How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions... #2

WELL WELL WELL LOOK WHOS STILL NEGATIVE!

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It’s very possible the isolation worsened your social anxiety, I’m just so sorry you’ve had to go through this. I’m sorry you lost contact with your gig friends too, there’s a lot been written about the reduction of social circles. It’s not your fault, you just got caught up in these horrible circumstances.

I guess normal-ish life goes on, we have all our restrictions dropped this week, not that we had many recently anyhow, including vaccine passports for bigger venues I believe (not that I ever went anywhere to use mine!). Case numbers have halved from a couple of weeks ago but still at around 90,000 per day.

I do feel anxious, I’m picking up anxiety from others too (I’m really good at that unfortunately!) I have a very slight sore throat tonight and I’m probably overreacting to it, I tested negative today (saw friends) but will test again before I see another friend on Thursday. It would be very unusual to get covid so quickly after having it, but I still worry I might and that I’d spread to others.

Thank you. Just when I was on my worst day, I read an article about people feeling disconnected from their friends and co-workers during the pandemic. It came at just the right time.

Sadly knowing I'm maybe not 100% to blame does not make me any less lonely :/

I would say a slight sore throat is normal in winter, it happens. Hope you're still testing negative!

Well, my UK trip is booked. And I hear the day 2 tests will be scrapped from 11 February - is that definite now? If so, it'd save me some money, that is the exact day I'm traveling. Thank you, universe! Now if you could make the rest of the trip go well, too, I am really grateful!
And if I saw correctly, 1 dose of J&J still counts as fully vaccinated in the UK? That would mean I am even considered boostered there, since I got a 2nd shot.

I still need to check the rules on getting back since in Germany, I am not considered boostered yet. I can't get the booster until after I get back. But I think even if I am not required to quarantine, I might do so voluntarily for a while. It's a little scary in the UK! And I will definitely make sure my fridge and freezer are full before I leave, in case the rules change during the weekend I'm away

@BreakForTheLight

Approved COVID-19 vaccines and countries and territories with approved proof of vaccination - GOV.UK

Yeah it looks like your J&J is counted as fully vaccinated, at least at the time I write this.. The requirement for the test is being dropped for fully vaccinated at 4am on 11th February according to the government website, double check that yourself though please. in case I read it wrong!

It’s weird to hear you describe things as a little scary in the UK now, honestly I think I’m used to it now! Are you in the London area? Rates there peaked first and are now lower, it’s higher in the North West right now.

My sore throat I think may have been psychosomatic! It vanished and I’ve taken 3 negative lateral flows recently (excessive probably but I was socialising this week and one friend is vulnerable so extra careful).

Yes, I'll be in London. I haven't even checked the numbers yet, I'm sure my city isn't doing much better but I'm still very much used to masks being required anywhere inside - stores, offices, public transport etc and I think basically anything fun requires to be either vaccinated or recovered AND a negative test as well, no older than 24 hours. Maybe even 1,5 m distance as well? I'm not sure, I haven't been anywhere fun in Germany lately.

Last time I was in London, it felt so weird having a stranger sitting next to me without a mask. Even though back then they were sort of following German guidelines at the event and requiring a vaccination certificate or negative test result. Now they're following UK guidelines which are all scrapped?

I'd probably still feel weird going anywhere in Germany that allows close contact without a mask but with a negative test. It's not so much a real fear as it is just something I'm no longer used to.

Edit: 851 cases per 100.000 in London VS. 1829 in my city or 2408 in just my area. yep, London is doing much better.

@BreakForTheLight

Yes we had what our government called Plan B which involved mandatory vaccine passports for larger venues but from yesterday we’re back on plan A which is essentially no restrictions at all:

Covid passes and face mask rules end in England - BBC News

The article explains what’s changing, although some venues can still ask for vaccination proof or negative test it’s no longer a government order, so best to check the actual venue.

Your levels sound like ours were in early January, we’re a little behind the curve in my area but even here cases are dropping. A few weeks ago I was hearing every day of someone testing positive, now not so much although my colleague at work currently has it (he didn’t get it when I got it, and actually although many people at work have had it we’ve all had it in separate outbreaks despite working closely together!). Anyhow hopefully in a few weeks your cases will drop too!

