Covid 19 - Lift all restrictions?

The virus is scary.....but there is a difference between that and scaremongering.

When precautions are taken to protect us, then those setting the precautions need to explain why - that is not scaremongering; it is conveying the facts on which the decisions are based.

My view is that proper precautions should have been taken from day on to prevent us getting into the situation we now have.

We do indeed need to learn to live with this virus - and part of living with it might involve lockdowns when and where appropriate.

Regarding Test and Trace, I do know of a couple who returned to the UK from an Amber List Country last week, they have been contacted daily by phone and been visited.

I have just been watching Dr. Jenny Harries OBE (Chief executive of UK Health Security Agency and head of NHS Test and Trace since April 2021) on Andrew Marr, she was very reassuring regarding the Indian variant. Not enough data on the so called Yorkshire variant other than it’s a VUI (variant of interest).

She also explained regarding the percentage of immunity of both Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines.

I have not heard that data on the Indian variant and schoolchildren is being withheld from the public, do you have a reliable source on that? I do know that Professor Tim Spector of the Zoe app www.miriamstoppard.com/news/tim-spectors-zoe-app-is-vital-in-the-fight-against-covid/ has reported that the Indian variant is just as responsive to vaccines and does not appear to be more transmissible than the Kent one. Over 4 million people from all over the country log their symptoms daily, and his analysis has been proved more reliable over the past year than anything in the daily rags put there to sell papers.

Pippaz and Growstuff I totally agree. There have been many discussions about the economy and those will continue as it is of tremendous concern.
I have had both my vaccinations as am in high risk group . It was a relief ,as though a dealth sentence had been lifted. I have returned to work. I work in an environment that is more covid safe than many but with members of the public who have not been vaccinated,on the whole. They have no choice,due to my role,to interact with me,and I have concerns for their health.
Infections in my area are low,but who knows? Our test and trace is reactive not proactive.
There is a part of me that is a pessimist and at the back of my mind 60% effectiveness isnt totally reassuring. Still,all I can do is continue to be careful.
I ho to work but i dont have any inclination to go to to shops/pubs/public venues for fun. I love travel but not on the foreseeable future.
Close contacts are kept to immediate family. I saw my eldest daughter and grand childeren for the first time since last August recently,all adults tested and hugged my grandsons anyway. We are very aware that because they live a few hours drive away the ability to see each other can disappear overnight.
I suppose what we have to do is be comfortable with what we do ourselves.
We have to ask ourselves to what extent we trust the validity of government advice. Their track record isnt good but people dont seem to care.
I find myself disgusted by the selfishness of some people,who just have to have a foreign holiday etc etc. Apart from anything else they may be in a position to protect themselves from the virus either because they are vaccinated,retired or in a position where are employed but WFH or in covid safe environment. It feels little thought or concern is given by them for those who are not as lucky but may be putting themselves at risk through lack of choice so their whims can be met!

Amalegra very succinct post some businesses have been shut for months on end how on earth are they meant to continue. The government cannot fund them indefinitely and that funding may just be keeping them afloat All very well saying not to put money before health which was fine when our hospitals are full and people were sadly dying in their hundreds This is not happening now the vaccine have been proved to work

growstuff

PippaZ

Why does everyone feel that 60% protection against the Indian variant is so great? That means just under half of the people who could pass it on to you could still do so.

And then there is the Yorkshire variant about which we seem to know nothing as yet.

The Indian variant is particularly prevalent in schools, which could explain why it appears more transmissible. As very few school age children have been vaccinated yet, that means the protection is currently much lower than 60%. In theory, vaccinations offer 60% protection, but in practice vaccination currently offers very little protection for the very simple reason that most of the people who are catching this variant aren't vaccinated.

In case people have missed it, it's now known that data on the Indian variant in schoolchildren has been withheld from the public.

In truth, I had heard little news yesterday as I was, what is for me, incredibly busy. I certainly hadn't heard about the data on schoolchildren being withheld and find that very concerning as, I would imagine, would anyone with children or grandchildren.

I also hadn't thought about the fact that one first vaccination only gives 30%. When everyone starts their rushing backwards and forwards to other countries because they 'cannot live without a holiday abroad, darling' I wonder how many will have only had the first?

But of course, according to some on here, if that is a problem then those who would be affected just need to shut themselves away, never going out. I see those on the right still have no sense of doing things for the "common good". Good old Tories, eh!

*Interesting to read that Tory was an insult (derived from the Middle Irish word tóraidhe, modern Irish tóraí, meaning "outlaw", "robber", from the Irish word tóir, meaning "pursuit" since outlaws were "pursued men") that entered English politics during the Exclusion Bill crisis of 1678–1681. The more things change the more things stay the same it seems.

They have just announced $500 on the spot fines for anyone not wearing a mask on public transport here. I haven’t been on public transport since the lockdowns and don’t intend to but many have to use trains ,trams etc to get to work.

I think we also have to consider the economic consequences for the country if we fail to open up soon. Many industries and businesses are on their knees. Many have closed forever. We have borrowed billions that will have to paid back, by our children and grandchildren. The economically disadvantaged have taken the worst hit; food banks are on the rise, for example, and are now part of the fabric of our society. Our social infrastructure is in dire need of repair. I don’t think we can afford to live with lockdown indefinitely unless we are resigned to living in a country, lacking in equality, opportunity and enterprise.

