Is it really effing worth it?

[Charlestonian]

My plan always was to get a test around the 22nd (paid for if needs be) and then have Christmas dinner, just the 4 of us, on Boxing Day.

The idea of people going mad and having three decent sized families indoors is a bit nuts imo.

 

[seahamstar]

Can people not be sensible about this 5 day lifting? What makes you think people who are going to be visiting people are going to pissing it up having parties? Can people not be sensible like yourself? Just for clarity have you not formed a bubble as such with any family during these 9 months? People could just be using this bit of guidance to visit people in gardens for 10 minutes or so. Is that something you have not done at all?

If people could be trusted to use this 'lifting' sensibly then great, but do you really think everybody can be ?
It's like when new restrictions or a rule in quarantining (from abroad) gets announced - there's a mad free for all trying to avoid it, or folk desperate for their last 'freedom fling' while they're allowed.

I just dont see why christmas has to be so 'important' to risk yet another spike in cases , and deaths.

I dont feel the need to form 'bubbles' with anyone (on a personal level).
I live with my partner, and we dont have parents/grandparents to visit.
Our siblings all understand the need to make sacrifices.

 

[SuperGerryHarrison]

The wife and I have got over 2 weeks off over Christmas, so we’re considering taking the kids out of school two days early and then isolating 10 days before so we can meet up with our folks, who will do similar.

I sometimes wonder if it’s a little extreme, and vaccines and only months away, but it’s been a shit year and everyone has had their own little struggles, and just one day of normality to look forward too has a big appeal, certainly for the kids.

 

[offmenut]

9 months fkn sacrifice to "protect the NHS" and "save lives" pushed aside for a 5 day piss up.
Insanity

Well its not really is it.
For the majority of folk who are in tier 1 itll not make much difference.
You can now have a bubble of 3 families for 5 days.
After the lockdown you could have 2 families together for a long time , and then that changed to 6, so It can be 1 person from 6 different households. This is still allowed from when lockdown finishes.
For the vast majority, this Christmas will now be parents going to their kids house or vice Versa.
Not really 5 days insanity piss up. And most don't have houses big enough to host loads of folk.

For me , it'll be my mam n dad coming round and my brother and his lass. So 8 of us. 2 more than would be allowed normally. Its not really insanity

I think quite a few folk are going a bit ott on this.
Probably the same folk who are going shopping at costco and the range and garden centres in the pandemic, making non essential journeys

 

[Gaggoears]

If people could be trusted to use this 'lifting' sensibly then great, but do you really think everybody can be ?
It's like when new restrictions or a rule in quarantining (from abroad) gets announced - there's a mad free for all trying to avoid it, or folk desperate for their last 'freedom fling' while they're allowed.

I just dont see why christmas has to be so 'important' to risk yet another spike in cases , and deaths.

I dont feel the need to form 'bubbles' with anyone (on a personal level).
I live with my partner, and we dont have parents/grandparents to visit.
Our siblings all understand the need to make sacrifices.

Don't be so sensible mate, its not a good look on here.

 

[Dilligaf60]

Now the official rules are out just had a conversation with my wife and we basically agreed regardless of the rules at most we will spend a bit of time with family outside to exchange presents.

We would like nothing more then to let our 2 children see their grandparents. For one it’s their 1st Christmas. But grandparents are between 68 and 74 and one other family member has underlying conditions.

If the vaccine was never coming or 4 or 5 years off we might have a different view but all indications are it’s just around the corner.

If it’s effective then hopefully the wider family and grandparents can have 10-20 more years with them.

It’s everyone’s personal choice but the tragic reality is simple statistics suggest that for a number of people mixing at Christmas will inevitably pass on Covid to vulnerable relatives who die and they may well have to live with the thought that had they just waited a few more months until the vaccine but for a couple of days they could have had many more years with them. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that.

If wider family is very frail or ill and may not see next year I can understand it. But even Covid deniers accept older people are at risk and I can’t understand why anyone would roll the dice with vulnerable family for the sake of one or two days.

