Lockdown Over

Keeper1. I totally agree with you. I worked in NHS for over 30 years. Yes at least 40,000 people die of flu every year. I am adhering to the rules though. The government s are panicking as there's no cure for Covid, but neither is there a cure for flu, (some people have flu jabs, and say that helps)

1% is still 660,000. Obviously, anybody over 80 has a higher than average chance of dying within a year anyway, but it's not 14.8%. There will be some overlap, but there's absolutely no doubt that people will die unnecessarily. Only the blinkered would think otherwise.

Anyway, I really do think there are plenty of opportunities for these brave souls to work in care homes or ICUs. They obviously don't care much about life, so they'd be perfect. I'd also like some kind of safe areas, where I know that these people haven't been anywhere near.

PS. Have deleted my original post because I'm really angry and GN would have deleted it anyway

i always said from the start what about the 50.000 that died in the years 2017-2018 from flu. where was the panic then? .no one batted an eye lid.....the media have gone way over the top....i support our NHS 100 percent and they should have been warned from the government and got the PPE ....when we clapped for the NHS i noticed that a lot of people were standing together.there was an incident in my area yesterday 2 police vans full of coppers ,NO ONE HAD MASKS OR GLOVES. are they immune?or maybe they know something we dont.i have never worn a mask as my glasses steam up when i tried .andi cant wear latex/plastic gloves..(allergy). apart from sneezing for a few days after my essentials shopping . i am ok. i have chronic liver and kidney problems.my neighbour has actually had her grandchildren up twice now.grrrrr, when i cant see mine. i asked her about catching germs and she said they havent got any ????...children are the worst spreaders. think the children should not go back to school till september.but lockdown should be lifted in june. may is too early too soon. we need to see deaths drop.very sad for those who have died.

Franbern
About 1% of those who contract it will, sadly, die - despite medical intervention

I don’t think your 1% theory holds water Franbern unless you are much younger than the majority of us.
And even for those who pull through it is a very serious and damaging disease with potentially far reaching health implications.

every time i have gone out for essentials .i get a cold.sneezing mainly ..wonder what will happen when we all get out of lock down ,will we all get colds ? or will we pick up the coronovirus? ok i know we will have to wash hands more often....dreading getting the dreaded lurgy...?

PS. No, we do not need to get all children back into school as soon as possible! All school staff need to be provided with PPE and it would appear that we can't even manage to provide it for front line medical staff. Children are the best little germ spreaders in the world. Classrooms are too small for social distancing and anybody who thinks that primary school children could be kept apart in the playground obviously hasn't ever met a real child.

Maybe the laid back ones, who seem so casual about their own lives, would like to volunteer to childmind in schools, while the teachers could direct the real teaching remotely.

"Am I the only person, other than many residents of Pennsylvania, that wishes there was no lockdown?" from Carolpaint. Carol obviously agrees with Trump but many do not - thankfully over here the majority don't.

News today that an extra 8000 people died in the week up to 10 April (although not all registered as Covid-19 deaths). That's the normal deaths plus an extra 8000. So much for the fear factor!

Personally, I shall carry on in my own little bubble wrapped world. I would be grateful if those who don't really seem to care could keep their distance for the foreseeable future because I'm not volunteering to be one of the extra 8000, whose death could almost certainly have been prevented. Maybe those who seem so laid back it all could wear a "I'm not afraid of Project Fear Covid" badge or something, so the rest of us know to stay well clear.

The French PM should give same advice to our government.

Its the 'get togethers' that are helping it to keep spreading!!

Hamp75 I like the sound of that, a lot of common sense from your PM. Also the advice to the elderly rather than imposing a ban and making them feel discriminated against.

Carolpaint,you may see it as not as fearful as "youre old" & had your life- but its not just about you,is it? Its about the others too- the babies and kiddies who are gone and havent had their life? The young drs& nurses,paramedics,everyone on the frontline who have barely started their adult lives,or who have families,the bus drivers (my sons one,age 30) the shop workers,( my daughter,aged 27) people who volunteer,or carers who look after the "old" people,who cant isolate on their own- indeed,its about all of us.and at 56 im not old & ready to give up life yet.

