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

[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 think that we can agree that everyone (almost!) wants to see an end to pandemic restrictions.
Some people believe that by adhering to the rules and doing as we’re told by the current government, we’ll eventually get there.
Others believe that we can’t be restricted til it ends as we don’t know when that’s going to be and we need to start living with covid in a way that we can end the restrictions and be sensible ourselves.
We’re not in the same situation now as we were at the height of it and we can start looking at a different approach rather than the same tired fear mongering dictating one.

I think it’s the enforced self isolation for healthy in-contacts which will bring down the NHS and the economy. Omicron is going to go through the population anyway but if you take out those who are healthy it’s a recipe for disaster.
As others have said, the cure is worse than the disease.

Well yes you are wrong to make sweeping generalisations based on the behaviour of your own friends.
I work in essential services, I'm not afraid of covid but I follow the rules so 🤷‍♀️.
Working in an essential role many of of us have had no option to 'be afraid' or hide away. But it does get tiring being told its too dangerous to party/see friends and family etc but not too dangerous to go to work. I'm off to the cinema tonight where I will of course wear a mask but then masks have been compulsory in my part of the UK since the pandemic started so compliance isn't generally an issue here.

@Waxonwaxoff0 100% agree with you.

@paranoidnamechanger unfortunately though, your taxes will be spent on those you’ve infected and need hospital treatment by ignoring restrictions. And they’ll be taking your bed place if you need hospital treatment for cancer or any other ailment.

I couldn't disagree with you more OP.

The "bigger picture" is being ignored by those people who are so utterly blinkered that they can see and fear nothing but covid.

I do agree that money needs and needed to be spent on the NHS rather than propping up businesses that needed to close. Find the health service properly and we won’t have to stop our lives every winter to protect it.

And also share vaccines world wide, as well as keeping our own population up to date.

The current booster drive has a real feeling of “after the horse has bolted m” about it.

Oh and I’m being sensible / keeping social stuff to a minimum

What if it got to the stage that a hospital is so overwhelmed and understaffed that it simply cannot take another patient? What if that next patient was a child/pregnant mother - or you?

This was in the papers back in January and the approach seemed pretty sensible to me.

In your hypothetical scenario they would unplug the 73yo alcoholic and attempt to save the 11yo with meningitis.

If "you" are the 73yo alcoholic then maybe "you" should stay at home ?

I've just used that as an example but I think it covers how many people are feeling.

Last year I watched my business crumble and my kids miss school and our mental health suffer while retired ex-colleagues were off to blackpool.

Our play parks were still chained up while the bingo halls were open.

Tonight I just watched their nativity via YouTube and it was the saddest, most ridiculous thing I've ever witnessed. Filming each group of three children individually while pubs and nightclubs are open.

Yeah. No.

Personal responsibility 1000000% for me and my family. I could not give any less of a fuck anymore.

@puppeteer

People aren’t off sick — they’re forced to isolate because of a positive test. It’s not the same thing!

This!! It's complete madness!

@Whywhywhy48

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

On the assumption that this just isn't goady posting... masks are not worn everywhere by everyone, and are often not worn properly, or are far too poor quality. Masks would be much more effective if they were FFP2 or better, well fitting and actually worn over the mouth and nose. And of course masks are not worn at all in domestic settings, so all they can reasonably be expected to do is reduce transmission in the settings in which they are worn.

It's not all or nothing.

@PurpleSapphire

I dont fear it anymore but that doesn't mean i'm irresponsible. I'm careful, I do everything you're supposed to do, but unless i'm forced into it i'm not going to lock myself in the house watching the news and updates my every waking moment. My mental health took a huge dive about 6 months into this mess and that's a place I don't want to be again.

There's an element of risk in everything we do every day. That's why most people dont cross a road without looking, or dance in a slippery shower, or run with a sharp knife. I could get mown down walking on a footpath if a car slides out of control (happens more often than you'd think!) The only alternative is to never leave the house again.

