The decision to end restrictions is dangerous and premature, unethical and illogical.

I'm very sorry for your friend LoveOc.
I'm sorry for my young friend that died of covid and his widow and son.
I'm sorry for several friends who have long covid.
I'm sorry for my friends who had to wait 12 months for an operation because of delays caused by covid.
I'm sorry for everyone that has been negatively impacted by this pandemic.

Let's try to respect each others' views and treat each other with compassion. The virus is the enemy, not people with differing views on how to deal with it.

According to what I’ve read, Long Covid lasts,on average, three months. Obviously a very few will suffer for longer, but to be honest, taking three months to get properly over Covid is not the end of the world.

That is sad LoveOc, and am sure happens even when there isn’t a pandemic. If only many cancers were caught, and importantly diagnosed early, the outcomes would be better. I have known a couple of people who haven’t gone to GP until too late.
The NHS is in addition to the long list of those now waiting for treatment, will have to deal in the future with those suffering Long Covid, which I think is too readily dismissed.
There was an Indy Sage YouTube on this today for anyone interested.

And the best thing we can do for cancer patients is to keep the Covid numbers as low as is possible.

Which really doesn’t seem to be the Government’s strategy at present.

….many others……have died without seeing their family…….

As I was l being put into the ambulance when I had Covid, I looked at my husband and I thought, will I ever see him again? The fear when you are hospitalised with Covid is very real, but nonetheless I wouldn’t have ignored any worrying symptoms during lockdown without contacting my GP.

Your friend’s mother’s story is desperately sad LoveOc and of course there will be others like her who were too fearful to have symptoms investigated, but I do remember that at some point last year (maybe by early summer?) it was stressed that the NHS is still open for business.

Love0c
I never stopped hugging or visiting those who needed one throughout this whole time.
Your post makes me very sad and angry in equal measures.
Too many things to mention that have made me bloody livid in what I call this shit storm.
I know there will be many many who disagree with my attitude but I know that nobody I know was ever left alone.

love0c your story is so sad, and there are surely many others who have died without seeing their family, whilst keeping safe from Covid. I hope palliative care will mean your friend’s mother is pain free for what time remains.
The shops near us are still asking for masks to be worn and I watched yesterday as a non-masker was offered a mask at the supermarket entrance. She accepted it politely but I don’t know whether she really wanted to wear one.

Love0C. That is ndeed very sad but when you say “ ^she never caught 'covid' though! For anyone who is about to say what is my point, I say clearly there is no point in me answering as your brain washing is complete^”.
Are you implying that Covid is not real ? Or what ?

loveOc that is such a sad story. I absolutely understand your point, and I think it’s terribly sad that this poor lady was so terrified of Covid. I think we have some similar people on Gransnet. Terrifying people was one of the government strategies to make us accept lockdown, but some people are unable to shake off this terror despite being fully vaccinated. What has happened to your friend’s mother is just so sad.

loveOc what a very sad post, and regrettably I don't think your friend's situation will be unique. I hope palliative care can ease your friend's mother to as good a death as is possible in the circumstances.

My observation, in my local area, so not at all scientific, is that the percentage of mask wearing in shops etc roughly corresponds to those that were religiously wearing them correctly when it was mandatory. I've not seen any under the nose or chinstrap wearers and there were far more "exempt" people than I would have expected. Given incorrect wearing of a mask did nothing to diminish potential spread of the disease, I'm quietly hopeful that the release will not be the disaster many are dreading.

LoveOc so sorry to read your post and yes I do get where you are coming from

Just returned from a wonderful 10 day holiday on the south coast. Covid forgotten! Unfortunately I spent this morning consoling my best friend. Her mother aged 82 has spent the last 17 months isolating from almost everybody. She was a healthy active woman before covid. Not seen her 6 grandchildren apart from an occasional outside visit. Not hugged her daughter (my friend) until this week. She has suffered with back pain for most of the last year. Finally agreed to go for an x ray. She had been too frightened of catching covid. the diagnosis - cancer. Bones, lungs, brain, kidneys, bladder. Unable to walk due to cancerous hip. Being offered palliative care only. What a way to end your life. She never caught 'covid' though! For anyone who is about to say what is my point, I say clearly there is no point in me answering as your brain washing is complete.

I wasn't the only older person there either. My jabs were delayed due to health problems, so the other older people might have been the same, which also means they might well be at increased risk. But since freedom day those things don't seem to matter.

hugshelp That’s daft. And quite annoying for you.

It’s what happens when masks are made “optional”. People become lax, even though it’s obvious they should be wearing a mask.

Went for my second vax yesterday. While there was a sign asking you to mask up before entering there were two people who failed to keep masks on in the treatment room. The man at the next station pulled his under his chin to drink and left it off for the duration. One of the staff at my own station pulled down her mask to speak.
I would have thought that since it is obvious people who are going for a vaccine have not had both their jabs they would at least have kept the rules enforced there.

Let's hope they don't visit vulnerable relatives and friends, then.

No clubs would be prepared to pay the vast cost of a marquee plus somewhere to put it
The people are not being forced to go to nightclubs they are making a choice some are already vaccinated and I suppose as young who are very rarely affected by Covid they are old enough to make their own minds up

It would probably be cheaper for the government to pay the night clubs to remain closed than it will be to finance the long term health problems that the young people now going clubbing might face. Why not have large outdoor marquees for young people to go clubbing in if they’re so desperate to do so. Probably less chance of transmission.

I suppose because those nightclubs have been shut now with no income for well over a year I am presuming if they don't want to go out of business they need to open The country cannot afford to support these businesses indefinitely and now is most likely a better time than the winter

Why did they have to lift the rules? Were people refusing to go shopping because they had to wear masks thereby affecting the economy? Why not wait for a few more months to open nightclubs when more young people have been vaccinated and it will be mandatory for people to be vaccinated if they want to go to one. And also maybe night clubs could work on installing better ventilation. Oh, silly me. It’s because it’s safer to open things up now because we’ll be spending more time outdoors and it will be less safe in winter when people will be indoors more. Then again, aren’t most night clubs indoors?

MayBee70

There’s absolutely no reason why mask wearing couldn’t have remained mandatory in public places or that night clubs couldn’t have opened requiring people to have been vaccinated. It makes no sense to me.

Probably because the age group for nightclubs have not had the chance to get two vacinnes
As regards to masks they had to lift the rules at some point but this may not be the problem we think as most are still wearing them

The night club people are the same (age) people who go to football matches, attend festivals, sit in pubs and bars etc., so would it make much difference?

I am pleased so many I saw were wearing masks today.

There’s absolutely no reason why mask wearing couldn’t have remained mandatory in public places or that night clubs couldn’t have opened requiring people to have been vaccinated. It makes no sense to me.

Well, having arrived home from a week in Somerset today, we headed to our local Lidl to pick up a few things. We wore our masks as usual and were pleased to see that the biggest majority of people in the store were also wearing masks and observed social distancing at the till. People are making their own minds up about how to proceed.