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Original poster

Am I wrong to think people who say they aren't scared of Covid just aren't getting it?

266 replies

youhadmeatjello · 16/12/2021 21:15

I know we've all had enough, I've really had enough. We travel in a few days and am just desperately trying not to catch covid so we can actually go forward with our plans.

But I'm so sick of friends and others saying 'oh I'm not scared of Covid anymore so I'm just living my life and not following the rules anymore'

Why can't people see that it's not about being scared of Covid, it's about the fragility of our infrastructure if lots of people are off sick? Do they not realise how many essential services could be impacted?

I'm not calling for a lockdown at all, I don't think it's the right course of action but I do think we should individually take a bit of responsibility and follow mask wearing etc at least.

And people who are saying 'the government have never been bothered about viruses etc before' - sure they have, they panic every time they think there's going to be a bad flu season. But people have forgotten that!

I'm just so frustrated that so many people can't see the bigger picture here, but maybe it's because I have many loved ones who work in essential services and I can already see the strain on them.

OP posts:
HesterShaw1 · 16/12/2021 23:04

Yes I'm afraid of infrastructure suffering rather than having Covid (I've had it already) which is why I think the isolation period should be reduced or scrapped, if most people are not becoming more that mildly ill from Covid.

One terror seems to be replacing the next with depressing regularity. I'm utterly wearied by being told what I should be afraid of

siestalady · 16/12/2021 23:11

@ElectraBlue

Maybe you also can't see the bigger picture?

People won't follow rules if:

  • the ones making the rules (politicians) have not been following them throughout the pandemic
  • the rules don't lead to any results (the virus hasn't gone away in spite of everything that has been tried)
  • there are doubts about the accuracy of media reporting (hysterical headlines rather than the reporting of facts) and experts' warnings (Sage has constantly got things wrong with their modelling).

It is understandable that at this stage people just want to get on with life and take their chances rather than being treated like children that need to be frightened.

The NHS has been underfunded for decades. Maybe we need to stop voting for the Tories...It is not my job to protect the NHS.

Brilliant post - agree with all of this so much
KurtWildesChristmasNamechange · 16/12/2021 23:18

@ElectraBlue

Maybe you also can't see the bigger picture?

People won't follow rules if:

  • the ones making the rules (politicians) have not been following them throughout the pandemic
  • the rules don't lead to any results (the virus hasn't gone away in spite of everything that has been tried)
  • there are doubts about the accuracy of media reporting (hysterical headlines rather than the reporting of facts) and experts' warnings (Sage has constantly got things wrong with their modelling).

It is understandable that at this stage people just want to get on with life and take their chances rather than being treated like children that need to be frightened.

The NHS has been underfunded for decades. Maybe we need to stop voting for the Tories...It is not my job to protect the NHS.

100%

Also, as a family we've all had covid.
In fact, everyone I know has had covid.
None of us are worried about it anymore.

sleepwouldbenice · 16/12/2021 23:21

@youhadmeatjello

I know we've all had enough, I've really had enough. We travel in a few days and am just desperately trying not to catch covid so we can actually go forward with our plans.

But I'm so sick of friends and others saying 'oh I'm not scared of Covid anymore so I'm just living my life and not following the rules anymore'

Why can't people see that it's not about being scared of Covid, it's about the fragility of our infrastructure if lots of people are off sick? Do they not realise how many essential services could be impacted?

I'm not calling for a lockdown at all, I don't think it's the right course of action but I do think we should individually take a bit of responsibility and follow mask wearing etc at least.

And people who are saying 'the government have never been bothered about viruses etc before' - sure they have, they panic every time they think there's going to be a bad flu season. But people have forgotten that!

I'm just so frustrated that so many people can't see the bigger picture here, but maybe it's because I have many loved ones who work in essential services and I can already see the strain on them.