This isn't going away any time soon, it's been two years already. I just cant obsess over it for my own sanity. I've had to accept that unless I sit in the house 24/7 and make my dc do the same, at some point I probably will catch it.

Totally agree

[quote Beadebaser]@paranoidnamechanger unfortunately though, your taxes will be spent on those you’ve infected and need hospital treatment by ignoring restrictions. And they’ll be taking your bed place if you need hospital treatment for cancer or any other ailment.[/quote]
I don't have the time and inclination to think about what may happen in the future if I get ill with something or other. If my time's up, then it's up.

I think the past 21 months has made me realise that life is best lived on a day by day basis, as well as that media outlets do what they do to keep their shareholders happy, and that the government have tried, with much success, to manipulate us for their own ends.

@rarityroast

What if it got to the stage that a hospital is so overwhelmed and understaffed that it simply cannot take another patient? What if that next patient was a child/pregnant mother - or you?

This was in the papers back in January and the approach seemed pretty sensible to me.

In your hypothetical scenario they would unplug the 73yo alcoholic and attempt to save the 11yo with meningitis.

If "you" are the 73yo alcoholic then maybe "you" should stay at home ?

I've just used that as an example but I think it covers how many people are feeling.

Last year I watched my business crumble and my kids miss school and our mental health suffer while retired ex-colleagues were off to blackpool.

Our play parks were still chained up while the bingo halls were open.

Tonight I just watched their nativity via YouTube and it was the saddest, most ridiculous thing I've ever witnessed. Filming each group of three children individually while pubs and nightclubs are open.

Yeah. No.

Personal responsibility 1000000% for me and my family. I could not give any less of a fuck anymore.

Agree with all this.

[quote Beadebaser]**@DarknessAndLight* @bumbleymummy*

Then why are similar policies being introduced across Europe/globally. Are you saying the whole world is over reacting? Or do you think that there might just be a cause for concern?
Do you think the overwhelming number of governments and health professionals globally think protecting healthcare systems is vital? Protecting anyone who might need hospital cate?
Or - do you think we should have a survival of the fittest type scenario where you can have your freedoms, but those needing hospital care receive a poorly inadequate service?
No government left wing/right wing wants that. The only political party who comes close to that ideal in the UK are reformUK. Is that what you want?[/quote]
SA isn’t increasing their restrictions. Cases have been slowing in Gauteng over the last week and it looks like they’re reaching their peak and hospitalisations are a fraction of what they saw with delta.

Tbh, if you’re happy to travel atm, I’d categorise you as not being scared of Covid 🤷‍♀️

This reply should be sent on a postcard to every household and people should have to read it before they can vote. Are you always so blooming clever

@bumbleymummy you have be cautious with SA data. Remember they are in peak summer, hot and outside, not crowded at home with the central heating on. Their R value won’t be as high. Also, Whitty said other night that they had a big delta surge very recently so herd immunity greater.

@cassgate thats for you

Im not scared enough to want a lockdown or more restrictions but im still scared enough to be cautious and worry about catching it.
Im totally over the panic that we were all gonna die and that going to a playpark would kill us or couldnt hug my mum

@bumbleymummy - but the point is not to base decision making on exceptions, particularly in dissimilar countries - it’s to look at what the consensus of medical opinion is worldwide - or in Europe where countries have a similar climate/population density etc.

Or to see what WHO say in the matter - which is that Omicron is a variant of concern.

I'm not scared of it at all. That just breeds anxiety.
I am careful, wear a mask , get jabbed up etc. Avoid crowded places where possible. But I definitely don't give it head room

Haven’t read THR but it reminds me of teenagers at school- when you give them a consequence and they say ‘I don’t care’ or try to act hard. It literally doesn’t matter if you care or not. This is the consequence.

18 months ago someone on a local fb group said we should all stop testing. At the time I thought he was a moron but now people are vaccinated maybe it’s worth considering. No testing and no isolating. If you feel too poorly to go to work ring in sick otherwise carry on.