COVID-19 Freedom day, how do you feel about it?

On the one hand I feel relieved that life will get back to normal, but I'll wear a mask in places like the supermarket. I don't want to be the only one, but sounds like from the comments many others will still wear them.
 
Personally, I can't wait. My MH has suffered badly during the restrictions. I have been out and about constantly since lockdown lifted, I need to have normal life back.

I especially can't wait to ditch the mask.
 
*kate* said:
Personally, I can't wait. My MH has suffered badly during the restrictions. I have been out and about constantly since lockdown lifted, I need to have normal life back.

I especially can't wait to ditch the mask.
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I agree. I'll be avoiding large crowds but that's nothing new to me other than that I feel that my life is pretty much back to normal already. I'll keep up testing twice a week aswell.
 
I'll be reverting back to pre lockdowns where I apply common sense. As it happens I work rom home anyway and dont see a lot of people or crowds anyway. So its probably a relatively easy thing for me. I was also an early user of masks in shops and the like, doing it before a lot of others mainly to protect others, I am 95% sure I got covid in March 2019 so I will likely continue with mask wearing in shops and using gels and sprays (which I feel is just good practice).

I am however really pleased we are getting our freedom back, I have been all over the place mentally in the last 18months and I know a lot of others have too. Also we need to start getting back to some sort of normality and learning how to live with it rather than relying on lockdowns, we have 5 million on waiting lists, the fallout from this in terms of deaths is likely to be much higher than deaths from covid itself, that's before you look at people living with chronic illness and pain that they may now not get treatment for in the next decade.
 
I will be avoiding crowded spaces. I will still have my mask for shops etc. I would absolutely love for everything to be back to normal and not to *need* masks and distancing, but we know the virus is still out there and makes some people very ill.
 
The OH and I have tickets for a couple of festivals that are outdoors and going ahead, but after discussion we have decided that we will not be attending this year. One festival has allowed us to transfer our tickets to next year. We love the atmosphere of live music, the sunburn when the weather is fab and the being soaked through to your undies when it's more British and pelts down for hours, but the thought of being with thousands of people again, having to share frankly revolting portaloos and having to purchase all food and drink from vendors (some of whose hygiene didn't look fab before this pandemic) filled me with dread. I know the govt says these aren't super spreader events, but I just don't want to take the risk this year.
I will still be wearing a mask in shops and indoor public spaces. I am now working from home and I will continue to wear a mask around clients and will be asking my clients to continue to wear a mask when they attend for appointments. I appreciate it will end up being a matter of personal choice, and at the moment that is the choice I will be making.
 
VickiA said:
The OH and I have tickets for a couple of festivals that are outdoors and going ahead, but after discussion we have decided that we will not be attending this year. One festival has allowed us to transfer our tickets to next year. We love the atmosphere of live music, the sunburn when the weather is fab and the being soaked through to your undies when it's more British and pelts down for hours, but the thought of being with thousands of people again, having to share frankly revolting portaloos and having to purchase all food and drink from vendors (some of whose hygiene didn't look fab before this pandemic) filled me with dread. I know the govt says these aren't super spreader events, but I just don't want to take the risk this year.
I will still be wearing a mask in shops and indoor public spaces. I am now working from home and I will continue to wear a mask around clients and will be asking my clients to continue to wear a mask when they attend for appointments. I appreciate it will end up being a matter of personal choice, and at the moment that is the choice I will be making.
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That's a shame you'll miss the festivals this year. I'm meant to be going to Isle of Wight festival in September. When it was booked we were certain we'd make it, but not so sure now.
 
I will certainly continue to wear a mask in confined spaces, stick to outdoor eating and steer clear of crowds and busy times as much as possible, as well as continue to pick up my regular shopping orders outside a supermarket or my independent pet shop.

Even with a double jab, I still have about a 25% (1:4) chance of catching the Delta virus and could still have a pretty unpleasant ride with it if I was the unlucky 4th person who is not immunised enough by the vaccine; even if it won't necessarily land me in hospital anymore (although it still can if I am very unlucky) and the risk of death with a double jab is much smaller than it used to be for my age group although not quite zero.

