To think we’ll be in lockdown by Christmas

It's a bit late waiting until something dramatic is happening...
You'd think someone might have twigged by now.

I very much doubt we will go into lockdown far too damaging unless something very drastic happens
We are pushing booster vaccination as fast as possible what is the point of all these vaccinations if we don’t trust them We are quite rightly encouraging vaccination but what message does it send out if we have knee jerk reactions
We cannot keep repeating the same and expecting different results

I have gone into near lockdown being extremely clinically vulnerable. I am doubled jabbed along with a 3rd Pfizer jab and now waiting for my 4th, a booster which should be in the next few days, but I am still extremely worried about catching it. I just want this government to take a clear leadership and give us confidence in what is being said, which doesn’t happen with being told to work from home but carryon partying. I don’t think there will be a lockdown before Christmas, Johnson hadn’t got it in him to it. In England it’s everyone for themselves and god help us.

The GP service being offered in this country at present needs urgent investigation as it is certainly not matching the care offered by the NHS hospitals. I was fortunate to get an immediate appointment concerning an eye problem as my doctor refused to see me and told me, via the receptionist, to visit an optician. No information given about the excellent triage service at the local hospital which I discovered for myself.

Agree with this. Have had several medical issues due to all of us having underlying conditions. GP service has been appalling - insisting on phone appointments to assess things that really need to be seen. Up until recently they were also re-routing B12 jabs for Pernicious Anaemia to a local treatment clinic, resulting in delays and putting health at risk. Typical example - my partner has Diabetes and a cut on his leg is taking a long time to heal. GP refused an appointment and has prescribed oral antibiotics and topical antibiotic cream without seeing things for himself and relying on a description of what the wound looks like. Three weeks in, still not healed and if I can’t get an appointment tomorrow, will be contacting 111 and possibly making a complaint.

My reply was to Esspee Several posts intervened while I typed.

Let it rip, you mean? Life wouldn't have been anything like normal for those who were ill enough to be hospitalised, or for the medical staff trying to fit a quart into a pint pot, and getting exhausted looking after so many patients who needed ICU treatment, while the staff numbers were themselves depleted. The lockdowns were an attempt (too little, too late) to minimise that.

Thanks for that info AGAA4.

Esspee

From the beginning I felt that we should put all our resources into protecting those most at risk while maintaining life pretty much as normal with the addition of social distancing and mask wearing in enclosed spaces.
Causing the economy to grind to a halt and halting children’s education when so very few of the population are at risk of a serious reaction to the virus is excessive.
Those with medical issues, the elderly and the overweight could voluntarily lockdown and allow the young and healthy to get on with life.
(I myself am in a high risk category and am willing to make my own decision on the level of risk I find acceptable to me.)

Myself, partner and elderly mum all have several underlying conditions and are CEV. We’ve been careful since the start and are continuing to be so, even though we’re all vaccinated. We’re still only going out for essentials and restricting people who visit. I have cut face to face contact with any friends or family not vaccinated. I hate it, and I would think most CEV people do too, so I don’t agree with asking the most vulnerable to lock themselves down - even voluntarily. These are the people we’re meant to be protecting by taking the vaccine. I also don’t think you can make the assertion that only small numbers are susceptible to serious reaction when the death rates before the vaccines were so high - if Omicron reduces the effect of the vaccines the death rate will increase again. I think we all need to be responsible and examine our behaviour, regardless of Christmas plans.

Agree with MissAdventure

Maddyone , BBC news. First cases of Omicron have started to go into hospital.

Oldnproud

Elegran

Why is anyone setting their own precaution level to that of the bozos who partied while telling the hoi polloi not to gather together with others? If you say you will do the same as they did, that is being influenced by them just as much as avoiding large get-togethers would have been.

For crying out loud - meet up with your family at Christmas because you have considered the risks and taken all the precautions you can if that is the conclusion you come to, not because "they did it first", however hypocritical you think their actions were.

As my mother used to say when we used the excuse that "She did it first"- "If she put her hand in the fire, would you put yours in too?"

An excellent post, Elegran

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From the beginning I felt that we should put all our resources into protecting those most at risk while maintaining life pretty much as normal with the addition of social distancing and mask wearing in enclosed spaces.
Causing the economy to grind to a halt and halting children’s education when so very few of the population are at risk of a serious reaction to the virus is excessive.
Those with medical issues, the elderly and the overweight could voluntarily lockdown and allow the young and healthy to get on with life.
(I myself am in a high risk category and am willing to make my own decision on the level of risk I find acceptable to me.)

