Remaining Effects of Covid

[ainsworth74]

Following the archiving of the Covid Forum this thread is following on from a long running thread in the Covid sub-forum about the effects of Lockdowns, especially in the years following their initial imposition. That thread has now been locked as part of the archiving of the sub-forum but we are aware that some people were still taking part in an active discussion around the remaining effects of Covid on the UK. We have therefore started this thread to enable the continuing discussion of those remaining effects. We would ask that members try to contain themselves to relatively current affairs in regards to Covid rather than wage a lengthy re-litigation of matters past (for instance the UK no longer has any mask mandates so we would not expect to see a discussion about whether or not masks were justified).

Many thanks,
The Forum Staff

 

[yorksrob]

The archiving of the covid sub-forum is certainly an historical moment !

 

[AM9]

Following the archiving of the Covid Forum this thread is following on from a long running thread in the Covid sub-forum about the effects of Lockdowns, especially in the years following their initial imposition. That thread has now been locked as part of the archiving of the sub-forum but we are aware that some people were still taking part in an active discussion around the remaining effects of Covid on the UK. We have therefore started this thread to enable the continuing discussion of those remaining effects. We would ask that members try to contain themselves to relatively current affairs in regards to Covid rather than wage a lengthy re-litigation of matters past (for instance the UK no longer has any mask mandates so we would not expect to see a discussion about whether or not masks were justified).

Many thanks,
The Forum Staff

A recently revealed remaining effect of COVID appears to be long term reduced immunity.
Our GP commented last week that the practice had seen several cases of lgenerally ow immunity a year after contracting and recovering from COVID. This was said after my wife had fbc (full blood count) tests for a serious infection, (not COVID).
The online references that I can find are studies in Australia but they seem to be referring to COVID immunity only.

 

[brad465]

The archiving of the covid sub-forum is certainly an historical moment !

Pity this forum's staff don't also run the WHO, as they'd have declared the pandemic over at the same time

 

[route101]

Certainly feels to be fading away. Hardly see anyone with a face mask now.

Hybrid working is still here, although by how busy the roads are perhaps not.

 

[Cdd89]

I wonder when the testing requirement for inbound travellers from China will be scrapped.

 

[Watershed]

I wonder when the testing requirement for inbound travellers from China will be scrapped.

The Regulations aren't subject to any review requirement and will, if nothing else happens, expire in April.

 

[duncanp]

Certainly feels to be fading away. Hardly see anyone with a face mask now.

Hybrid working is still here, although by how busy the roads are perhaps not.

There are still some people opening windows on buses (in February) as you "...are supposed to have proper ventilation..."

So, no need to worry about catching a cold, as long as it's not COVID.

 

[ainsworth74]

There are still some people opening windows on buses (in February) as you "...are supposed to have proper ventilation..."

As someone who likes to keep a window cracked at all times of year, other than the couple of properly cold sub-zero days per year, I'm a big fan of this newly discovered love of ventilation that people have gained

 

[Bletchleyite]

As someone who likes to keep a window cracked at all times of year, other than the couple of properly cold sub-zero days per year, I'm a big fan of this newly discovered love of ventilation that people have gained

Same. Makes you slightly less likely to get a cold (be that of the COVID variety or the more usual traditional one) too.

 

[duncanp]

As someone who likes to keep a window cracked at all times of year, other than the couple of properly cold sub-zero days per year, I'm a big fan of this newly discovered love of ventilation that people have gained

You can of course do what you like in your own house, but it is a different matter on a bus where there are other people to consider.

Not only that, but I suspect that opening windows on a bus doesn't make that much difference.

 

[ainsworth74]

You can of course do what you like in your own house, but it is a different matter on a bus where there are other people to consider.

Well yes of course? I don't do it on random buses because I know people won't appreciate it. Doesn't mean that if someone else has I won't be quietly pleased.

 

[Bald Rick]

I remember saying right at the start that Covid would only be over when the sub-forum closed.

So that’s it, Covid is over!

Ironically, I have 7 friends laid low with it currently…

 

[Cdd89]

I am in the open window team too. I’m dressed for the outdoors anyway and not taking off my coat for a short journey, a bus with all the windows shut is often too hot with a coat. It also limits the damage when someone inevitably decides to scoff a load of fried chicken on board

 

[najaB]

So, no need to worry about catching a cold, as long as it's not COVID.

You don't catch a cold from being cold. It's spread by a virus. Opening the window makes it less likely you will catch a cold, not more.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You don't catch a cold from being cold. It's spread by a virus. Opening the window makes it less likely you will catch a cold, not more.

