Quick - look over there!

I do not agree with all restrictions being lifted. Infected people most definitely should be required to isolate for five days and provide two negative lateral flow tests before mixing with others.

I couldn’t care less about parties and whether BJ attended them or he didn’t, I just don’t care, but I do care about making infected people isolate for five days. I want to feel as safe as is possible when I go out and I can only do that if infected people are isolating at home, and not next to me in the queue at the supermarket, or sitting at the next table when I go out for a coffee.

growstuff

*You have to remember that the listed deaths include those who died of something else, even though they had tested positive for covid, so in many respects the figures are meaningless aren’t they?*

The majority of people over 60 have an underlying health condition, but can expect to live for many more years. If well managed, many chronic health conditions have minimal effect on life expectancy.

The vast majority of people whose death is listed as "Covid" did die because they caught Covid. It's nonsense to claim that they didn't, but it's known that some health conditions make people more susceptible to serious issues.

So, no, the death statistics aren't perfect, but they're not "meaningless" either.

I totally agree with this.

My two neighbours aged 75y and 71y both have Covid. Both double jabbed and boosted. Apart from a cough they are fine. Eating, drinking, sleeping okay. No temperature. We have been getting their newspaper each day (Day 8 now for one of them Day 4 for his wife) and got them some bread today.

She said apart from knowing they have Covid they’d like to go out but they won’t until 2 x days each of negative tests. She said it’s so frustrating feeling absolutely fine yet being confined to barracks.

It’s time to stop this nonsense in my opinion. It’s over bar the shouting.

It’s definitely all over for those that are dying every day from Covid.

It's time to stop this nonsense in my opinion. It's over bar the shouting.

All very well for those who catch Covid mildly, however
Campaign groups and charities representing those with blood cancer, kidney disease and other immunocompromised people say that while the government has celebrated being able to return people’s freedoms, it has failed to set out plans for how vulnerable groups will be able to return to a normal life, or to ensure that all of these people are able to access fourth vaccine doses and antiviral drugs.

The emergence of future variants also remains a possibility, and Sage scientists have repeatedly stressed the need for vigilance and continued surveillance.

It's just callousness, 'I'm alright Jack', well lots aren't alright, neither are the million with Long Covid.

Excellent posts growstuff, Maddyone and others.

growstuff

*You have to remember that the listed deaths include those who died of something else, even though they had tested positive for covid, so in many respects the figures are meaningless aren’t they?*

The majority of people over 60 have an underlying health condition, but can expect to live for many more years. If well managed, many chronic health conditions have minimal effect on life expectancy.

The vast majority of people whose death is listed as "Covid" did die because they caught Covid. It's nonsense to claim that they didn't, but it's known that some health conditions make people more susceptible to serious issues.

So, no, the death statistics aren't perfect, but they're not "meaningless" either.

I agree.

25Avalon

Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have lifted most but not all restrictions. If you have symptoms you are still required to stay at home. Their approach seems much more sensible.

I read that even when all restrictions ( bar some linked to travel) are lifted, we will still be expected to stay at home if we have a cold or flu and not spread our germs. There will be some guidance to employers about this to stop pressure being put on staff to attend. It won’t be enforced though but hopefully we will take the approach in some countries where people wear masks in crowded areas if they have a cold - out of consideration to others.

I think this was mentioned in Boris speech and also by another minister - but I’m not sure who.

Personally I’m a bit nervous and worry that it’s a bit too soon but I can still be cautious and avoid crowded areas.

JenniferEccles

You have to remember that the listed deaths include those who died of something else, even though they had tested positive for covid, so in many respects the figures are meaningless aren’t they?

I think the removal of restrictions is the right way to go.
It’s been shown that Omicron isn’t a dangerous variant so now is the time to get on with our lives and just accept it as we do flu epidemics.

Those who wish to continue wearing masks can, and those who would prefer to limit their contact with others will I’m sure carry on, but for the rest of us it’s time to get back to normal.

A good move.