I also still have a ca. 20% chance of passing the virus on - meaning that it works out at me infecting statistically about 1 in 20 people on average compared to 3-6 people if unvaccinated. This is the reason why self-isolation has been dropped for double-jabbers as while there will inevitably be cases, it will only be a comparatively very small number - about 1 in every 120 or more new infections will be passed on from a double jabber (haven't seen an estimate of the much higher Delta infection rate yet so that is just as educated a guess as I can make); if you get a tracking notification, then please get tested!
Wearing a mask means that the risk of me infecting somebody else in case I have Covid will be even smaller to very small indeed because that is what masks do rather effectively.
I hope that when you think these numbers through, some of the government measures and lifting of restrictions for double jabbers will make more sense.

Vaccination is not just about the vaccinated person but as importantly, or perhaps even more so, about those around me. By continuing to wear a mask, avoiding super-spreader events and keeping your distance/socialising outdoors where possible, you protect very much those around you and not just yourself.

However, in my area just below 50% of all adults have had two jabs (and then need another 2 weeks of developing full protection) and we have only just passed the two-third mark for first vaccination yesterday so we are well below the current national average and will have to brace for higher infection rates before the Delta wave has run its course through the unvaccinated population. :(
In my opinion, the dropping of pretty much all restrictions comes too early and goes too far because we have seen in previous lockdown relaxations or even during lockdowns how many people will drop any self-responsibility in addition to those that never had any just because it is getting in the way of having fun.
I do pity all those who are going to lose their life or their long term health as a result of this in the coming months. I would have preferred to see 80% of all adults vaccinated in all areas before dropping all restrictions.

Israel did drop all restrictions at a similar stage of the vaccination process but even they had to retract again and reintroduce some of them even before the Indian variant has come on the scene.

I can understand that the economic pressure on the government is greater than ever but it will make for a very difficult few months - I will have to think twice under which conditions I will be attending any fundraisers, for instance, while infection numbers are soaring.

PS: According to a UK survey I saw in a Swiss newspaper today, about two thirds of all UK adults will consider continuing wearing masks in confined spaces. However, it is the other third that is the dangerous one because that segment will contain many of the yet unvaccinated adults and those that will indulge in behaving irresponsibly.

If you haven't had your jab yet, please seriously consider doing so quickly if you can - it's not just for yourself but for your family, friends, co-workers and strangers in contact with you, too. Sooner rather than later, the virus you pass on will find a victim with a bad reaction to it.

PS: I have double Astra-Zeneca and am perfectly fine with it; and so is my husband. It does work. The blood clot risk is about comparable to you developing deep vein thrombosis on a flight. If that kind of risk has not kept you from flying in the past, it should not keep you from getting a life saving vaccine and from helping to break the infection rates and help keeping those you love and those you care for safe. The risk of having Covid complications or even dying from it is significantly higher.
 
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I'm happy it's lifting but surprised everything is getting dropped at once. I don't feel the masks do a lot as so many people either don't wear them or don't wear them properly. I have to wear them to one of the baby groups we attend so far which is blinking annoying when you have a toddler trying to rip your ears off with it every 5 seconds. I will respect businesses and still wear mine if they decide they want to continue asking customers to wear one. More than happy to carrying on social distancing and avoiding all hugs for the rest of my life though
 
I’ve just started to see family and friends again and glad to be getting some sort of normality back in my life. I have not used public transport for 15 months and if face mask restrictions are lifted I’ve no intention of putting myself at risk. I’m even more anxious about using it than ever. I’m in awe of people who have to use public transport for work purposes etc.

To a degree it makes sense to lift restrictions now because the school holidays are pending and we know the warmer weather plays a small part in helping quell the infection rate

Unfortunately the stats are rising and will continue to do so especially if the wearing of masks is no longer required

I hope people will be sensible but numptys do exist unfortunately. I’ve seen people spit in streets and numerous people in supermarkets not wearing masks

Please stay safe everyone and enjoy time with family and friends. We just don’t know what the future holds
 
I think it's great things are opening upp for the people who want that but I think it's far tooosoonto ditch isolation, distancing and masks, I will still be wearing my mask and at least until oh gets their second shot I won't be meeting indoors with anyone, wish they'd approve the vaccine for children if I'm honest, their risk may be lower but it is definitely not zero 😬
 
One of my friends has said that England is an exception worldwide in planning to drop all restrictions. Apparently foreign press are reporting us as a mass experiment. I will maintain some caution.
 