Not a chance we will be taking any chances this close to what we hope is the end of it. It just doesn’t make sense, there’s far too much at stake. There’s always next year, and even with the best of intentions I’m not going to take the risk of depriving someone else of being here to enjoy it.

 

[Gaggoears]

Not a chance we will be taking any chances this close to what we hope is the end of it. It just doesn’t make sense, there’s far too much at stake. There’s always next year, and even with the best of intentions I’m not going to take the risk of depriving someone else of being here to enjoy it.

Thinking of others ? A novel idea.

 

[seahamstar]

Not a chance we will be taking any chances this close to what we hope is the end of it. It just doesn’t make sense, there’s far too much at stake. There’s always next year, and even with the best of intentions I’m not going to take the risk of depriving someone else of being here to enjoy it.

Totally and completely the right attitude to take mate.
Life has changed, people's outlook should be one of caution and sensibility - not just let it all go for the sake of something that people are conditioned in to 'having a good time'

Reckless acts have consequences.

 

[redandwhiterob]

Totally and completely the right attitude to take mate.
Life has changed, people's outlook should be one of caution and sensibility - not just let it all go for the sake of something that people are conditioned in to 'having a good time'

Reckless acts have consequences.

Let it all go? You'd think people were organising covid passing parties. I take it you have never been supportive of any lifting restrictions whatsoever? After all why take the chance and not be sensible and cautious?

 

[Harry Angstrom]

Let it all go? You'd think people were organising covid passing parties. I take it you have never been supportive of any lifting restrictions whatsoever? After all why take the chance and not be sensible and cautious?

It is pointless mate. They are the Covid Taliban. Would ban everything.

You enjoy your perfectly legal Chrimbo, with your loved ones.

 

[seahamstar]

Let it all go? You'd think people were organising covid passing parties.

In some of the scenes i've witnessed , i'd say that's pretty accurate.
So, seeing as you're deciding what i do or dont think - do you not think that people should be sensible and cautious?
After all, we've ALWAYS been at liberty to enjoy christmas - pretty sure the relatives of all those that've died already wont think it's disrespectful in any way.

I'm not suggesting that everyone should be under some sort of house arrest (though in some cases it is appropriate), just that it really isnt that hard to sacrifice some aspects of life JUST FOR ONCE (hopefully).

 

[Dilligaf60]

Thinking of others ? A novel idea.

I have an older brother who has spinal arthritis, his wife is immunosuppressive due to years of leukaemia treatment. I’ve been no closer to them than the garden fence since March. We’ve seen the kids and grand kids from a distance but not during heightened restrictions. I travel to and from work once every 3 weeks. The Mrs is a supervisor in a sheltered living complex, we’ve followed the restrictions right through this. Personally I’ve never been worried about the impact of having it myself, I do have a horror of passing it on to someone else though. It’s a matter of conscience. I don’t have the right to determine someone else’s future well being.
we decided as a family to skip the usual Xmas this year and have a better one when this thing is done. Might even do it in July when the weather is better

 

[seahamstar]

It is pointless mate. They are the Covid Taliban. Would ban everything.

You enjoy your perfectly legal Chrimbo, with your loved ones.

Sorry state of affairs when there's deemed a need to ban anything - due to the stupidity, recklessness and downright selfishness of people that cant be trusted to do the right thing.

It’s a matter of conscience. I don’t have the right to determine someone else’s future well being.

And that is all that needs to be said, really.

 

[Harry Angstrom]

Sorry state of affairs when there's deemed a need to ban anything - due to the stupidity, recklessness and downright selfishness of people that cant be trusted to do the right thing.

The people who won't be sensible about this wouldn't be sensible anyway, even if there was a blanket ban.

Most people will see their family over the holiday and have a nice time.

Pointless making laws that people wouldn't buy into.

