Has 'Good morning' acquired a new meaning in these pandemic times?

It seems to me that EP wants to be jabbed, so lets hope that can happen. There are many ways he could make it happen, and he would feel so much better as a result.

Apologies. EP not AP

Dear AP. You sound an intelligent person and have every right to live your life how you wish. A lot of people here are trying to help and being kind in trying to offer solutions to your solitary lifestyle, though you are entitled to make your own decisions.
Incidently, Irecognise the your first invitation to listen to some music as a piece my grandmother used to play on piano-+The Maiden's Prayer. - - A little different to the arrangement on guitar, I'm sure you would agree.
You must miss driving very much. My uncle died this year but he hated having to give up the independence he had in driving.
You stated earlier that your situation was very different to Miss Eggy's in that she had someone to go out with(forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm new to this and can't check the relevant post again without losing this message) I do think you are a lonely person, many of us are in many ways. But I see you are a man of pride and I respect your ways of finding meaning to your life within your own walls.
Please take on board many well-wishers on this site and I personally wish you well myself.

Please leave EP alone. He will do what he wants to do and why shouldn't he.
We have very few men on this site as it is. Don't let him become the next Male to disappear.

I was looking at the vaccination stats that The Guardian publish and they show that some 7-8% of people age 65+ are not vaccinated. That age group makes up 20% of the UK population. If the population is now around 67 million that means around 900,000 to a million older people are still not vaccinated some six to nine months after they were first invited. In other words, EP is far from alone in this regard and we should leave it be.

I think EP wants the vaccination.

I'd phone the flipping surgery myself for him if I thought it would help.

M0nica

growstuff I said 'I think' to make it clear it was not any form of mindreading but a suggestion to be rejected out of hand if appropriate.

I was trying to analyse the facts we had and make sense of them.

I don't think it's up to any of us to make sense of EP's behaviour. I agree wholeheartedly with Alegrias.

Alegrias1

Please - leave EP alone. Haranguing people does no good at all. He asked a question about the phrase Good morning and we all piled in with advice on his lifestyle. Really, we need to leave him alone with his own choices.

Hurray…someone speaking some sense!

Reading some of the stridently judgemental comments has had me concerned about EP’s mental health.

growstuff I said 'I think' to make it clear it was not any form of mindreading but a suggestion to be rejected out of hand if appropriate.

I was trying to analyse the facts we had and make sense of them.

Alegrias1

Please - leave EP alone. Haranguing people does no good at all. He asked a question about the phrase Good morning and we all piled in with advice on his lifestyle. Really, we need to leave him alone with his own choices.

I think posters are concerned about EP especially if he might feel safer if he's vaccinated.

The surgery would even be paid extra, I believe, to deliver vaccinations to housebound patients. There was an initiative which may still be ongoing. Surely the surgery has a duty of care to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to get to a vaccination centre?

I thought that was why EP hadn't gone for the vaccine as it meant being in contact with someone else in a car which to him would set off his fears of catching covid.
To me it seems a very restricted life but if he feels safe and happy living that way then I certainly won't judge him.
I have seen other posts by him so he must enjoy the contact through the forum.
Keep posting EP. Good wishes to you.

Please - leave EP alone. Haranguing people does no good at all. He asked a question about the phrase Good morning and we all piled in with advice on his lifestyle. Really, we need to leave him alone with his own choices.

Didnt miss it, but you have had 7 months to rectify the situation. No way was anything going to be "over by June" you need to be realistic - you may need medical or dental treatment at any time and it isyour responsibility to protect yourself - nobody else's.

ElderlyPerson

I have not been vaccinated.

But not because of refusing.

I got the call in late January. I asked if a nurse would come here and I was told no, they needed me to go to the surgery.

The only way for me to get there was a taxi journey of at least twenty-five minutes each way.

I had to decide whether to go in a taxi or not go.

As COVID-19 can kick in after about three days and the vaccine kicks in after about fourteen days, and getting there and back would mean being in an enclosed space with someone for the travelling, I decided, on the balance of risks as they appeared to me at that time, that it was better not to go, simply on the basis that if I caught it in the taxi and were in hospital I would think "Why oh why did I not stay at home when I had the chance to do so?".

So, that is just how it is.

At the time it was all supposed to be over by June, so at the time on the evidence available at the time, it seemed the better decision.

I think people have missed this post on page 2.

M0nica

I am beginning to think, EP, that you embraced lockdown with relief, that for one reason or another, you were glad to pull you horns in like a snail and just stay where you are.Seeing nobody and entirely self-sufficient. It suits you.

I am also beginning to think that many of those protective rituaals you perform are a way of separating yourself from others by still doing what others have long ceased doing.

