To actively want to be infected and get Covid out of the way...

[treeflowercat]

This might sound crazy but I'd actually quite like to get Covid over the next few weeks.

I'm triple jabbed and have never had it (even though everyone in my house has) but I hate the anxiety of planning events and holidays knowing that an infection could ruin them (a colleague recently had to postpone their long planned trip abroad due to a positive Covid test.

I also hate the feeling that I may be infected (without knowing it even after a negative LFT) when visiting my elderly parents, especially when staying with them for a few days.

I know that getting infected won't give me immunity forever, but I'd likely be at extremely low risk of infection over the spring and summer if I got Omicron now... That would be a massive relief to me.

I know I could get it severely but that's extremely unlikely, and I could get long Covid, but all in all, i'm very unlikely never to get Covid so it seems far better for me to get now and to isolate with what will probably just be a cold now in January when I've got little planned, than run the gauntlet over the spring/summer with all the anxiety this will cause.

All things considered it seems a rational weighing up of the risks, but I'm sure not everyone will see it that way.... Am I crazy?

@Flaxmeadow

I'm assuming you would prefer we live in a world of contrast masks, social distancing, testing and isolation.

Where have I said I prefer that?

You've not said it in so many words, hence why I said "I'm assuming...", but your stance seems to imply that's how you were prefer things to be moving forwards, to maximise our ability to avoid infection.

@TempNameChangexx

Stupid idea for all the reasons people have put, especially considering some people have caught two different Covid variants at the same time

Crack on though if you think it sounds sensible (really hoping I don't know you if you think this is a rational thing to do)

I'm not planning a Covid party and deliberately get it btw.

You've not said it in so many words, hence why I said "I'm assuming...", but your stance seems to imply that's how you were prefer things to be moving forwards, to maximise our ability to avoid infection

You said you assumed that I would

prefer we live in a world of constant masks, social distancing, testing and isolation.

You assume wrong. I haven't said anything to suggest that's what I want as a permanent future situation.

I think your comment was intended for blubells not me.

It’s just a basic lack of accurate risk assessment and as a result a sorry state of a life lead in fear.

Over and over, I hear posters claiming smugly they have done their own 'risk assessment'. I expect many of the unvaxxed on ventilators & ECMO currently also 'did their own risk assessment' and used their own 'critical thinking'.

If you are not afraid of a mutating virus that the world's leading virologists and epidemiologists are still researching and creating newer vaccines for, and have been cautioning against catching for two years, then I would say there is something lacking in your 'risk assessing' and thinking abilities, critical or otherwise.

@milkyaqua

It’s just a basic lack of accurate risk assessment and as a result a sorry state of a life lead in fear.

Over and over, I hear posters claiming smugly they have done their own 'risk assessment'. I expect many of the unvaxxed on ventilators & ECMO currently also 'did their own risk assessment' and used their own 'critical thinking'.

If you are not afraid of a mutating virus that the world's leading virologists and epidemiologists are still researching and creating newer vaccines for, and have been cautioning against catching for two years, then I would say there is something lacking in your 'risk assessing' and thinking abilities, critical or otherwise.

That’s up to you if you feel it’s best of course but how much do you avoid?

Crowds, indoor, restaurants etc whereabouts are you with self restrictions

I think people are too quick to want this over - they’re swallowing the line about living with it = doing fuck all to prevent catching it.

Covid showed us that our society is a disgrace in many ways. Too much poverty, shitty working conditions etc which meant covid could rip through.

And why on earth aren’t we trying to learn from covid and improve life and working conditions? Instead we are wanting to run back to the shit show we had in 2019.

Great.

@milkyaqua

It’s just a basic lack of accurate risk assessment and as a result a sorry state of a life lead in fear.

Over and over, I hear posters claiming smugly they have done their own 'risk assessment'. I expect many of the unvaxxed on ventilators & ECMO currently also 'did their own risk assessment' and used their own 'critical thinking'.

If you are not afraid of a mutating virus that the world's leading virologists and epidemiologists are still researching and creating newer vaccines for, and have been cautioning against catching for two years, then I would say there is something lacking in your 'risk assessing' and thinking abilities, critical or otherwise.

^this

My risk assessment concludes that I don’t want my children to catch this novel and possibly manmade virus. The origin of the virus still hasn’t been found, which is shocking actually.

I wonder why the likes of China are spending so much time trying to get zero covid - what do they know that we don’t? The Chinese government is hardly known for giving a shit about its residents.

whereabouts are you with self restrictions

Me, as an individual? I am, by necessity, far more restricted than most, under medical guidance. It is a little like an ongoing bad dream...