Here no one understands the different steps or phases any more. They can't do lockdowns any more, but there are steps one to five. Those have to mainly do with capacity restrictions in theaters and restaurants and controls on larger public events like sports. But, there are so many rules in each step that it gets confusing. For example, the restrictions vary depending on whether everyone is vaccinated or not. It's pretty much impossible to enforce.

Well, the gig has been cancelled. "having heard from so many of you that are not yet comfortable travelling to the shows" Translation: we didn't sell enough tickets, tough luck for anyone who's already made travel plans.
I guess not everyone in the UK is on board with life going on as normal, even though the restrictions have been lifted.

I'm disappointed, I was looking forward to getting away for the weekend. This city is depressing me. (Not that London is such a cheerful city but it would have been a good change of scenery.) And annoyed because I only booked my flight 3 days ago - they couldn't have announced this a few days earlier? Now I'm hoping they announce new dates on time and there won't be too much extra costs changing my flights. I kind of want to still go, but not on my own with not even a gig to go to

Oh no I’m really sorry to hear that @BreakForTheLight especially as you’d only just got your flights booked. Yeah it does sound like ticket sales weren’t going well enough.

Yeah I think many people aren’t ready for big venues just yet, I know I’m not there yet. Idk whether government withdrawal of vaccine passports was helping venues either as maybe many people preferred the reassurance of them?

I saw a very small anti vaccination/anti vaccination passports protest today, just 5 adults and their children in hazmat suits with placards. Honestly? Vaccination passports were very short lived in England, and as of last Thursday they are no longer government order. Did they miss the news? Or was the protest already organised and they didn’t like to cancel it?

I get that, I probably wouldn't go to an arena gig with 10.000 people either. These guys aren't playing big venues, though. If I'd have to guess, I'd say maybe between 50-100 people? I'm bad at estimations though maybe even less than 50 for some cities. Last London gig was at a tiny tiny venue. Maybe around 20-30 people? They also could've easily asked people to test beforehand. If only they'd announced some guidelines, they might've sold more tickets.

I'm in omnicron central here numbers are probably even higher than what's being registered because they have run out of test capacity. it's starting to feel like getting it may be unavoidable. I had a co-worker who tested positive even though she's working from home and said she only goes out for grocery shopping, with a mask.

The demonstrations here are getting quite crazy. It's scary how people seem to be moving away so far from reality. Just read they apparently stormed a hospital in Leipzig yesterday - what the hell? And wearing a star of David.... I don't even have words for how disrespectful and delusional that is.

Ugh, what crappy timing @BreakForTheLight - I hope you can find some other way to treat yourself. @Discombobulated the five person protest after restrictions were lifted is bizarre.


I read an interesting article about Covid in Mexico this week. Schools were shut for 17 months but travel was never restricted because the govt. wanted that tourist money. I am so tired of all the double standards. I recently won an all expenses paid trip to an event this summer -- but they are still not sure they will even hold the event. If they don't, I win nothing. It sort of dampens the excitement, you know? Even if they plan on holding it, they may cancel at the last minute due to a surge.


Omicron may have peaked here. Tests are still backed up, but hospitalizations are going down. I hope we have a more relaxed spring and early summer like last year.

I do understand the un tireless and long shifts people like your brother are facing to. And of course, the stress and sadness they are feeling when having people in intense care. And we cannot forget how many other patients with other pathologies are suffering a delay in being attended because of this epidemia. I wonder how many people died because they couldn’t receive the needed care in these last group.

Sarah, I would like to ask you a thing. Did your brother told you about if these patients with covid in intense care are people who haven’t been gotten the vaccines?
In my country, doctors says a big percentage of people in the hospitals with covid are people in a high percentage who haven’t been vaccinated.
Which experience have your brother in this regards?


