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Original poster

Get rid of all restrictions

528 replies

AnEpisodeOfEastenders · 29/12/2021 12:22

I think it's time for all restrictions to be removed. There has been plenty of time for people to be vaccinated / boosted that want to, those that can't or don't should take their own precautions.

If we test positive then we shouldn't need to isolate, shouldn't need to declare it and should just treat it as a normal cough / cold / illness. If you feel up to going to work, out to the pub, seeing friends or family then do so. Everyone I know who have had it say they feel fine.

Life has been disrupted for far too long, the costs associated are astronomical and will be a crippling debt for generations to come.

OP posts:
Newyearnewme2022 · 29/12/2021 18:49

Far too soon to lift our few restrictions, cases are very high now, they will be even higher 3 weeks after the kids go back to school. I’m quite frankly scared of what’s to come in January and February regarding hospitalisations for COVID and the back log created for other illnesses that need hospital treatment.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 29/12/2021 18:51

I'd like to see a proper nationwide investigation into natural immunity

I realise this is only one factor, but it's worth remembering there's only limited money to be made out of natural immunity ...

DolphinFC · 29/12/2021 18:55

@AngryWithH

Totally agree with you OP. Restrictions are old - were an emergency response to a novel threat so (just about) excusable on that basis. Now is totally unnecessary-everyone has access to the info that ‘Omicron’ is mild and can make decisions for their own situation.
I'm happy to lift all restrictions now Newyear if you can answer Yes to following questions

If my elderly dad has another stroke, will there be an ambulance at the house ASAP, will there be an ICU bed for him and doctors and nurses to treat him? If the answer is Yes even if all restrictions are removed then get rid of them all now.

If I get hit by a car on January 18th as I cross the road will there be...

DolphinFC · 29/12/2021 18:57

Above questions for AngryWithH not NewYear.

BambinaJAS · 29/12/2021 18:59

@MarshaBradyo

Dont confuse political posturing with scientific analysis.

I listen to scientists and experts on R4 mostly. I’m always interested in hearing the rational analysis.

I’ve seen some dodgy maths on here before though… not saying it’s your posts who knows.

I’ll keep going with the experts.

The experts have already stated their views.

There is a consensus already. Restrictions should have been enacted by Christmas and every resource we had poured into the Booster program.

Again, are you going to wait until they take out a full page ad in the New York Times before realising you cannot dither in the face of a respiratory pathogen with very high levels of transmission?

Your healthcare system will get overrun.

I am astonished at how the UK keeps making the same mistakes. Again and again.

And people actually support this.

Utterly baffling.

MarshaBradyo · 29/12/2021 19:01

The experts have already stated their views.

No you are describing it as if static and certain situation.

Many have talked about uncertainty. Maybe widen your access to radio and listen to experts speak.

MarshaBradyo · 29/12/2021 19:02

Which country are you in Bambina?

BambinaJAS · 29/12/2021 19:07

@MarshaBradyo

Which country are you in Bambina?
I am based in the UK.

I left overseas on the 24th of December as I saw the proverbial writing on the wall.

Will be using most of my annual vacation to avoid the problems the UK will be facing with my family.

We have a 2 y/o and I am concerned for her as well as the UK has no plan. It would be different if they did, but I have not seen a sembleance of one. Its just totally chaotic.

MarshaBradyo · 29/12/2021 19:09

I left overseas on the 24th of December

Great.

Where did you go?

HairyToity · 29/12/2021 19:10

I agree OP.

Northsoutheastwest76 · 29/12/2021 19:11

Yeah just throw all mitigations out of the window. Sure it will be fine potentially having COVID positive people working on wards with child cancer patients.
It's OK isn't it until it becomes your child?

Mojoj · 29/12/2021 19:12

Couldn't agree more. Time to get on with the business of living.

humdingle · 29/12/2021 19:13

100% agree with the ending of all restrictions. It can't come soon enough!

southeastdweller · 29/12/2021 19:16

@Northsoutheastwest76

Yeah just throw all mitigations out of the window. Sure it will be fine potentially having COVID positive people working on wards with child cancer patients. It's OK isn't it until it becomes your child?
But this will always be the case since Covid isn’t going anywhere.
AndAnotherNewOne · 29/12/2021 19:18

It won't happen. Selfish in the extreme to want it to. How many more deaths would your way lead to? - or don't they matter because you don't know them. Very weird attitude.

