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Original poster

For those that want one, please remember this problem with lockdowns!

153 replies

Thurstyy · 31/12/2021 09:38

Not economic or social, but the fact that it is really not good that we are all shut away not catching the usual viruses OTHER than Covid.

My son has been hospitalised 3 times this year with viruses which are not Covid. The nurses and doctors in the children's ward at the hospital told me they were seeing much more of it this year, with more severe cases of OTHER normal viruses because people were prevented from mixing so much last year. When he had bronchiolitis in Sept the nurse who came to see him at home said they were being prepared for the worst RSV season because of this and barely anyone knows or talks about it.

The typical yearly bugs have made my son so so much more poorly than Covid ever did when he had that and it could well be because his immune system was not given the chance last year to properly build up against them.

It is not good for us to live in a sterile environment.

There are other problems caused by only considering Covid and I'm sick of people caring about nothing else.

OP posts:
QueBarbaridad · 31/12/2021 12:12

@LynxGiftsetAndSocks

Every country worldwide had a lockdown...or 2

How many of those had a NHS to protect?

Health services aren’t unique to the UK. I’m sorry but I genuinely don’t understand what point you’re making.
User3456 · 31/12/2021 12:13

You're right that there are lots of negative implications of lockdowns, including the ones you highlight.

But it's not a balance of don't lockdown and everything will be fine, or lockdown and there's lots of problems. Because our government let it run so out of control, and have got people so angry with their mixed messages, their own breaking of their own rules, inconsistencies and general incompetence that we have lost that feeling of togetherness and support for each other that we all had at the start of the first lockdown. If we had kept that, I think we would be doing a lot better. It makes me sad that we have become so divided. When we came out of the first lockdown, I was hopeful, I thought we knew what to do now to live with this virus and how to keep ourselves and our communities safe. But no, people are fighting against it with every fibre of their being. The anti maskers, anti vaxxers, the herd immunity gang, the 'freedom' marchers. So in the end, because people aren't prepared to do the little things that will keep us all safe, we might just end up with another lockdown regardless because when the field hospitals that they are setting up in hospital car parks run out of space, what else can we do?

I'm not pro lockdown, I'm pro mitigation so we can all get on with our lives more safely. But if we need a lockdown because things have got so out of control, so be it. Levels are higher than they have ever been, so are hospital admissions (including of children), lots of people are really sick. Something needs to be done.

Original poster
Thurstyy · 31/12/2021 12:24

Levels are higher than they have ever been, so are hospital admissions (including of children), lots of people are really sick. Something needs to be done

Hospital admissions FOR Covid are higher than they've ever been or WITH Covid?

OP posts:
CrunchyCarrot · 31/12/2021 12:27

We don't live in a 'sterile environment' when we lock down!There's no such thing and there are millions of viruses everywhere, in food, water and the air, we are blissfully unaware of them most of the time. But - and it's a big but - we aren't mixing in the same way if locked down so transmission of viruses is far lower, meaning when we come out of lockdown, those viruses can flourish again.

One's immune system isn't just sitting around twiddling it's thumbs at any point of one's life, there are simply too many threats continuously going on, not just from viruses but also from bacteria and fungi. Plus it's needed if you get injured.

ihatethecold · 31/12/2021 12:32

100% agree with you op.
I have very well controlled asthma and since I caught a virus in November I have been so unwell.
Became pneumonia and my asthma is all over the place.

Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 12:43

I agree 100% OP. My toddler DD has been the same - zero immunity because of the bloody lockdowns, then WHAM - straight into nursery & catching every awful resurfaced bug going. Multiple hospital trips, weeks off work for me & DH, I now have awful health anxiety and panic every time DD so much as sneezes.

Absolutely sick to death of covid being the only thing that matters.

Lilifer · 31/12/2021 12:44

LynxGiftsetAndSocks

Other impacts of lockdown were considered

The conclusion drawn was that lockdown would benefit more people overall 
Can you link to this cost/benefit analysis? I’ve been looking for one for 18 months and can’t find one.

Would dearly love to find that analysis too

bordermidgebite · 31/12/2021 12:50

Let's turn this around

If you don't believe that lockdown was done because of a cost benefit analysis that suggested that was the right action

Why do you think it occurred ?
It harms health
It harms business
It harms the government and the public purse

Who benefitted who was in a position sufficiently powerful to get the country locked down against the good of the country and against the benefit of most of the rich and powerful

Lacedwithgrace · 31/12/2021 13:00

What a strange way to look at it. Kids have been much more ill than your son with or without covid and you don't seem to care?

Sirzy · 31/12/2021 13:03

@Lifeisnteasy

I agree 100% OP. My toddler DD has been the same - zero immunity because of the bloody lockdowns, then WHAM - straight into nursery & catching every awful resurfaced bug going. Multiple hospital trips, weeks off work for me & DH, I now have awful health anxiety and panic every time DD so much as sneezes.

Absolutely sick to death of covid being the only thing that matters.

Or it could be that if he had got the same viruses as a baby he would have been much poorlier. By being able to delay that a year his body may have been in a better position to cope.
Original poster
Thurstyy · 31/12/2021 13:09

@Lacedwithgrace

What a strange way to look at it. Kids have been much more ill than your son with or without covid and you don't seem to care?
Where have I said I don't care? What are you talking about?
OP posts:
Staffy1 · 31/12/2021 13:09

It’s not just lockdowns causing the backlog in hospitals, it’s the large number of staff off having to either isolate because they have been exposed to covid, or actually have covid. The problem is mainly covid, regardless of the response, or lack of, to it.

godmum56 · 31/12/2021 13:14

@Lifeisnteasy

I agree 100% OP. My toddler DD has been the same - zero immunity because of the bloody lockdowns, then WHAM - straight into nursery & catching every awful resurfaced bug going. Multiple hospital trips, weeks off work for me & DH, I now have awful health anxiety and panic every time DD so much as sneezes.

