How much longer will social distancing go on for in the UK?

[MikeWM]

Graph from today's Guardian



Clearly no harm at all in just carrying on like this; only 30% of under 40s are depressed...

Also being reported that *25%* of 18-24 year olds in the USA have 'seriously considered' suicide in the last few months.

 

[brad465]

Graph from today's Guardian

Clearly no harm at all in just carrying on like this; only 30% of under 40s are depressed...

Also being reported that *25%* of 18-24 year olds in the USA have 'seriously considered' suicide in the last few months.

The BBC are also reporting on it here with the suggestion depression cases have doubled:

Depression doubles during coronavirus pandemic

Figures suggest one in five adults in Britain are experiencing depressive symptoms.

www.bbc.co.uk

Twice as many adults in Britain are reporting symptoms of depression now compared with this time last year, Office for National Statistics figures suggest.

One in five people appeared to have depressive symptoms compared with one in ten before the pandemic.

The conclusions are based on a survey of more than 3,500 adults followed up over a 12-month period.

While this is hypothetical, if social distancing goes on too much longer I wouldn't be surprised if this stat rockets further, especially if the prospect of a unsocial Christmas looks to be the case.

 

[NorthOxonian]

The BBC are also reporting on it here with the suggestion depression cases have doubled:

Depression doubles during coronavirus pandemic

Figures suggest one in five adults in Britain are experiencing depressive symptoms.

www.bbc.co.uk

Yes, the figures went from 10% to 19% across the population as a whole. Even worse affected are groups such as younger people (under 40), those in a precarious financial position, and those with some sort of disability - all three of those have more than 30% reporting moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Incredibly worrying and likely to have implications into the very long term.

 

[Scotrail12]

The pandemic definitely affected many's mental health, especially the young who are used to being out and about. Going out and enjoying life was what was keeping me going and having to stay at home and do nothing enjoyable was very detrimental.

 

[greyman42]

The pandemic definitely affected many's mental health, especially the young who are used to being out and about. Going out and enjoying life was what was keeping me going and having to stay at home and do nothing enjoyable was very detrimental.

I'm sure that applies to the majority of people of all ages.

 

[Richard Scott]

I'm sure that applies to the majority of people of all ages.

So lets get going then. It really should be about people making sensible decisions not keep us all restricted. Some will make the wrong decisions but that it life, we cannot keep this charade up. The NHS will be overwhelmed with mental health cases, some people seem to think the virus is only thing that counts and consistently ignore the facts this isn't a one horse race, including our own government.

 

[greyman42]

So lets get going then. It really should be about people making sensible decisions not keep us all restricted. Some will make the wrong decisions but that it life, we cannot keep this charade up. The NHS will be overwhelmed with mental health cases, some people seem to think the virus is only thing that counts and consistently ignore the facts this isn't a one horse race, including our own government.

I completely agree. We might have to take a few risks but to carry on as we are is no life.

 

[Smidster]

I don't doubt that this has been terrible for mental health - having life turned upside down overnight is pretty traumatic even of you are fortunate enough to not have to worry about your job or your health.

That being said to those who want to end distancing immediately what is your plan? Unfortunately there is still a nasty disease out there that we have limited treatment for. While I would argue incidence is currently low in the community that could change very quickly if you took your foot off the brake pedal

Personally where we are now doesn't feel too bad...there isn't a great deal that you can't do and while I really miss going to concerts and sports events bringing thousands of people together just isn't a good idea right now.

I am all for ideas but just saying "forget the last 6 months" isn't a plan and probably wouldn't even do that much for the economy - the Government can say something is OK but if the public think otherwise they will carry on as they were.

 

[DB]

I don't doubt that this has been terrible for mental health - having life turned upside down overnight is pretty traumatic even of you are fortunate enough to not have to worry about your job or your health.

That being said to those who want to end distancing immediately what is your plan? Unfortunately there is still a nasty disease out there that we have limited treatment for. While I would argue incidence is currently low in the community that could change very quickly if you took your foot off the brake pedal

Personally where we are now doesn't feel too bad...there isn't a great deal that you can't do and while I really miss going to concerts and sports events bringing thousands of people together just isn't a good idea right now.