Fortunately wiser heads will prevail. There will be restrictions and you'll just have to suck it up, OP, to protect the vulnerable and to make sure hospitals and schools can stay open.

puppeteer · 29/12/2021 19:18

@Northsoutheastwest76

Yeah just throw all mitigations out of the window. Sure it will be fine potentially having COVID positive people working on wards with child cancer patients. It's OK isn't it until it becomes your child?
But people keep stepping around the point that, for colds, flu and other ailments, there's no daily test regimen.

We already do have people that are ill and infectious working on wards with child cancer patients.

Don't we?

TheSunIsStillShining · 29/12/2021 19:21

I love all the medical professionals who spring up on all sm... Omicron is mild... stated as a fact.
the real fact is: we don't know yet. And by we, I mean the scientists studying and following it's course. Simply because it has not been around for that long.
It takes a while to actually die from covid, it's not instantaneous. Let's wait about min. 40-60 days from first big numbers with omicron variant and then say if it is mild or not.
It might be, or it might present as a mild sickness, then goes away, but comes back with a vengeance eg. on day 42 of first symptoms and kills host on day 64. We are neither at day 42 or 64.

On average it took alpha to kill it's host in about 18 days. Delta somewhat similar. If Omicron is the same (it might not be) then we at the very beginning to see death stats climb. But given how this is a festive season, delay that by about 1-2 weeks. Realistically we will know a bit more by 2nd week of Jan.

So before saying halleluja, it's mild let's wait for the actual data to come in. Fingers crossed, of course, but hate the head in the cloud wishful thinking.....

for reference: it was first reported by SA on 24th of nov. so a few days more than a month ago.
UK had it's first cases around dec 5. It achieved 80% "market share" in under 4 weeks.

containsnuts · 29/12/2021 19:21

"You know when this pandemic started and the food stock piling began, we saw the elderly and vulnerable take the hit. Turn into a bit of a survival of the fittest or even just more income to stock pile but no one would admit to stock piling. Must have been a good dam percentage of people acting selfishly though with a well I'm alright jack mentality. "

I don't know. I think very few people did a massive stockpile in reality. I was in my local supermarket daily on the lead up to lockdown 1 and the shelves were empty despite never seeing anyone with more than a family shop. I think if everyone bought 3 of whichever item instead of 1, the stock would still disappear quicker than can be replenished.

beautifullymad · 29/12/2021 19:21

We need another 4 weeks data to confirm that abandoning precautions is a safe course of action. I think it's coming and soon.

I predict that by the end of February most of us will have had a dose of omicron and low deaths will mean it's downgraded to a 'flu' type illness.

But we have to wait for the data. Not to do so could be disastrous. We've come this far it's not long now.

Once it's confirmed that omicron is safer, I'm hoping to catch it, even though I'm CEV. Because I fully expect omicron to mutate (if it hasn't already) and to have protection from all past variants and probably the next few future ones as well is my hope.

IcedPurple · 29/12/2021 19:27

I love all the medical professionals who spring up on all sm... Omicron is mild... stated as a fact.
the real fact is: we don't know yet.

We pretty much do know.

Quite how mild it is compared to earlier variants is still unknown, but there is very little doubt that Omnicron is significantly milder than other variants.

cantkeepawayforever · 29/12/2021 19:29

@humdingle

100% agree with the ending of all restrictions. It can't come soon enough!
What are the restrictions (genuine restrictions) that are in place now? Mask wearing - not a restriction, it doesn’t stop you going anywhere. Advised to test? Stay home when ill? How restrictive are they, really??? Do you genuinely believe that if this very small level of restriction was removed, everything would suddenly be ‘normal’? Why? What is the mechanism for return to normal vis those means?
rrhuth · 29/12/2021 19:32

The hospitalisations are currently increasing faster than the LSHTM model, the one everyone said had an unrealistic worst case

DaisyNGO · 29/12/2021 19:33

Haven't read whole thread

Bambina "I want no part in the coming problems (which are going to be self-inflicted), which is why took my family (and 2 y/o) out of the UK on the 24th for at least 1 month."

What's your view re the next month please?

EezyOozy · 29/12/2021 19:33

I predict that by the end of February most of us will have had a dose of omicron and low deaths will mean it's downgraded to a 'flu' type illness.

🤞

humdingle · 29/12/2021 19:34

@cantkeepawayforever are you being deliberately obtuse? There are quite a lot of restrictions in place at the moment.

Masks
Having to stay at home in certain circumstances
Being expected to test when asymptomatic
Having to prove vaccination status or similar to get into certain places
Having to take tests before travel
Being told to work from home where possible
To name a few, and there are still many others

I would be delighted to see them all end any time now.