Lifting all Covid resrictions- how do you feel about it?

It's a political, not based on science
Get back to normal! For many that will never happen. Lifes have been devastated by Covid. As to wearing masks, haven't we been told since the beginning if you wear a mask you are protecting others not yourself unless it is one of those very scientific grade ones. DH is very vulnerable, has avoided going out, family visiting, LFT on driveway for most entering house. Absolute nightmare. I will be going out mixing with goodness what in shops but hey, we gave to get back to normal. If only!!

One has to look at the behaviour of the masses, who do not care about themselves, and certainly not about others, and therefore we have to hear about the rising numbers of Covid victims.
Had the lockdowns been for longer, in the first instance ie. 2 years ago, we would not be in this position now.
Regards to you all and for heavens sake, take care and continue to wear your masks.
This is the wise one speaking.

As a CEV person, with compromised immunity/multiple incurable, progressive and chronic illnesses & conditions this means total shielding for me.

Also just to add Charles and Camella both triple vaccinated and both caught covid. So avoiding unvaccinated people is really a waste of time as are vaccine passports

It is time to get back to normal now. My DH is CEV so I do worry, but it's our worry not our adult DC or our DGC. We all had the jabs and the little ones will in due course.

We will now do what we need to do. So we will shop at quieter times with masks, not travel on public transport or go to enclosed venues. We will go out more when the weather improves and maybe go out socially then. Caring for the DGC is possibly risky but they have all had covid now so in our opinion it's a risk worth taking.

I do wish they would continue with the free testing until the summer but on the whole I think it's time to move on. We have to trust that the scientists will monitor the case numbers and advise as necessary.

Stop making this political its not. Lots of other countries have come to similar conclusions. Its the reasonable thing to do. Lots of elderly people I know have had Omicron and been fine. Those that are not might just have easily caught flu or pneumonia. I'm not a Tory but I'm sick of everyone blaming politics for things they dobt agree with. Not everything is.

Really think it's time to recognise that masks are almost totally ineffective against viruses. There are masks that can protect you but haven't seen anybody wearing those except for some NHS staff on covid wards on TV.
I think they give people a false sense of security and many feel, sadly, falsely protected.
The paper ones and cloth ones are no good at all.

17,000 died from Covid alone. The rest were older and had comorbidities which could have been fatal in themselves.

Added to these stark and tiny figures we now know that the government and Nudge units were ramping up the fear factor to ensure compliance with new and illiberal regulations.

We have seen how this new authoritarian stance has been abused in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Wales and Scotland where autocratic edicts are placing ever restrictive limits on the freedom of the people. In some cases, force and China-like social passport punishments are being used to cow democratic and legal protest.

It is about time this ended and I admire the government which has the option to keep controls over its electors but cedes that authoritarian power.

No one is stopping a soul from wearing a mask, distancing and vaccinating

It's about time use of the fear factor was stopped. We need to take responsibility for our own lives and live with Covid as we have lived with flu, measles and many other mildly hazardous diseases.

I'm happy, and relieved that we have reached this stage. Yes - it is still 'out there' and we must be careful, but so are many other diseases that we live with. I will wear a mask in crowds, as it will help prevent viruses being spread. Think how happy we would have been to know this day was coming at the beginning when there was such fear and anxiety, and so little known.

Nobody is stopping you carrying on as you see fit. If you visit London a lot of Chinese and Japanese wear masks as a matter of course, even before Covid-19. You need to take responsibility for yourselves now. Carry on as you feel best for you. That's what I'm going to do. All the scientists agree that we can't stop Omicron so it makes sense. We have to hope that a worse variant doesn't pop up that puts the hospitals under pressure again.

For an e.g of another dangerous virus I proffer measles.

But
a) measles isn't a common and rampant disease in the UK

b) measles is controlled by vaccination. If you are vaccinated you don't get infected. Covid eludes vaccination. All vaccination does is reduce the severity of the infection. Though it doesn't always even do that.

Any other suggestions, winterwhite?

Im pleased about this, it has to be lifted at some time. This is a disease we are going to have to live with like others. People with health problems who are worried can still choose to wear face masks.

I don't understand why they haven't made the LFTs less clunky tbh. Surely we could have a bottle of the fluid and the squirter thing could be washed and sterilised in boiling water. and all the other bits and bobs could be send just in an envelope. All the packaging and all those tiny plastic bags they put in, must raise the price fgs

I never understood how making mandatory masks in shops or on transport was anything other than an annoyance for some, not even that for many. They have literally given up after wasting so much money (apparently!) on test n trace. Now my family, including my pregnant grandaughter has covid along with her children and husband, and they are really suffering, even though all but the youngest are triple jabbed.
This isn't over, the only reason numbers went down is because they don't report on it properly. This will continue to kill people, especially now there are no rules and regs and sick people can come and go as they please, and is not the flu, which is the constant argument I'm met with.

Btw if you really listen to the scientists, they are definitely not saying this is the right move at all...this is all Johnson doing what he must to appease his backers.

It just means that certain sectors won't be testing.

I saw somewhere, was it on this thread/site, that a box of LFTs will cost about £20. That’s an awful lot of money for seven tests in my opinion.

I do not want another dose of COVID I shall continue wearing my mask as I hope others will.

I think I’ll change to the FFP2/3 masks as I think that’ll give the best protection.

growstuff

LilacChaser

love0c

How do I feel? Very glad!

Same here!

How will it affect you?

It won't, but if it means the rest of us getting back to normal (some slower than others, obviously) then it is a very, very good thing, surely.

If they are to sell covid tests will this be the same price as the government pay for them. I expect any company selling them to make a small profit but not overpriced
As to going out and about I don't know now who is carrying the virus not everyone isolates or is even aware they have it I just trust the vacinne what other choice is there I don't intent to stop going out

Well said Josieann. ?

Maybe they should have had a talk with the virus to explain they're exceptional and want the show to go on.
And that is exactly the sort of blinkered comment i meant from people on both sides who don't want to find out more about other peoples' challenges in life.

Seems to me to have much to do with the govt wanting to reduce the costs of testing kits and sick pay. They could re-let the testing kit contracts more cheaply to firms happy not to make too whopping a personal profit.

If we accept that people are infectious for a few days before symptoms show, we don't know anyway whether people we meet have covid without knowing, and I thought testing before anyone went anywhere was getting out of hand.

For an e.g of another dangerous virus I proffer measles.

So I'm net pleased.

Josieann

Dickens and JaneJudge I do understand what you are saying, and such attitudes are uncalled for. It's just that some people are too dispassionate or preoccupied to stop to think, and innocently might come out with the wrong words or actions.

Talking of theatres, maddyone my DgodD is in Saturday Night Fever at the Peacock and the show has had to be cancelled for several nights now due to members of the cast getting covid! I do feel sorry for those working in the theatre, it is their lives and they want the show to go on.

Maybe they should have had a talk with the virus to explain they're exceptional and want the show to go on.

Callistemon21

Urmstongran

And yet - even with more restrictions in Wales & Scotland, compared with England, cases rose.

Covid doesn't realise there's a border!

Pupils cross the border for school, patients cross the border to see their GP, people cross the border to work and shop. And socialise.

Not only that, but there's a high correlation between Covid incidence rates and deaths and deprivation. The areas of Scotland and Wales with the highest incidence rates also have high levels of deprivation.