Are people in hospital with the Omicron variant? I haven’t heard anything about that yet. Is it truth or gossip?

They aren't in a position to try and enforce one at this time, due to their own behaviour.

This is why their behaviour really really matters. The pandemic is a serious business and everyone needs to take it seriously. The behaviour at No. 10 has implications far beyond its walls. Time and again they have undermined the rules and given people an excuse to ignore them, at a time when it is vital we all pull together. Sheer stupidity! How much longer will this lying cheating apology for a leader be tolerated?

DiamondLily

Woodmouse

If you have had your necessary vaccinations and no one is testing positive, then why would you even think about cancelling your Christmas plans?

I’m with you. Adults we mix with, will all be up to date with jabs, and we can all take a LFT on Christmas Eve.

Assuming all ok, we intend to have a perfectly normal Christmas with family and friends.

Too much stuff ordered now, and there is actually not one person, in the UK, in hospital with this variant, let alone dying from it.

But they’re advising that unless you’ve had the booster, Omicron reduces the efficacy of the two vaccines - even the booster only gives 75% protection. And there ARE people in hospital with Omicron. It remains to be seen how many lose their lives to it. I’m not in favour of a lockdown but I really do think we all need to examine our behaviour at Christmas.

……And because of the attitude that if we have a selfish and cynical government, we are justifed in being selfish and cynical ourselves.….

I think this is true - remains to be seen how much damage the Christmas party nonsense does. Now we’re hearing that Boris took part in it after denying all knowledge. Words fail me.

Alegrias1

OK, time to not be popular...

What would the the desired outcome of lockdown this time? I mean real, proper lockdown? Not WFH or limiting big gatherings.

The first one was because we had no idea what to do about Covid - fair enough.

The second time, we were biding time until the vaccine rolled out - fair enough.

This time?

Good question. My own personal opinion is that Omicron has them in a panic and it’s beginning to dawn on them that it’s possibly only a matter of time before a variant emerges that the vaccines can’t cope with. I think the answer to this isn’t more lockdowns. Instead of drip feeding information to the public on the possible or expected consequences of different mutations/variants as they arise, I think the government need to get their act together and get clear, accurate and easy to understand information out to the public as to how the virus mutates and how remaining unvaccinated facilitates this.

Finally, we need a drive to dispel the myths and disinformation about the vaccines and to encourage more people to come forward to be vaccinated. There will always be the hard core anti vaxxers, but I think we need to do more to encourage voluntary vaccination, because I fear the day is coming when an element of compulsion will be introduced.

Pammie1

Biscuitmuncher

Amberone why do we still end up back at square one then

Possibly because large numbers remain unvaccinated, so allowing the virus to mutate and produce variants such as Omicron.

And because of the attitude that if we have a selfish and cynical government, we are justifed in being selfish and cynical ourselves.

A lot of people seem to be basing their actions purely on how they will affect them Whatever happened to including others in the equation?

There are people in hospital with omicron.

Biscuitmuncher

Amberone why do we still end up back at square one then

Possibly because large numbers remain unvaccinated, so allowing the virus to mutate and produce variants such as Omicron.

Diamondlily " there is actually not one person, in the UK, in hospital with this variant, let alone dying from it."

Not yet, but it is early days for this variant, and "Omicron is spreading “rapidly” in the UK and is very likely to lead to a rise in hospital admissions, scientists advising the Government have said." Besides, it is not just the risk of dying from it that makes it a threat to the NHS If hospitals are overwhelmed with patients who are not exactly dying, but need professional nursing and medical care, what will happen to those with other conditions who can't get a bed? And allowing the variant to spread without at least trying to slow it down will make a great deal of discomfort, pain, absenteeism, and public services chaos for everyone.

FindingNemo15

Whitewave - is that a Peppa pig's ear of everything?

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Woodmouse

If you have had your necessary vaccinations and no one is testing positive, then why would you even think about cancelling your Christmas plans?

I’m with you. Adults we mix with, will all be up to date with jabs, and we can all take a LFT on Christmas Eve.

Assuming all ok, we intend to have a perfectly normal Christmas with family and friends.

Too much stuff ordered now, and there is actually not one person, in the UK, in hospital with this variant, let alone dying from it.

Totally agree Elegran.