger and/or was stuck back in my grotty flat I'd be raring to get out and socialise. But if you're a bit older, have a DP to talk to and a nice garden, you may feel more patient. Believe me, you do not want to risk developing long covid. My life has been virtually put on hold these past 18 months because I get so knackered so easily.

The thing is when will you ever be prepared to go back to normal?

If large numbers wait at home and wear til numbers decrease, then they'll just rise again when you emerge... Catch 22!

A group I belong to started face to face meeting indoors last week. There was about 25% attendance. Some was due to holidays but I suspect most was about avoiding unnecessary contact (members are aged 40+).

No, I was chomping at the bit to get to the group I attend. I am more worried about it stopping.

@Greenhillfaraway

A group I belong to started face to face meeting indoors last week. There was about 25% attendance. Some was due to holidays but I suspect most was about avoiding unnecessary contact (members are aged 40+).

A similar group had more than 90% turnout... I can understand the concern if you or a household member is CEV, but otherwise it's a shame that so many who are adequately protected from Covid by the vaccine are continuing to exclude themselves from normal life without any real prospects of Covid ever "going away".

@suredsun

I live opposite a community hall which, before the pandemic, was hired out to local groups for their meetings. It's essentially been closed since March 2020 but in the last couple of weeks has started up again. I'm amazed by all the pensioners turning up for book clubs and exercise classes, WI meetings and local history lectures. None of them wear masks & they all seem very happy to put the pandemic behind them. I'm not at that stage yet; I have to really want to do something to meet inside with a big group of people (or feel obliged to do so through work or social pressures).

They want to make the most of the time they have left and I can't say I blame them.

It's a bit disingenuous for people to say, if not now then when.

I would sincerely hope that cases will not continue to run around 35k-40k per day - for one thing at some point the virus will run out of new people to infect.

I think it's perfectly sensible for people to be cautious at this point - particularly if they have a CEV person at home. But maybe I feel differently because I'm in Scotland where WFH is still the norm, for those who can.