A recent study showed that at least 85% of Covid deaths are directly attributable to the virus, and not to any underlying conditions

It's another dead cat to get BJ off the hook and keep his lunatic fringe happy. Not based on scientific thinking. Omicron may be milder but it can still kill you if you have underlying vulnerabilities and it's long Covid effects are unknown.

And as I said above, has Delta gone away?

Deltas pretty much gone. But it’s frightening to think how quickly Omicron has spread around the world with virtually no way of stopping it; just imagine if that had been more dangerous than Delta. I like to think that, if a more virulent variant appears, governments will actually quickly but I’m not holding my breath.

DH is classed as clinically vulnerable so I am very concerned that even though we will continue to wear masks in shops etc there will be a far greater risk of him catching Covid form all the other non-mask people. How can he go anywhere if he's so blatantly exposing himself to infection?
I think Boris is trying to give good news before parliament breaks up and mainly trying to deflect from his own misdeeds.

Absolutely. And what is worse is that Clinically Extremely Vulverable people will
“No longer be ‘CALLED’ Clinically Extremely Vulnerable”
Only the terminology has changed not the vulnerabilities!

which will tend to be more so when more infected people are going about their business without masks and distancing.
Someone suggested to me that soon deceased people will be termed ‘No longer breathing’ and how much more palatable that will be!

I know there are a lot of people who say life must go on, but I wonder if they appreciate that people who are immuno-suppressed are at a higher risk from all infections and Covid adds another layer to that insecurity.

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/02/i-dont-want-to-die-the-shielders-who-fear-the-end-of-covid-restrictions?ref=quuu is a very eloquent expression of our fears

I think the More or Less team, Radio 4 covered the numbers who are dying, very comprehensively about 2 weeks ago LynneH.
For those who think its all over as the government are encouraging us to do, I think it is if we conveniently forget those who are extremely vulnerable, and who now will feel more restricted than ever.
The infection numbers remain high which means that a proportion of those who do get infected will suffer long Covid.
Whilst infection is circulating so freely the virus has plenty of opportunity to mutate. As this becomes endemic there is no guarantee how it will evolve, benignly or not. On the positive side science has been very proactive in monitoring and sequencing variants, and hopefully vaccines will be altered to manage any new variants as necessary.
I think most scientists that I have read believe that we have yet achieved endemicity.

According to figures released recently there were 5000 fewer deaths last month than would normally happen. We can't keep locking down and must get used to the fact that we have to live with the virus, like we do with flu. We've all been terrified into compliance that we can't see that

Urmstongran

My two neighbours aged 75y and 71y both have Covid. Both double jabbed and boosted. Apart from a cough they are fine. Eating, drinking, sleeping okay. No temperature. We have been getting their newspaper each day (Day 8 now for one of them Day 4 for his wife) and got them some bread today.

She said apart from knowing they have Covid they’d like to go out but they won’t until 2 x days each of negative tests. She said it’s so frustrating feeling absolutely fine yet being confined to barracks.

It’s time to stop this nonsense in my opinion. It’s over bar the shouting.

Not for many CEV people it isn’t. I’ve had four jabs and am being told I’m still at the same risk as at the start. I’ll see if I can find the link to an article I was reading yesterday which said that the science doesn’t support what the government is doing. Specifically that testing should carry on and people who test positive should continue to be required to isolate for five days or two positive LFTs. The article also stated that because Omicron was mild for most people, that didn’t mean that the next variant would be, or that any new variant would be contained by the vaccines - and with so many people remaining unvaccinated it’s only a matter of time before another variant arises. The government is relying on Covid becoming like flu, but there are no guarantees and in the meantime I’ve no intention of gambling with my life. There was a very unpleasant thread over on mumsnet basically saying that it’s every man for himself and that CEV people have ‘enjoyed’ protection for long enough and should get on with things. The Covid laws were never to ‘protect’ CEV people, they were to stop the NHS being overwhelmed. If the government cared about the CEV they would have made provision and issued proper guidance before announcing the end of restrictions. And before I get jumped on, I’m not advocating a return to lockdown, but relying on people to be sensible and take themselves out of circulation if they test positive is a non starter - anyone who doesn’t qualify for sick pay, or is self employed will feel pressured to work through it.

