Disconnect with the data.

I think we do have to bite the bullet and start to lift restrictions otherwise we will be living in this limbo forever.
I shall continue to use a mask in places where I do not feel safe because of large number of people. I really do think it is up to us, the public, to live with this virus as we do with any other illness, eg the flu. We all know that some members of the public will be totally stupid and selfish but they have been during the whole of this pandemic and are not going to change.

Agree. Same after every wave.

I wish people would stop comparing Covid with flu. So far, Covid has proved to be about 7 times more deadly and flu doesn't leave people with long-term disabilities.

I am slightly uncomfortable with the drive towards vaccinating everyone. Historically, you are vaccinated because you are particularly vulnerable to a disease/virus eg flu vaccine for older people and those with medical conditions and measles/mumps for children because it can spread easily and can be debilitating and/or fatal.

It has been well documented that younger people without medical conditions are not particularly at risk from being seriously ill or dying from Covid - yes, there will be exceptions to this but there are exceptions to everything, even healthy, young people have strokes and heart attacks that are primarily associated with being older and unhealthy.

Therefore, why are we rushing to vaccinate children? I am 54, overweight and with a rubbish immune system so I have been vaccinated to protect myself but I don't feel the vaccine has really been tested that thoroughly and we don't know the medium to long term effects of it but I was happy to get jabbed when weighing up the risks.

However, I would not be happy for my 17 year old son and 15 year old daughter to be vaccinated, weighing up all the risks from the jab against Covid itself. They are putting themselves at risk every day walking to school or going out in the car so we can't protect everyone from everything.

Flu is still a virus that can and does kill but we live with that and try and control it with vaccination as we are trying to do with covid.

I find this situation quite worrying and I’m grateful to be retired and to be able to choose where I go. As an earlier poster said it’s so wonderful to be able to see family and friends and to go out to shops and restaurants. I’ll just have to be selective and careful about going out. I’m very glad however that disruption to schooling seems to be stopping. In my view that can’t be allowed to continue in September.

It's also been well documented that young people can suffer from long Covid. Between 4-8% of teenagers who have had Covid still have symptoms after three months (it depends which data you use - ZOE or REACT) and nobody knows yet how long the symptoms will last. I know there are about 8 million children currently at school, so if they all catch Covid (which is highly likely), there could be about half a million people who are currently children who will have after effects for years or even life.

What risks have you heard about for the vaccinations in young people? Are the risks really higher than 4-8%?

Chris0

Flu is still a virus that can and does kill but we live with that and try and control it with vaccination as we are trying to do with covid.

But it's nowhere near so deadly as Covid.

Write to your MP`s, particularly if you have a Conservative MP
let them know how you feel.

aonk

I find this situation quite worrying and I’m grateful to be retired and to be able to choose where I go. As an earlier poster said it’s so wonderful to be able to see family and friends and to go out to shops and restaurants. I’ll just have to be selective and careful about going out. I’m very glad however that disruption to schooling seems to be stopping. In my view that can’t be allowed to continue in September.

Unfortunately, the virus won't be going away, whatever Gavin Williamson says. There needs to be an investment in better ventilation in schools and maybe CO2 detectors, as an absolute minimum.

Anybody who has spent a whole day in a classroom will tell you how putrid and smelly they are at the end of the day. Exhaled air just lingers.

polnan

Write to your MP`s, particularly if you have a Conservative MP
let them know how you feel.

In my case, it wouldn't do any good at all.

To be quite frank the whole thing is a nonsense !!!! Track and Trace simply not fit for purpose...i.e. a friend's husband went to a sporting event and used his phone App to sign in. His friend used the paper form .............friend's husband was told to stay home for 10 days (and consequently lose 10 days pay) ...his friend received NOTHING .........same has happened to a few I know, including me ...I used my App at a restaurant my friends with me used the paper form ...I was told to self isolate...they weren;t....(we know where it was as it was reported in the local paper as being the place we had gone to)...so WHAT is the point ? penalise some, but those who filled in the forms being let off ? I am due to go away soon (she said, hopefully, having four holidays cancelled since 2019) BUT ...I go out for coffee or lunch most days and use my NHS App..so what happens if I go away, and on holiday receive the command to self isolate at home ???!!!!!! you really couldn't make it up ! Viruses have mutated down the centuries we HAVE to get back to normal .........like the 'Flu or any other illness, it IS going to cause deaths no doubt (and especially amongst those who have not been able to access treatment i e for cancer ....doubtless (well, it IS really) their deaths will be put down to COVID ....get the doctors face to face working again ! In other countries this has not stopped and friends abroad have not had face to face appointments cancelled ...........SO ANGRY

I think Covid is something we are going to have to live with as we do with other diseases such as flu, chest infections, diabetes etc. We have got to call a halt some time. If some people still want to wear masks then do ,I wont though. I am elderly and all social activities have come to a standstill. WI, lunch clubs, theatres,. cinemas. Life needs to get back to normal, if some dont want to bother with social activities then dont, but dont stop the rest of us.

