what's the 1st thing you're going to do, with the end in sight?

Tokmon

Thrugelmir said:

Tokmon said:

Baxter100 said:

I'm kind of amazed that anyone who has been following this for the last 12 months thinks that we will be going back to 'normal' at any point soon (or ever).

I think the likelihood is that social distancing, masks etc will be required in many settings and professions now permanently. Remote working and home schooling will be the future. Yearly vaccinations will be required to enter shops, go to pubs, travel abroad. I can't really see mass crowd events like concerts, festivals, sporting events, marathons etc ever really coming back.

None of this makes me happy at all but in my mind it's certainly the way it's all heading.

That's a very bleak view of the future. Just look at New Zealand they have managed Covid Cases to a very low level and social distancing isn't required and masks are only required on some public transport in some areas; only a week ago they had a massive concert with everyone packed in to together!.

This isn't New Zealand though. The population is less than 5 million. More people than that live in Scotland alone. Despite closed borders. There were still 9 cases reported today. Covid isn't just going to disappear. Lift the guard it's going to come roaring back. 

That Wedding in London in one of the already worst affected boroughs. Is bound to trigger a further surge in the locality. Unfortunately it may cause even greater social issues due to the sect involved. 

Yes I know that every country is different but my example is that people will want to get back to "normal" and that will eventually happen because people do not want to live like this forever. 

What will happen is that everyone will be vaccinated and the number of people needing hospital treatment will dramatically fall, then as new variants are discovered the vaccines will be modified and administered yearly just like they do with the Flu. 
Over 10,000 people a year were dying of the flu in the UK but that didn't trigger any restrictions like we have now. 

The vaccines they have developed are all just as good and better than flu vaccines at preventing people with Covid needing hospital treatment. Yes it will always be here but if most people are vaccinated and don't need hospital treatment then why would we need restrictions because it will just be like before with how we deal with the fly.

od244051

I seriously doubt that my foreign holiday  will go ahead. It was rescheduled from last year. Got the time booked off from work so if it doesn't, I probably repeat what I did last year with my parents, rented a cottage for a few days and use that as a base for visiting places. Then a concert which I was planning on going in October (booked in Dec 2019) has been rescheduled to Oct this year. If that doesn't go ahead, then I will still take the day off work. The original date, fell on a day off at work, New date - on a work day.

Even in the current situation, my passport still needs renewing - 20th Match as to let your passport lapse is a bigger PITA You can renew passport online saving about  £7.

The one thing I want to do once social distancing is no longer a thing, is to drive 70 miles to see my grandmother. Today marks a year since I last saw my grandmother. My  parents managed to see her when they were able to in the summer, though it was difficult to SD. My grandmother is 93, has bad vision problems, frail and struggles to move with arthritis. The way things are going, I the next time I will see her is when she's sealed in a wooden box.

203846930

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

jimi_man

duncanthedog said:

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

What do you class as ‘the end’? 

I’ve got a couple of holidays booked to Greece. The flights are with BA so it’s not a huge issue if they don’t go ahead as BA are pretty good about their refunds/vouchers/rebooking. My employer is pretty flexible so I can just take the time on another occasion. I imagine a lot of people may have booked on that basis. 

nyermen

Eat a whole bushel of apples? 
Im taking each day as it comes. We want to have our honeymoon once its safe and sensible, and I hope my company sees growth in its future rather than cuts.  Simple things...

od244051

duncanthedog said:

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

The holiday I have booked was rescheduled from last year. So just got the deposit with them. Think most people have rescheduled their holiday 2020 to this year to the same time of year give/take 10 days. I certainly won't be flying until you don't have to wear masks on the flight - which I can see it will be at least 2023. As many airlines don't count scarves, snoods and face shields as face coverings. Being asthmatic, I can only wear a mask for 40 mins max.

clive0510

jimi_man said:

duncanthedog said:

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

What do you class as ‘the end’? 

I’ve got a couple of holidays booked to Greece. The flights are with BA so it’s not a huge issue if they don’t go ahead as BA are pretty good about their refunds/vouchers/rebooking. My employer is pretty flexible so I can just take the time on another occasion. I imagine a lot of people may have booked on that basis. 

What I class as the end, would be to be able to go to the pub on a sunday lunchtime, and have a few drinks with friends. to be able to go to the farmers market and not have to que for everything 2 mtrs apart. and also to be mask free.and finally to be able to see my mum and the rest of the family, 99% of whom live 250 miles away,whose christmas presents are all stuck here in my spare room.

od244051

clive0510 said:

jimi_man said:

duncanthedog said:

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

What do you class as ‘the end’? 

I’ve got a couple of holidays booked to Greece. The flights are with BA so it’s not a huge issue if they don’t go ahead as BA are pretty good about their refunds/vouchers/rebooking. My employer is pretty flexible so I can just take the time on another occasion. I imagine a lot of people may have booked on that basis. 

What I class as the end, would be to be able to go to the pub on a sunday lunchtime, and have a few drinks with friends. to be able to go to the farmers market and not have to que for everything 2 mtrs apart. and also to be mask free.and finally to be able to see my mum and the rest of the family, 99% of whom live 250 miles away,whose christmas presents are all stuck here in my spare room.

Basically pre 1st lockdown. Can see the requirement of face coverings in certain places made from compulsory to optional in the reverse order. So museums, libraries were the last places to make face coverings compulsory (in England, can't comment about S, W or NI) and they will the first places to go optional for face coverings. 

Many people I know didn't bother with Christmas presents for relatives that lived miles away as knew they weren't going to see them. At my work, I remember several customers refunding Christmas presents they have bought for their relatives and realised they aren't going to see them.

clive0510

Well we in our family allways uphold the christmas present tradition, for young and old. just that christmas just gone, that tradition has been put on hold, through no fault of yours or mine.

Morrigan_2020

od244051 said:

duncanthedog said:

Continue to wait for the end to actually arrive.

It's those that jump the gun that will continue to spread the virus, I can't believe that people are still booking holidays and trips.

The holiday I have booked was rescheduled from last year. So just got the deposit with them. Think most people have rescheduled their holiday 2020 to this year to the same time of year give/take 10 days. I certainly won't be flying until you don't have to wear masks on the flight - which I can see it will be at least 2023. As many airlines don't count scarves, snoods and face shields as face coverings. Being asthmatic, I can only wear a mask for 40 mins max.

Have you tried different kinds of masks, or building up your tolerance?  Lots of asthmatics are wearing them all day every day, even for 13 hour shifts in hospitals.  It would be a shame for that to stop you doing things that you want to do, because you are probably right they will be with us for a while I think.