Living in France our PM has said this week that life will not return to normal after the lockdown is eased on 11 May nor until a vaccine is found probably next year. Everyone who has symptoms will be tested including those in residential homes: Social distancing will still need to be practised everywhere. Masks will need to be worn on public transport and anywhere that distancing cannot be maintained: Shops will have to use barriers and & way systems as now. Employers should still allow home working unless necessary and if in work employers must implement distancing measures. Schools will have a phased return. No gatherings for events nor opening of bars and restaurants until at least mid July and all measures dependant upon cases not increasing once the lockdown is relaxed. Masks are going to be fully available by the end of the month; There will be no requirement for the elderly to remain in lockdown but they will need to use their own judgment and precautions for their safety. Greater detail is expected at the end of the month.

What’s with the rant against washing lettuce or whatever? I always wash fruit, veg, salads as a matter of course. A friend of ours almost died from poisoning caused by faecal matter on imported strawberries. Is it not just common sense to wash fresh produce before eating it, especially if it’s going to be eaten raw?

Yes it could be we some of us on here have had a dose of it,it does sound like it..but without antibody test we wont be sure..i discussed mine with our g.p.'s nurse last week when she rang over my usual INR warfarin tests- she agreed it did indeed sound like it,and said it was the best thing paramedics had taken me to urgent care...i have a few underlying conditions and im glad i survived whatever it was...i wont be rushing anywhere soon when they lift the lockdown.I already have to take risks getting my INR done regularly at the hospital,but it cannot be done at home.

Bluebelle and NemosMum are both taking a much more common sense approach.
This particular virus is horribly infectious, but has a low mortality rate. It is expected that somewhere in the region of over 70% of the population will get this viru-s the purpose of lockdown is to spread that out over several months, so that the small percentage who do become extremely ill will not over pressurise the hospitals. About 1% of those who contract it will, sadly, die - despite medical intervention.
Figures sound so frightening - it went up to just under a thousand a day deaths BUT - in a normal year that is the number of people in UK who die daily from either Cancer or Heart Attacks. But, because we did not have daily press conferences about those - there was not this panic. And, that was EVERY DAY throughout the year.
Do think that people are being very frightened. I hear phrases like 'Better six foot apart than six foot under' - as if without social distancing, EVERYONE would die. They will not!!!!
The other effects from this lockdown are truly frightening - so many small and medium sized business's not surviving. People losing their homes as well as their jobs. Domestic violence, divorce and all sorts of family relationship breakdowns exploding. Mental Health problems for all ages, particularly for the children who have been made scared still of the world going out of control of the adults who are supposed to protect them, many cooped up for weeks in tiny flats, no outdoor space, no space of their own. We can expect a generation with serious mental health problems for the next few decades!!!
Obviously, until such time as a proper vaccine is found, it would be sensible to those with serious medical problems to take precautions, but not to go OTT with washing their lettuce and veg in soapy water, etc.
Okay, I am willing to take my chance in a slow release from lockdown. As I have continued to do my weekly car trip for my supermarket shop, and have a most days trundle on my mobility scooter round the local park, I am not going to be scared of going out properly again. Will probably need to keep some social distancing in stores, etc for a few more weeks, but do need to open a lot more of the shops and stores - with sensible precautions.
Need to get the children in phased back to school as soon as possible
It is astonishing as to how willing people have become to being made terrified......
Sometime ago, I gave up watching the news, just watch for about 15 minutes each evening at the so-called update at 5 pm. Not much there that is enlightening though.
The world, and most of the people in it will continue post-pandemic. Just unlikely to be a very happy place for most for a longtime to come.

Makes me wonder if hospitals knew this may be on its way here- they dont normally dish out antiviral pills as a norm..if you go drs & they say
"its viral" you usually get told to take paracetamol & keep taking fluids...

