Anyone else anxious about getting back to normal?

Northern Ireland has updated its shielding programme today, so this the latest information:

England – shielding is until at least June 30th, it is rumoured it will be extended to finish on July 31st.

Wales – shielding is until at least August 16th

Scotland – shielding is until at least July 31st

Northern Ireland – shielding will finish on July 31st.

The first few weeks of lockdown were great, time to do stuff I had been putting off. Then my dad went into hospital with covid and I had to look after my mum (both aged 80),and I probably picked up the virus there. Over easter my mum and I probably had the virus while my dad was in hospital. A few days later my dad passed away and I had a series of massive meltdowns. I had to organise 24hr care for my mum who is 20 miles away. Plus sort out everything re my dad and grieve. Thankfully got some sleeping pills and it slowly got better. I have been on furlough the whole time so have been going to my mums twice a week , probably againt lockdown but I don't care. So funeral was end of April and have had to do mums shopping and take care of the house and garden ever since. Now have to get her into a care home, which is another challenge and then clear the house. Meanwhile I am under redundancy consultation at work. 

I can't wait to get back to normal, I now totally hate lockdown. I have been to a non socially distanced party and had lunch in my inlaws house and we are all still alive. I just want it over so I can get back to work/get a new job. Althouh I am currently awaiting diagnosis but either way I am actually proud that I got through everything so far despite doing it all myself with no real idea. So bring on normality.

To me this lockdown became the new normal, so getting back to normal is a bit of a contradiction. I don't like change, only improvement. So it's not easy. Splendid isolation. 

Thanks for answering. I'll be avoiding any shops it will be too visually confusing trying to follow arrows all over the floor and everyone in masks. I need to see people's faces to make sense of what they're saying.

I still only go out to walk my dog really early when I can I get all the way round and back without seeing another person.

I can't deal with the thought of people texting me wanting to visit as soon as govt says no more shielding and everyone can go out and have visitors. I won't even have the nurse in to take a blood test as she could be contaminated from other people's she visitied before she comes to my house.

And the people likely to be demanding to come haven't been self isolating for the last 3 months. I'm just not comfortable with anyone in my personal space knowing they could be asymptomatic or got it from someone who was but not showing any symptoms yet at time of visiting me.

somebody said:

Everyone will need a coffin down the line!

Yes they will, but I'd prefer to not be dealing with that expense until im past 60, if possible.

Plastic said:

'm anxious the other way - I'm sick of being restricted and I'm worried about how crazy the NTs are going to be when they're let loose. The world seems to have lost all rationality and ability to gauge true risk. They will happily get in a car (probably one of the riskiest things to do) but people are now terrified of being near each other so all social contact will be awkward and strange. I have no idea how people will date or have the courage to touch / hug / shake hands with each other. An evening in a restaurant or pub will be very weird. I can't work out why shops are open with people touching everything yet museums are closed where you can't touch things. It all seems so arbitrary and ill-thought out. The whole lack of truth and logic is frying my brain.

Im not anxious by it all.  but you have to take some precautions.  although the funny things is its like 99% of people dont give a sh*t.  You go to a shop and no one socially distances, no one has masks on, but Im not against people doing that.  If they have conducted their own risk assessment and think the risks of getting Covid are low enough to ignore all advice, then knock yourself, or maybe die.  They benefii me in the long run by removing another stupid person from the gene pool.  But dont come crying about how you got the virus and it killed your loved ones.  Anyway, not going to rant about it too much.  But NT's and other stupid people do kind of make my blood boil a touch.

I believe everywhere should be open.  That is the quickest route to herd immunity.  The vaccine will probably not happen, treament methods will probably be found that reduce mortality to a more manageable number.  But until then, unfortunately people are going to die.  That is the only way to get to herd immunity.  Not everyone will be strong enough to fight it off.  iBut thats another part of life.

As for dating, you can form a bubble with someone, but I see it just being russian roulette in terms of whether you get it or not.  Kind of like getting AIDS except the outcome of the disease is measured in months instead of years and wearing a condom makes zero difference.  But people will do it anyway.  I don't intend to put my dating life on hold indefinitely.  You just have to accept the risk.

And yes I want museums open.  I also really want gyms to reopen because that is what I miss the most.

Everyone will need a coffin down the line!

I'm anxious the other way - I'm sick of being restricted and I'm worried about how crazy the NTs are going to be when they're let loose.    