But the weird delusions and casual minimisings of the deaths of others that I read on here are like a nightmare.

My risk assessment concludes that I don’t want my children to catch this novel and possibly manmade virus.

What are you doing to stop them getting it?

Good luck stopping your kids catching it!

@Delatron

In fact you’re better off having repeated exposures. Maybe one time your body will fight it off without you realising it. Then you have some antibodies/t -cells going forward for the next time you are exposed. This is how we build immunity to coronovirses. There is even some cross-reactivity with colds. So more possible protection there.

Colds (rhinoviruses) are a type of coronavirus. And, no, I'd prefer not to have to suffer the virus multiple times with the potential damage that might cause. That's the purpose of vaccines. Modern medicine is wonderful, isn't it? The fact that you can even bandy about the terms antibodies and t-cells without really understanding them but in the same breath encourage people away from vaccination is incredible.

The impact on t-cells themselves following covid infection is under investigation, there is concern around that.

@rrhuth

The impact on t-cells themselves following covid infection is under investigation, there is concern around that.

Can you expand or do you have a soured for that?

In fact you’re better off having repeated exposures. Maybe one time your body will fight it off without you realising it. Then you have some antibodies/t -cells going forward for the next time you are exposed. This is how we build immunity to coronovirses. There is even some cross-reactivity with colds. So more possible protection there

We don’t develop full immunity to colds though so we? We keep getting them, some mild, some not? Covid is a worse virus than the common cold and I hate to imagine the impact of continued cycles of high and dangerous infections.

Covid is a worse virus than the common cold and I hate to imagine the impact of continued cycles of high and dangerous infections Quite, but the herd immunity myth is very entrenched.

@rrhuth

Covid is a worse virus than the common cold and I hate to imagine the impact of continued cycles of high and dangerous infections Quite, but the herd immunity myth is very entrenched.

Yep. It’s a shame that herd immunity isn’t properly explained - that it actually applies to vaccinating populations.

So much has not been properly explained by our government, deliberately IMO.

The word 'milder' in relation to Omicron for example has been deployed politically, it was notable that at the press conferences the CMO and the CSO were not describing Omicron as 'mild' where the government were.

Iggly I was thinking this too about China. I saw they are still running covid camps where anyone who may have the virus are isolated. And they still lock down whole cities if they detect any cases. It makes you wonder if they know something we don’t. It is very worrying. Unfortunately this is the path our government have now taken to purposely and deliberately reinfect many people.

I feel the same way. I can't help but think it's going to ruin one of my many plans this spring. That said I still worry it wouldn't be mild so I won't be actively seeking it.

@Dishhh where have I encouraged people away from vaccination? I am triple vaccinated. You really are a piece of work. The evidence says vaccinations plus an infection offers the best immunity however infection can be risky for some. Doesn’t change this fact though. You get a huge antibody boost from being vaccinated plus being infected.

Don’t you dare imply I’m antivax to try and push your agenda.

If we’re arguing about zero Covid and China again then you doom mongers have really lost the argument.

What do you want to happen right now? It’s like you can’t accept that most people have moved on and are living their lives normally.
And without fear.

You must be very pissed off that there wasn’t another lockdown. And there won’t be. And plan B looks set to be gone in a few weeks. What will you all do then?

At this point at my age / health and triple vaccinated I’m fine with making the decisions I do. I’m going to events indoors and crowds etc

Other people on here will avoid these, and other things, for longer.

As we move out of restrictions and plan b ends anyone’s thoughts on what I do shouldn’t be needed, and vice versa, but I’m fine with that. If people want to stay in earlier stages of restrictions, fine.

We fight off over 300 colds in our lifetime due to the cross immunity we get through exposure from birth. How amazing our immune system is. We still get colds but they don’t kill us. They would kill many if they were a novel virus though.

So yes we do build some immunity to colds. Doesn’t mean we don’t get them. But they are not severe for most and many fight them off repeatedly.

@Delatron

We fight off over 300 colds in our lifetime due to the cross immunity we get through exposure from birth. How amazing our immune system is. We still get colds but they don’t kill us. They would kill many if they were a novel virus though.

So yes we do build some immunity to colds. Doesn’t mean we don’t get them. But they are not severe for most and many fight them off repeatedly.

Covid is not a cold though - that’s my point. So we either need to keep having vaccines or improve the capacity of the nhs to cope with the surges (on top of the surges in flu etc).

We do need to improve the capacity of the NHS to cope with a new viral illness that will cause issues for some each year yes.

Vaccinations will continue for the vulnerable as a yearly booster. I doubt for the rest of us though. It would be too costly.