Has everyone just accepted that it’s not an “if” but a “when”?

[Newnews]

Just that really. Me and DH are still trying to be relatively careful, we do meet up with people and do things but we are avoiding certain things eg not going to soft play with DDs this week as it would have been full of school kids. Our eldest goes to a childminder who has school age kids so she could very well catch it that way (or from the supermarket etc) but we need childcare to work. So basically we are not completely “hiding away” but we are thinking carefully and not taking risks when there’s no huge benefit.

Are we alone in this approach now? And is there any point? Part of me thinks we aren’t going to be able to avoid it forever so we may as well just get it and then we could get on with our lives. People I know who’ve had it are now just doing whatever they want (although I know you can get it twice) which sounds quite appealing.

For anyone interested, my reasons for still trying to avoid it despite being double jabbed are 1. I have a rare blood clotting condition so although I’m not CEV I am classed as being higher risk than average joe and 2. DD2 is only 6 months, she is EBF and hasn’t taken well to solids yet and has some allergies. I’m worried that if I get it now and feel totally wiped out that my supply will suffer and I’d be exhausted trying to breastfeed her while feeling really poorly etc.

it's always been a "when" not an "if"🤷‍♀️

Yes

I've stopped worrying about it. I'm just living life as normal really. If we get it, we get it - I've been vaccinated, and I won't live the rest of my life hiding from it - because if I can't trust the vaccines to do their job, what is the point? There's nothing else on the horizon to make it magically go away, I'd rather enjoy my life now.

I am probably doing 70% of what I normally would do... My kids have gone to the organised holiday clubs because they mix with those kids in school anyway... I pop to town when I need to and visit a cafe or pub when I feel the desire... But I have avoided soft play and won't go to any packed events, won't see my family who have cold symptoms and insist it's just a cold whilst relying on a lateral flow only.

I'm sort of careful but it's not stopping me doing things I want to do, if that makes sense. I'm not going to pubs and bars for example but it's not something I did very often pre-pandemic anyway. I also haven't taken a bus anywhere because they were always stuffy and packed anyway, so I'd rather walk or take a train where there's more space and air.

I do think wearing a good quality mask (FFP2 grade) is still helpful in crowded places that don't have good ventilation - if nothing else, hopefully it will mean I'll end up with a lower viral load. I've also had my flu jab to hopefully avoid catching both flu and covid, and I'm taking vitamin D and other immune support vitamins/supplements.

And the when not if question is interesting because some people do seem to have natural immunity or are just lucky to not catch it. It's the same with other viruses too - I have never had noro virus and I'm nearly 40 so it must be more than just luck by now.

Yes, but I might alter the risks I take this week so that when happens some time after my booster.

I've been acting normally within the limits of open shops or theatres etc all through. We went to the theatre last Xmas when the west end had a limited opening.

We caught it from teenage DC in the summer after they'd been on a summer camp.

Do feel like it would be terribly bad luck to catch it again!

I have two DC in secondary school who are unvaccinated so I do feel it’s when not if for us - but we’re all healthy, DH and I vaccinated so I’m at the point of we’re in a good a position as we can be so not worrying anymore.

We’ve been to restaurants, theatres, on trains etc and living as we did pre-covid

Yep.

Given by the amount of selfish twats about in the community.

We were in Tesco's today. Loads of people walking around coughing away. Not wearing masks, not covering their mouths when they coughed and seemingly not giving a shit they were spreading around their germs.

Okay. It's nearly November. It's flu and virus season almost in full swing but fuck me, people are fucking selfish.

Likelihood it isn't Covid. But there is a chance it is.

ONS today reports one in 50 people in England currently have the Covid virus.

Why oh why are people so fucking selfish.

Okay. Choose not to wear a mask or whatever , but have the decency to at least cover your mouth rather than spread your germs about.

I loathe people as on the whole most are just spectacularly selfish.

It's alwsys been when not if. I'm very CEV but have just carried on life as normal. I'm not remotely bothered

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

it's always been a "when" not an "if"🤷‍♀️

This

You are probably somewhat unique in the UK, but lots of other countries are still taking a range of precautions beyond the vaccine and are not happy to just accept everyone becoming infected so it's not unreasonable, just not what is the norm here (at the moment).

It remains to be seen which approach will turn out to be more reasonable -- and also to see how we get through the winter and whether restrictions are reintroduced. The virus hasn't gone away so who knows what will happen.

