...I don’t think that we will forget and obviously shouldn’t forget because there will always be a ‘positive value’ to the most devastating events like this if they’re used to make necessary changes to our ‘normal’...

Spot on.

I think it makes sense to keep monitoring the numbers because that allows us to be aware of any new strains etc, however, i think the daily obsession with the numbers increases anxiety levels too much. People are in the most part doing all they can do to protect themselves, and nothing creates more stress and anxiety than something we have no control over and that has very lasting long term side effects.

Again, the media need to back off a bit. 24 hour news channels where it is the only topic is just not healthy for anyone. We all need balance in our lives and fixative reporting and scare mongering is not helpful. Of course, report the news, but do it in a balanced way without ridiculous headlines designed for shock and awe

...tbf, though...I don’t know anyone ‘in real life’ who follows any media with COVID related stuff to the extent it is on the forum, for instance...?..but that’s because we have specific sections to follow news in all areas, I mean it’s the whole purpose of a forum, to discuss etc and apply focus specifically ...I can’t see an issue with having 24hr news stations discussing the biggest event of our time and we apply the balance to that by choosing how much of that time we watch and the general vein of the news we watch...I tend to devour the more scientific aspects, which are fascinating for me...

Realistically I'm thinking that it's between November, December of next year.

2022 is obviously not a bad bet either.

Well tbf Scientists have more knowledge about this than any of us do.

You were blaming non mask wearers 2 mins ago!!!

I was working from home most of the time pre-pandemic anyway, and the organisation has recently decided that everyone is free to work from home whenever they want from now on even when the office spaces are fully re-opened :flutter:. (They basically discovered that there has been no loss of productivity from everyone WFH and it's actually improved communication in a few areas).

There was a suggestion that we go fully-digital and ditch the offices but most staff decided that they'd prefer to keep the offices and have the option of going in or not.

Well common sense would tell you that people not wearing masks are as abysmal as the government.

The government have a lot to answer to but so do the morons that think they are above wearing masks.

the effect of the virus world wide would have been negligible if people used simple common sense and followed the health guidelines. Unfortunately, the world seems to have a significant proportion of idiots which has meant all these restrictions have become necessary

It's the government's fault for not implementing measures earlier, it's the government's fault for allowing that cretin to flout Lockdown rules and cause disillusionment within the populace.

Anti-maskers are stupid beyond compare, but it's ultimately the government's fault for how bad things are because of their unwillingness to act when they could have. Stupid people will always be stupid, but we should expect more from the government. I imagine the criticism of the government would be far harsher were it not a Tory government.

A lot of the people that are determined to shield Boris would be building the guillotines if any other party did what the tories did in this pandemic.

it's an individuals responsibility to look after their own health. Too much reliance is placed on government. That doesn't mean i excuse the government for some pretty crass decisions along the way, but it is within individuals hands to make sure they are safe.

Not during pandemic it isn't! Only the govt have the authority to say it's too great a risk for you to go to work or school.
And with almost 1000 people a day dying that time is now.

I said that non mask wearers increased the spread, not that they were wholly responsible for the whole thing. I think you're choosing to misinterpret and misrepresent my comments. You have enough about you to know it's not that simplistic.

The government's handling of this crisis has been appalling, making so many wrong decisions and repeatedly doing too little too late, despite having had plenty of warnings from Italy and the time to take the right action to avoid the same thing happening here. Had they taken the right action, we could be Covid free like New Zealand now. They are ultimately responsible.

However, non maskers are not playing their part in helping to reduce the spread.

:clap1::clap1::clap1:

At least you know where you stand with non mask wearers, the worst ones are those that wear masks and have no idea why they are wearing them, as they are either under their nose or as I witnessed in the bakery last week pull them down to speak...:umm2:

The other people and I know a few of these are those that comply with mask wearing, hand sanitising but then bend the rule indoors by having people in, or being in multiple bubbles so basically they can interact with everyone :umm2:

This, exactly right.
This letting the government off the hook when they have all the advice and data while not making it all known to the public, is sickening.

Of course the people in power must direct as they would as to riots and any other threats to society.

So I've no agreement with those protecting the government over the people.


That's up to them however.

As for back to normal, whatever normal is to be for likely a long time to come.
I think it's going to be another year of uncertainty with no one knowing what effects will come from late Autumn this year again.

I'd love to think things could be far better by the summer, which there may be many positive signs.
However I fear problems for the foreseeable future.
Hope I'm wrong but I think next year sometime will be more likely when real improvement can be possibly secured more permanently.

I think it's easy to blame the government for it all. Especially without knowing if their decision making has caused this to worsen.

If people had followed the guidlines set out by the government then we wouldn't be in this mess, if shop owners and bus firms had implemented those guidlines properly we may not be in this mess now. If the french hadnt allowed all those dingies in the summer to cross the channel we may not be in this mess now..one could even suggest this is where the new strain originated from..some will find a way to blame the government for this as well though.

If anti maskers and blm protestors hadnt congregated en Masse in our cities then we may not be in this mess.

Yeah let’s blame immigrants and people protesting for equality. Not the incompetent government for not taking necessary steps when they had ample opportunity to.

Exactly. Certain people will always take the opportunity to blame a small handful of asylum seekers, whilst choosing to forget about all those (in my view, selfish) Brits who chose to travel abroad for holidays and brought back different strains of the virus.

However, ultimately it comes down to the total incompetence of the government, as you say. As an island, had the right steps been taken and the right decisions been made, we could so easily have been the least affected in Europe, as we had a natural barrier to prevent the virus spreading out of control here. Ironically, we are one of the worst affected countries in Europe.

Frustratingly, we've had to helplessly observe the government blundering from one mistake to another, knowing exactly how the horrific consequences of those mistakes would unfold. And now we will have to sit and watch more mistakes being made regarding schools and second vaccines, when the outcome is so predictable.

I, for one, am done with ridiculous claims such as us having a 'world beating test and trace system', of us being free of the virus from Christmas, for instance. And I'm done with false hope repeatedly being given to the general public when anyone who follows politics and experts closely can see the lies that are being generated to give the impression that the government is doing a good job when, in fact, they are failing dismally.

Absolutely right.

Even moreso, when they relaxed too much way too quickly, after the first already done later than ought to have been, lockdown.

i voted April - July, but that is more a point where i think we could be going to the ''new normal'' with some events happening again (Eurovision, and later on Euro championship football in summer, as well as tokyo olympics)

more important factor what scenario's we go for (in terms of Eurovision) is how we get on with vaccinations, quick testing, hopefully like Merkel said working more together to fight corona, to stay more at home, i hope we can have scenario B for ESC, at least all artists in one venue, i don't care if there is no audience


back to normal before corona, not sure if we want to go there again, i mean i think we always now need to stay alert that this sort of thing does not happen again

the EBU had their new years concert in vienna, corona-proof too yesterday, no audience just the people who signed up to be there virtually with tv screens, and all musicians from 40 countries all from their national 'bubbles' and all tested before entering the church, with negative test they could stand next to each other to play the songs

Short of getting the army on the streets to control the population there wasnt and usnt much more the government can do other than pass laws/rules for us to follow.

They need to juggle all sorts of things and weight then all up and decide what's best for people..isnt that why the kids went back to school? Because it was better for them mentally?

If the government had or does put the army on the streets to keep the rule breakers under control the government would be slagged off for being a dictatorship or some other poorly thought out word.