I am all for ideas but just saying "forget the last 6 months" isn't a plan and probably wouldn't even do that much for the economy - the Government can say something is OK but if the public think otherwise they will carry on as they were.

Pretty much what Sweden is doiing would be best.

The virus is simply not as dangerous as portrayed.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

That being said to those who want to end distancing immediately what is your plan? Unfortunately there is still a nasty disease out there that we have limited treatment for. While I would argue incidence is currently low in the community that could change very quickly if you took your foot off the brake pedal

I'd be perfectly happy if the face covering mandate was removed (probably not on public transport though - if it allows for capacity to be increased). Everything else doesn't really bother me at the moment (e.g. concerts) - if I can travel where I like, when I like and meet friends in reasonable group sizes and in reasonable places then that keeps me happy - in the interim anyway.

Let's not bring the face covering discussion here though

 

[Bletchleyite]

Pretty much what Sweden is doiing would be best.

Other than masks, what Sweden is doing (either legislatively or voluntarily) is near identical to what we are doing. So you have your wish!

 

[talldave]

Other than masks, what Sweden is doing (either legislatively or voluntarily) is near identical to what we are doing. So you have your wish!

I don't think people living in Leicester and other deadly virus hotshots would agree with you.

 

[DB]

Other than masks, what Sweden is doing (either legislatively or voluntarily) is near identical to what we are doing. So you have your wish!

Not really. Masks is the big one, but they also don't do all the stupid and dispiriting petty regulations on shops, pubs, etc. Also, they haven't spent the past five months grinding people down with a regularly changing parade of petty rules

 

[takno]

I don't doubt that this has been terrible for mental health - having life turned upside down overnight is pretty traumatic even of you are fortunate enough to not have to worry about your job or your health.

That being said to those who want to end distancing immediately what is your plan? Unfortunately there is still a nasty disease out there that we have limited treatment for. While I would argue incidence is currently low in the community that could change very quickly if you took your foot off the brake pedal

Personally where we are now doesn't feel too bad...there isn't a great deal that you can't do and while I really miss going to concerts and sports events bringing thousands of people together just isn't a good idea right now.

I am all for ideas but just saying "forget the last 6 months" isn't a plan and probably wouldn't even do that much for the economy - the Government can say something is OK but if the public think otherwise they will carry on as they were.

There's very low current death rates from what has never been a particularly deadly disease. To continue treating it as special is borderline insane. I have no intention of forgetting or forgiving the last 6 months, but messing the next 6 months up as well is no kind of a solution even if it was affordable, which is isn't.

We're currently in a useless kind of stasis where huge and important parts of life can't happen, millions of people live in households without an income, and there is no imminent prospect of an economic recovery. The fact that I can go to the pub a couple of times a week doesn't make that alright. And even if it did, whole regions are quite oppressive levels of lockdown, and the rest of the country is constantly threatened with the same.

I might add that if you are missing going to gigs then you'd better dig in for the long term. If we don't do something soon that's fairly dramatic and unaffordable in terms of government support, then by the time that sector has recovered your gig-going days will likely be well behind you.

 

[greyman42]

I don't think people living in Leicester and other deadly virus hotshots would agree with you.

When you called it deadly were you being tongue in cheek?

 

[talldave]

When you called it deadly were you being tongue in cheek?

Possibly

 

[Class 33]

I can't find the post, but someone on here predicted that the deaths this Wednesday to Friday would be between 30 to 40! How very wrong you were! Deaths on Wednesday were 16, deaths yesterday were 6 and deaths today are TWO!! TWO!!! The 7-day average of deaths are still continuing to fall and fall. They should be even lower next week. We could even at long last get at least one ZERO deaths day next week. Daily deaths now are currently over 99.50% lower than they were during that horrible peak back in mid April when deaths were over 1,000 per day.