I think your refusal to be vacinated, is also part and parcel of this, not being vaccinated you are both a threat to other people in case they come to near and a 'reaosn' you can always give for not letting pople near you.

Do you think the amateur psychology is kind or called for?

People have reasons for not having the vaccine that many of us have no idea about. A person can be afraid of Covid but still not have had the vaccine.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-58086377

I'm not suggesting that EP suffers from needle phobia but I think we all need to be a bit mindful of people who don't think the same way we do.

Anyone who was really frightened of Covid would get the vaccine. Those who refuse it are not worried about getting Covid.

You are probably correct Monica.

I am beginning to think, EP, that you embraced lockdown with relief, that for one reason or another, you were glad to pull you horns in like a snail and just stay where you are.Seeing nobody and entirely self-sufficient. It suits you.

I am also beginning to think that many of those protective rituaals you perform are a way of separating yourself from others by still doing what others have long ceased doing.

I think your refusal to be vacinated, is also part and parcel of this, not being vaccinated you are both a threat to other people in case they come to near and a 'reaosn' you can always give for not letting pople near you.

Good hygiene is one thing (and very important it is) but I feel, as others on here, that some of the measures that some people have taken (and are still taking) are extreme and are actually not healthy at all - the body needs to build up immunity to lots of things, not just Covid, and an "obsession" with avoiding bacteria and trying to achieve "perfect" cleanliness isn't going to help with this.

I continue to respect people's space as I have always done but that doesn't mean that I have to keep 2m away from everybody at all times and wouldn't want to. We are human after all and need personal contact.

Good afternoon EP. Can I ask what you used to do before covid19? Did you go shopping? If so, why not start doing a little bit of that again, maybe just one visit to one place, supporting your local bakery for example? Buses are generally very sparsely occupied, you can sit well away from others, wear your mask. Go online, find out where the drop in vaccination hubs are in your area, start the process. As others have pointed out, you are at greater risk of contracting covid19 if you have to be admitted to hospital, than you are of catching it from grocery deliveries. As to your original question about people saying good morning; yes I do think people say it more often than they used to, probably because we are all so glad to see different faces, to get out the house, to realise that we are part of a community.

Germanshephard mum and M0nica

Sorry for the late reply I went back to work. I do work from home.

Actualy you can get it from post and other incomming although my neighbour is a scientest in Cambridge and it has been proven although I do agree it would be very rare.

Yes I have had the vaccine and did risk getting a lift from a friend as I don't drive. The risk of not being vaccinated was of course higher. Both myself and DH have underlying illnesses from childhood.

Yes it may now be a small number to the general number of deaths but most of the other are not caught from others so seem irelevent to this conversation as you would not have to
isolate to not catch them.

We will still go along as we are for a while yet as it will get better and safer and I would rather do that then miss the next 30 years or so. I also respect others have different approaches and respect what they do is right for them

growstuff

muse

EP. You are posting elsewhere and continue to post here (this morning) without replying to questions from other posters. I am trying hard to understand why you choose to ignore some posters.

Germanshepherdsmum has asked again: Have you spoke to your surgery?

It is nobody's business whether he has spoken to his surgery.

EP started this thread about a discussion on the meaning of "Good Morning". He has complained that the thread has gone disastrously off-topic and the opportunity for an interesting discussion not focused on the situation of an individual human being has been lost^

I have asked the question because I noticed that he himself had veered off and was posting about him wanting a home visit for the vaccination. You will have read all his comments and those from posters wanting help and offering advice. I started by asking if he would consider ringing the surgery again knowing that he would have the vaccine. He hasn't answered this.

These sort of questions and and suggestions get posted on GN a lot in different threads and most posters have the courtesy to make some comment about the suggestions. EP says nothing. By making no comment the thread continues ?

Give me strength! Encouraging someone to be vaccinated is in everyone’s interests Growstuff. You have surely heard the mantra ‘no-one is safe until we are all safe’. People have tried to encourage and help EP, not poke into his personal business. I think we have collectively fulfilled our public duty and now EP is simply being rude. Calling your GP to ask for a covid vaccine is hardly a medical consultation. EP also asked for suggestions as to things he might do and I spent some time yesterday evening when I had other things requiring attention trying to be helpful.. No response. I can only assume his question was rhetorical in nature. I won’t be trying to engage with him on any topic again, it’s pointless.

muse

*EP*. You are posting elsewhere and continue to post here (this morning) without replying to questions from other posters. I am trying hard to understand why you choose to ignore some posters.

Germanshepherdsmum has asked again: Have you spoke to your surgery?

It is nobody's business whether he has spoken to his surgery.