To think we soon won’t be isolating even when we have covid.

[Grida]

If covid is spreading as rapidly as it seems to be, surely people who have tested positive but who don’t have symptoms/aren’t feeling ill will have to carry on working. The country will stop functioning otherwise.

@hopingforabrighterfuture2021 sorry in the US it's those things, not sure about Uk

@cansu

The problem with this thread is that it is what people want to hear. We want to hear that covid is just like the flu at worst and that most people are absolutely fine. We want to hear that doctors and nurses with covid should just be at work anyway and there is no danger to the people they care for. But in reality, how likely is that?

Is there any evidence for this point of view? If so, why are intensive care units too full to accept other planned cases not linked with covid?

The NHS is run on juggling demand anyway. I don't think we have anywhere near enough beds, staff and facilities to provide normal care alongside ventilating people who are seriously ill with covid. That might be unpalatable and annoying to us all but it appears to be the case.

The problem is if someone needs intensive care for say a car accident, they may test positive for Covid so need to be put with other Covid positive patients. It's not necessarily that they are I'll because of Covid but the rules mean they can't be with someone who isn't Covid positive.

Hey guys, I just tested positive - I feel fine though so I’m gonna head out and finish my Christmas shopping. Don’t worry, I’ll only cough a tiny bit when I’m sat next to your nan on the bus. I can’t be arsed wearing a mask anymore but it’s fine, she’s had her booster that’s 85% effective so there’s a good chance she won’t die Anyway it’d be her own fault, it’s her personal choice to take risks anyway isn’t it?

@Duopuss81

Hey guys, I just tested positive - I feel fine though so I’m gonna head out and finish my Christmas shopping. Don’t worry, I’ll only cough a tiny bit when I’m sat next to your nan on the bus. I can’t be arsed wearing a mask anymore but it’s fine, she’s had her booster that’s 85% effective so there’s a good chance she won’t die Anyway it’d be her own fault, it’s her personal choice to take risks anyway isn’t it?

Make sure you ignore the social distancing guidance when you’re standing in the line to pay too, those old people know their risks, same with the lady in the wheelchair.

@Duopuss81

Hey guys, I just tested positive - I feel fine though so I’m gonna head out and finish my Christmas shopping. Don’t worry, I’ll only cough a tiny bit when I’m sat next to your nan on the bus. I can’t be arsed wearing a mask anymore but it’s fine, she’s had her booster that’s 85% effective so there’s a good chance she won’t die Anyway it’d be her own fault, it’s her personal choice to take risks anyway isn’t it?

Oh dear. You are going to be housebound when testing is no longer a thing then, just in case! Poor you. :(

Nah, I’ve already had it twice, I know I’m fine. Screw everyone else though!

Well it depends how serious catching Omicron is when you've been double vaccinated and boosted. Pre covid people hacked away in buses all the time spreading their germs around.
Personally I'd keep the masks on public transport for many reasons.

@TheKeatingFive

Oh dear, are these things equally risky in your mind?

Well as a healthy 40 year old, who's double (about to be triple) vaxxed, I expect I am at more risk from death or serious outcomes in a road accident actually.

That was not my question but good to know🤷

@rookiemere exactly. We need to be seeing this in a different light now we have the vaccine and booster etc. People seem to be stuck in the mindset of 2020. You can't stay in whenever you have a cold which is basically what Omicron is if you've been triple jabbed.

@Duopuss81

Nah, I’ve already had it twice, I know I’m fine. Screw everyone else though!

That's what I mean though. I mean, what happens when you can't get a test to see if you have covid anymore ? You could go out and unknowingly spread it so, best stay indoors. :)

If that happened then yes, I would feel very worried about infecting someone that could later die as a result. If you wouldn’t be, what the hell is wrong with you? But that would be out of my control. I would certainly be cautious if I had symptoms though. For now, we have testing so that if people know they have covid, they can protect others by staying away from them. Is that a bad thing?

@Duopuss81

If that happened then yes, I would feel very worried about infecting someone that could later die as a result. If you wouldn’t be, what the hell is wrong with you? But that would be out of my control. I would certainly be cautious if I had symptoms though. For now, we have testing so that if people know they have covid, they can protect others by staying away from them. Is that a bad thing?

Then haven't you always been worried every time you leave your house? It's not as though Covid is the only virus in circulation, especially in winter. No, I don't constantly worry that I'm going to accidentally kill someone, I don't believe that's 'normal'. And yes, when I tested positive I stayed in and didn't go to work. I lost a lot of income as well so I wouldn't be surprised if people carry on as normal because they won't cope financially otherwise.

