So, who is going out in the run up to the 25th. ?

I’m outing Elvis58 who is obviously Donald Trump. Just a cold. Yeah, right. Well perhaps you’ll catch it at your concert and find out just how wrong you are.

@ Elvis58 I think you may have temporarily slipped into an alternate universe.
We are most certainly not talking about the flu. It isn’t anything like the flu.
You are clearly living in a cloud cuckoo land.
Anyone on here who has had Covid, has lost a loved one to COVID and witnessed their awful death or is hopelessly watching a loved one suffer with long Covid will be gasping at you silly, thoughtless comment.
All of the above applies to me and I’m constantly speechless at the lack of understanding displayed. From people who still think once fully vaccinated they can’t catch Covid, to people who whine about not living their life fully, to the monsters who try to persuade others not to be vaccinated.
I have been feeling despair about my fellow humans for some time now.

GrannyHaggis a sad Christmas for you all.

So sorry GrannyHaggis my sincere condolences

Elvis58

Not cancelled anything.Off tonight to a concert.Yee gods its the flu not the black death!

Sounding desperate Elvis you protest too much.

Had a chat this morning with my lovely postie. His mother caught Covid last week. Was taken to hospital after two days as her breathing difficulties increased. No beds so spent a day on a gurney in the corridor. Begged to go home as she has back problems which made the gurney very painful. They finally sent her home with some steroids. She is now back in hospital very ill, albeit with a bed this time. Postie and family have all had Covid over the last year and sailed through it without a problem and without infecting his parents. His father also now has it but is not very ill. Neither of them apparently has any particular health problems, so it just goes to show there is no way to tell who will get very ill with Covid.

Situation normal. I shan't change my modus operandi

Meeting up with friends at a local pub this evening, seeing family over the weekend and seeing friends for lunch on Monday and others on Monday night. No plans to cancel anything at the moment.

I am carrying on as normal and seeing family. We are all vaccinated, because I am sick of all these restrictions. It's just scare tactics. Let's get back to normal now we have the vaccinations. Don't forget if pubs and restaurants are closed again they will suffer financially. It's the economy that matters the most now.

My health, and the health of my family, matters more to me than the economy. So many people just carrying on as usual, thinking having their jabs and boosters make them invincible. The post-Christmas spike will show they’re not, and that it’s not ‘all scare tactics’. So much utter stupidity.

We're having a games night with just one other couple +grown son who are in our brass band/choir bubble (painful!) On New year's Eve. we'll have a lat flo beforehand to be sure but we're not cancelling were all triple stabbed.....er jabbed and looking forward to fun games and lots of yummy snax ..... and cheating. We can sit in my verandah room with doors open if we want but probably not necessary. We'll be as sensible and practical as we can but NOT cancelling!

It's a fine balance. It's not ALL scare tactics nor is everyone "stupid" .proceed with caution used to be a phrase used at work when we were unsure of what was ahead for any reason. They didn't say " stop , you may get attacked/fall/end up in a situation so best not bother" they said "using your intelligence training and common sense proceed-with caution" !! We must get back the skills of judgement and risk assessment that have been all but destroyed in the last 30 years of wet nursing in society , everything has a 'phobia' attached to it we dare not do anything in we either fall flat or 'offend' someone! No endeavour no life. Balance and a stop to mass hysteria! We're not all gonna die, neither are we all gonna be alright! That's life I'm afraid.we have to live it.

Hermit mode, family visit cancelled. All presents now with the carrier. Supermarket delivery and a click and collect in a car park next week. Waving through the window at friends.

I have cancelled meeting up with friends on Saturday and Sunday so that I can see my son and his family over Christmas. Didn’t need a second thought, much as I would love to see my friends I can’t miss out on seeing my son and family.

I’m so sorry GrannyHaggis

Going out for a meal with my partner but it’s not usually busy in there and tables but too close together. That’s it though, would never go to a theatre or cinema at the moment- even before Omicron.

I’m beginning to think I must be a hermit. Apart from the supermarket and a visit to the hairdresser, I haven’t been anywhere, and have no intention of going anywhere next week. I’ve not even been able to visit my elderly mother in her care home as they’ve had a sickness/diarrhoea outbreak so no visiting allowed. We only mix with our two sons and their families which includes our grandson.

Just realised schools break up today. Had totally forgotten, the days are slipping by so fast. We don't spend much time in shops, restaurants, etc but it will all stop now apart from weekly shopping trip. We'll still go out but it will be for walks in the fresh air.

I have been going out and I would probably continue to do so except most events seem to have been cancelled. I wear a mask on public transport and in shops and do not really want to go to the cinema or theatre so that isn't an issue for me.

I am getting steadily more concerned about this. First of all, the vaccination would sort out everything - even though it must have been anticipated that some people would not get vaccinated - and the percentage who haven't is low. Then it was the second vaccination was needed to be wholly protected, followed by a "booster". Now it appears that a fourth "booster" might be necessary. What happens if yet another variant turns up - boosters ad infinitum?

Add to that pressure on people who choose not have it it - they are "selfish", "unpatriotic", "stupid", "nutcases", etc., etc. It really is quite sinister.

Anyone who expresses any doubts - even reputable persons who have a scientific and/or medical background - are treated with the utmost contempt by the media and by individuals. In my opinion, it really is quite sinister.

So very sorry GrannyHaggis
Hope you have some loved ones to look after you. ?

I'm as disturbed as ever by the comments from those 'carrying on as normal'. We have a new situation now, a highly infectious variant, so 'as normal' is a ridiculous response to it.

Then there's the likes of usernametaken and Elvis, totally deluded and thinking it's just 'the sniffles' and/or flu. I despair - and await the, seemingly inevitable, Covid tsunami.

Well I am in near hermit mode, at least until I have my 4th jab, which will be booster sometime after the 25th. Until then it’s limited contact with anyone, family and friends. Those who say it’s just flu, we have to get on with it, are without compassion for all those who have have lost family and relatives and obviously don’t work in the NHS

Carrying on as normal will inevitably mean greater spread of this highly infections variant. OK most will not end up in hospital, but some will. This is inevitable as is the unbelievable pressure on the NHS. I think that we all have a collective responsibility to listen to what's going on and act accordingly.

Well said Daisymae

Message withdrawn at poster's request.