Loosening of COVID restrictions
I've had two conversation in the last 24hrs that prompted this thread.
One by messages with another member on here one with my brother-in-law yesterday.
He wants to continue to wear a mask in supermarkets for the foreseeable future and thinks everyone should with no exemptions allowed. A few months ago Jonathan Van Tam suggested it was possible some people would elect to continue this for quite some time, however I suspect my brother-in-law would reconsider this if he was the only one. He's a conformist before anything else.
We've had numerous threads throughout COVID but as we near the end are there any restrictions you will still follow.
Please keep civilised and non-judgmental these are individual choices.
I personally cannot wait to see all UK restriction lifted without exception
One by messages with another member on here one with my brother-in-law yesterday.
He wants to continue to wear a mask in supermarkets for the foreseeable future and thinks everyone should with no exemptions allowed. A few months ago Jonathan Van Tam suggested it was possible some people would elect to continue this for quite some time, however I suspect my brother-in-law would reconsider this if he was the only one. He's a conformist before anything else.
We've had numerous threads throughout COVID but as we near the end are there any restrictions you will still follow.
Please keep civilised and non-judgmental these are individual choices.
I personally cannot wait to see all UK restriction lifted without exception
Quote:I personally cannot wait to see all UK restriction lifted without exception
Me too, Dave. Me too.
We have had many conversations over the last fifteen months, mostly although not exclusively with people of our own generation, ie retired. These are following a pattern now.
What I am seeing as restrictions are eased is growing unease. Most people I speak to will continue to wear masks when shopping (this really is no great inconvenience, and we are used to it now), to observe some degree of distancing, to avoid crowds and anything other than very small indoor gatherings. It seems to me that as more people flock back to bars, package holidays etc, the rest will become increasingly cautious. This is already resulting in a marked social divide.
We are noticing things that we maybe ignored previously - height of ceilings, available ventilation...
We all of us I guess now know people who have been ill with the virus, even if we have not caught it ourselves. Now a friend has caught it after full vaccination... Present measures are reducing hospitalisation and reducing death rates, but do not ensure personal protection. And it remains a deeply unpleasant and distressing illness.
We have had to think about this a lot, and discuss it with others, because prior to March 2020 we ran various groups that regularly met in our house. I certainly do not want to take responsibility for inviting older people to gather indoors in a limited air space now, so some of our activities are in long-term abeyance. We will adapt, enjoy life in different ways. But I suspect that for many of us the new normal will be markedly different from 2019 normal.
What I am seeing as restrictions are eased is growing unease. Most people I speak to will continue to wear masks when shopping (this really is no great inconvenience, and we are used to it now), to observe some degree of distancing, to avoid crowds and anything other than very small indoor gatherings. It seems to me that as more people flock back to bars, package holidays etc, the rest will become increasingly cautious. This is already resulting in a marked social divide.
We are noticing things that we maybe ignored previously - height of ceilings, available ventilation...
We all of us I guess now know people who have been ill with the virus, even if we have not caught it ourselves. Now a friend has caught it after full vaccination... Present measures are reducing hospitalisation and reducing death rates, but do not ensure personal protection. And it remains a deeply unpleasant and distressing illness.
We have had to think about this a lot, and discuss it with others, because prior to March 2020 we ran various groups that regularly met in our house. I certainly do not want to take responsibility for inviting older people to gather indoors in a limited air space now, so some of our activities are in long-term abeyance. We will adapt, enjoy life in different ways. But I suspect that for many of us the new normal will be markedly different from 2019 normal.
Work will never be the same for me again - we have learned so much in the last 18months that many changes that were enforced upon us have led to solutions that have ironically increased efficiency and productivity.
Personally, I will probably still try to avoid people/crowds for some time to come. I've been vaccinated and I've had Covid (before the vaccine) - sadly I learned I was a shielder for good reason. Albeit I thankfully didn't develop critical illness as many have, I did suffer serious complications that led a weeks hospitalisation and anticoagulant therapy for 6 months (a pulmonary embolism). I still feel I got away with it compared to many - I was lucky the embolism was small. Vaccines offer fab protection and I believe I will likely be fine as things move forward, but as Moira suggests the vaccine isn't infallible.
