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Original poster

'Covid exit strategy leaked - self isolation/testing could be scrapped by April'

80 replies

DavidDevantsSpiritWife · 15/11/2021 12:38

Reported by the Mail originally but picked up
elsewhere.

Could be a load of old tosh, could be that thing where they leak stuff/deny all knowledge/it happens anyway.

It was always bound to happen eventually of course, and I suppose post-winter would be the most sensible time to do it.

Feels strange, though, after everything. Positive in some ways, troubling in others - if you're immunocompromised or vulnerable in any way it's going to be worrying.

OP posts:
Brigittebidet · 15/11/2021 12:41

It's got to end at some point. I'd say 2 years is a pretty long run.

firef1y · 15/11/2021 12:46

The thing is immunocompromised and (some) covid vulnerable people have always had to take care with illnesses that others would just shrug off.
It's one the aspects that I haven't understood all the way through, I mean I would never have gone anywhere near my very elderly grandmother in law if I had a cold, because at her age a simple cold could have finished her off. Did no-one else do this before March 2019???

Thewiseoneincognito · 15/11/2021 12:52

For the vulnerable and immunocompromised it’s not good at all but we haven’t really been caring about them for a while now truth be told so let’s just keep on ignoring them and just hope for the best.

How can we end testing when surely there would have to be some idea of numbers if we’ll be expected to have boosters going forward? How would new variants be discovered- When hospitals are suddenly overflowing and the morgues are full?

ArcheryAnnie · 15/11/2021 12:53

It's not really a covid exit strategy, though, is it - it's a restrictions exit strategy?

Original poster
DavidDevantsSpiritWife · 15/11/2021 12:56

@firef1y

The thing is immunocompromised and (some) covid vulnerable people have always had to take care with illnesses that others would just shrug off. It's one the aspects that I haven't understood all the way through, I mean I would never have gone anywhere near my very elderly grandmother in law if I had a cold, because at her age a simple cold could have finished her off. Did no-one else do this before March 2019???
I'm immunosuppressed due to RA medication and you're right, I've always had to be careful/report to hospital if I had any kind of infection. The difference with covid is that so little was known about it and how to treat it, plus it's more dangerous to immunocompromised people than things like flu. The efficacy of covid vaccines is also reduced dramatically if you're immunocompromised.
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HermioneWeasley · 15/11/2021 12:57

Good. With everyone who wants to be triple vaccinated it’s time to get back to normal. We don’t require any of this for flu or norovirus - both dangerous for the immuno compromised.

Original poster
DavidDevantsSpiritWife · 15/11/2021 13:06

@Thewiseoneincognito

For the vulnerable and immunocompromised it’s not good at all but we haven’t really been caring about them for a while now truth be told so let’s just keep on ignoring them and just hope for the best.

How can we end testing when surely there would have to be some idea of numbers if we’ll be expected to have boosters going forward? How would new variants be discovered- When hospitals are suddenly overflowing and the morgues are full?

Immunocompromised people have always had to risk assess. In the past I've had to swerve certain events/get off crowded buses or whatever, just as I do now. People who say 'we've stopped caring about immunocompromised, vulnerable people' don't seem to understand that before covid, people didn't 'care' in the way implied. Yes, covid can be more dangerous to immunocompromised people, but flu and a thousand other things could have made us very ill way before covid. At least now people are more aware of things like hand hygiene, getting flu jabs and so on, so that's something!

As for testing/boosters/variants, perhaps it'll be like flu - monitoring and modelling to see which variant is likely to be the dominant one and tweaking boosters accordingly, if needed.

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HelplesslyHoping · 15/11/2021 13:10

As always, people who can't have the vaccine and/or vulnerable are ignored while everyone else carries on as normal. Clearly people going to clubs, pubs and holidays for their 'mental health' is more important than anything else.

Vulnerable people can just keep on shielding and avoiding vital medical appointments just so people can stop worrying about doing a 10 second test. Great!

Mantlemoose · 15/11/2021 13:11

I'm CEV and immunocompromised and I can't wait till April for this to happen. I am not yet 50 and have life expectancy of early 70s at latest. As such I don't want to spend another minute locked up and in hiding. Indeed I was one of the first back in to the office. This fear we are living in is stripping time off my life as it is. I would rather catch covid and die now than live 20 years like this.

Thewiseoneincognito · 15/11/2021 13:18

@Mantlemoose

I'm CEV and immunocompromised and I can't wait till April for this to happen. I am not yet 50 and have life expectancy of early 70s at latest. As such I don't want to spend another minute locked up and in hiding. Indeed I was one of the first back in to the office. This fear we are living in is stripping time off my life as it is. I would rather catch covid and die now than live 20 years like this.
You may be CEV and brave enough to take the risks but my 70 yrold COPD Lung cancer suffering family member doesn’t quite share your fearless attitude.

What fear exactly is stripping time off your life now? Everything is more or less back to normal, albeit for better or worse. Testing is such a problem you’d rather catch Covid and die now? How on Earth does that make any sense? Surely you’d rather someone who has Covid knew about it by testing and stayed at home so you didn’t get sick? Or you’d rather they didn’t know and passed it on to you? 😳

SophieKat1982 · 15/11/2021 13:19

@firef1y

The thing is immunocompromised and (some) covid vulnerable people have always had to take care with illnesses that others would just shrug off. It's one the aspects that I haven't understood all the way through, I mean I would never have gone anywhere near my very elderly grandmother in law if I had a cold, because at her age a simple cold could have finished her off. Did no-one else do this before March 2019???
Completely agree. Never understood this either as anyone who’s had an immunocompromised close friend or relative will be used to protecting them.
Iggly · 15/11/2021 13:21

@Brigittebidet

It's got to end at some point. I'd say 2 years is a pretty long run.
It’s not as if it’s a conscious decision to have a pandemic though is it?

