Is Covid over? To what extent have you gone back to 'normal'?

[Saffy]

I'm still wearing a mask in shops and to and from tables in restaurants and coffee shops. Still trying to sit outside when that's an option. Mask wearing seems pretty prevalent where I live but it's dropped a bit in town. Travelled to Brighton and Stevenage to see family but stayed in the garden. Not sure what we're going to do when the weather turns.

Also waiting for my sister to be able to come home. She's in a red list country and has really struggled to get the right kind of vaccine. She finally managed to by registering as a traveler. We hope to see her around Christmas time.

 

[Badgers]

Still mask wearing most the day. Always wear one in shop's / premises and such.

Doing a LFT seven days a week.

Always washed my hands a lot and avoided touch points (door handles etc) before this started. Not because I am paranoid, more habit from years working as a chef.

No plans for travel (family aside) till at least 2022. Went to Cornwall for a few days but was alone in a house and on a beach the whole time.

Have had a few pub days but never around crowds. Got tickets for a gig in December but will decide on that nearer the time.

I am a bit different (as you know ) in that I work at the testing and vaccination centres at least four days a week.

Anyone who thinks this is over is deluded. I might sound miserable but am exposed to a lot of people in recovery and it is really chilling to see the after effects

 

[Badgers]

To add...

I will continue wearing a mask for many years to come. Since this shit started I have not had a sniffle or anything. No doubt my immune system is ruined but that is another reason to keep it on.

 

[iona]

Still wearing a mask on public transport and in shops. Work outdoors and mostly alone. Don't go to pubs/cafes/cinema/etc. or socialise other than volunteering which is also outdoors. Still doing LFTs a few times a week.

Just gone back to jiu jitsu though which is about as far from socially distanced as you can get without actually fucking

 

[Badgers]

Just gone back to jiu jitsu though which is about as far from socially distanced as you can get without actually fucking

Keep us posted on this

#sorry

 

[magneze]

Not really back to normal but got used to what is going to be a new normal I think.

• Wearing mask for shopping & public transport
• Washing hands when I get in the house
• WFH all the time

Things that have been getting back to normal - seeing friends and family. Very happy with that. Even went to an indoor gig recently - was busy too and few mask wearers. Didn't seem to catch anything.

 

[Winot]

Went to my first gig on Tuesday - it was fantastic. Pretty much back to normal although I ticked box 2 as social diary hasn’t filled up yet.

Still mask wearing in public transport and in shops. Doing regular LFTs and am on the ONS study so antigen and antibody testing monthly.

My family all had it at Christmas and we are double vaxxed and don’t have contact with anyone vulnerable so I am pretty relaxed personally, although will keep doing what’s needed to protect others.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

stil wearing a mask in shops, and at work, small gigs in small unventilated venue are part of the latter so anecdata:
whereas most were wearing masks when this restarted now most people don't so it's FFP2 for me for the whole evenings
in shops mask wearing also seem to be on the decline but I persist, someone who wasn't wearing a mask heading for Aldi the other day saw me and turned around to go get his from his car, so peer pressure does work both way it seems.
Not socialising much as I usually work during socialising times, same as pre pandemic.

 

[skyscraper101]

Pretty normal as in I go to the office every day. Go to the supermarket, and eat out at restaurants. Seeing friends.

I'm avoiding crowds as much as possible though. Still wearing masks going into work, and busy indoor places. I'm more than happy to get on a plane and fly somewhere and wear a mask but I'm not paying ridiculous £££s for a Lateral Flow and PCR Day 2 test just to go away for 2-3 nights. So that part of life is not normal. Yet.

 

[souljacker]

One thing I have been continuing to do quite obsessively is sanitise whenever I see a bottle or dispenser. Also keep a bottle in the car and in my work bag. I'm not sure why but that seems to be ingrained into my psyche now and I do it without thinking.

 

[William of Walworth]

I'm not back to normal by any means.
(And more generally, I don't think anyone should feel they ought to be, but I'm focussed on myself a lot right now -- see below).

My biggest reason for 'not normal' is mainly because I had such a lengthy hospital spell as an inpatient (see the 'In hospital' thread on the Health, Relationships, Sexuality forum). This spell included so-called 'Freedom Day' -- 19th July was two days after I was admitted!

Did personal lateral flow tests last week and early this (both negative), mainly because I'm not yet back at work (where they happen weekly), and I'm no longer an inpatient (in hospital, there were tests every Wednesday and Saturday).

Will request a PCR test when I get myself to the GP (most likely tomorrow, Friday 17th -- I'm already promised a call and I think she'll want me to visit once we've chatted)

Weirdly, and possibly insanely given the above, I went to Dreadzone on Friday 6th September in Swansea and The Specials in Coventry on Saturday 11th September. Masked for the first, not for the second -- I was under the impression that the Coventry Arena was open-air, but it wasn't! No rational reason for not masking

Been in the odd shop and to the pub a limited number of times . Masked in shops. Mainly (but not always) masked when going to/from bar, not at table though -- it's irrational, but also quite hard to be the stand-out one when so many other people are not bothering

I've been on the bus maybe three times, also the train to/from Coventry over the weekend just gone -- masks still mandatory here in Wales for public transport.