Trust Chris Whitty and what he says. At the end of the day the responsibility is down to us, I shall assess the location I am going to for myself then make my decision.

As I understand it, masks offer a very limited protection against spreading viral infections by limiting droplets and no protection against aerosol spread as these tiny particles can escape from areas of even the closest fitting and approved medical masks. There have been a number of accredited scientific studies from all over the world on this subject which make interesting-and disturbing-reading.

I think the Tories know they've totally lost control of the virus spread due to lack of sensible decisions from start to present, and because they value the short term economy over human life or long term illness, have shrugged off all responsibility and placed it onto Joe Public (who've already provided ample proof of a high percentage of moronic behaviour), so that they can then say - as in Johnson's own words, the bodies pile high - it was our own fault.

Having lost my very much beloved husband to the virus, I for one am going to both continue taking all the precautions I've been taking to date, and thank God I live in Scotland where the government have shown more sense than in Englan.

I am feeling extremely uncomfortable and apprehensive about the government discission . It is now all about money and the economy , not people health and life's . I have been behind Boris Johnson through this pandemic but now he is making himself look a total Pratt . I think by making this ludicrous discission he has lost a lot of his backers . I hope he can live with blood on his hands because people are going to loose there life's because of him .

Obviously it’s a concern but I think maybe better to do it now during the summer because when autumn and winter arrive it could be far worse. I recall Christmas opening and then in January we went into
Lockdown. Hopefully the vaccination programme will help but I believe we will be having a booster around September. It will become like the annual flu jab

This Govt has been useless, and I think they literally cannot be bothered with even trying anymore.
I think the Hancock vid was released to get Sajid in to get this all rolling. My lot will continue to wear masks to protect those who have no choice in the matter...maybe if they had locked down sooner, put the billions from that awful test n trace and royal Yacht and all the other money they wasted to ensuring schools and work places were safer, then maybe we might not have lost so many lives...
Its back to herd immunity, and I pity those who are being literally thrown under the bus who have to work with those who regard masks as a waste of time. They could have at least made them mandatory until many more are vaccinated, what harm would that have done!

Like thousands of others, I have lost people during this pandemic, have a very poorly 3 yr old disabled nephew with covid, and I despise this govt for how they have handled it all.

Chris0

Flu is still a virus that can and does kill but we live with that and try and control it with vaccination as we are trying to do with covid.

Can I repeat what growstuff said earlier this morning:

I wish people would stop comparing Covid with flu. So far, Covid has proved to be about 7 times more deadly and flu doesn't leave people with long-term disabilities.

Perhaps this thread might be useful:

Recent research on the health effects of Covid-19 found that even mild cases could cause significant changes to the brain.

That makes “living with Covid” a risky and dangerous strategy

twitter.com/bopinion/status/1409597924045213697

This is what we could be subjecting the nation's children and young people to.

Very concerning for those with Blood Cancer though.

I'm hoping the mask wearing rule, etc stays in place for longer here in N.I and listening to our local news last night it sounds like it will be. Fingers crossed.

Ok, let people who want to go to nightclubs, restaurants and pubs without masks but it makes no sense not to insist on masks on public transport and in shops. This puts the vulnerable at risk and makes it more likely that people will use private cars and shop online.

It will become like the annual flu jab

The roll out of the covid vaccination has been a massive exercise. If covid is to become endemic then this exercise would have to be repeated annually. This is in no way comparable to the annual flu jab, which is mostly offered to vulnerable people and is distributed in far smaller numbers.

And it would cost a huge amount.

The sporting events have been a trial to see if large crowds of people do actually spread the virus. The spectators have all to prove they are registering on the Covid-19 Track and Trace App. Or leave their details on paper. To be honest most of the spread is caused by smaller groups meeting inside. The risk of serious illness to the school age children is very small even the teenagers. It's better to see how things go whilst we can. However I wouldn't rule out some restrictions in Autumn just to protect the NHS and the vulnerabl which is what 90% of all these restrictions were all for.