I want you to understand that my intention is not make things harder for our heroes in health system. Unless I have dangerous symptoms or another serious pathology, I’m not gonna charge them with more worK. But, up this point in time, I wonder about the current situation in the pandemia and up to what point, taking the same restrictions are justified.
In the North of Spain, there’s a curfew now what I consider totally futile while there have been concentrations of people in the stadiums, at street markets...
Ah, I forgot. I received my booster yesterday. I’m pretty fine other than a pain on the upper arm. 😀

The gig has been postponed to July. That's a real disappointment. I don't have anything else planned either until then. I honestly don't think I can handle another 5,5 months of nothing but loneliness and misery. Feel like I made all the wrong choices. I know there's a pandemic and times are **** but all around me I see people still living their life and here I am, no friends, not bonded with any co-workers, almost afraid of people, only leaving the house to go grocery shopping or for a walk by myself. Getting out of bed in the morning is so hard
I can't go on like this but I have sunken so deep it's going to take a massive amount of effort to get out of this hole and I have zero energy or motivation and now I'm just rambling on here when I should start working.

I have long since given up on our government giving us the right information, I no longer trust them, and I’m certainly not alone on that. Yesterday more conservative MPs (the party that is in power here) submitted letters calling for a vote of no confidence in their prime minister Boris Johnson, there has to be 54 letters for the vote to be triggered. The Gray report into allegations of lockdown social parties attended by Boris Johnson was partially published this week. It was partially published because the police are investigating some of the parties, and they don’t want an investigation prejudiced! Of course many people are angry about this, there definitely were parties, at least one of them were even held in the prime ministers flat - all at a time when we were legally forbidden from seeing people, never mind partying. It’s all very Marie Antoinette! Boris Johnson has apologised but it was a fudged apology IMO and he quite obviously intends to draw a line under it and roll on. Personally I think it’s incredible.

Anyhow the whole thing has undermined the credibility of any new information or guidance - I don’t think they could order anything of the public in future, people wouldn’t take it, we’ve just got to hope no more public emergencies happen during this time because I think we’d be well and truly stuffed, not many people would comply with instructions from this government.

Anyhow throughout all this my main source of information has been a study from Kings College London lead by professor Tim Spector, he’s a genetic epidemiologist. Most recently he’s been saying at this point omicron has meant less serious repercussions and the death rate although sad is often people who were already in hospital anyway, he thinks the data should be changed in how it’s shown to reflect that. This man is not an out there conspiracy theorist so I put weight on what he says. In particular he feels it’s right for care homes to open up after 2 years of heavy restrictions.

A dear friend lost her dad (who was in a care home) a year ago, not to covid (he actually had that earlier without symptoms) she hadn’t seen him except at the window, and once in summer 2020 in the garden and they had to wear masks, she’s not sure if he even knew it was them. She’s actually pretty calm about the whole thing but how many families suffered like this? And all the while the wine and cheese was flowing at these government parties.

Our president is completely AWOL. He is on vacation even though he is only president for another month. Meanwhile, the country is falling apart. In addition to increasing Covid cases we have a migration crisis overwhelming the north and violence in the south being perpetrated by Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco an indigenous militia group. It almost feels like he wants to leave a huge mess for the incoming administration to deal with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BreakForTheLight Ugh, the other day I read a news article which kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Some politician warning people who don't exercise that this increases their risk of a corona infection being more serious. I know I'm being oversensitive but I would be exercising a lot more if it wasn't for the bloody lockdown you have put us in for way too long! Depression makes it really hard to get motivated to exercise. A doctor giving the same warning I could understand. But not someone who is a part of this half arsed corona prevention.

I feel your pain. Some days it all seems so hard to deal with. But I am finding little ways to break the boredom cycle and be more active.

Here are my favorite exercise links very short

If you want to start hearing from a grandfatherly person that helps me accept myself even though I am in the midst of this mess we are going through, try this

I'm really sorry the event was canceled. I have pretty much given up trying to plan or even hope to be able to do anything because every time I do, cases go up again and there are more restrictions.

That sucks to that you feel so isolated. I do have my husband around, but some days I would really prefer to be alone. His boss is out sick this week. It's probably COVID but she hasn't gotten tested. She hasn't been vaccinated and is pretty sick. She's kind of lazy even when she is working, but not having her around means more work for him and he is being grouchy.

@BreakForTheLight I don’t think you’ve made all the wrong choices, I personally don’t think there was much choice at all.

