Return to normality - a double edged sword?

[farleigh]

I am hoping that the return to schools will lead to a rapid return to normality.

 

[westv]

The idea that parts of the entertainment industry, such as theatres, will be abolished for "years" is absurd. It isn't going to happen.

So true. The spirit of Oliver Cromwell appears to live on in some people.

 

[py_megapixel]

All fabulous I'm sure but what about those of us with worse mental health? Absolutely great, I'm sure you'll agree?

Sorry if I came across as insensitive. That was not, and will never be, my intention. The lockdown has in actuality had an enormous bearing on my mental health, and I still feel very stressed even now that we are beginning to return to normal. I do not want that to stay.

That said, I simply cannot agree with the argument that many seem to be making on here that there were absolutely no positive side effects of lockdown. And I don't believe the roads being emptier is what has caused most of the drops in mental health that have been experienced over lockdown - it's been the lack of true contact with others, and the lack of familiarity with what's going on.

 

[route101]

As someone who was meant to start a job and the job was scrapped , I would like to see some form of normality.

 

[Ianno87]

Consider how people lived during wars, which are a whole lot worse than this.

Arguably, life during wars was less restrictive in many ways. Cinemas etc still opened, non-essential travel was permitted (albeit discouraged), you coyld still meet with friends, have a chat over a cup of tea, etc...

That said, I simply cannot agree with the argument that many seem to be making on here that there were absolutely no positive side effects of lockdown. And I don't believe the roads being emptier is what has caused most of the drops in mental health that have been experienced over lockdown - it's been the lack of true contact with others, and the lack of familiarity with what's going on.

The relative lack of traffic in Cambridge is certainly something I'd like to keep, for the benefit of my own mental health. People being in less of a rush all the time, etc.

 

[Chester1]

Once we have enough capacity we could make testing compulsory for all arrivals and for people quarantining on day 14. We could test everyone going on internal flights and ferries too e.g. to Northern Ireland, Scottish Isles, even Isle of Wight (testing onboard and calling them if they test positive). A bigger net for catching cases would help rest of society return to normality.

I don't understand why some members of this site push for closing the borders in multiple threads. Its a minority view that is never going to be implemented. You only have to look at Melbourne now and see the level of discipline required to make it work. Brits wouldn't obey long enough to eliminate the virus. A big net is a more suitable strategy for the UK. It should be obvious by the current situation in tourist spots that foreign holidays need to be allowed to relieve pressure on UK destinations. The current situation where people can choose to go abroad but are discouraged by risk of a sudden quarantine decision is quite a good system. Its providing a boost to the domestic tourist industry without overloading it or preventing people from leaving the country.

 

[adc82140]

As it stands you can't repeatedly test people over and over again. You will eventually damage the nasal septum, never mind the fact it's rather unpleasant. Once a mouth swab or spit test is deployed, by all means test as often as you like.

 

[DB]

I don't understand why some members of this site push for closing the borders in multiple threads.

It's largely just one member...

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's largely just one member...

The rest of this subforum tends towards being an echo chamber of people who don't like the restrictions but cannot propose a viable way of removing them.

It's very much like the many who say Avanti Anytime fares are too high but won't accept any of the viable options for funding their reduction.

 

[DB]

The rest of this subforum tends towards being an echo chamber of people who don't like the restrictions but cannot propose a viable way of removing them.

Whereas you seem keen on adopting every authoritarian idea going!

 

[Huntergreed]

The rest of this subforum tends towards being an echo chamber of people who don't like the restrictions but cannot propose a viable way of removing them.

I'm not arguing for removing all restrictions completely, we need a more well-balanced, evidence-based approach, rather than the facebook-driven fear-based approach we have at the moment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whereas you seem keen on adopting every authoritarian idea going!

I believe Chris Whitty when he says we've hit the limit. If we want more, we need other measures.

 

[bramling]

The rest of this subforum tends towards being an echo chamber of people who don't like the restrictions but cannot propose a viable way of removing them.

It's very much like the many who say Avanti Anytime fares are too high but won't accept any of the viable options for funding their reduction.