Absolutely sick to death of covid being the only thing that matters.

That happens to children anyway when they first mix with people outside the household and also, to a lesser extent, when children go off to secondary school and college/uni.
SinisterBumFacedCat · 31/12/2021 13:20

@User3456

You're right that there are lots of negative implications of lockdowns, including the ones you highlight.

But it's not a balance of don't lockdown and everything will be fine, or lockdown and there's lots of problems. Because our government let it run so out of control, and have got people so angry with their mixed messages, their own breaking of their own rules, inconsistencies and general incompetence that we have lost that feeling of togetherness and support for each other that we all had at the start of the first lockdown. If we had kept that, I think we would be doing a lot better. It makes me sad that we have become so divided. When we came out of the first lockdown, I was hopeful, I thought we knew what to do now to live with this virus and how to keep ourselves and our communities safe. But no, people are fighting against it with every fibre of their being. The anti maskers, anti vaxxers, the herd immunity gang, the 'freedom' marchers. So in the end, because people aren't prepared to do the little things that will keep us all safe, we might just end up with another lockdown regardless because when the field hospitals that they are setting up in hospital car parks run out of space, what else can we do?

I'm not pro lockdown, I'm pro mitigation so we can all get on with our lives more safely. But if we need a lockdown because things have got so out of control, so be it. Levels are higher than they have ever been, so are hospital admissions (including of children), lots of people are really sick. Something needs to be done.

Absolutely right 👏
Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 13:21

@godmum56 absolutely, but the doctors and nurses that work in children’s hospitals have said this past year has been much worse than normal.

Sirzy · 31/12/2021 13:23

[quote Lifeisnteasy]@godmum56 absolutely, but the doctors and nurses that work in children’s hospitals have said this past year has been much worse than normal.[/quote]
But is that not just because this year they are getting two years worth of admissions? The paediatric nurses I know where amazed last year how few RSV cases they got in. Sadly some who may have been last years cases are now added to this years cases BUT many of them are stronger and so need less treatment than they may have when younger.

MargaretThursday · 31/12/2021 13:26

You can't just look at lockdown v no lockdown for costing that easily because people adapt their behaviours.

I work in events, and we have what was a thriving café on site.

Obviously during lockdown we lost all our revenue.

Last term we got back up to about 75% of room hire, and was looking even better for next term.
However the café was not back to anything like that. I was told a good week in September = a bad day in 2019 as far as revenue went.

People changed their behaviour. Before people would pop in for a drink on the way to the shops, and maybe stay for lunch afterwards. Hiring groups, sometimes 50% would stay for lunch afterwards. Now people are not going to unnecessary places and won't stay for longer than they have to. Almost none of the hiring groups stay for lunch now.

But also we noticed as local case rates went up, bookings and café custom went down.

With the rise of Omicron we've had a good number of bookings cancelled last week for next term. I expect when I go back in the new year there will be even more cancelled, I have a suspicion we'll be down to maybe 10% of groups still meeting. If case numbers stay up, then they won't book for the summer and that's unsustainable for the business.

It's not as simple as keep businesses open and then they'll be okay.

Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 13:26

Not what I’ve been told @Sirzy - both A&E staff and community nurses have told me they are seeing more sick children than any previous year.

Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 13:28

@Lacedwithgrace

What a strange way to look at it. Kids have been much more ill than your son with or without covid and you don't seem to care?
Calling people ‘strange’ on here seems to be the insult du jour doesn’t it…
Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 13:31

@ihatethecold

100% agree with you op. I have very well controlled asthma and since I caught a virus in November I have been so unwell. Became pneumonia and my asthma is all over the place.
I caught the mega cold which turned into tonsillitis and then glandular fever 😱 sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time of it.
Sirzy · 31/12/2021 13:32

@Lifeisnteasy

Not what I’ve been told *@Sirzy* - both A&E staff and community nurses have told me they are seeing more sick children than any previous year.
Which is exactly what I have just said. They are basically getting two years worth at once!

But the luckier ones in most cases are the ones who are now a year older so will hopefully not be as ill.

Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 13:36

@Sirzy I see what you mean but as well as playing ‘catch up’ the illnesses are also more severe, coupled with the fact kids starting nursery didn’t get to go to baby groups or visit family as babies means they have even less immunity than they normally would. The super cold going round has been horrific even for adults like me that never get colds, so no wonder it was so awful for the littler ones.

godmum56 · 31/12/2021 13:42

[quote Lifeisnteasy]@godmum56 absolutely, but the doctors and nurses that work in children’s hospitals have said this past year has been much worse than normal.[/quote]
exactly what @Lifeisnteasy said

rrhuth · 31/12/2021 14:09

Hospital admissions FOR Covid are higher than they've ever been or WITH Covid?

Oh look, covid denial.

Lifeisnteasy · 31/12/2021 14:25

@rrhuth

Hospital admissions FOR Covid are higher than they've ever been or WITH Covid?

Oh look, covid denial.

@rrhuth well, can you separate the two? And provide a source?