Black piggies said:
One of my friends has said that England is an exception worldwide in planning to drop all restrictions. Apparently foreign press are reporting us as a mass experiment. I will maintain some caution.
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They certainly do in the Swiss press! And I am sharing their scepticism in terms of dropping pretty much all restrictions at once.

Life is not going to change significantly for us here until the wave is over.
 
It worries me that everything is being pinned on this so called freedom day. I think its far too soon to be letting everything go and as for the Government putting their trust in the people again - it worked so well on previous attempts! I'm undecided on the mask situation. A part of me can't wait to be rid, for my eyes sake mainly but it makes me anxious thinking about being on the bus or in confined space without it. I will probably still wear it in some capacity. I would rather stay distanced from strangers forever I think.
 
I see the logic of timing this for the start of the school holidays but with over 30,000 cases a day still too soon!
I will continue to wear a mask in shops and on public transport, and our uni is still keeping a policy of masks, social distancing, a one-way system round the main building, and twice weekly lateral flow tests for anyone on campus, until September.
Only 66% first jabbed and 44% double jabbed in Liverpool, I wish the government would be more open about regional data rather than averaging across the whole UK!
 
PigglePuggle said:
I see the logic of timing this for the start of the school holidays but with over 30,000 cases a day still too soon!
I will continue to wear a mask in shops and on public transport, and our uni is still keeping a policy of masks, social distancing, a one-way system round the main building, and twice weekly lateral flow tests for anyone on campus, until September.
Only 66% first jabbed and 44% double jabbed in Liverpool, I wish the government would be more open about regional data rather than averaging across the whole UK!
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I fully agree about the numbers and the reason of the timing with you. 48% double jabbed in Coventry and 67% single jabbed with interest in getting a first jab falling quickly. :(

That is nowhere near a safe level. Infection numbers in the over 60ies have started to quite sharply here as well now; mirroring the curve of the under 60ies - not as many cases and likely mostly unvaccinated, but still worrying.

Too many people think that it will be all over come autumn and that life will return to normal. But this pandemic is not over or under control by any means at all. The virus keeps mutating. Even less so because of too many people choosing to not vaccinate and contribute to protecting the community as a whole. And I feel sorry for the NHS staff because there will be no respite for them again this summer. :(

I find this official government site here useful for keeping an eye on the situation on a local level, which I have been following since last September. I find it very useful for adapting our interaction and activity levels with public spaces: Daily summary | Coronavirus in the UK
 
Interesting! Just checked out Bradford where I live and the vaccination figures are higher than @Wiebke and @PigglePuggle mentioned but not as high as the nationwide figures. I had thought Bradford was ahead of the game in that respect.
 
Jill B said:
Interesting! Just checked out Bradford where I live and the vaccination figures are higher than @Wiebke and @PigglePuggle mentioned but not as high as the nationwide figures. I had thought Bradford was ahead of the game in that respect.
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Coventry has been so far pretty much on the national average but not on this, unfortunately.
Vaccination levels differ quite noticeably between white middle class and working class and then between minorities, with the Asian/Indian minorities having the highest vaccination levels (especially after events in India). Black and mixed segments have the least penetration.
The other big difference is age - the younger population groups feel either safe and/or are more exposed to all the misinformation and vaccine scares making the rounds on social media. They are generally the most socially active, sadly...
 
Thanks for the link @Wiebke I enjoy looking at the graphs/grids to actually see trends/patterns rather than just looking at a bunch of numbers.

79% single jab & 65% double jabbed in Doncaster. There is currently a massive push here for the jabs & each weekend there seems to be 3 or 4 drop in clinics for 1st or 2nd jabs to be given. I'm waiting for the weekly covid report from the council to be released as schools around here have exploded with cases over last 2 weeks so be interesting to see how this has affected things.
 
I was pretty flabbergasted - it wasn't busy at all when I had my second jab a couple of weeks ago at a weekend drop-in clinic (no thanks to a persistent glitch with my NHS registration according which I am still not vaccinated at all). I'd expected a big queue and quite a long wait - but there was none; all I had to wait for was a few minutes for my jab in the AZ room with nobody waiting in front of me. :(
At least I will finally have my full antibody protection by tomorrow so will feel safer when out and about.

We do however have two universities in Coventry; that may perhaps have something to do with it, too; I don't know how they are being counted. Infection rates at Warwick Uni have been nearly has high over the past weeks as they have been during the second wave.

