AIBU to think that we need to stop “hiding” from covid

[Belle82]

I know I will get some very strong opinions about this but please hear me out.

I am fully vaccinated, and for those who are not that is their own choice, with the exception of the immunocompromised.

The recent omicron strain is not as dangerous as the first it is simply spreading faster, causing there to be more admissions to hospital.
However 90% of people in hospital with covid have not been vaccinated.
Of course a % of this would be those too young to have the vaccine and some are immunocompromised.

I am more than happy to keep the restrictions in place to protect the children and the immunocompromised.
However any RSV infection or Flu is much more dangerous to those two groups than Omicron is, but there is no mention of those from the government.

However I don’t think it’s right that there are blanket restrictions to protect the (by choice) non vaccinated. You make that decision knowing the risks so why should we all be restricted to protect those people.

My family currently have covid, and our symptoms only lasted for 3 days, very mild. Although, we maybe lucky, everyone I speak to has either had it or knows someone who has and they have all said the same regarding symptoms.

My question is, if we are not going to quarantine and test for the more dangerous viruses, like the flu, then why are we asked to quarantine and take tests everyday for omicron that is (for most people) a 3-5 day cold?

Please please no, we must look east. We simply must. Cant we all look east I’m begging you.

My mum has to "hide" because of people with your attitude, OP. She has chronic lung disease and therefore contracting Covid would likely end her life.

@BluebellsGreenbells

I am more than happy to keep the restrictions in place to protect the children

Why? Schools are hot over crowed and full of germs, parents aren’t testing the kids and it’s spreading because they aren’t staying home. Teachers are testing daily and 25/40% of staff are off ill!

The staffing pressures are enormous.

But surely it will be worse if there are no measures to help control the spread???

If omicron isn't a problem why are people still being hospitalised with it? If the vaccine really makes no difference why is it mainly unvaccinated in hospital?

I'm triple jabbed it still made me ill to the point I couldn't remember my own name over Christmas

I dont mind some restrictions being removed but he isnt doing it because it's not a problem he Is doing it because his arse is in hot water again

Removing the isolating rules removes your protection to be sick and stay home without losing your job so people will go into work into care homes into hospitals into Dr's shops and schools etc

There are people out there who can catch a cold and die they might need carers who will need to come to work regardless

My concerns are for those who will be badly effected by this

But you do you

@Blubells

On Monday I was called to cover a y3 class with teacher off ill with covid. By the end of the week 8 more kids in that class had tested positive. Without isolation, surely it would spiral out of control?

Not if we stop forced isolation. How many of those 8 kids were well enough to stay in school?

And how many school staff/children are vulnerable or live with people who are?

I remember in 2020 when there was a lot of talk of how the pandemic could and should end the culture of presenteeism. If you're ill, it was suggested, stay home if you can. Remote learning or wfh (again, if you can) for a few days until you're no longer infectious (whether you're symptomatic or not). Not isolation exactly, just not going into a crowded office/school and infect everyone when you don't need to.

Mind you in those early days of the pandemic we were all led to believe society would become kinder as a result so it just goes to show it was all bollocks really.

It does worry me that restrictions are being lifted purely to save Boris’s arse rather than based on science.

Yes we have to learn to live with COVID but not sure if it is too early to lift all restrictions. Doesn’t help that most other countries seem to be going the other way with restrictions and we don’t have the best track record with getting it right with COVID.

If omicron isn't a problem why are people still being hospitalised with it?

Nobody has claimed that Omicron is no problem, only that Omicron is thankfully only a small problem. Hospitalisations are way lower than feared!

And as Omicron is only a 'small' problem, we need to justify the high costs of the various restrictions on peoples lives

It does worry me that restrictions are being lifted purely to save Boris’s arse rather than based on science

ROI are doing exactly the same. So why's that then?

The actual answer is that both countries are past the peak of the omicron wave, the hospitals are coping, which is the primary measure influencing public health decisions at this stage.

To clarify, I do think absolutely that restrictions need to end. Enough is definitely enough.

However it would be nice if some consideration remained. Not going into work (if you're able not to) if you're ill or know you're infectious with something that could seriously harm others, for example. That's not a restriction, it's just common decency and I've always thought it should be the case.

Why post this now that restrictions are being lifted? Just another month or so.

@toomuchlaundry

It does worry me that restrictions are being lifted purely to save Boris’s arse rather than based on science.

Yes we have to learn to live with COVID but not sure if it is too early to lift all restrictions. Doesn’t help that most other countries seem to be going the other way with restrictions and we don’t have the best track record with getting it right with COVID.

Also look at France who have had very high cases recently but will start dropping restrictions in Feb. All countries are looking at the peak and acting soon after it passes.

@SmashingBIouse

To clarify, I do think absolutely that restrictions need to end. Enough is definitely enough.

However it would be nice if some consideration remained. Not going into work (if you're able not to) if you're ill or know you're infectious with something that could seriously harm others, for example. That's not a restriction, it's just common decency and I've always thought it should be the case.

Realistically that's going to require a change in work culture.

