Predictions for the rest of this year

[weddingweddingwoe]

Restriction wise.

I am hopeful!

If what?

I think there may be a few local circuit breakers for some settings.

Otherwise business as normal.

Saying that not everyone is back in the workplace. That will be a big test of the vaccines.

Fingers crossed no new strains make an appearance.

Plan B will come into force. The NHS is overwhelmed every winter so it wont even matter if it is not overwhelmed by Covid.

I think flu will actually wreak more havoc than COVID this winter.

Covid wise the numbers have been ‘fairly’ stable since July. No drops but no rises either. So, I suspect this is as good as it will get.

As for other seasonal bugs and viruses, on one side I know more people who are looking to get the flu jab than any other year. So, we’ll see if that makes a difference.

I think that if something overwhelms the NHS this winter it won’t be actual Covid.

I think restrictions from plan B might come in in some areas.

I think some areas like London have as near as we are going to get to herd immunity. However places like the South West are far from that.

We may go back to masks and working from home, but other than that I don’t think there will be any restrictions. Case numbers are stable at the moment, and there are no restrictions at all. Barely anyone is wearing a mask. I’ve been someone who has stuck to all the rules, kept my distance, worn a mask regardless etc. Even I now think we just need to get on with it now.

My personal view is that everyone will be exposed to covid at some point this year. A lot will get symptoms. Those who are vaccinated may feel crap for a bit, but very unlikely to need hospital treatment. Those who are unvaccinated may have worse outcomes, but thats the chance they’ve taken. I do feel for those CEV where the vaccine may not be as effective, and I’m not quite sure what the answer is.

I'm hopeful
I'm not in the UK but things are looking cautiously ok. Cases low, 80% of over 12s fully jabbed. Schools been open a month, no cases at all in mine yet (though it's early to tell)
We might not be at the end, but we might be at the end of the beginning.