How do you feel about testing/isolation ending?

[Usernumber5253747293]

If it happens ^

I was speaking to a relative earlier and I was saying how glad I will be when and if all the isolation and testing rules end. It's not that I don't take covid seriously, because we really have. I spent nearly 2 years being so anxious about getting to catching it and being fine!! I know not everyone gets away with it's so mildly but my experience of covid wasn't too bad at all!

Anyway, both dc have sen. Isolation periods have been hard (Dd has had covid twice) m, holding down to test them has been hard, waiting for test results etc. I can't bloody wait to feel like I don't have to anymore. We all had covid in December. The isolation period was hell, far worse than the actual illness. My dc were climbing the walls! Dc had barely any symptoms really and found the isolation hard.

Of course if dc were ill I'd keep them off until better as I would have before covid. I've always kept my kids away from people when germy.

My relative is moaning about all the rules ending and how it will spread it! Which is ironic as they were very poorly last month with covid symptoms and didn't test or isolate but that's another story 😅

I just feel people should use their common sense. If you feel ill, stay home. If you have to go out when ill don't go too close to people, wash your hands and practise good respiratory hygiene!

It's a good thing right? Surely I'm not the only one waiting ever so patiently for any announcement over it 😅

Petrified

@AndAsIfByMagic

and where does the lost wages come from? you going to pay people to isolate are you in your little fairytale world?

It's called sick pay. It's money you get when you can't work due to illness. Surprised you didn't know that.

And masks aren't long gone. No need to lie. Many places still require them. And still will.

A lot of people don’t get sick pay. But even places that do, it’s for when you’re sick - they won’t pay it if you’re asymptomatic and totally fine to work but choosing not to (by which I mean not legally required to not work).

And “many places” are not still requiring masks. Apart from healthcare I don’t know anywhere where it’s not just recommended.

Wow, I didn’t realise SSP was so generous it could cover the mortgage, utility bills, food and so on.

@Watapalava

I’m fed up of hearing all the CV comments Some are high risk yes but many cv are 4 vaccines in so aren’t actually vulnerable at all

The bloody queen is 95 and still working with covid honestly some people need reality chefk

@ Watapalava Fair enough - can I swap my illness for your health please. Just for a week?

health is a privilege of course I am flipping envious of anyone with good health. If the vaccines did make all CV people not vulnerable that would be amazing.

@Garysmum so what would you suggest? bearing in mind tests will be no longer free soon?

Apart from healthcare I don’t know anywhere where it’s not just recommended

All London public transport operated by TfL

[quote GirlInACountrySong]@Garysmum so what would you suggest? bearing in mind tests will be no longer free soon?[/quote]
I'm afraid I would continue with isolation (though limit to 5 days no matter test result on day 5) and testing as many other countries are.

In terms of payment - well the oil companies could have been subject to a windfall tax. You could resinstate the 50% tax rate for super high earners, you could put up VAT 1%, CGT could go up. IHT could increase from 40-45% in line with the highest tax rate. (Though that's already effectively taxing taxed income.) NIC raised from 2% to 3% for earnings over £4189 a month (I'd just raise income tax as above as it's fairer).

@AndAsIfByMagic

Such a privileged attitude. Guarantee you are someone who has no idea what it's like to be living hand to mouth.

What a stupid comment. Privileged to want to protect the vulnerable?

Logic bypass right there.

Yes, you are privileged if you can stay home every time you test positive without having to worry how you'll pay the bills.

@AndAsIfByMagic

Such a privileged attitude. Guarantee you are someone who has no idea what it's like to be living hand to mouth.

What a stupid comment. Privileged to want to protect the vulnerable?

Logic bypass right there.

And stop acting like you're bothered about the vulnerable because you clearly only care about people who are vulnerable to Covid. You clearly don't give a damn if people are unable to put the heating on or feed their kids. You're as selfish as anyone else.

If you over tax, you get less tax! It’s on a knife edge now as people are going to pay more NI. So it’s very dubious that raising the rate of a tax actually produces more revenue. I think we now need different priorities.

@garysmum

and the toll this is taking on peoples health working and trying to cover for all this endless isolation....with up to 30-40% of the workforce off (has as been the case) at any one time? customers expectations to meet with not enough of us to cover? How? what about us and our mental health? our physical health? any ideas?

colleagues come back from isolation saying they felt fine and were bored! and who will pay wages for those who don't get sick pay??

you can't just raise tax next week or next month....who actually pays us??

@GirlInACountrySong yes you do have a good point. But whatever happens, whatever is done, some people will be very badly done by. I don't think that there is a solution that works.

Maybe people like me should just shut up. I was fit and healthy until I got a virus and ended up with a life long condition. It was well managed pre-covid and now even work doctor said not to go back in as too risky. In fact he said due to these new measures anyone who is CV shouldn't leave the house at all.
My quality of life due to be incarcerated is pants so naturally I am going to be very biased. What would make a difference would be CV only spaces/ Covid pass type spaces - where you have to show you don't have covid to get in - I'd do a test at a door to get into a cafe that had that type of higher standard. Or CV hour at the local pool or shop. (It's not going to be perfect as staff could have it or someone could be not testing positive and get it 12 hours later etc).

To be honest if I were a dog someone would put me out of my misery but instead I have to feel crap and in pain 24 hours a day and things that might help like swimming or a massage or just a meal with family are out of reach.

@GirlInACountrySong

you can't just raise tax next week or next month....who actually pays us??