If I'm completely honest - the distance also suits my personality also - it provides a nice excuse
Personally, I will probably still try to avoid people/crowds for some time to come. I've been vaccinated and I've had Covid (before the vaccine) - sadly I learned I was a shielder for good reason. Albeit I thankfully didn't develop critical illness as many have, I did suffer serious complications that led a weeks hospitalisation and anticoagulant therapy for 6 months (a pulmonary embolism). I still feel I got away with it compared to many - I was lucky the embolism was small. Vaccines offer fab protection and I believe I will likely be fine as things move forward, but as Moira suggests the vaccine isn't infallible.
If I'm completely honest - the distance also suits my personality also - it provides a nice excuse
Quote:If I'm completely honest - the distance also suits my personality also - it provides a nice excuse
I'm hearing a lot of that too...
Isn't it nice to be able to give smokers a wide berth without appearing rude...
I ventured near my local town on Saturday, first time in months, to a lovely little Asian supermarket but nearly left because a man had entered without a mask and was coughing - not making any attempt to use his elbow or anything. Only went to one other shop after that and saw some men wearing them under their noses, coughing and sneezing. We all want restrictions lifted but safely. Wearing masks in setting such as shops I’m all for keeping, and enforcing mask wearing. I don’t see this as personal choice more of community protection.
Before covid I noticed a fashion for people to grab shoulders and kiss each cheek (as they do in France) - No thank you. That is one fashion I would be glad not to repeat!
Even during covid I noticed men still spat onto the pavement/gutter - a disgusting habit that needs to be nipped in the bud!
Even during covid I noticed men still spat onto the pavement/gutter - a disgusting habit that needs to be nipped in the bud!
Vapers - often don’t know you’re behind someone vaping until you get a face full!
Out of interest what can’t you do now that you would do if it were not for restrictions?
A double-edged sword. We all want restrictions lifted, but at what cost?
I try to see the positives, although on the downside, I've lost both of my volunteering jobs and this makes me very sad as I loved the interaction with other people and animals, which made me feel useful. I now have a lot of time on my hands but nothing much to do with it except just the normal stuff of life and lots of reading. I'm grateful though for what I've got, although I've lost interest in many things as they all seem a bit pointless.
I will still wear a mask where it's mandatory, but can't wait to chuck them all away. It's also a bit of a pain having to book previous to visiting restaurants/galleries/museums etc. as I like to be a bit spontaneous about these things. The galleries I have visited have been almost deserted, and with hardly any tourists they'll probably stay that way, so pre-booking, to my mind, is really not necessary.
On the good side, I've not had covid nor any symptoms, I've had both jabs, and have a perfect excuse not to mingle with crowds or have to suffer cheek kisses from people I hardly know or don't like. Much of my life is unchanged.
I worry most about the state of the health service and care system, and can't imagine what those on the front line are going through. I'll do what is needed to keep myself and others safe, although in my local shopping mall last week I reckon about 50% of people weren't wearing masks.
I try to see the positives, although on the downside, I've lost both of my volunteering jobs and this makes me very sad as I loved the interaction with other people and animals, which made me feel useful. I now have a lot of time on my hands but nothing much to do with it except just the normal stuff of life and lots of reading. I'm grateful though for what I've got, although I've lost interest in many things as they all seem a bit pointless.
I will still wear a mask where it's mandatory, but can't wait to chuck them all away. It's also a bit of a pain having to book previous to visiting restaurants/galleries/museums etc. as I like to be a bit spontaneous about these things. The galleries I have visited have been almost deserted, and with hardly any tourists they'll probably stay that way, so pre-booking, to my mind, is really not necessary.
On the good side, I've not had covid nor any symptoms, I've had both jabs, and have a perfect excuse not to mingle with crowds or have to suffer cheek kisses from people I hardly know or don't like. Much of my life is unchanged.
I worry most about the state of the health service and care system, and can't imagine what those on the front line are going through. I'll do what is needed to keep myself and others safe, although in my local shopping mall last week I reckon about 50% of people weren't wearing masks.
