Are we approaching another lockdown?

Naninka - I like the poem, too. Well done!

Like the poem though!

Naninka

Come on, GNtters... don't be down,
Let's chase Corona out of town,
Vacs are up and new cases low,
We'll show this Covid where to go.
So slap on a smile and have good cheer,
I'm sure that normal life is near!!

The problem is some people think we can "chase this out of town."

We can't. It is going to be here for ever. We have to learn to live alongside it just as we do with flu, colds, measles, typhoid etc
We have NEVER fully eradicated a disease apart from smallpox. So to think we can eradicate Covid is just a pipe dream - and one that is very dangerous for our future wealth and well being.

What do you mean - another lockdown? We aren't out of this one yet.

With 50% of the adult population vaccinated we should surely be approaching herd immunity by now. No need for any more lockdowns, or restrictions for that matter. Let's just get on with our lives.

For some reason, the Monty Python song " Always look on the bright side of life" comes to mind...

Must admit going to get in as many UK breaks as possible can’t see the point of being vaccinated if we do not resume a more normal way of life

Here in Wales we are still on stay local lockdown. Hairdressers are open and golf courses.
There is no doubt in my mind that there be further lockdowns later in the year.

I think it will be quite a long time before restrictions are fully lifted. This virus is now part of our lives. I'm not expecting to try and go abroad in 2021. And I am not even sure about UK holidays.

I agree with Notright, Boris needs to get strict, close the borders, make the decision easy for everyone and get rid of COVID as much as we can.

You don't say how old your granddaughter is, but the younger she is the more normal this will be. I feel for older kids, though even though they are back at school life is not what it was for them.

Come on, GNtters... don't be down,
Let's chase Corona out of town,
Vacs are up and new cases low,
We'll show this Covid where to go.
So slap on a smile and have good cheer,
I'm sure that normal life is near!!

I’m sure we are in lockdown now so I’m puzzled!

Why are people talking about another lockdown? We're not out of this one yet!

Ursula Von der Leyen has said again that Europe would stop shipments to the UK if the the company did not meet its
supply obligations to EU countries, fulfill your contract with Europe before you start delivering to other countries.

Now if the boot was on the other foot, vaccines manufactured in Britain but exported to Europe before being given to the British public, what would the news headlines be.

The vaccine roll out here in France is miserable , my 75 year old neighbour had to drive an hour just only last week, to get vaccinated, even if you want the Astrazenicum vaccine its not available because they don't deliver.

Whether the European hierarcy messed it up or not , we all need to be vaccinated and Britains' boasting helps no one.

I agree, hopefully we will come out the other side soon

Eyaronia

Cases are levelling out. not rising. R is still below 1, about 0.8. You are right to be slightly anxious, as we won't be back to 'normal' (whatever that means) for a long time.

As the plan is to lift all restrictions in June surely that means back to normal

Cases are levelling out. not rising. R is still below 1, about 0.8. You are right to be slightly anxious, as we won't be back to 'normal' (whatever that means) for a long time.

We must, in my humble opinion, be optimistic, the vaccine roll out seems to be going well...

Unless Boris closes the borders from Europe completely, and as cases are rising in Europe, yes, unless he gets much much stricter - with jail for anyone that breaks it - we will have another spike. Sorry but that's the fact. And people should be stopped from leaving the country if they intend to come back. No business cannot be attended to on line these days.

Nannan2 - NHS workers still get free car parking and also discounts on a variety of other things.

I do understand your worries Nannan2. My mum is 92, and she’s been on warfarin for over 30 years, but was still recommended to have the vaccine because it was less risk than getting COVID and she’s been absolutely fine. I think with the number of people vaccinated it’s known that the risk of dying as a result of the vaccine is actually incredibly small, but it is still a leap of faith, we just have to rely on medical advice and do as they suggest I think. From what I hear the vaccination trials are going extremely well for children so far, this vaccine will probably become the same as the flu vaccine in future years, it’s just that it’s new so people are anxious.

Hopefully not, we are on track to vaccinate all adults.
Unfortunately Europe is well behind the vaccination stakes.Too much infighting and not ordering enough before it was developed.So no foreign holidays for a couple of years.
Covid will never go away and is something we are going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.But l dont think the economy would survive anymore lockdowns.So no, l dont believe we will go into another one.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-56465540

Large crowds are still spreading the virus. When things are loosened up things will get worse again unless people continue to follow the rules. The numbers are reaching a plateau because asymptomatic cases are being picked up by the extra testing now children are back at school, but unless everyone continues to follow the rules we won't reach the reductions of restrictions that the government has suggested and lockdown will continue for longer. The suggested dates are not set in stone so we need to show retraint or they will move further away again.
I understand that we have all had enough of lockdown and want to see our friends and family, but if people relax too soon, we''ll all be back where we started. The vaccine will only bring an end to this situation when enough people have had it throughout the world. If people can't be patient for a bit longer, holidays will start the process again, unless people quarantine properly on return. Lots of people may not be able to afford to do that so rules will be broken. All the rule breakers think that somehow they will be immune from causing a problem and when covid comes knocking it is too late! Please everyone, don't ruin everything as the end is in sight!

I get so mad when people flout the rules especially people close to you like sisters and you don’t say anything because you don’t want fallout but it hurts when they say they’ve all seen each other on Mother’s Day three households get together and surely that is not allowed but hey Ho they do it anyway and so do my neighbours they have their grandchildren for overnight is on a Friday night always have done keep on doing it make me so angry because I can’t see my grandchildren and I have six of the little darlings. Why is it that we seem to be doing As we are supposed to but my children are worried about us getting it from their children so they are being extra cautious and that says something for my kids doesn’t everybody think like xx

There will very likely be future lockdowns. We may not get back to what we considered 'normal' before COVID for a long time, if ever. It may take 6 months, a year or five years. It will take as long a it takes and we'll just have to go with the flow however young or old we are, no point complaining about it all the time. One day there will be a different normal. Those of us who are still around to enjoy it should count ourselves lucky.