But since Tuesday, I've not been feeling great at all, even now that I'm out of hospital -- delayed and right now worsening severe fatigue following an extended course of antibiotivcs seems to be A Thing, hence my strong hopes of seeing (not juct chatting with) my GP tomorrow.

I regret going to Coventry now even though The Specials were superb -- I was really knackered throughout the whole stay and my mate had to look after me. But the fatigue is pretty unlikely to be Covid-related, and even so tests will continue,

 

[skyscraper101]

I'm not back to normal by any means.
(And more generally, I don't think anyone should feel they ought to be, but I'm focussed on myself a lot right niw -- see below).

My biggest reason for 'not nortmal' is mainly because I had such a lengthy hospital spell as an inpatient (see the 'In hospital' thread on the Health, Relationships, Sexuality forum). This spell included so-called 'Freedom Day' -- 19th July was two days after I was admitted!

Did personal lateral flow tests last week and early this (both negative), mainly because I'm not yet back at work (where they happen weekly), and I'm no longer an inpatient (in hospital, there were tests every Wednesday and Saturday).

Will request a PCR test when I get myself to the GP (most likely tomorrow, Friday 17th -- Im already promised a call and I think she'll want me to visit once we've chatted)

Weirdly, and possibly insanely given the above, I went to Dreadzone on Friday 6th September in Swansea and The Specials in Coventry on Saturday 11th September. Masked for the first, not for the second -- I was under the impression that the Coventry Arena was open-air, but it wasn't! No rational reason for not masking

Been in the odd shop and to the pub a limited number of times . Masked in shops. Mainly (but not always) masked when ging to/from bar, not at table though -- it's irrational, bit also quite hard to be the stand-out one when so many other people are not bothering

I've been on the bus maybe three times, also the train to/from Coventry over the weekend just gone -- masks still mandatory here in Wales for public transport.

But since Tuesday, I've not been feeling great at all, even now that I'm out of hospital -- delayed and right now worsening severe fatigue following an extended course of antibiotivcs seems to be A Thing, hence my strong hopes of seeing (not juct chatting with) my GP tomorrow.

I regret going to Coventry now even though The Specials were superb -- I was really knackered throughout the whole stay and my mate had to look after me. But the fatigue is pretty unlikely to be Covid-related, and even so tests will continue,

Damn that does not sound great. Hope you feel better soon mate.

 

[kalidarkone]

Double vaxxed.
Wearing a mask on public transport and in shops and at work. Lft x 2 per week (work requirement as frontline NHS) but if it wasn't would still lft x2 per week regardless of my job.

Also going out to gigs and going dancing. I do not wear a mask.
Have a concentrated period of events coming up.

I decided a while ago that I'm going to live my life as much as I can and that means taking some risks- which I'm already doing given the nature of my job...so I may as well enjoy myself.

Would definitely consider going on holiday abroad if I could afford it.

Due for a covid booster soon.

 

[scifisam]

I'm back to normal in lots of ways, except that I wear a mask in shops and on public transport, and wore one when not sitting at the table in a pub the other day. I've had covid as well as two jabs, so the combination makes me feel a big safer.

But a friend who was coming to the pub the other day decided she couldn't handle it after all, because everyone was unmasked, and I totally understood why she was scared. She's double-jabbed, but hasn't had covid yet, and is high risk (kidney disease and age). It actually wouldn't have been as bad as she thought, because our table was at the back and nobody was sitting near us, but we didn't know that to begin with.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Also: planning on going to visit my family in France probably at christmas as it will have been 2 years since I saw them.
The most annoying part of planning this isn't covid restrictions/testing/isolating rules but the logistics of taking the dogs over and back post brexit.

 

[moomoo]

Pretty much back to normal here to the point where I’ve got my first cold in ages because the kids are back at school. I’ve been socialising without a mask. The only place I consistently wear my mask is at work.

 

[sojourner]

I'm absolutely gobsmacked that I haven't caught it at all! I normally get lots of colds and I've been going to work the whole time. I was out and about last summer when the restrictions got lifted a bit and have been out a fair bit in the last couple of months.

I don't really know how I haven't caught it...unless social distancing, increased handwashing and mask wearing really do work....hmm...

Yeh, am starting to think I must have already had it at some point, and perhaps I have proper immunity (for now).

Oh, and I went back into work full time at the end of April.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Mask on around town and in shops. I’ve had a few nights out but have warn a mask till seated and kept away from the hustle and bustle. Wearing mask when delivery drivers drop parcels off

I’ve just done my monthly golumimab jab which is supposed to bottom out my immune system so far so good.

start a project in two weeks which is international travel and two weeks isolation quarantine plus two neg- PCR tests before joining so imperative I don’t get it and can pay the bills

 

[elbows]

Yeh, am starting to think I must have already had it at some point, and perhaps I have proper immunity (for now).

Oh, and I went back into work full time at the end of April.

Its totally understandable that some people will be tempted to draw that conclusion.