Indeed. The reason colds are prevalent at cold times of year is because people sit indoors with other people with windows closed - behavioural changes due to it being cold, not the actual coldness itself. If you do get *really* cold your immune system can be weakened a bit, but I'm talking near-hypothermic there, not just a bit chilly.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Hybrid working is still here

This may be the true lasting effect of Covid more than anything. I have friends who own a very successful IT company, and at the beginning of the year, they've now gone almost 100% remote with no plan to ever return to office work. The company only hires real specialists (not just copy/paste codemonkeys), and those specialists are very clear that they have no desire to return to the office full time.

Now, they have a fairly big office where the directors and the people who need to be in-office (mostly HR and accountancy, because of rules surrounding documents) work, but the bulk of the ~200 staff work from home remotely, including team leaders and managers.

 

[DelayRepay]

This may be the true lasting effect of Covid more than anything. I have friends who own a very successful IT company, and at the beginning of the year, they've now gone almost 100% remote with no plan to ever return to office work. The company only hires real specialists (not just copy/paste codemonkeys), and those specialists are very clear that they have no desire to return to the office full time.

I agree with this - my own company has significantly reduced its office space since the start of the pandemic, and most people now work part of the week at home. The company benefits from lower costs, the staff benefit from more flexibility so everyone's a winner really.

I think the other lasting effect of Covid will be generally more things being done online, not just work. This was a trend that was happening anyway, but the pandemic has accelerated it somewhat.

 

[yorkie]

A recently revealed remaining effect of COVID appears to be long term reduced immunity.
Our GP commented last week that the practice had seen several cases of lgenerally ow immunity a year after contracting and recovering from COVID. This was said after my wife had fbc (full blood count) tests for a serious infection, (not COVID).
The online references that I can find are studies in Australia but they seem to be referring to COVID immunity only.

Immunity against what? It is true that some people argue that our immune systems have been weakened, however some claim it's Covid vaccines causing it. Neither your argument nor theirs has any credence and you do not appear to be able to cite any evidence to back up your claim.

What is actually happening is that viruses suc as RSV, Influenza etc have made a comeback because of the reduction in our immunity against those viruses due to lockdowns and other restrictions, which limited our contact with others, and therefore suppressed levels of the virus. We will soon get back to a state of endemic equilibrium with these common viruses, and you can add Sars-CoV-2 to the list too!

 

[ainsworth74]

We really do not need to relitigate the mask wars so I've deleted a few posts and I think it's best if we leave it there.

 

[Lloyds siding]

I remember saying right at the start that Covid would only be over when the sub-forum closed.

So that’s it, Covid is over!

Ironically, I have 7 friends laid low with it currently…

Just tested negative at the weekend, after getting COVID for the first time. It went through the entire household, including those who had had it before.

The short term contracts that used to be my bread and butter still haven't come back. I did have an email last week from one of my formerly regular employers...to say that they wouldn't be having any contracts in 2023 or 2024, but would look at the situation later.
In other areas of work...I've not had a contract since August 1st, but when I did there were at least between one and three COVID tests before you get employed.

 

[MikeWM]

As someone who likes to keep a window cracked at all times of year, other than the couple of properly cold sub-zero days per year, I'm a big fan of this newly discovered love of ventilation that people have gained

I agree, but it remains to be seen how long this will last. For example, my company is about to move from an office that has windows you can open, to one that doesn't, which is rather a shame.

 

[adc82140]

Just tested negative at the weekend, after getting COVID for the first time. It went through the entire household, including those who had had it before.

I'm not quite sure why people are still testing. It's no longer a notifiable disease, there is no isolation requirement. There are many other respiratory diseases that could do vulnerable people a lot of damage, but we don't test for those. The government advice is stay away from work etc if you're not well, and go back when you are. I think that's sensible, for any illness.

 

[Cdd89]

I'm not quite sure why people are still testing. It's no longer a notifiable disease, there is no isolation requirement. There are many other respiratory diseases that could do vulnerable people a lot of damage

I think testing is actually potentially harmful. I’ve seen multiple people clearly sick and who should be at home, but assuring everyone “don’t worry, I’m negative for Covid”. I would actually be less concerned if it were Covid!

 

[Lloyds siding]

I'm not quite sure why people are still testing. It's no longer a notifiable disease, there is no isolation requirement. There are many other respiratory diseases that could do vulnerable people a lot of damage, but we don't test for those. The government advice is stay away from work etc if you're not well, and go back when you are. I think that's sensible, for any illness.

