Is The General Public Really That Worried About This Virus?

[dave50]

I don't think the vast majority are. My wife and I were in a beer garden on Saturday, it was very busy, there wasn't much social distancing going on and everyone was having a good time. I spoke to a few people and they all said they aren't bothered anymore, fed up with the restrictions and nobody knew anyone who had the virus. They weren't all young people either, ages ranged from 20s to probably 70s. If that's a reflection of the mood in general around the country and I think it is, then any more talk of further lock downs does note bode well for the social cohesion of the country, people will start to rebel.

[rockyracoon]

I agree. I walked the dog earlier and at a local park there were a couple of adult games of football going on. No social distancing at all.

I’m a bit on the fence with it all to be honest. I’m trying to get on with life as much as possible but take as many precautions as I can. Though I am anti mask.

[anneasquith]

I continue to do as I am advised, becoming complacent is very dangerous IMO .

[dannyk13]

At the moment any future restrictions will be enforced by local councils as any spikes occur in their districts.

[Bobbisox1]

I'm like you rocky, try to keep to the rules , I wear a mask when entering shops etc or on public transport but there's always those that aren't bothering, another lockdown will never work after seeing the beaches and pub gardens etc

[Bazile]

rocky - bit difficult to SD in a football game :-)

[Prudie]

I tend to think it's 50-50 with a wad on the fence in the middle. For every person that seems to be out and about taking little notice I believe there is an exact opposite - there are still a vast number of people terrified to step out of the door (my in-laws for example) and they are not all old..

[iluvmargie]

I'm not worried at all now, wasn't all that worried in the first place really. I try to carry on as normal and am totally anti mask.

[andy-hughes]

I believe human nature takes its course.

Initially, there were scare levels equivalent to the return of The Black Death, with the public convinced that we were heading for a wipeout of civilisation.

The lockdowns were advised to us as a preventative measure to avoid the 'overload' of the NHS, which has clearly been avoided by some considerable margin.

Now, as time passes, the deaths from the virus settle down to similar deaths from flu, in broad terms, affecting the elderly and those with underlying health issues.

In the same way that flu has become assimilated into our culture - nasty but we can get along with it, the virus warnings are losing their impact.

The vast majority of people have neither caught the virus, or know anyone who has, and that means that people are less inclined to run their lives and work around it.

The tipping point where lockdown would mean unrecoverable damage to the economy has been reached and passed, and the world is slowly getting back to normal.

Closure of airports and compulsory mask wearing are seen for what they are, horse / stable door interfaces, and will fade away in the near future.

Humanity likes normality, and it will obtain it, with our without its governments' influence.

[andy-hughes]

Despite the government's insistence on trying to pretend it never happened, the Dominic Cummings debacle holed government advice below the waterline.

If an advisor to the government can not only flagrantly flout the rules, but then insult the intelligence of the nation with guff about 'eye testing', and receive no sanction whatsoever, then why on earth should the public believe what the government say?

And increasingly - they don't.

[Jackdaw33]

In the near future these 'restrictions' will be more honoured in the breach than the observance.

[ParsleyDumpling]

I wear a mask, because the powers that be have said I must. I do try and keep my distance from people (for their 'comfort' not mine). However I am getting fed up, of the hysteria about Covid from some scientists, especially were the reopening of schools is concerned. Deaths are lower than average at the moment for this time of year, hospital admissions for Covid are not increasing, yes there are local spikes of increased infections, but so what? I think the vast majority of Joe Public have now decided to take their chances and start living a normal life again. This of course does not include most of our civil service, who seem quite happy to stay at home, on full pay and do very little to get the country up and running again. If my company can operate five weighbridges from peoples' homes, issue paperwork remotely and speak to the drivers on the phone, I cannot understand the backlog in all things linked to the running of local councils and government departments etc.

[Mamyalynne]

Agree with Prudie, some are bothered and some aren't.

[Milo2]

Being in the vulnerable age group, I try to stick to the rules but I am finding it difficult to rationalise some of them. I am in an area that has had extra measures imposed so I can go to the local pub and sit at a table indoors, next to another table of complete strangers but can’t sit in my son’s or daughter’s garden while socially distancing.

[Dagman]

As a coronavirus victim, I can vouch for how deadly this virus is. Trust me you do not want this. There are still people dying. I hope anyone with such a cavalier attitude never have to experience it, but some will through their attitude and sadly may not live to regret it.

[Zacs-Master]

I think there’s a general feeling of COVID fatigue.

[andy-hughes]

Dagman - // I hope anyone with such a cavalier attitude never have to experience it, but some will through their attitude and sadly may not live to regret it. //

I think my attitude is rather more one of realism that an absence of care.

If I do catch the virus, it will be because of the actions of others - I take all reasonable precautions, but I live in a society which is increasingly taking less and less precautions, so my approach may not save me from infection.

[Dagman]

You're right, that's the trouble Andy, all you can do you're doing. It's still out there, I didn't know anyone at all with the virus, I got it during a stay in hospital, there were some patients with a careless attitude so it's no wonder it spread.

[andy-hughes]

Dagman - Let's face it, the only people who are going to catch the virus from now on are going to be those who are not taking any sensible precautions.

A mask, distancing, and regular thorough hand-washing are hardly odious preventions, and will keep people safe who use them, but there will be an increasing number of people who will simply do nothing, be exposed, and be infected.

That situation will remain until a vaccine is found and available.

[Dagman]

Agreed. Stay safe!

[andy-hughes]

You too Dagman - until proof is found, or not, that once infected, you remain immune.