I'll just say that although it will be true in some cases, there are still a very large number of people who havent caught this virus yet. Which is why the virus is having no trouble finding tends of thousands of people to infect every day, for months in a row.

 

[kalidarkone]

I'm absolutely gobsmacked that I haven't caught it at all! I normally get lots of colds and I've been going to work the whole time. I was out and about last summer when the restrictions got lifted a bit and have been out a fair bit in the last couple of months.

I don't really know how I haven't caught it...unless social distancing, increased handwashing and mask wearing really do work....hmm...

Same here. I had an antibody test in June 2020 and was negative.
I have heard lots of anecdotal stories of families where everyone but one person has caught it and despite the one person sharing a bed with the other positive adult.....for some reason haven't caught it. Have heard this from quite a few nurses who had it but their partners never had a positive result.....and the other way around.

Will be interesting to get to the bottom of this as time goes on and more studies are concluded.

Mdk1 has never had a positive result despite working in a tiny kitchen with lots of under 30 non vaxxed people (he is double vaxxed) .

 

[scifisam]

Same here. I had an antibody test in June 2020 and was negative.
I have heard lots of anecdotal stories of families where everyone but one person has caught it and despite the one person sharing a bed with the other positive adult.....for some reason haven't caught it. Have heard this from quite a few nurses who had it but their partners never had a positive result.....and the other way around.

Will be interesting to get to the bottom of this as time goes on and more studies are concluded.

Mdk1 has never had a positive result despite working in a tiny kitchen with lots of under 30 non vaxxed people (he is double vaxxed) .

It is interesting. Natural immunity due to other diseases, some quirk of genetics, etc, is common with viruses, but then you'd have antibodies, surely?

 

[kalidarkone]

It is interesting. Natural immunity due to other diseases, some quirk of genetics, etc, is common with viruses, but then you'd have antibodies, surely?

I've never ever had flu either.

 

[sojourner]

Its totally understandable that some people will be tempted to draw that conclusion.

I'll just say that although it will be true in some cases, there are still a very large number of people who havent caught this virus yet. Which is why the virus is having no trouble finding tends of thousands of people to infect every day, for months in a row.

Aye. I've got mates who are double-jabbed and who have fallen ill with it.

 

[Voley]

Transmission is really weird, agreed.

My Mum got it after being double-jabbed but close to someone who later tested positive for just a few minutes.

My Stepdad shared a bed with my Mum while she was infectious and didn't catch it.

I drove my Mum to the test centre (masked, windows open tbf) while she was infectious and I didn't get it either.

Loads of variables both inside and outside of all of those scenarios, I know, but I still think it's amazing that neither of us tested positive despite being double-jabbed.

 

[purenarcotic]

I still wear a mask in shops and public transport. I have been inside pubs and restaurants a few times and been to the football several times. LFT regularly, though less so recently as have been off sick from work for a month so my contact with others has reduced massively. Another lockdown wouldn’t surprise me so effectively I am making hay whilst the sun shines and hoping I do enough not to catch it. Perhaps a bit naive but I am exhausted by the whole thing.

 

[scifisam]

I've never ever had flu either.

I think you can have had flu without knowing it, because flu isn't actually always worse than a cold, and can be mild. Though you'd know more than me on this, obvs, on call counts.

 

[scifisam]

Transmission is really weird, agreed.

My Mum got it after being double-jabbed but close to someone who later tested positive for just a few minutes.

My Stepdad shared a bed with my Mum while she was infectious and didn't catch it.

I drove my Mum to the test centre (masked, windows open tbf) while she was infectious and I didn't get it either.

Loads of variables both inside and outside of all of those scenarios, I know, but I still think it's amazing that neither of us tested positive despite being double-jabbed.

Yeah, and I was actually thrilled when I got covid, because I'm in every high-risk group except age and had it with either no or virtually no symptoms (hard to separate permanent symptoms from other conditions, and they fluctuate; my GF and three other friends I'd seen tested positive with PCR tests, as did I, so I doubt very much that it was a false positive). It's really unpredictable.

Still being a bit more careful (for myself, I mean - for others is a given) because next time I could be less lucky, and I like being alive.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

it would seem to show that proximity to others is how we get sick

Yes, humans are best avoided where possible - walking disease vectors.

 

[mentalchik]

Nothing's really changed for me...worked as normal all the way through, don't really have a social life anyway, don't go out and such like.....mask wearing where i work is rapidly declining.....most, if not all staff now not wearing masks and would say the majority of customers are not.....that's changed since it was not mandatory......see a lot of people talking about public transport but i took myself out for the day on friday (haven't done this in years) and virtually no one was wearing masks on the train there and back....still have one with me to wear in some shops but it seems the majority have now stopped.

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

Just been on holiday to Stratford upon Avon - lots of mask wearing, eating outdoors. Then Norwich. Ditto, except in Wetherspoons, but even there most were eating/drinking outside. Then Oxford - much less mask wearing in general, particularly on Cowley Road/St Clements, but some big exceptions like the Ashmolean. Even there we didn't eat when we saw a waiter blow his nose and then just carry on as normal.