I can understand it when there isn't a 'regular' workforce, the employer tries to screen out those who can cause the job to grind to a halt when lots of folk go off sick. I get paid for being tested, so not complaining. If there were an easy test for the current strains of flu I think they'd test for those. If you come in obviously ill, but testing negative, I think you would be sent home.

 

[ainsworth74]

The government advice is stay away from work etc if you're not well, and go back when you are. I think that's sensible, for any illness.

One of the things that was disappointing about the pandemic response (amongst many but we've not got time for all of them) is that it doesn't appear to have moved the needle particularly on sick pay. Whilst plenty of people do enjoy above statutory provision for sickness pay (that is that they'll get some fraction of their regular wage for some period of time) there are lots who don't and that's especially true of the sorts of jobs that cannot be done from home meaning you can't work from home whilst a little ill. You either go to work ill and get paid or stay home and get Statutory Sick Pay (currently £99.35 per week, rising to £109.40 from April).

This means that whilst on the one hand the Government, sensibly, advises people to avoid going to work if they're unwell. On the other it makes no significant effort to make it practical for people to do so!

I would be tempted, personally, to take a leaf out of the way that Statutory Maternity Pay is worked out which works out as the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of average weekly earnings whilst the remaining 33 weeks are paid at £156.66 or 90% of wages (whichever is lower). Perhaps the first 2 weeks of illness should be paid at 90% of your average weekly wage and then the remaining 26 weeks at £99.35 per week?

 

[Cdd89]

This means that whilst on the one hand the Government, sensibly, advises people to avoid going to work if they're unwell. On the other it makes no significant effort to make it practical for people to do so!

I agree with this.

I would note that working from home while sick is a reasonable compromise for most people and doesn’t involve any loss of pay or significant costs to the employer. So this should only apply to those employees where remote work is not an option, which reduces the cost (and frankly balances things out a bit, as WFH-ers have had a very cushy ride lately at the expense of those whose work requires physical attendance).

That said, given that the examples I’ve seen (and mentioned in my post above) are from people in the former group, or doing leisure activities, I think it’s fair to say that societal change on people reducing socialisation while sick has been unsuccessful. Which (if I had to speculate) is likely the consequence of certain types pushing a bit too hard re Covid, to the extent that public health is now thoroughly rejected.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One of the things that was disappointing about the pandemic response (amongst many but we've not got time for all of them) is that it doesn't appear to have moved the needle particularly on sick pay. Whilst plenty of people do enjoy above statutory provision for sickness pay (that is that they'll get some fraction of their regular wage for some period of time) there are lots who don't and that's especially true of the sorts of jobs that cannot be done from home meaning you can't work from home whilst a little ill. You either go to work ill and get paid or stay home and get Statutory Sick Pay (currently £99.35 per week, rising to £109.40 from April).

This means that whilst on the one hand the Government, sensibly, advises people to avoid going to work if they're unwell. On the other it makes no significant effort to make it practical for people to do so!

I would be tempted, personally, to take a leaf out of the way that Statutory Maternity Pay is worked out which works out as the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of average weekly earnings whilst the remaining 33 weeks are paid at £156.66 or 90% of wages (whichever is lower). Perhaps the first 2 weeks of illness should be paid at 90% of your average weekly wage and then the remaining 26 weeks at £99.35 per week?

That's not a bad idea. I personally thought of the furlough rate (80% up to a cap) as a possible statutory minimum. I've also wondered if rather than this being imposed on employers (as it can be a heck of a whack for a small company or sole trader) that it should be part of a mandatory national insurance scheme, with employers obviously able to top it up if they wish.

It is, indeed, best if people who are ill do not physically attend a workplace. If they do you don't lose one person for a few days, you lose performance in your whole workforce as everyone catches the cold or whatever it is.

 

[DelayRepay]

One post-pandemic thing I've noticed is the willingness of schools to close or switch to 'remote learning' at the drop of a hat, whether this is caused by weather, site incidents or staffing issues.

It was almost unheard of, pre-pandemic, for colleagues to have to take time off work due to school closures. Now it seems to be a regular theme (or the colleague working from home and trying to supervise their child at the same time).

 

[Crossover]

You either go to work ill and get paid or stay home and get Statutory Sick Pay (currently £99.35 per week, rising to £109.40 from April).

Also notwithstanding that (as I understand it) there are three waiting days. So if you're off only for a day or two, you get nothing if on SSP ('linked illness' excepting)