Some restrictions back, fed up

[Ireallydontcare55]

Just heard the news about masks returning as of next week and changes to travelling rules.

It’s not so much that wearing a mask is inconvenient, it’s the fact that we were told restrictions were over and that we could get on with our lives.

I know I will get shot down for this post, but if it isn’t the ‘omnicron’ variant then it’ll be something else.

I’m sure many people will be in favour of tighter restrictions ‘until numbers drop’. And then what? In a few months’ time when the latest variant is out, will we have to do the same again?
“it’s just for a few weeks/months”

This isn’t going away. What’s the point of having 3 vaccines?

I’m fed up with it all, are people really prepared to do this for the foreseeable future ?

@Ireallydontcare55

Just heard the news about masks returning as of next week and changes to travelling rules.

It’s not so much that wearing a mask is inconvenient, it’s the fact that we were told restrictions were over and that we could get on with our lives.

I know I will get shot down for this post, but if it isn’t the ‘omnicron’ variant then it’ll be something else.

I’m sure many people will be in favour of tighter restrictions ‘until numbers drop’. And then what? In a few months’ time when the latest variant is out, will we have to do the same again?
“it’s just for a few weeks/months”

This isn’t going away. What’s the point of having 3 vaccines?

I’m fed up with it all, are people really prepared to do this for the foreseeable future ?

You know how M&S Heatgen thermal vests are really good -,but if you went out in just a vest in the snow you wouldn't be warm enough?

Well covid protection measures are like that.

You have to layer them up to get through the winter.

So not just vaccines but vaccines plus... Air filtration, ventilation, contact isolation, work from home, masks, testing, sequencing, quarantine of new arrivals.. The usuals.

And yes, I'll do it for as long as necessary, because it's not about what I want. It's about what's necessary.

(I really hate masks, but they incontrovertibly help. Until we get on board with good ventilation and filtering the air in public spaces we're stuck with them.)

@Wife2b

I’m with you OP, we’ve been saying for months that new variants will keep coming and so they have. When does it end and when do we get on with our lives? I’m more worried about the impact of covid on lifesaving treatments and screening put on hold.

🤦🏻‍♀️ FGS the more Covid cases we have in hospital, the less treatment there is for other things!

@Scottishskifun

Rules attached

I take that to mean that it you were perfectly able to wear a mask for long periods then you should unless your condition changes.

However I didn't fully read your post so I now see what you meant and that isn't right. No one should feel they have to wear a mask if it causes them distress.
Unfortunately those who just say they are exempt when they clearly aren't are the ones making it harder for those who genuinely can't. I have two of them in my life sadly.

@Ireallydontcare55

There could be variants forever, it’s here to stay.

So get used to being careful instead of selfish.

[quote Northsoutheastwest76]@Scottishskifun

Rules attached

I take that to mean that it you were perfectly able to wear a mask for long periods then you should unless your condition changes.[/quote]
Nope I meant that many people including myself who always had exemption put them on anyway and struggled because it was easier than the abuse or tuts from members of the public who felt they were the mask police or could "tell someone was exempt".

I was never able to wear a properly fitting one more than 20-30 minutes which reduced to 5 after I got covid.

So get used to being careful instead of selfish

Can’t answer for the previous poster, but no, personally I won’t get used to being permanently ‘careful’. Not if it means spending the rest of my life, or even the next few years, in a state of hyper vigilance, keeping my distance from everyone and wary of friends and strangers alike as potential disease vectors. That’s not a life worth living in my eyes, and I won’t normalise that way of life for my child either.

@Ireallydontcare55

What worries me is how willingly people have accepted the idea of wearing a mask for the rest of their life potentially

not most people! And althouh I will wear a mask on transport and shops if we aer back to that for a time, they do irritate my skim no end so it's not 'nothing' for all wearers.

skin

@TempsPerdu

So get used to being careful instead of selfish

Can’t answer for the previous poster, but no, personally I won’t get used to being permanently ‘careful’. Not if it means spending the rest of my life, or even the next few years, in a state of hyper vigilance, keeping my distance from everyone and wary of friends and strangers alike as potential disease vectors. That’s not a life worth living in my eyes, and I won’t normalise that way of life for my child either.

It sounds like you’re catastrophising. Highly doubt it’s the rest of your life or even years.

Not a question/point just to you. Is there anywhere in the world that people would rather be at the moment? Because, as far as I can see, every single country has got shit going on. It’s not like we’re the only ones going through this. Is it totally shite - yes, it is. Is there anywhere that’s free of whatever ups and downs their country is experiencing - no, I don’t think so.

Perfectly normal to be utterly fed up of it all. Definitely not normal to completely dismiss tactics to try to lessen the consequences.

Agree completely OP. You are far from alone with these views

@Northsoutheastwest76

However I didn't fully read your post so I now see what you meant and that isn't right. No one should feel they have to wear a mask if it causes them distress. Unfortunately those who just say they are exempt when they clearly aren't are the ones making it harder for those who genuinely can't. I have two of them in my life sadly.

But that's just it all of those who say it's selfish, it's not hard etc etc for some actually it's very difficult. Some will be kind but others will stare and feel the need to comment.

There is a perception that to be exempt you must look frail, old and on deaths door that's not the reality. If people don't meet their perception of exempt then they do judge and that behaviour varies.