PippaZ

Why does everyone feel that 60% protection against the Indian variant is so great? That means just under half of the people who could pass it on to you could still do so.

And then there is the Yorkshire variant about which we seem to know nothing as yet.

The Indian variant is particularly prevalent in schools, which could explain why it appears more transmissible. As very few school age children have been vaccinated yet, that means the protection is currently much lower than 60%. In theory, vaccinations offer 60% protection, but in practice vaccination currently offers very little protection for the very simple reason that most of the people who are catching this variant aren't vaccinated.

In case people have missed it, it's now known that data on the Indian variant in schoolchildren has been withheld from the public.

People need to make their own decisions now. Much of the country has been vaccinated, many fully vaccinated, hospital admissions are very low, deaths even lower and below average for the time of year. We need to decide for ourselves what we want to do. Tonight I went out to a curry restaurant with my husband, son, and daughter in law. We greeted one another with kisses. We enjoyed ourselves because it was lovely to do something so very normal. All four of us are vaccinated, myself and my husband fully vaccinated. We wore masks and sanitised as usual now. Many on here would throw up their hands and say it’s too early, it’s irresponsible. To those people I would say, you do as you feel is right for you and leave me to do what is right for me and my family.

If we have 60% protection but still continue with hands face space ventilate that will make it more than 60% protection and we can still continue to meet people, go to work etc can’t we? So why do some people just want to pretend the virus has gone away?

Why does everyone feel that 60% protection against the Indian variant is so great? That means just under half of the people who could pass it on to you could still do so.

And then there is the Yorkshire variant about which we seem to know nothing as yet.

happycatholicwife1

I'm done. Frankly, we could protect our health and futures a lot better if the world came down hard on China so this doesn't happen again. It's unconscionable how easily they've gotten away with poisoning the world!

If it were that easy could you tell us how it can be done?

We have to deal with reality not some sort of alternative world we conjure up.

Just keep away from me.
Had it twice, second time I ended up in ICU and I really don't want it again.

I live in an area where the Indian variant is raising numbers week on week, there is surge testing and a huge effort is being made to get people to accept vaccination. I am vaccinated and at last back at the gym and the shops (and the cardiology clinic) but my teenage grandchildren are not vaccinated and my children have only had one jab. Can we not hang on a few weeks more so that everyone who can be is protected. We are not all fortunate enough to live in more sparsely populated places where Covid is all done and dusted.

Controls of some sort are still necessary. Cases are up by a third this week. The vaccine is not 100 per cent. A significant percentage of the population have not yet had a single dose. Long Covid can be devastating even in mild cases. We're not home yet, it would be foolhardy to chuck everything up before we can move forward confidently.

Esspee
Totally agree, we are now at a point where we can make our own decisions regarding how much or little we mix with others. Set us free.

I'm 53, have a life limiting condition and have had both jabs.....

LET ME OUT!

I've definitely had enough of all the scaremongering and I just want to be able to live my life.

As pp's have said, we don't shut down the country every winter when s new variant of the flu appears, we live with it and personally decide what levels of risk we're prepared to take.

Now that over 70% of UK adults have been vaccinated, it's time to give us our lives back.

I'm done. Frankly, we could protect our health and futures a lot better if the world came down hard on China so this doesn't happen again. It's unconscionable how easily they've gotten away with poisoning the world!

Someone on another forum is that I frequent is calling for all restrictions to be lifted. He has had covid mildly and is now fully vaccinated. Had he been suffering from long covid etc he might have thought differently. I was so sympathetic towards him when he was ill but he is now invincible so doesn’t care about others. It just infuriates me especially as a dear friend of mine caught covid in a nursing home and died from it. It’s almost as if people like her have been forgotten.

I think we are going to have to live with this virus in some way, new variants popping up all the time, we must soon start to try to live normal lives ,and have annual jabs for COVID 19.
Has anyone this winter heard of anyone having the normal winter flu, also coughs and colds,I havent, everyone has been so focused on COVID

Wearing a mask is to protect others not yourself. It seems to me a lot of people who have had both vaccine doses now think the rules no longer apply to them. I wonder if they hadn't had both doses of the vaccine they would be calling for all restrictions to be lifted.

Bit contradictory that ALAN [confused ]

We cannot go round and round, in and out of lockdown after lockdown for ever....time to release everyone and let nature take its course. STOPA the government's scare mongering tactics....its like the old song, There'a a Hole in My Bucket, dear Lisa Dear Lisa .......no end in sight and no plan (as usual with this government !) we all need to take responsibility for ourselves and take whatever course of action we feel necessary ...i e I know people who are still too frightened to go out to the shops, meet people, travel on public transport ...meanwhile their lives are slipping away especially if they are old and alone. The thing the government wants to concentrate on now is getting the economy, jobs, retail, etc going again AND keep its promise to reform, or at least DISCUSS social care ..............if the proper care standards had been in place pre pandemic, there may have been more elderly lives and those of the care workers, saved. Let us hope (but I won't hold my breath !) that at least SOME lessons have been learned ............