My temp was 40 degrees and climbing,by 2nd visit (on boxingday) from paramedics,so they insisted they themselves took me to hosp.(on first visit xmas day 3am paramedics came 39degrees,said id to go urgent care but they had another call so my son took me in car.)so yes i felt so bad by then i agree with GabriellaG54 for once- it felt like dying..i couldnt do a thing..i was coughing constantly,and id already had a bad chest from months before.i was glad medics put me out of way of everyone else while waiting.my sons got ill too after me but its no surprise.one like flu symptoms,one with asthma was worse and had antibiotics& antivirals too.he was ill a week.

I clean door handles and hard services every 48 hours . I have to stop my husband , who refuses to ‘get it’ because he doesn’t go out...from answering front door to parcels , because he takes them off the driver without gloves on.... I’ve repeatedly told him to ask the person to put on doorstep ...then go and either put gloves on or get two wipes to pick up parcel with. He just says , “ oh he seems ok”. when you’re living with somebody who refuses to ‘get it’ it’s doubly stressful. I feel I’m forever running around after him to stop him endangering us! Trouble is his life has not changed at all, as he’s been ‘locked down ‘ for 14 months as he’s slowly becoming a recluse . Doesnt really understand it is it he doesn’t want to, and thinks everybody is making too much fuss. I just think he’s actually terrified like the rest of us.

Washerwoman,if you've not been tested,how can you know youve had it?? I was very poorly at xmas (even at urgent care twice in 2 days) and looking back,i can assume i may have had it- we had been in venice a month before- and i was in bed a week and on strong antibios and antivirals- and it took 3 weeks to get back to my usual self,and i can honestly say ive never felt so bad- BUT- no one actually tested me for it,as it 'wasnt announced' as a thing by then- so im still only guessing it could have been it.as are you. Normally if im ill i can at least 'soldier on' & still try look after my two sons,who are at home,21&17 (but they've medical probs too) but i was so ill xmas i couldnt make dinner,i couldnt do anything i felt so bad.2nd visit to hosp i was taken by ambulance..i am waiting to see what it shows if we get an immunity test!

I'm with Craftycat and Bluebell. I'm not worrying about catching the virus, I'm social distancing and washing my hands when I get home (have always done this) and that's about all. It's thought that areas with a high Muslim population (eg Rochdale, Bradford etc) may have had a lower number of virus cases because they always wash their hands before praying 5 times a day. A retired surgeon remembers cotton face masks and says they were scrapped because they were useless. All the Chinese students round here wear face masks all the time - but many are not bothering about social distancing when out and about.

After Christmas I had a lung-retching cough day and night, no respite. Was in or on bed for at least 20hrs every day for over 2 weeks and cough lasted until March...really.
Off food totally, only drinks, lost 10lbs, no strength to stand to even make a cuppa. Has to sit between filling kettle and pouring into cup. Even then I often had to stop in the middle and lie down. Seems daft now but death would have been a blessing, and I'm not joking but I had no temperature or other symptoms... bruised feet or headaches.
I've (thankfully) never been ill before and that threw me.
Covid-19 must have many guises but we'll never know how many have suffered some symptoms which have not outwardly presented as the virus but been thought of as winter flu or similar.
We can only do our best, each to their own particular circumstances.
I am not using gloves or masks or sanitising everything I buy.
No use being afraid of living as near to our usual way of life as possible using sensible guidelines.
I am not a lemming.

It is worth mentioning, just for perspective, that about 550,000 people die anyway in the UK every year: it's about 9.3‰ of the population. That's a rough average of 45,000 a month.

I think many people are feeling the same. It's something that none of us has had to face before and therefore the unknown generates fear sometimes. I think we will all have to maintain hand washing, social distancing etc for a while and not fall back into things too quickly until we can all gain confidence to go back to our normal lives - you're not alone.

Craftycat
No, your not the only one. And, like you, our small close has a get together twice a week. It keeps you sane ?