The Government absolutely can. We've got the 1.25% coming in April, just whack a new rise in the budget. Companies pay corporation tax, VAT affects sales so would also affect employers as well as buyers. It's a complex net to model out but VAT used be 17.5%, corporation tax is rising to 25% from April 23, the additional rate threshold for those on over 150k has moved about. A labour Gov will absolutely raise taxes for all. They can't pay for policies otherwise. It's a balance between spending, tax and national debt. Again nobody has the answers as that would involve predicting the future. All Govs do what they think is in the best interests of the country whilst trying to balance the books

“ Maybe people like me should just shut up”

Tbh that is how I have felt throughout covid restrictions due to different, but equally unchangeable and uncontrollable circumstances

My sibling is lifelong medically very vulnerable due to a virus pre covid. I do know how awful it is and the long term worry

[quote Garysmum]@GirlInACountrySong yes you do have a good point. But whatever happens, whatever is done, some people will be very badly done by. I don't think that there is a solution that works.

Maybe people like me should just shut up. I was fit and healthy until I got a virus and ended up with a life long condition. It was well managed pre-covid and now even work doctor said not to go back in as too risky. In fact he said due to these new measures anyone who is CV shouldn't leave the house at all.
My quality of life due to be incarcerated is pants so naturally I am going to be very biased. What would make a difference would be CV only spaces/ Covid pass type spaces - where you have to show you don't have covid to get in - I'd do a test at a door to get into a cafe that had that type of higher standard. Or CV hour at the local pool or shop. (It's not going to be perfect as staff could have it or someone could be not testing positive and get it 12 hours later etc).

To be honest if I were a dog someone would put me out of my misery but instead I have to feel crap and in pain 24 hours a day and things that might help like swimming or a massage or just a meal with family are out of reach.[/quote]
That's the thing though. We're probably all going to be biased due to our own personal circumstances.

As someone who isn't particularly vulnerable to Covid, I obviously can't understand the worry that some people like yourself may have in regards to catching the virus. The way you feel is completely understandable and you have every right to speak about it.

What I resent is being called "selfish" because I "don't want" to stay home to protect vulnerable people. I'm a single parent with a child to feed. Children are vulnerable. My priority is my child, I'm not fortunate enough to have a WFH job so if I want to get paid I have to go out and work.

We all have different worries and concerns but I'm sick of the narrative that one section of society who can't afford to stay home and isolate is selfish and the other who can afford to do so is selfless. This isn't a black and white situation.

@Waxonwaxoff0 I don’t think you’re selfish. I have to work even though it’s borderline due to health as I’m on my own too. If I don’t work, I’ll lose my home and access to my DC. (Messy separation where he ended up RP partly due to controlling behaviour saying I couldn’t be RP due to my health and I can’t afford to go to court).
I have a lot of sympathy with you.

You are spot on it’s not black and white. We just need some empathy. All of us- people wanting to feel safe need sympathy as do those who just want and need to get on with life.

As others have said the vulnerable need to take steps to protect themselves now. You can't expect millions of healthy people to put their ability to earn a living and feed themselves at risk indefinitely.
If you know you are extremely clinically vulnerable then take additional precautions
Sorry but the mental health, financial stability and well being of millions has to now take precedent

I'm not in favour of testing or isolation going. If it was such a great idea, why wasn't it done after vaccine rollout?

[quote Garysmum]@Waxonwaxoff0 I don’t think you’re selfish. I have to work even though it’s borderline due to health as I’m on my own too. If I don’t work, I’ll lose my home and access to my DC. (Messy separation where he ended up RP partly due to controlling behaviour saying I couldn’t be RP due to my health and I can’t afford to go to court).
I have a lot of sympathy with you.

You are spot on it’s not black and white. We just need some empathy. All of us- people wanting to feel safe need sympathy as do those who just want and need to get on with life.[/quote]
Absolutely. I think it doesn't help with certain people insisting that those who don't isolate are selfish, it's just frustrating. If we all had more empathy for each other it would be a lot nicer!

I blame the shitty government for it all anyway. I would happily isolate if I could afford to do so and that's on the government to sort out. But they won't, us plebs have to put up and shut up.

@BeenToldComputerSaysNo

I'm not in favour of testing or isolation going. If it was such a great idea, why wasn't it done after vaccine rollout?

some people have only just got the booster....took a long time to roll out

If it was such a great idea, why wasn't it done after vaccine rollout?

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

We've had boosters, further natural immunity and a new, less severe variant since then.

When do you think it should be stopped?

Can I ask that if you know someone is CEV, you let them know if you Covid symptoms and that if you have to work alongside someone who is CEV that you don't go in symptomatic or at the very least wear a decent mask yourself. And wear a mask if you are in a crowded space with symptoms to reduce our risk further. N95 masks aren't perfect but if both the vulnerable and the symptomatic wear them, the chance of passing it on drops to very low.

It feels as though some of you want to punish those of us for being or CV/CEV. As though we are personally responsible for the hell of the last two years.

Personally I'm happy about it. But I do have a lot of sympathy for CEV people who are going to struggle even more with the total absence of any restrictions whatsoever. I would still test if I had symptoms and isolate if I were positive because to me it's the right thing to do and I don't need instructions from the corrupt wankers in government to make my choices.

I have found it really depressing to see how little people care about others during the pandemic. As in how little they value the lives of others if it inconveniences them even slightly. Obviously two years of lockdowns and restrictions are more than a slight inconvenience and from an entirely selfish point of view I'm glad to see the end of it. But I know it's not the same for everyone.