I think it’s really good you plan ahead at all actually, and you’re much braver than me with your travelling and gig going. Hoping that Spring and Summer will bring more settled times. I think there’s a very good chance they will.

We had a mini covid wave at work, 4 off with it, which has caused stretched staffing as we are a small team. All of them mild (I think all vaccinated). Its the first time covid has transmitted between staff, before we would have one person at a time, I suppose it must be that omicron is more transmissible. I would say about half of us have had it now but no one got seriously sick thankfully.

Well for starters a large portion havent had any vaccine. Some have health issues some have none. But the "new" nursing thing is either not to ask if someone is vaccinated or if they say they are treat them as if they arent. The reason is because so many here in NJ are embarassed and really sick and rather than be honest all of a sudden everyone's been vaccinated and everyone is still getting sick. The health dept is slowly investigating the data but it doesnt add up. Secondly he has also been caring for patients that are vaccinated, boosted and some are having covid for the second time. He lived through the first trauma wave and is much more used to patients with all sorts of issues getting covid and dying but he is still unprepared for the "regular" people. Last week he had a 31 year old woman who was 7 months pregnant that he had to intubate and put on a vent. They had to delivery the baby early. Mom died but the baby has not and shows no signs of covid.
2 months ago he helped an 11 year old facetime his 41 year old mom before she was completely incapacitated and then when she died he had to tell this boy because the boy's grandpa was stuck in traffic. I feel like nurses are prepared for just about anything and ICU nurses are around sick dying people. But no one told my brother or any other nurses that they would be the only person-literally in a room with patients who were dying so they wouldnt die alone.

Below: 3/2020 ICU




below my brother taking a breather


my brother in proper ppo.
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Apparently self isolation for infected people will end on the end of this month here. Idk it seems too much too soon for that, I’m wondering if that means my own company policy of sick pay for covid absence will end? When I had covid getting sick pay from day 1 of illness was a good thing- it meant I didn’t have to go to work and push on through feeling unwell (we normally lose first 3 days pay for other sickness absence so most times we come in and work through it, it’s not healthy IMO). From my perspective this is not a good thing for ordinary working people and surely infection will spread?

I’m also not confident this government will take the right decisions for the good of public health, they are desperate to win back support of voters after the whole expose of the lockdown parties they had. I have zero trust in them.

A complete end to self isolation sounds bizarre. Isn't that common sense to stay home if you've tested positive? Whatever the law is, companies would be unwise to go back to policies that involve workers coming in sick. During our omicron surge, a lot of places would close because all the staff was sick... but apparently that must be cheaper than giving people sick pay to keep the infections out in the first place.

An unvaxxed person I've worried about caught Covid. Thankfully it was a very mild case and now he will have immunity.

For asymptomatic people or for everyone? I'm not entirely up to date but I've heard asymptomatic people allowed to work elsewhere as well in critical jobs where there would be a staff shortage otherwise.

Would you not still get sick pay for being sick, anyway?

I did it! I'm in London. So far, so good. Haven't done much yet as I only just arrived, traveled to my hotel, checked in and grabbed some lunch, now I'm about to go exploring. Sun is out and I'll mostly be outside so pretty safe.

Just a bit annoyed at the arsehole next to me on the plane this morning who sat down and immediately took his mask off??? Obviously the flight attendant told him to put it back on, this group was being generally obnoxious. Luckily I could move seats (which they then felt the need to comment on. Urgh.)

And the numbers seem to be going down in my city. As predicted we would hit the omnicron peak first in Germany, seems that may have happened now.

How soon can you get a booster after testing positive for Covid? I heard 3 months on here, but my wife says you can get it whenever.

Sorry to read you ended up sat next to an obnoxious passenger, good for you moving seats! Glad you’re safely in London and hoping you’ll have a nice stay there.

To answer the end of self isolation, apparently people will still be advised to stay home if unwell but no legal obligation anymore. It applies to both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases.

As for sick pay many workers in UK do not receive sick pay until day 4, so lose 3 days pay. Covid was different because of legal requirement to isolate, so there was state support or company support. It was the one time we weren’t penalised for being sick, it was good for many working people. It’s unclear whether this will continue or not.