If you’re trying to decide whether to go to a Christmas party

[AchillesLastStand]

Victoria Derbyshire on Twitter has shared that her triple vaccinated brother contracted omicron at a Christmas meal out. Out of 21 one of them 17 have now tested positive.

twitter.com/vicderbyshire/status/1469354766560026624

Imagine thousands of similar mini super-spreading events up and down the country this week and where that could lead.

@Benjispruce5

The selfish behaviour I’m referring to is the attitudes of some on here saying they don’t care and will carry on despite the warnings. That’s selfish.

Well as I say, I mix with many close contacts every day, in a classroom. I don't think I'm selfish to also plan to see friends in the pub in my own time.

Do what you need to but I'm socialising as usual at some parties this week and next - life's for living, not sitting at home with a boxset. I don't buy The Fear, I never did.

Do what you need to but I'm socialising as usual at some parties this week and next - life's for living, not sitting at home with a boxset. I don't buy The Fear, I never did.

Let’s hope you don’t need them eh?

It depends not all Christmas parties are equal. We had a meal in an airy restaurant at a quiet time of day with 12 people, wasn’t particularly boozy or raucous, felt like a good compromise given the situation.

One of the big problems @AchillesLastStand is that the more people like you go on and on with your scaremongering is that people just roll their eyes and think 'fuck it'. People try to do their best, vaccinate, test and wear masks when asked. But for people like you it's not good enough unless they are hiding at home. And that gives room for people like @Dreamstate to spout their anti-vax crap. And people are in more of a mood to listen as they are pissed off with people like you knocking them down when they are trying to do their best with juggling an appropriate Covid response with seeing the people they care about and keeping businesses afloat .

@Benjispruce5

Let’s hope you don’t need them eh?

I won't.

@Gwenhwyfar

"Wouldn't that make it worse, if they were sending pics to the people who have to do the running though?"

Well, no because if they are not in close contact with vulnerable people it makes it less bad. I would be furious too, but I can see the logic if that's what it is.

It isn’t just about contact with vulnerable people though. The managers don’t want the frontline staff to take the risk of catching Covid, as that would mean less staff to look after those that are ill. However, they are allowing themselves to take that exact same risk of catching Covid! If any of the managers end up catching Covid and being hospitalised, that means even more patients for these already overworked frontline staff!

Thanks for kind comments everyone. I spent for the first lockdown simultaneously teaching my 6 year old and university students because unlike teachers I didn’t qualify for keyworker status. Meanwhile my son’s teacher uploaded a few works sheets from Twinkle on the school website and then spent the whole day with her toddler.

As a result my son now has SEN and I’m terrified of another lockdown and schools closing and him getting even further behind. I can’t put into words the guilt I feel for this. I feel like live let him down because I wasn’t able to teach him adequately. I know lots of parents feel like this.

Also during the last lockdown last winter I was having a mental breakdown after struggling with severe anxiety and depression all my life. I was under the CMHT before Covid hit but like so many of us with mental illness it’s got so much worse.

The reason I’m so angry about unnecessary social mixing right now is that it will lead to another lockdown without a doubt. I don’t know how I’ll cope. People will commit suicide because our government can’t govern not because people went to parties.

Your son has SEN as a result of lockdown?

There can’t be another lockdown, there simply can’t. The country cannot afford more furlough and without that children cannot be off school. There would be riots if they tried to implement another lockdown.

Well said op and I’m sorry you have struggled. I just don’t understand those saying they’ve had enough of it then carrying on with behaviour that will only make things worse.It doesn’t make sense.

I never clapped for the NHS, because I thought it was ridiculous and pointless, as did all the NHS staff I know. What they'd really like is a decent payrise and better hours and working conditions, not a bunch of beaming idiots standing on their doorstep clapping at 8pm because they think they've done their bit.

Sorry you struggled OP, but honestly trying to lay the guilt trip on people deciding to go to a Christmas party rather than the glaring errors and lack of judgement of the government is harsh.

@Benjispruce5

Well said op and I’m sorry you have struggled. I just don’t understand those saying they’ve had enough of it then carrying on with behaviour that will only make things worse.It doesn’t make sense.

He fell way behind with his education because of lockdown. He’s now classified as having SEN because of the education he’s lost. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

@HesBoughtAFuckingHat

Your son has SEN as a result of lockdown?

He fell way behind with his education because of lockdown. He’s now classified as having SEN because of the education he’s lost. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

Meanwhile my son’s teacher uploaded a few works sheets from Twinkle on the school website and then spent the whole day with her toddler

Yes, teachers have had it so easy over the past two years or so, haven't they.

@TheVampiresWife

Under a microscope it does. It’s likely mutated with another coronavirus and is much more contagious as a result

I like to think I keep abreast of covid news but I've not seen this anywhere. Which scientists are saying this? Is it a consensus?

The only consensus I’ve seen about omicron is that anyone claiming anything with any certainty is talking out their arse (hi OP).

@Benjispruce5 thank for your kind words. Yes it is hard to understand why they’re determined to make things worse.

My comment above was aimed at @HesBoughtAFuckingHat

I do not want schools to close, but it is up to the government to prevent this from happening by improving the situation in schools. It is not the responsibility of the general public.

@TheVampiresWife

Meanwhile my son’s teacher uploaded a few works sheets from Twinkle on the school website and then spent the whole day with her toddler

Yes, teachers have had it so easy over the past two years or so, haven't they.

My sons teacher bloody well did. She even told the class what she’d spent the day doing, picking autumn leaves, baking, making mud pies and so forth.

I know not all teachers were doing this, but DS’s teacher certainly wasn’t educating anyone.

OP you would do right to stop projecting at people about Christmas parties.

That's not the real issue.

This is hard for everyone, you can make your own choices sure, you can't control others, as much as you'd like to.

Absolutely no one is determined to make things worse. They are, however, determined to enjoy things whilst they can still do them.

I will go to a party on Friday - I've just had covid and will come out of isolation on Wednesday. So I'm pretty fancy free.

It took 5 days for it to show up on a lateral flow - I had a negative PCR on day 3.

It’s hard, we’ve been very responsible throughout but both secondary teachers. Husband is umming and ahhing about not going on his departmental meal this week, but when we are in school all day with nothing in place but masks in corridors (that half the kids don’t wear without a fight anyway) it’s hard to feel very kindly about having no fun but working in a petri-dish.