But my concern is that the government just aren't taking much notice atall of these now EXTREMELY LOW daily deaths. And are instead concentrating on other factors such as the number of new cases and the R rate, and using these as excuses to keep all this social distancing and face mask wearing nonsense to still drag on and on and on with no end in sight. We can't carry on with this nonsense for too much longer now! For the sake of the economy, people's livelihoods and their mental health, this has to end very soon now. Providing the death rate doesn't significantly increase again, then November at the VERY LATEST in my opinion, and NOT November at the earliest!

 

[MikeWM]

But my concern is that the government just aren't taking much notice atall of these now EXTREMELY LOW daily deaths. And are instead concentrating on other factors such as the number of new cases and the R rate, and using these as excuses to keep all this social distancing and face mask wearing nonsense to still drag on and on and on with no end in sight.

Governments around the world are all doing the same. It is total nonsense. This is now a casedemic, not a pandemic. Look at this graph for European Countries combined. In March/April - increase in cases meant an increase in deaths a few weeks later. Now it clearly doesn't. All we're doing is finding cases that don't matter.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I read an article earlier (can't find it now) but the source was reputable, and it suggests that a mutation has been discovered that is making it less harmful, as often happens with viruses. Could we now have reached that here?

 

[MikeWM]

I read an article earlier (can't find it now) but the source was reputable, and it suggests that a mutation has been discovered that is making it less harmful, as often happens with viruses. Could we now have reached that here?

Karol Sikora mentioned that earlier today

https://twitter.com/ProfKarolSikora/status/1296781761591083008

Some compelling evidence coming from scientists in Singapore about a strain of COVID-19 that is causing milder infections. This does fit with what we are seeing in terms of reduced hospital activity. Far more work is required, but I suspect this could be really good news.

He also points out we have less than 500 patients in hospital now, the lowest since this began.

 

[bramling]

Karol Sikora mentioned that earlier today

https://twitter.com/ProfKarolSikora/status/1296781761591083008


He also points out we have less than 500 patients in hospital now, the lowest since this began.

Unfortunately it’s only good news if people can get the fear out of their heads.

 

[Yew]

I read an article earlier (can't find it now) but the source was reputable, and it suggests that a mutation has been discovered that is making it less harmful, as often happens with viruses. Could we now have reached that here?

Regardless of whether it's a weaker strain, better protections, fewer vulnerable people, or some level of immunity, it's good news regardless

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I can't find the post, but someone on here predicted that the deaths this Wednesday to Friday would be between 30 to 40! How very wrong you were! Deaths on Wednesday were 16, deaths yesterday were 6 and deaths today are TWO!! TWO!!! The 7-day average of deaths are still continuing to fall and fall. They should be even lower next week. We could even at long last get at least one ZERO deaths day next week. Daily deaths now are currently over 99.50% lower than they were during that horrible peak back in mid April when deaths were over 1,000 per day.

But my concern is that the government just aren't taking much notice atall of these now EXTREMELY LOW daily deaths. And are instead concentrating on other factors such as the number of new cases and the R rate, and using these as excuses to keep all this social distancing and face mask wearing nonsense to still drag on and on and on with no end in sight. We can't carry on with this nonsense for too much longer now! For the sake of the economy, people's livelihoods and their mental health, this has to end very soon now. Providing the death rate doesn't significantly increase again, then November at the VERY LATEST in my opinion, and NOT November at the earliest!

Yes, this is good news. But good news doesn't make the headlines.

I find it quite interesting that there's 480 people in hospital with COVID-19 in England, but 249 in Scotland. I'd have expected the Scottish number to be much lower than that (or the English number to be higher).

 

[Class 33]

Governments around the world are all doing the same. It is total nonsense. This is now a casedemic, not a pandemic. Look at this graph for European Countries combined. In March/April - increase in cases meant an increase in deaths a few weeks later. Now it clearly doesn't. All we're doing is finding cases that don't matter.

View attachment 82549

Thanks for that graph just showing what absolute nonsense and insanity this really now is. It just defies belief it really does.