Quite agree with JenniferEccles and Urmstongran. What was this study please LynneH that showed 85% of deaths were due to Covid? I simply don’t believe it. I no longer take any notice of Covid statistics- might be better to look at previous years, to find out what the average winter death rate has been before Covid - I know that 95+% of Covid patients in the hospital where my son is a surgeon are the unhelpful unvaccinated. I am immunosuppressed - what an annoying word - my husband has had a kidney transplant- so we are doomed (Dads Army) to have to suffer listening to all the ‘poor me’ stories which television presenters love to deluge us with, receive countless warning letters and messages from various bodies exhorting us to take care - it serves no purpose, is no help, and reinforces a ‘nanny state’ mentality. Look - we were born in the war - after the war - strange food, not much of it, no toys, no sweets, old clothes, ice on the inside of the windows in winter, no central heating, one Ideal boiler, one coal fire, - I could go on- we survived didn’t we? The 70’s weren’t all goodness and light either! I am so glad we are getting back to normal- almost anyway! Went to the cinema to see West Side Story - lovely.

I think Boris is the perfect leader......of the Party Party. But not of the United Kingdom. I hope he is soon replaced - by someone who at least would think first of the needs of the nation, not his own need to distract us from his errors.

montymops

Quite agree with JenniferEccles and Urmstongran. What was this study please LynneH that showed 85% of deaths were due to Covid? I simply don’t believe it. I no longer take any notice of Covid statistics- might be better to look at previous years, to find out what the average winter death rate has been before Covid - I know that 95+% of Covid patients in the hospital where my son is a surgeon are the unhelpful unvaccinated. I am immunosuppressed - what an annoying word - my husband has had a kidney transplant- so we are doomed (Dads Army) to have to suffer listening to all the ‘poor me’ stories which television presenters love to deluge us with, receive countless warning letters and messages from various bodies exhorting us to take care - it serves no purpose, is no help, and reinforces a ‘nanny state’ mentality. Look - we were born in the war - after the war - strange food, not much of it, no toys, no sweets, old clothes, ice on the inside of the windows in winter, no central heating, one Ideal boiler, one coal fire, - I could go on- we survived didn’t we? The 70’s weren’t all goodness and light either! I am so glad we are getting back to normal- almost anyway! Went to the cinema to see West Side Story - lovely.

Not everybody survived WWII. Not everybody has survived covid. I find posts like this incredibly insensitive when so many of us have lost friends or relatives from the virus and also know of people suffering from long covid.

I always do a LFT about an hour before going out to any social interaction scenario (craft group, bike club meet, bike social evening, etc etc). However there is now talk of stopping the LFTs being free, and that will affect the ability of households to afford them and therefore home testing and taking sensible precautions will become much less done. Another aspect to consider.

Why wait that long? Denmark, Norway and from yesterday Sweden all free from restrictions. Just get on with it.

Of course Maybee70 - many people died in the war - my father, uncles and grandfathers were lucky to survive - they fought for their country, were wounded, patched up and returned to the western front-I am proud of them- they never talked about the horrors or moaned about it- they just got on with life- many people have long Covid - I had it myself from 2020 - 2021- I have also lost friends for a number of reasons - not because they had Covid but because they could not access treatment or cancer operations as all wards were full. This was before the vaccinations. However, I feel we really do need to move on. I do not want to be treated as a pathetic CEV - yes I qualify for a 4th jab and some anti viral stuff and yes, I am very grateful for that. What I really hate is listening to moaners interviewed on television whilst living in good accommodation with plenty to eat, gadgets, phones, jobs, good clothes, flat screens, etc etc - so therefore, yes I am insensitive to them - and to the manipulative presenters.

It seems strange from one day to another covid seems to disappear,I mean suddenly if you are positive you dont need to isolate does this mean we will be wandering around amid covid infected people.
I am sure if we dont feel well we wouldnt want to be mixing with people, so I expect it will work out well,lets hope so.

It’s time to move on. Yes be sensible and if vulnerable do your own risk assessment.