Covid will have some impact there, I think, if only that for millions of people wfh has now been normalised and the systems exist. So for that segment of the working population, there's an option to stay out of the way and keep working where there wasn't before, notwithstanding there'll still be a few dinosaur companies out there who won't have it.

But for a lot of jobs, that isn't happening without proper sick pay, employment rights and adequate ratios. These are all things we needed even pre covid of course, but getting them is another matter.

@SmashingBIouse DH’s business is set up for WFH, in fact that are keeping that an option and have sub-let some of their office space. Hopefully, if anyone has a cold or similar but is still able to work, they will WFH and not come into the office and cough and sneeze over everyone

It does worry me that restrictions are being lifted purely to save Boris’s arse rather than based on science.

Restrictions are lifted because we're past the peak of Omicron. The costs of restrictions are too high.

If it helps Boris politically that may be a nice side effect for him.

I agree with you OP.

There is an argument that restrictions, lockdowns, etc actually prolong the situation as what we need is for as many non vulnerable people as possible to catch the virus and thereby build up herd immunity. And this is what will really protect the vulnerable in the long run.

We also need to work hard on treatment protocols. We are already much better at treating covid than at the beginning of the pandemic. We know now that early treatment makes a big difference in severity and death rates.

The situation must be allowed to evolve.

Stop comparing it to flu. It's nothing like flu. If you have flu, you know you have flu. Covid is not like flu.

If you have flu, you know you have flu

Nope. Not true

You can't build herd immunity by just letting the none vulnerable catch it

define none vulnerable .. well

unvaccinated and partially vaccinated-(that's over 30% )of which up to half will be naturally vulnerable ( age , cancer, weight , SN and the rest) so at least 15% of population

This means you can't reach herd immunity without affecting badly that group

All we can hope for is that the NHS survives the load , which is the whole point of the restrictions- not saving lives not stoping people catching it , just slowing things down

Which in itself means prolonging things

It's deliberate I kind of like the NHS and I think those people have suffered terrible over the last few years And I haven't seen a health system that has coped any better without having much more funding

@Plantagenous

Stop comparing it to flu. It's nothing like flu. If you have flu, you know you have flu. Covid is not like flu.

Not another one.

Flu can be asymptomatic. It can also have minor symptoms. MN likes claiming that if you can get out of bed it isn't flu, but that's bollocks.

I don't really care about the degree to which people want to compare covid and flu, but one thing they certainly do have in common is that you can have both without any symptoms.

@VikingOnTheFridge

I don't really care about the degree to which people want to compare covid and flu, but one thing they certainly do have in common is that you can have both without any symptoms.

Possibly the point of the poster's statement was about the genetic dissimilarity of Covid, flu, and the cold virus. They are all strikingly separate. While Covid does share some of the symptoms of common flu/colds, that does not mean it is a flu or a cold. The continuing refrain of "it's just a cold" gets irritating - as it just isn't.

[quote PandorasBex]@VikingOnTheFridge

I don't really care about the degree to which people want to compare covid and flu, but one thing they certainly do have in common is that you can have both without any symptoms.

Possibly the point of the poster's statement was about the genetic dissimilarity of Covid, flu, and the cold virus. They are all strikingly separate. While Covid does share some of the symptoms of common flu/colds, that does not mean it is a flu or a cold. The continuing refrain of "it's just a cold" gets irritating - as it just isn't.[/quote]
The poster I quote said 'if you have flu you know you have flu'. It would be rather strange if they intended to make the point you're making here, but felt the best way to do so was say nothing whatsoever about genetic similarity and instead wrongly discount the existence of asymptomatic flu. So it seems pretty safe to discount that as a possibility.

Possibly the point of the poster's statement was about the genetic dissimilarity of Covid, flu, and the cold virus.

No, it was quite clearly about asymptomatic transmission.

The issue with "not hiding" from covid is the same issue that there is with flu, novo, and the many other illnesses that run rife in schools.

And that is in many cases parents will dose kids up and just send them in.

I can understand your attitude as Covid isn't a big deal for you. But there are an awful lot of CEV people for whom Covid is still a big deal. I'm one of them.

As for flu - last time I caught that (I have the flu jab every year but this particular year the strain that was prevalent by January hadn't been included in the vaccine) I spent a week in hospital with double pneumonia and it took me around 6 months to recover completely.

@TheKeatingFive

It does worry me that restrictions are being lifted purely to save Boris’s arse rather than based on science

ROI are doing exactly the same. So why's that then?

The actual answer is that both countries are past the peak of the omicron wave, the hospitals are coping, which is the primary measure influencing public health decisions at this stage.

That is very true but I also sense across Ireland, uk, US and some of Europe that the narrative is now changing- listen to Freddie Sayers interview with the Israeli vaccine chief wherein he discusses the mistakes they made with closing down education amongst other things, and the fact the Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla recently cast doubt on vaccine efficacy in the face of omicron, and the Supreme Court decision in US to block OSHA from brining in vaccine mandates for all businesses with over 100 employees. There is a sea change in attitude happening across the globe towards covid and I feel that Ireland is just following the herd as per usual.