Closing borders simply isn’t viable either. Look at the fuss there’s been over quarantining. Likewise in my locality there was utter fury at the mere thought that foreign holidays to places like Italy and Spain should be cancelled.

Personally I’d be more than happy to go with a strategy of closing borders if I felt it would work. I simply don’t feel it would, and there’s the issue that if a viable vaccine doesn’t appear then we’re lumbered with a strategy lacking an exit route, which is a position we’re already in, and certainly don’t want more of.

The only way I fee it would work is if we genuinely achieved elimination and there was a date in mind where an effective vaccine was considered to be highly likely. We don’t have either of those things at this moment.

With the current setup now getting to the point where it’s causing serious issues, unfortunately herd immunity is the *only* viable strategy to take us beyond the immediate future. There also needs to be an urgent focus on any long-term effects, this is one area where I feel I don’t have enough information to make a fully informed personal choice about what level of risk I’m personally prepared to be exposed to.

Note the words personal choice there - that means a personal choice on masks too, not being bamboozled into something by others’ dubious choices. I had to pop down town earlier to get some bits, suffice to say correct mask use was a joke, and in one shop staff were openly encouraging people to remove them because it was causing too many issues.

 

[Chester1]

Closing borders simply isn’t viable either. Look at the fuss there’s been over quarantining. Likewise in my locality there was utter fury at the mere thought that foreign holidays to places like Italy and Spain should be cancelled.

Personally I’d be more than happy to go with a strategy of closing borders if I felt it would work. I simply don’t feel it would, and there’s the issue that if a viable vaccine doesn’t appear then we’re lumbered with a strategy lacking an exit route, which is a position we’re already in, and certainly don’t want more of.

The only way I fee it would work is if we genuinely achieved elimination and there was a date in mind where an effective vaccine was considered to be highly likely. We don’t have either of those things at this moment.

With the current setup now getting to the point where it’s causing serious issues, unfortunately herd immunity is the *only* viable strategy to take us beyond the immediate future. There also needs to be an urgent focus on any long-term effects, this is one area where I feel I don’t have enough information to make a fully informed personal choice about what level of risk I’m personally prepared to be exposed to.

Note the words personal choice there - that means a personal choice on masks too, not being bamboozled into something by others’ dubious choices. I had to pop down town earlier to get some bits, suffice to say correct mask use was a joke, and in one shop staff were openly encouraging people to remove them because it was causing too many issues.

You only need look at UK tourist destinations now to know that allowing people to travel to countries with low rates of infection is safer than overcrowding here. There is an argument for quarantining people from very high risk countries in guarded facilities like Australia and New Zealand do. The government could rent airport hotels to use and no entry into UK allowed unless they have paid in advance. The risk from other countries e.g. Spain is acceptable with at home quarantine.

 

[Richard Scott]

The rest of this subforum tends towards being an echo chamber of people who don't like the restrictions but cannot propose a viable way of removing them.

It's very much like the many who say Avanti Anytime fares are too high but won't accept any of the viable options for funding their reduction.

No, lots of us have proposed ideas based on the fact we've accepted we have to live with this virus and the current situation is non sustainable. We live in a democracy, apparently, so let people choose. We shouldn't be telling older folk to stay at home or if their grandchild visits it'll kill them. Let them decide what's right. State is treating us all like idiots. Some people won't follow advice, we have to deal with that fact too. Sounds harsh but as you keep reminding us life isn't fair.

 

[MikeWM]

I've voted return entirely to normality. If we then want to make sensible changes we can do so in a measured, normal manner. I certainly didn't think 2019 was a utopia, and things did need to change, but it was a lot better than this.

 

[squizzler]

Whilst the poll has been dominated by two responses, after a little thought I moved my vote from 'like before but with WFH' to 'Remove all of the lockdown rules but societal changes in behavior which make life closer to lockdown'. It's a little ambiguous, but that does allow you to take it as

Most people want the sense of community and the newfound respect for frontline workers such as NHS and transport to remain. The popup bike routes and other 'build back greener' measures are also what the public have been demanding for years now.