I had it last xmas, I'm fully expecting to catch it again.

But then I fully expect to catch a cold and a stomach bug at some point, such is life.

I don't stop living because I might get poorly. My immune system is crap anyway, if there is an illness to catch I will catch it. Been like that ever since I caught glandular fever when I was in my late teens. So I just continue to live my life, expecting to catch covid umpteen times.

I’ve taken this attitude since the beginning OP. And yet, to my knowledge, I have never caught Covid 🤷🏼‍♀️. Part of me thinks I must have had it right at the beginning Feb 2020 or had an asymptomatic case. Either way, beyond taking very basic precautions, I’m not going to let the fear of catching Covid control my life. What’s the point? The virus is endemic.

We're still being reasonably careful. Facemasks in enclosed places, if we're eating out chosing a table away from others. We are mixing socially, but again it's done as carefully as possible, not just for us but our friends chosing to do so. We've met one couple totally outside until last week when we were invited for a meal inside, but distanced on large table and they asked us to do LFTs. A group of my friends are getting together next weekend, someone is hosting at theirs and we're all doing LFTs.

We live in an area which has generally had low case numbers, but due to the lab testing fiasco, we've been in the top three areas for case numbers this last ten days. We live in a small town and most of doing their bit to get numbers down without being asked, ie stepping onto pavement, only seven didn't have masks on in Tescos in week (one was a child), quite a few I know are meeting again outside.

Maybe we are unique around here, but it's generally keeping numbers down.

We are still being cautious although not really impacting our lives. More seeing friends in smaller circles, doing things outdoors, if there’s an indoor event where others may be vulnerable doing a lateral flow before going. Happy to keep up those precautions as they’re completely sustainable for us. Hopefully will help us avoid other things not just Covid but I do think it is a matter of when not if.

Had it and kids have had it and I've been doubly jagged. Am done. Life goes on. Can't live in fear. We all get sick of one thing or another. Right now I'm sick of the mask monitors....

We have it in our household for the second time, brought home by dc from school each time. With three dc in uk secondary schools, it is virtually impossible to avoid.

I got it from work. I don't even sit close to anyone. Most of us got it too, only a couple didn't. No apparent reason why some did and some didn't.
I could have avoided going anywhere but if you are working then you are still at risk so may as well enjoy life and do the things you want.

I’m not quite in your target group because I had Covid at New Year. Despite being CEV I was not severely ill, although it took a good 4-5 weeks to get over. But I’ve lost my anxiety about catching it as a consequence, on the basis that a second infection is usually milder than a first.

However, I do spend a fair bit of time around a cohort of people who are a lot older than me, and I know there is still a significant risk to them despite them being double jabbed, even boostered. So I still wear a mask around them, even though they have given up. I don’t limit my own activities, though I do do masks and distancing as far as possible.

I’m not one for nightclubs or crowded bars, but cinemas and restaurants, yes. I’ve basically gone back to pre-Covid social life with some minor precautions.

In other words, I’m making an effort to limit the spread for the benefit of others, not particularly to protect myself. I would rather not catch Covid again, but I’m more concerned about passing it on, if that makes sense.

I took a while to accept this, but I do now. Avoiding Covid full stop was a priority previously - now it’s simply taking the usual precautions to avoid infectious illnesses. Not spending time near people coughing their guts up, washing hands, etc.

I don’t feel significantly different about Covid than I do the flu - after almost two years of no horrible colds or chest infections I’m dreading going back to any of it!

I was visiting relatives last week who are still monitoring numbers and worried about going anywhere unventilated. It felt like going back in time six months and I did find myself wondering when they’d ever be able to stop worrying about it. I think there comes a point for everyone where the risk must be accepted, but that will be different for us all.

Having my bathrooms re-done at the moment. We have had 8 different people in the house over the last couple of weeks. In and out, in and out. They all have kids at school. DD also came home from Uni. The builders kindly gave us the mega-cold, so we all suffered together, sneezing, coughing and spluttering over one another. No choice really.

In reality, and I know we are lucky as no medical issues, but none of us was bothered. All double jabbed, and out and about, and just accepting life must go on.

It is absolutely when not if, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be better to get it later rather than sooner. Boosters for lots of people are imminent, and new treatments are in the offing. Depending on how big the sacrifices are that you'd need to make to avoid some risks, it can still be worth doing that.