Re: wearing masks:
Surely the object of wearing face masks is not to protect oneself, at which they are not particularly effective, but to protect other people. Is this not a social responsibility?
Surely the object of wearing face masks is not to protect oneself, at which they are not particularly effective, but to protect other people. Is this not a social responsibility?
Quote:Out of interest what can’t you do now that you would do if it were not for restrictions?
The biggest impact over the year was missing the grandchildren, however now....
It's also what you have to do, as Chris (slowsong) said, the need to plan and book ahead can be a pain.
My daily inconveniences are quite small now, for inst. we have had shopping deliveries for 3 or 4 yrs now so masks in supermarkets don't really both me as we don't go in often. But I refuse to wear one for hours in a theatre or cinema. Flights are right out with hours in the airport before a flight.
I watched the BBC2 programme about the vaccine which was very interesting but pointed out the problems that remain and have not been solved by the vaccine. One virologist said that the consensus amongst those who are in the field is that the new variants are not responding to the vaccine anywhere near what would be needed to lift all precautions. They feel that more vaccines will need to be created that deal with multiple versions of this virus and we will not be really 'free to roam' until the end of 2022.
Personally, although I have had both doses of the vaccine, I will not relax my wearing of a mask when out, nor will I entertain people outside of my immediate family. I will still ask for parcels to be left outside for me to pick up later and I will continue to wear gloves everywhere I go when outside my home environs. I have no doubt that even with the vaccination the virus would make me extremely ill - I know the state of my lungs better than anyone else. This is possibly very easy for me to decide - I am very old, I do have lots of hobbies which keep me occupied, and I desperately wish to remain alive long enough to see all my grandchildren settled in a happy life which is fully fulfilled and my great grandchildren well on their way to a life that has all it needs to be happy and fulfilled. I can understand the needs of young people who are being prevented from have a full life and sympathise with them that they are being frustrated in living the way that is natural for them. But I do think that taking action to remove restrictions too early will simply mean that they will go on longer and cause more pain and suffering.
Personally, although I have had both doses of the vaccine, I will not relax my wearing of a mask when out, nor will I entertain people outside of my immediate family. I will still ask for parcels to be left outside for me to pick up later and I will continue to wear gloves everywhere I go when outside my home environs. I have no doubt that even with the vaccination the virus would make me extremely ill - I know the state of my lungs better than anyone else. This is possibly very easy for me to decide - I am very old, I do have lots of hobbies which keep me occupied, and I desperately wish to remain alive long enough to see all my grandchildren settled in a happy life which is fully fulfilled and my great grandchildren well on their way to a life that has all it needs to be happy and fulfilled. I can understand the needs of young people who are being prevented from have a full life and sympathise with them that they are being frustrated in living the way that is natural for them. But I do think that taking action to remove restrictions too early will simply mean that they will go on longer and cause more pain and suffering.
Quote:Out of interest what can’t you do now that you would do if it were not for restrictions?
Being able to visit say a National Trust or English Heritage site, or Beamish and similar locations, on the spur of the moment without having to book in advance and take a chance on the weather. That's about all. We can meet friends out of doors, or sit in a well-ventilated cafe; we can travel outside the area, there is still plenty of reasonably priced UK self-catering accommodation available (whatever the media say - do a search for last-minute bargains on a cottages website!) This seems to me to be a good balance between freedom and caution.
Vaccines are not a cure, they are preventive which is why we need restrictions, we will need to modify our behaviour for some time yet.
They do lower the viral load which lowers the risk of transmission but they also prevent severe disease and death in the majority of cases. The latest data I’ve seen is that they hold up extremely well against all current variants.
I do think that public health messaging is failing badly, and there ’doesn’t seem to be a plan for what happens after the final restrictions are lifted.
They do lower the viral load which lowers the risk of transmission but they also prevent severe disease and death in the majority of cases. The latest data I’ve seen is that they hold up extremely well against all current variants.
I do think that public health messaging is failing badly, and there ’doesn’t seem to be a plan for what happens after the final restrictions are lifted.