A pandemic lasts as long as it lasts. The mistake that our politicians (and others across the world) have made is not completely following scientific advice and muddling it up with politics. They should have left it to the epidemiologists from the get go.

Iggly · 15/11/2021 13:22

@Mantlemoose

I'm CEV and immunocompromised and I can't wait till April for this to happen. I am not yet 50 and have life expectancy of early 70s at latest. As such I don't want to spend another minute locked up and in hiding. Indeed I was one of the first back in to the office. This fear we are living in is stripping time off my life as it is. I would rather catch covid and die now than live 20 years like this.
Most people aren’t locked up and hiding. Some are resisting going back to offices every day of the week because, quite frankly, that way of living was a bit shit.
JKDinomum · 15/11/2021 13:23

Realistically Test and trace is nearly doing nothing now. They are now wasting time contacting people to tell them they are a contact and they don't have to isolate if they are jabbed or under 18. They only advise to get tested.

JumperandJacket · 15/11/2021 13:24

Good. At some point we have to get back to normal.

Mantlemoose · 15/11/2021 13:26

I'm in Scotland. We have different prison wardens.......

PlausibleSuit · 15/11/2021 13:27

I don't really know why this is news*. Governments, and civil service departments, plan for a range of outcomes constantly. And this generates documents.

That a 'rampdown' (1/10 for the name) plan exists isn't a surprise. There will also be other plans. Whether it ends up being government policy is impossible to say almost six months in advance.

*Actually I do have a suspicion as to why it's news... the government wants to deflect attention from the second jobs scandal for a bit.

Overthebow · 15/11/2021 13:38

Good, very pleased to hear it. We cannot keep testing up forever. It’s not sustainable for people to keep having to test and isolate for every little cough or temperature. Very much looking forward to April.

Original poster
DavidDevantsSpiritWife · 15/11/2021 13:46

@Overthebow

Good, very pleased to hear it. We cannot keep testing up forever. It’s not sustainable for people to keep having to test and isolate for every little cough or temperature. Very much looking forward to April.
My concern has always been for those who lose wages every time they have to isolate, and/or face disciplinary action. DH has encountered so many people through his work (benefits related) who have been plunged into dire hardship as a result.
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Iggly · 15/11/2021 13:48

@PlausibleSuit

I don't really know why this is news*. Governments, and civil service departments, plan for a range of outcomes constantly. And this generates documents.

That a 'rampdown' (1/10 for the name) plan exists isn't a surprise. There will also be other plans. Whether it ends up being government policy is impossible to say almost six months in advance.

*Actually I do have a suspicion as to why it's news... the government wants to deflect attention from the second jobs scandal for a bit.

Yes and the fact people are dying in ambulances. It’s a “dead cat” story no doubt
Puddington · 15/11/2021 14:02

My concern has always been for those who lose wages every time they have to isolate, and/or face disciplinary action.

I have always thought this. For a lot of people, if the options are isolate and don't get paid for that time (which for a large percentage of the population could mean the difference between eating or not) or don't isolate...

Fizbosshoes · 15/11/2021 14:13

I have always thought this. For a lot of people, if the options are isolate and don't get paid for that time (which for a large percentage of the population could mean the difference between eating or not) or don't isolate...

This is something a number of MN seem not to be able to grasp while shouting "selfish" and "madness" about people who can't obviously isolate the whole family, or "just wfh" etc. (Especially at points last year when a PCR test was taking a week to come back)
"Doing the right thing" and looking out for the greater good and being unselfish are undoubtedly easier if its not your immediate finances or job on the line.

ADreadedSunnyDay · 15/11/2021 14:15

God I so hope this is true. Two years of restrictions is long enough (although as I'm in Scotland I suspect we will have restrictions for longer - not that it's made a blind bit of difference)

Kokeshi123 · 15/11/2021 14:19

I believe we now have some very good drug treatments, which apparently change the reality for the immunocompromised.

The immunocompromised have always had to be careful about a bunch of things. We can't continue with hypervigilence for ever--it will damage children's education and drive women out of the workplace.

Original poster
DavidDevantsSpiritWife · 15/11/2021 14:20

@Fizbosshoes

I have always thought this. For a lot of people, if the options are isolate and don't get paid for that time (which for a large percentage of the population could mean the difference between eating or not) or don't isolate...

This is something a number of MN seem not to be able to grasp while shouting "selfish" and "madness" about people who can't obviously isolate the whole family, or "just wfh" etc. (Especially at points last year when a PCR test was taking a week to come back)
"Doing the right thing" and looking out for the greater good and being unselfish are undoubtedly easier if its not your immediate finances or job on the line.

I hate that immunocompromised people have been held up as the reason why this 'needs' to happen. I could not bear the idea that a family lost their home or couldn't afford food because of my health conditions.

As I've said, vulnerable people have always had to risk assess and there have always been infections which could kill us. Those saying we need to be protected at all costs now quite probably didn't really consider our risks in winter 2019, for example. They were probably perfectly happy to go into work with a sniffle or send their DC to school with bit of a cough.

Yes, it's a bit scary for immunocompromised people - but it's always been thus.

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