If you are cancelling plans/think we should have another lockdown

[Maddymorphosis]

Would you be prepared to do the same next winter, and the one after that and so on?
Last December I heard a lot of "It's just one year"
People not seeing family for "just one Christmas".

Are you prepared to do it again, and going forward maybe every time there's a new variant in winter?

It makes no difference to me.
I see my DM whether we’re locked down or not.
And I’d be happy not to do my work night out !

I just hope to God they keep the schools open.

And no, I am not prepared to keep on locking down. The econimic, social and mental health costs are too high.

Yes we're cancelling plans and yes we're prepared to do it every year if necessary. Our 29 year old daughter had her spleen removed a few years ago and so is particularly vulnerable. We'll gladly cancel everything if necessary to keep her alive.

I think we have to get accustomed to this being a feature of our winter lives for the foreseeable future (or at least until Boris gets tired of being Head Boy, I mean Prime Minister). We had a feeling something like this would happen, based on the last couple of years (both work in healthcare, one behind the scenes, other on the front line) and reading around the topic (not the Daily Mail, actual medical journals, and I don't just mean MedRxiv either), and adjusted our Christmas plans accordingly. We just managed to see family, in small groups, so no big gathering at the other end of the country early last week.

We aren't anticipating seeing them again (or being able to travel much except for work) for several months now. It is the first time I've ever felt the need to take out travel insurance in my own country, though!

Still, I'm quite sure none of this will stop the Tories and their mates heading off to St. Moritz/Cornwall/the Scottish Highlands/wherever the Daily Heil has told them is this year's fashionable spot....

Sky news breaking. UK now at level 4. Apparently press conference tonight.

Apparently PM addressing the nation tonight

@friendlycat

Sky news breaking. UK now at level 4. Apparently press conference tonight.

However BBC News also saying no new restrictions are expected to be announced tonight, this is an update about booster jabs.

One step away from a full lockdowns. Oh but it’s only mask wearing, they said. You’d have been naive to not see this coming,

What does level 4vmen?

*mean

Well I cant speak for everywhere but the hospitality sector round here is rammed. Everyone making hay whilst the sun shines/dancing whilst the titanic sinks (depending on your pov). I do know quite a few people not going to the works Christmas do but that's mostly because they are trying to go abroad over Christmas and dont want to jeopardize that by catching COVID next week. I'm not recognizing the picture of virtual lockdown some are painting here and I'm def on the more cautious side.

The reason we are in this situation is that the government have been so lax about preventative measures. The NHS is overwhelmed because of lack of funding. They didn’t try simple measures like mask mandates and better ventilation in schools, or vaccinating school children. Other countries are not facing the same situation we are. It’s entirely self inflicted.

We’ve lost a lot of close family this year - including due to covid - so are going to the Caribbean for Christmas, as can’t face a Christmas at home missing all 3 parents and in laws. Would be gutted if we can’t go. We missed out on a last Christmas with those people last year due to covid restrictions.

But we are avoiding socialising till we go to try and minimise the risk of catching covid in the run up. Kids are still at school so just keeping everything crossed.

Nope. Bored to tears with it. I’ve had covid, 2 vaccines and a booster. It’s not going anywhere and I’m not putting my life on hold‘just for a few weeks’ anymore. Other people can do what they want. I find it’s such a middle class preoccupation anyway as other people have been going out to work the whole time rather than sitting at home blathering on about risk.

@missmoon

The reason we are in this situation is that the government have been so lax about preventative measures. The NHS is overwhelmed because of lack of funding. They didn’t try simple measures like mask mandates and better ventilation in schools, or vaccinating school children. Other countries are not facing the same situation we are. It’s entirely self inflicted.

From what I’ve read on here there would be a lot of primary school parents refusing the jab. The uptake at the schools I was in was very varied, and quite a few of them wanted it but weren’t allowed by their parents. And we weren’t allowed to Gillick them.

My circumstances require modifying plans. That would be true regardless of government rules or guidance. My family follows the advice of the physician managing the vulnerable family member’s care.

Overall, I believe society has taken the wrong approach to Covid. Policies year round should be protecting these personal connections. We should place more value on being able to see family or visit with friends than we do on packing concert venues or sport arenas. It’s time for people to finally admit that this is a long term problem and we need to make long term adjustments to the way things operate, incorporating social distancing into the status quo.

Ooh do tell who’s going to pay for all the industries that collapse from social distancing? And just because you don’t like sports events and concerts. Sick of this selfish crap.

I won't cancel plans, nor would I support any more lockdowns or restrictions.

Every restriction to date has been an overreaction for a disease with a less than 1 % mortality rate.

No.

The hospital where my dh is having a very dangerous op that requires an ITU bed after surgery and possibly life support on a lung bypass machine, plus his heart surgery can’t operate on him because the ICU is full of people in their 20-30s who hadn’t had a vaccine.

So yes I’m fine with whatever it takes because my dh is deteriorating in front of me.

He’s told family we won’t be going round for Xmas which has gone down badly 🙄

And yes. There’s a covid board, why isn’t this stuff moved?

Until people accept that Covid is here to stay, it is a virus, and will sadly kill some people (like other viruses / medical conditions) we are stuck in this merry-go-round. And if the NHS cannot function properly it needs to be changed (and not a blank cheque/ more money) - this won't fix the systems and workforce issues I see every day in my job

And I'm not prepared to keep home schooling while trying to hold down a demanding job. It's taking the piss quite frankly.

Just because you accept an illness is here to stay doesnt mean you make no attempts to control its spread or mitigate its impacts though, does it? History is littered with measures societies have taken to control disease.

If it's a winter thing generally I would be fine with having a belated summer Christmas instead. Whatever it takes to keep the numbers down.