PS: I looked up the hospitalisation rate for AZ against Delta; it is a very reassuring 92% after two jabs - so while the infection risk is higher with the new variant; the risk of hospitalisations or even death is not. That is a very good efficiency for any jab!
 
PS: The other two links for developments in the wider UK area with some different graphics and international developments that I have followed for a year now are these two BBC pages. Worth bookmarking because they can be trusted. They are still being updated, the local map daily and the international page every few days - it shows you where the UK is in comparison but also helps to you to keep an eye on another country you have a special interest in. There some very interesting graphics in there!
It's certainly helped me judge when to keep my older hub strictly out of supermarkets and other circulation during the first two waves before he got his two shots.
Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in my area?

The pandemic by countries: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51235105
 
83% first dose in my area I forgot the second but think it was over 60% can't wait for a second jab drop in here so oh can get his second ill feel much better then 💖
 
Emx93 said:
83% first dose in my area I forgot the second but think it was over 60% can't wait for a second jab drop in here so oh can get his second ill feel much better then 💖
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I fully understand; as an over 50 years old, I did feel very stressed during June when in limbo over getting my second jab. I am certainly going to take a very deep breath of relief tomorrow when I am two weeks past my second shot! I may actually end up in bed again, if relaxation means that all the lost sleep over the last year is starting to catch up with me at once...
Anyway, all the best!

Please keep in mind that you may not have as much protection against catching Covid (only about 1:3 with AZ; Pfizer and Moderna perform noticeably better) and passing it on (about 1:4) but that you are actually two weeks after the first shot already largely protected against hospitalisation and death. AZ relies a bit more on a second jab for full protection than Pfizer and Moderna.
The difference between the two variants (Alpha and Delta) lies mostly in that Delta is much more infectious but the protection against hospitalisation and death is high against both variants, even after the first jab.
I sincerely hope that the link below will allow you to take a deep breath and relax a bit more. Incidentally, protection against hospitalisation also means a much higher protection against Long Covid. ;)
Even after the first shot you will pass on Covid noticeably less than a not vaccinated person. Wearing a well-fitting mask means that you are much less likely to pass on your Covid to others around you in close quarters, especially over prolonged periods and with loud shouting or singing.

I hope that this link here, which makes a comparison of case studies of vaccine reactions in the population will give you hope. The dotted lines are results after the first shot and the full lines after the second in a comparison between Alpha and Delta.
How effective are coronavirus vaccines against the Delta variant?

PS: Moderna results are generally roughly comparable with Pfizer as they both operate in the same way. Protection is a bit generally a bit higher than AZ.
AZ is just a lot cheaper and easier to distribute as it doesn't require the deep freeze storage temperatures.
 
Wiebke said:
I was pretty flabbergasted - it wasn't busy at all when I had my second jab a couple of weeks ago at a weekend drop-in clinic (no thanks to a persistent glitch with my NHS registration according which I am still not vaccinated at all). I'd expected a big queue and quite a long wait - but there was none; all I had to wait for was a few minutes for my jab in the AZ room with nobody waiting in front of me. :(
At least I will finally have my full antibody protection by tomorrow so will feel safer when out and about.

We do however have two universities in Coventry; that may perhaps have something to do with it, too; I don't know how they are being counted. Infection rates at Warwick Uni have been nearly has high over the past weeks as they have been during the second wave.

PS: I looked up the hospitalisation rate for AZ against Delta; it is a very reassuring 92% after two jabs - so while the infection risk is higher with the new variant; the risk of hospitalisations or even death is not. That is a very good efficiency for any jab!
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I went to Warwick rather a lot of years ago. I was looking at the campus funnily enough a week or two ago on Googlemaps satelite. I couldn't believe how much it had grown since my day so, combined with Coventry Uni (Poly in my day - showing my age!), I wouldn't be surprised if student numbers accounted significantly for the lower percentages of adults vaccinated in Coventry.

You mentioned higher take-up in the Asian community but I'd heard previously that the opposite was the case, which, if true, might explain the lower figure for Bradford. I guess that both what you say and what I heard could both be true depending on different socioeconomic backgrounds.
 
Jill B said:
It's really encouraging to hear that protection against hospitalisation equates to better protection against Long Covid.
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That is what I have been told and it makes sense as both hospitalisation and Long Covid are caused by an over-reaction of the body to the virus and not the virus itself.

We haven't heard as much about Long Covid since the vaccination campaign has really taken off.
 
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