 

[Gaggoears]

I have an older brother who has spinal arthritis, his wife is immunosuppressive due to years of leukaemia treatment. I’ve been no closer to them than the garden fence since March. We’ve seen the kids and grand kids from a distance but not during heightened restrictions. I travel to and from work once every 3 weeks. The Mrs is a supervisor in a sheltered living complex, we’ve followed the restrictions right through this. Personally I’ve never been worried about the impact of having it myself, I do have a horror of passing it on to someone else though. It’s a matter of conscience. I don’t have the right to determine someone else’s future well being.
we decided as a family to skip the usual Xmas this year and have a better one when this thing is done. Might even do it in July when the weather is better

I'm in a similar position and will be doing the same. I could not give a shit what others on here do but they seem to get upset by thinking I care. Having already lost a family member I have no intention of losing another.

 

[Dilligaf60]

The people who won't be sensible about this wouldn't be sensible anyway, even if there was a blanket ban.

Most people will see their family over the holiday and have a nice time.

Pointless making laws that people wouldn't buy into.

Please excuse me if I’m wrong but weren’t you an advocate of “herd immunity” at some point?
Anyway, laws are put into place to remind people that there are certain things they shouldn’t be doing. Not everyone buys into them or we wouldn’t have any crime. Doesn’t make it a bad idea.

 

[seahamstar]

The people who won't be sensible about this wouldn't be sensible anyway, even if there was a blanket ban.

Most people will see their family over the holiday and have a nice time.

Pointless making laws that people wouldn't buy into.

I agree with your first line .
But, i do believe that a blanket ban would help - a lot of folk would adhere to it, keeping the infection rate lower than just allowing folk to do their own thing (imo).

 

[Harry Angstrom]

Please excuse me if I’m wrong but weren’t you an advocate of “herd immunity” at some point?

No, controlled burn of virus in society. Very much against the draconian lockdowns but also against a free for all.

If in the summer people weren't allowed to travel abroad and rule of six was in place then we could have enjoyed a decent year the same amount of deaths, which is acceptable in my eyes.

I agree with your first line .
But, i do believe that a blanket ban would help - a lot of folk would adhere to it, keeping the infection rate lower than just allowing folk to do their own thing (imo).

People have had enough and are happy to risk it. Anyone who isn't can be ultra cautious.

 

[redandwhiterob]

In some of the scenes i've witnessed , i'd say that's pretty accurate.
So, seeing as you're deciding what i do or dont think - do you not think that people should be sensible and cautious?
After all, we've ALWAYS been at liberty to enjoy christmas - pretty sure the relatives of all those that've died already wont think it's disrespectful in any way.

I'm not suggesting that everyone should be under some sort of house arrest (though in some cases it is appropriate), just that it really isnt that hard to sacrifice some aspects of life JUST FOR ONCE (hopefully).

Some people have got nobody mate and never had during this whole pandemic. Nobody to keep company, nobody to bounce off when feeling down, nobody to talk to. It's all about striking a balance. Nobody is been forced to do anything. This 5 day lifting could do people the world of good as we head into the new year where restrictions will be back in place no matter what we do at Christmas. Mentally a 5 day slight lifting of restrictions will do thousands upon thousands or people the world of good without having been made to feel like criminals. Youd think they were dragging the vulnerable from there homes with some of the hysteria you see knocking about here and other parts if social media. It feels like some people are a step or two away from calling for people to be put on trial for murder

 

[rubberface]

I'm presuming all these people having a complain about this slight 5 day lift for Christmas haven't been involved in any sort of bubble at all since the pandemic started? Never took advantage of a lifting of restrictions when it has been introduced and are planning on not having no contact with anybody till the vaccination programme is well on the way to being completed? People have been allowed to form small bubbles with close family if they so wish in a home environment. You'd think the government were personally organising mass street parties the way some people are going on. This 'I guess Covid-19 is having Christmas off too' argument is infantile and brings nothing to the debate.

..you don't think people won't be having mass parties? Naive if you don't think so mate. People will be going door to door once the drink starts flowing. Recipe for disaster.