Maybe that’s the problem, because unfortunately they are the real consequences if you go out when you have covid. Other virus’s are far less lethal so obviously less of an issue

No, I'm afraid 'other viruses' aren't less deadly to some people. That's what makes them vulnerable.

@Lavanderrose contrary to your comment aimed at me, I am not stupid. I realise the virus is here to stay. I am suggesting a cultural change to how we deal with illness that would benefit everyone.
So schools pressuring parents to send in ill children should never have happened in the first place. Not only does it spread illness, it is pretty miserable for the kids as well who are ill.
Ill people should be able to stay at home and not get measly statutory sick pay or none at all because they are pretend "self-employed". I have seen people really very ill come into work because otherwise they cant pay their rent. We have a profoundly unhealthy attitude in our culture towards illness.

@HailAdrian

No, I'm afraid 'other viruses' aren't less deadly to some people. That's what makes them vulnerable.

Oh so maybe we shouldn’t go out then! Cool, we agree!

@HailAdrian If I have flu or even a cold, I didn't go and visit my gran in a care home. Some people do still go into care homes when ill.
If I had an illness that meant I was frequently sneezing, I didn't go to crowded public places.
None of this is rocket science, its just basic consideration everyone should be doing. But many people dont.

[quote aliceca]@Lavanderrose contrary to your comment aimed at me, I am not stupid. I realise the virus is here to stay. I am suggesting a cultural change to how we deal with illness that would benefit everyone.
So schools pressuring parents to send in ill children should never have happened in the first place. Not only does it spread illness, it is pretty miserable for the kids as well who are ill.
Ill people should be able to stay at home and not get measly statutory sick pay or none at all because they are pretend "self-employed". I have seen people really very ill come into work because otherwise they cant pay their rent. We have a profoundly unhealthy attitude in our culture towards illness.[/quote]
This I do agree with. I will never forget the pressure I was under to return to the classroom when I had bronchitis and pleurisy in 2002. I could hardly stand up! What kind of teaching would I have delivered in that condition?

@HesterShaw1 that is terrible and exactly the kind of thing I mean.
I know people undergoing chemo and really fairly ill still working because they need to financially.
We are expected in our culture to act as if illness does not really exist and carry on.
We would all be a lot healthier and happier if this culture changed.
I have sent my kids to school when they are not up to it because of the pressure from the school. I don't believe this is in the best interests of children.

If covid is spreading as rapidly as it seems to be, surely people who have tested positive but who don’t have symptoms/aren’t feeling ill will have to carry on working. The country will stop functioning otherwise.

I think the Government is planning for that. They already allowed close contacts to keep working/stay at school rather than having to isolate.

There's actually a case for omicron to infect a lot of the population to build up immunity and to replace delta.

Hopefully we'll get more evidence showing how mild omicron is and how it doesn't lead to an overrun of the nhs. Fingers crossed 🤞

We are expected in our culture to act as if illness does not really exist and carry on.
We would all be a lot healthier and happier if this culture changed.

I don't think that's true. I think anyone who is genuinely ill should recover at home as long as really necessary. They should be entitled to sick pay.

But should people really have to be shut away for 10 days if they have a mild cold for a couple of days? That is very costly to society and potentially harmful to people's mental health (eg students or school pupils ahead of exams)

@Blubells are you reasonably well paid? I am entitled to statutory sick pay and not well paid. There absolutely is a culture of people carrying on working. Both from bosses who sack you if you are off sick too much, and from workers who need pay to pay the bills.

@Blubells the school thing is interesting. Lots of people seem to be sending kids in anyway. As a result our local primary school is already shut as too many staff are off sick. I know parents here who have been frantic trying to organise childcare. I also have a teacher friend who has been off ill with covid now for 4 weeks. She teaches exam classes and they do not have anyone qualified to cover. It will impact the kids.
You can ignore covid, it will still have negative impacts on kids.

@aliceca yes, my salary is reasonable. But thankfully I haven't had to miss much work.

I thought this discussion is more about whether people should still have to isolate for 10 days when omicron only causes a couple of days of the sniffles? Whether omicron should be treated more like a cold?

Lots of people seem to be sending kids in anyway. As a result our local primary school is already shut as too many staff are off sick

But if teachers didn't have to stay at home for 10 days, the staff absences wouldn't be such a big problem?