We are getting a higher number of cases now because of a significant increase in daily testing! My fear is that in 3 or 4 months time or even into early next year is that we're still getting numbers of new cases roughly the same as we are now - though the numbers of daily deaths could well easily be as low as either ZERO, 1 or 2 per day. But no, for the government that still isn't acceptable, and they STILL insist on this social distancing and face covering nonsense to still continue onwards, further numerous local lockdowns, and even further stricter national laws such as wearing face coverings in all outdoor settings, wearing gloves in shops, etc. It's just absolutely insanity all this is.

 

[C J Snarzell]

The reduction in deaths is fantastic news. This horrible virus has claimed so many lives and rob so many people of loved ones.

There is a spike in cases in places like Oldham but the government are really digging their heels in now.

I do think that has we descend into the Autumn and get closer to Christmas, the government really needs to consider the bigger picture with things like mental health.

Many places in my town are still enforcing social distancing measures and people are still queuing outside businesses, spread apart like they were doing in March.

This is not going to be practical in the depths of Winter when older people are at risk of flu and other illnesses attributed to the cold.

It really is a double edge sword but as I've said previously, I can't see most of the current face mask & social distancing measures being eased until early 2021.

CJ

 

[Class 33]

All these pubs/restaurants/cafes that have reopened, but with extra seating arranged outside because of the reduction of capacity inside due to "social distancing guidelines". They may be just about getting by at the moment. But come the autumn and winter with the frequent colder temperatures and days of rain and windy weather - well I can't see many people wanting to sit outside in those conditions. So these businesses will really suffer more during the upcoming autumn/winter months if this social distancing nonsense still drags on and on. I fear there will be quite a number closing down in this country.

 

[Bletchleyite]

All these pubs/restaurants/cafes that have reopened, but with extra seating arranged outside because of the reduction of capacity inside due to "social distancing guidelines". They may be just about getting by at the moment. But come the autumn and winter with the frequent colder temperatures and days of rain and windy weather - well I can't see many people wanting to sit outside in those conditions. So these businesses will really suffer more during the upcoming autumn/winter months if this social distancing nonsense still drags on and on. I fear there will be quite a number closing down in this country.

I reckon there will be a fairly busy market in patio heaters. This isn't great for the environment, however...

 

[Belperpete]

I reckon there will be a fairly busy market in patio heaters. This isn't great for the environment, however...

Unfortunately environmental considerations seem to have been almost forgotten. We may have eliminated the thousands of plastic bags that used to disfigure our countryside, river banks, etc., but we are rapidly replacing them with discarded masks and gloves. And all the disinfectant and hand gell being used with gay abandon everywhere isn't just evaporating into thin air. I must admit to being horrified by the scenes of disinfectant being sprayed all over the place (including beaches!), although fortunately this country doesn't seem to have followed this particular lunacy.

 

[Huntergreed]

Just read an article about how Edinburgh is planning for a “socially distanced” Christmas festival this year, which implies to me that social distancing is here for the rest of 2020:

Revamped plans for Edinburgh's winter festivals, which would see Christmas markets and attractions spread across the city centre, have been given the green light by councillors.

Edinburgh Council has agreed with Underbelly, the production firm behind the winter festivals, to stage a six-week programme of events.

It comes as what would have been Edinburgh's 28th Hogmanay street party, was called off last month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Access to the winter festivals may be controlled at key sites to ensure social distancing, while the annual fire parade, which traditionally starts the city's Hogmanay festival, will become a static torchlight event.

(Source:https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-53862916)

 

[yorkie]

Other than masks, what Sweden is doing (either legislatively or voluntarily) is near identical to what we are doing. So you have your wish!

If only that was true! But a rather big difference in strategy (face coverings) is off topic for this thread!

Just read an article about how Edinburgh is planning for a “socially distanced” Christmas festival this year, which implies to me that social distancing is here for the rest of 2020....

As far as I'm concerned social distancing has effectively already ended in all settings apart from when it is forced upon us.