I agree OP

They also don't seem to understand the maths of even a small percentage chance of hospitalisation applying to the population ( half of us expected to get it in this wave?) is simply too many and the speed at which that will happen is too much

And yes the Nhs is underfunded and that is part of the problem. But that takes years to fix and many other countries are in fear for their health systems despite them being better funded

It's heart breaking it really is. Especially for mental health and businesses. But choices are really limited. Even the joke that is our prime minister gets that

MotherofDogs3 · 16/12/2021 23:23

I think alot of people have had covid now. Me, my husband and majority of our family and friends have all recovered from it this year including my husbands 78 year old nan. My mum who is 49 and my friend who's 34 were the only ones to end up in hospital ( both ok now) and they both have underlying health conditions. I know many have not been so lucky and I feel for each and everyone who has lost anyone due to covid. Am I scared of covid? No. What I am scared of is our lives forever being revolved around covid and restrictions!

LookslovelyinSpringtime · 16/12/2021 23:24

@TempsPerdu

I can see the bigger picture but I'm fed up with being told by those in power that it's my responsibility to protect essential services. It is not. It is down to those in power to protect those services, they haven't done it and now the public are getting blamed and having to restrict their lives AGAIN.

This is the crux of it. Not my job to protect an NHS that is permanently in crisis mode because of years of underfunding by successive governments, none of which I’ve voted for. The health system was on its knees long before Covid, but it feels like we’re now tasked with enabling it to stagger on.

Personally I think we are being programmed to accept the dismantling of the the NHS when this is over. It’ll all be blamed on Covid and a backlog of patients. Really it’s about under investment.
Redleavesfalling289 · 16/12/2021 23:29

The only reason I'm cancelling things before Christmas is because I don't want to have to isolate. I live alone so if I catch it before Christmas it'll be crap.

After Dec 24th I'm not going to be half as worried.

frazzledali · 16/12/2021 23:39

Oh we are fucked. What a depressing thread. So much wilful misunderstanding and myopic stupidity.

LadyCatStark · 16/12/2021 23:40

I’ve just had covid and I would not have needed to be off sick of it wasn’t for isolation. It was much milder than the cold I had a few weeks ago. Perhaps if the government had spent even some of the money they’ve wasted on Test and Trace, dodgy PPE and backhanders to their mates on the NHS we wouldn’t need to protect it.

Whywhywhy48 · 16/12/2021 23:40

Me and my husband have just recovered from covid. If masks work why are infections going up?

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 16/12/2021 23:43

If masks work why are infections going up?

If sun cream works why are there more cases of sunburn in the summer?

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 16/12/2021 23:44

@secretllama

they're scared of having to isolate over Christmas. The testing and isolating of asymptomatic people needs to stop

Why does anyone asymptomatic need to isolate? They don't need to be tested.

Ionlydomassiveones · 16/12/2021 23:47

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

MrsHastingslikethebattle · 16/12/2021 23:48

Theres a difference between goverment panicking about a flu season every winter and introducing restrictions (many making no medical sense such as covid passports) every winter as they seem now.

I have had Covid, I have known a few people to have it. 2 of them in their 50s, fell quite ill.
So I know what it does. So do other people.

But after 2 years of changing goal posts, contradictory rules, governments own breaking of them, people are now realising gettinf Covid is like getting any other illnesses and viruses, it can harm, cause death and it's a part of life.

People die every day, people are in hospital due natural causes, accidents, self inflicted such as smoking, alcohol and obesity.

People are tired of stopping life to protect every life.
People are tired of having their lives, children's lives and mental health affected to the point where people are willing to take risks and are not scared of getting the virus.

I'm not scared of Covid, I'm scared of the governments reaction to Covid.

MrsHastingslikethebattle · 16/12/2021 23:51

@LadyCatStark

I’ve just had covid and I would not have needed to be off sick of it wasn’t for isolation. It was much milder than the cold I had a few weeks ago. Perhaps if the government had spent even some of the money they’ve wasted on Test and Trace, dodgy PPE and backhanders to their mates on the NHS we wouldn’t need to protect it.
Exactly this.

Would you have known you had Covid if you didnt have to test for it?

Many people including myself wouldnt have known it was Covid if it wasnt for the testing.