Masks wearing hasn't changed in Scotland so I still get looks and occasional tuts it's not pleasant. I challenged someone who told me that I was selfish, their response was I was clearly making it up as I didn't look unwell and was young🙄

Nobody should judge when they have zero idea of that persons background.

it's probably already been said on this thread but it makes me laugh the way "moronic" is an anagram of omicron.

@Saladcreamormayo

it's probably already been said on this thread but it makes me laugh the way "moronic" is an anagram of omicron.

Yup,, been said already. Generally, anyone can make anagrams to suit their view out of pretty much anything in the language they speak. Nothing new, clever or insightful in that.

I’ve got my fingers crossed that there’s a lot of natural immunity too now. Lots of people have had it and that should help.

Returning from the USA you needed an antigen test on day two of your return to the U.K. You now need a PCR test which is much more expensive and who knows if refunds will be given for the antigens already booked and paid for.

Think of wearing a mask as similar to wearing a seat belt, its to protect and prevent something potentially fatal (not to all, in fact not to the majority - but that's the same for car accidents) its a preventative measure and if iit helps save lives or NHS hospitals being unable to cope, then its a small price to pay if you have to wear a mask in a shop.

@TempsPerdu

So get used to being careful instead of selfish

Can’t answer for the previous poster, but no, personally I won’t get used to being permanently ‘careful’. Not if it means spending the rest of my life, or even the next few years, in a state of hyper vigilance, keeping my distance from everyone and wary of friends and strangers alike as potential disease vectors. That’s not a life worth living in my eyes, and I won’t normalise that way of life for my child either.

FFS get over yourself....you are being asked to wear a mask in shops and on the bus....’ not a life worth living?’ ....drama queen or what🙄

Hugs @Amazingblossoms some kids are just that- nasty little shits!

I have ordered myself an exemption card thing this time, I have always been exempt due to breathing issues but struggled with masks. No more. I have had three vaccines, complied with all of the rules and done my part, but living in fear made me feel mentally strained.

I agree OP it's not a hardship to wear a mask it's more the ill feeling of nothing ever being back to normal again.

Iv complied with every rule, cancelled Xmas with family last year with 3 days notice. Had all the jabs, isolated. Wasn't in a bubble as family live in a different UK country to me. Went to the shops only for essentials and still try to minimise going out where I can. It's just too much. This is here to stay, my 4 year old has missed out on many 'firsts' we won't get back. He's none the wiser but it does hurt. I'm due a baby in the new year and restrictions in my country are quite tight in hospitals for giving birth

I will still comply but I do feel sad that life is like this again and the thought that things could get worse again is never far from my mind. It's here to stay we do need to learn to live with it. I don't want people to die or get ill from covid but I don't want to live with restrictions being imposed/lifted every 6 months either. How long do we need to live like this for?

@TempsPerdu

It's just to pop to the shops for three weeks or so - no need to get all 'they're controlling me through this little bit of paper on my face' on us!

Then what on Earth is the point? If Omicron is that transmissible, and they’re they’re that determined to delay its spread, why just shops? Why not schools, cinemas, churches, theatres and the rest? I mean, I don’t want any of this and I’m grateful that (for the moment) I don’t have to return to the dark days of singing through a mask in DD’s weekly music class - but surely that’s a much higher risk environment than my ten minute dash to Waitrose?

Exactly this. We went to the panto. Worse out masks. Showed our vaccine passport on the way in. Sat down next to strangers no gap in seats and we all took our masks off. What's the point in that! We were singing and interacting but I had to wear my mask to leave again.

If this disease has managed to leave a highly secure lab in China then I'm quite sure it will penetrate my mask.

I met a friend outside and had physical contact with her and her family for around an hour. She tested positive for covid as did her whole family. She is fully vaccinated as am I. I didn't get it neither did my husband. We didn't wear masks. If you're going to get it you get it imo.

My husband had it last year before vaccines. I didn't isolate him, shared a bed with him and didn't keep the toddler away from him who also shared a bed with us and I didn't get it then either.

Wore our masks that should say

I'm not sure why people being 'compliant' is such an issue? Surely, that's a good thing!?

At no point were we told this was over, you only have to watch the news (and not even every day) to know that. We were warned that this was a possibility and for once the government seem to be moving faster to protect us (I hope I don't end up regretting that comment).

I work in a secondary school, we've all been wearing masks in communal areas since October. It doesn't worry me that people are willing to follow the guidance without questioning, it makes me feel safe. I'm double jabbed, a lot of my students have opted for the jab where health issues permit.

By following the guidelines we have more of a chance of avoiding the need for lockdowns. Something tells me you'll be one of the first to complain about that one. I don't think you realise the irony of your current actions.

I see messages repeatedly saying we can’t do this for every variant… but we’re not!

There have been loads of variants this year that have been variants of interest.

And just a few that are variants of concern

Namely, for us, Alpha, Beta, Delta and now Omicron.

Alpha was the “Kent” variant which was mostly much more transmissible.

Beta was identified in South Africa and evaded vaccines somewhat worryingly but was not more transmissible.

Delta evaded vaccine a little bit much less than Beta. It was very transmissible. More transmissible than Alpha. The fact that Alpha and Delta were so transmissible stopped the vaccine evading Beta taking a hold here.

And now we have omicron. It is still being investigated but initial analysis shows it is way more transmissible than Delta and evades vaccines like Beta too.

This means it is transmissible enough to outpace Delta and make a vaccine evasive variant dominant.

I mean I hope they’re wrong, but I understand why they’re worried.

They haven’t done this for most variants, they didn’t even do it for delta. They lifted restrictions for delta!