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 16/12/2021 23:51

The significant risk to most if us from the pandemic is NOT that we will become really ill or die because we were infected.

The risk is that such large numbers of people are infected at the same time that hospitals are not able to treat everyone who is really sick.

Yes those getting really sick from omicron may well be a small percentage. BUT a small percentage of a huge number could easily be far more than hospitals have capacity for.

If the numbers are that big this will impact anyone needing hospital treatment for any reason and that could be any of us.

Malteser71 · 16/12/2021 23:52

The problem is making people isolate.

milkyaqua · 16/12/2021 23:53

“Hear now this, oh foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears and hear not.”

Jeremiah 5:21

GoldenOmber · 16/12/2021 23:53

Why can't people see that it's not about being scared of Covid, it's about the fragility of our infrastructure if lots of people are off sick? Do they not realise how many essential services could be impacted?

Yes, it will potentially be very bad. But ‘following mask wearing etc’ will not stop it from happening if it’s going to. Omicron is spreading so fast that even a full-on lockdown would struggle to turn it around at this point. So what’s worrying going to gain us?

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 16/12/2021 23:57

But ‘following mask wearing etc’ will not stop it from happening if it’s going to.

True it can’t be stopped at this point. But slowing it down will help lower the risk of overwhelming NHS capacity and could save lives.

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 16/12/2021 23:59

Why does anyone asymptomatic need to isolate? They don't need to be tested.

Many have to take LFTs for work, which picks up asymptomatic cases.

GoldenOmber · 17/12/2021 00:02

@PiffleWiffleWoozle

But ‘following mask wearing etc’ will not stop it from happening if it’s going to.

True it can’t be stopped at this point. But slowing it down will help lower the risk of overwhelming NHS capacity and could save lives.

Only if it’s going to slow it down substantially. We struggled to achieve that with the original covid without a lockdown and struggled again with alpha, even with pretty severe measures in place. If we slow the peak down but by an extra 8 hours that’s not really going to make much difference.
Alpenguin · 17/12/2021 01:06

[quote RuleWithAWoodenFoot]@secretllama

they're scared of having to isolate over Christmas. The testing and isolating of asymptomatic people needs to stop

Why does anyone asymptomatic need to isolate? They don't need to be tested.[/quote]
🤦‍♀️ are we still having to explain why to people? Asymptomatic doesn’t mean wont shed virus therefore they are just as capable of passing it on to someone vulnerable as someone with symptoms.

Sick and disabled already curtail their lives because society isn’t designed for them but to know people actively don’t give a Fuck whether the vulnerable live or die because they want their freedoms and believe they deserve them more than the sick or disabled is depressing.

Furries · 17/12/2021 01:39

I’ve been personally cautious, but not fanatic, throughout. My life is a bit like lockdown anyway, but that’s no fault of Covid. I’ve wanted to protect my mum, she’s vulnerable, but have balanced it with what she’s needed re being out of the house safely and having a life.

I’ve managed to cope up until the last week - but am now having a bit of a wobble. Not about catching it and dying. A bit re how transmissible it is - and the higher risk of passing it to my mum. But more around the high transmillibity which equals multiple people off sick/isolating. The scenes with the stupid “petrol crisis” were nuts - and that was only for a few days in the grander scheme of things. So it’s that type of impact, across various different services, which is making me feel twitchy for the first time since spring 2020.

I think it’s very easy on here to strongly voice and vent our frustrations, our pushbacks etc. I’m hoping that most on here, in real life, have pockets (however small) of people that are still willing and able to check in and support others.

I think the concern this time is not deaths (though they will happen). It’s the fact that there could be a few weeks with a number of services affected - and that could have a huge impact on most of us.

Bunnyfuller · 17/12/2021 01:56

I think this one maybe isn’t the deaths, it’s the disability. DH and I work for the police and in the last week people are dropping like flies.

Rests days cancelled, leave cancelled, and now those people going sick too.

Replicate that across other vital services. People that just focus on direct fatalities are completely missing the point. I have WFH since the start of the pandemic. DH is semi front line, so it’s just a matter of time.