The world seems to have lost all rationality and ability to gauge true risk.      They will happily get in a car (probably one of the riskiest things to do) but people are now terrified of being near each other so all social contact will be awkward and strange.    I have no idea how people will date or have the courage to touch / hug / shake hands with each other.     An evening in a restaurant or pub will be very weird.

I can't work out why shops are open with people touching everything yet museums are closed where you can't touch things.     It all seems so arbitrary and ill-thought out.    The whole lack of truth and logic is frying my brain.

It won't be normal.  The killer virus is still out there, we still have no vaccine and people are still dying.  Life will not be normal for many years.

But saying that it will become the new normal.   I am a shielder and I started going out as soon as shielders could meet one person.  I use a P3R / N100 respirator and wash my hands after doing any shopping with alcohol gel.  On returning home all clothes im wearing go in the washer and I take a shower.  i dont take any major chances.  Saying that I havent been to a supermarket yet.  I have been to Homebase to get compost a few times.  Been for blood tests.  Went to Halfords to get supplies for a project.

If you treat the situatkion like if you screw up you will probably die, then you will probably be fine.  if you go out without a mask, take no precautions, socialise actively with people and dont social distance, then you may as well buy a coffin now, because you may need it down the line.

We are probably heading towards another lockdown at this point.  China has new cases and they will probably hit the second wave soon.  Expect it to happen here after all those idiots protesting the last few days.  I honestly dont see lockdown for shielders fully dropping until September.  Sure the government and NHS will play it up like its going to happen, but whether it will be safe to do so is a completely different matter.  For now we have no working contact tracing system in place and even the WHO says that needs to happen and be fully operational befor ethe lockdown is fully dropped.

On the bright side, dexamethasone looks to be a good treatment drug for severe covid.  So survivability will probably go up.

Just take it day by day. Theres already a 2nd wave in China. Everyones been out en mass lately, if a 2nd waves coming now would be the time. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. This years been insane 

I get it, to me it's again a change and I'm just getting really used to this. No more ironing, the dishes are so easy to keep under control, coffeebreaks in fresh air in the garden... it could have been a lot worse. Now they want us to go on the public transport and sit with masks on hot trains... I hope it lasts still a while. We'll see. 

It is important to note for the sake of others that the reports are only for England.  This is the current situation:

England - extended to June 30th, it is rumoured that shielding will be extended to the end of July and then end.

Scotland - extended to at least July 31st.

Wales - extended to at least August 16th.

I have not heard anything about an extension for Northern Ireland, but the initial twelve week periods ends today.

I do not know how the government can be certain it will not be safe to end in five weeks time, but it will be safe in six weeks time.  Though I am not that afraid of the virus as I do not mind it killing me.  But I obeyed the shielding rules because I did into want to risk taking up a hospital bed that someone else would have need.

But I am very afraid of it ending for a number of reasons, though mine are different.  The only social pressure I have is visiting my dad, I am completely isolated so there is nobody else I could meet other than my sister, and we never met outside of birthdays and Christmas.

One of them is that the social rules have all changed.  Last time I was outside you could just walk around and go in shops.  Now you have to wear masks and queue everywhere and there are one-way systems.  I already avoid new places and situations because I do not know what to do, cannot ask for help, and find such things overwhelming.  Now everywhere is a new place and situation.

Another reason is that I get agoraphobic the longer I go without going outside.  I always used to do my grocery shopping in person just so I had a reason to regularly go out.  Although having now experience online supermarket shopping, I do not like it so would rather be able to do it in person.  But the longest I went before without going out was a month, and it was very difficult going out after that.  But on that occasion I lived with someone so did not have to do it alone.

My main reason though is that a few years ago when I was able to see an autism therapist for a short while, I told them about how I have always suffered from gender dysphoria and found out it was possible to transition.  Because of the way my autistic brain works I had never been able to connect that possibility with myself, and it made me very scared about what I am incapable of understanding.  But because the N.H.S. is very slow I did not get to see a specialist until earlier this year, and they then wait a year before doing anything anyway.  But mentally I have lost the ability to continue to pretending to be the fake identity I used even though my body does not match my real identity.  So I am terrified about anyone seeing me looking and sounding like this.

Because of all that I have still not been outside even though it is now supposedly safe to do.  I have already planned to write to my doctor about these problems later this week, even though I do not think they will help me.  But I also need help with my physical health and being unable to go out will prevent that, even though one of the problems is urgent.  Now I know how to do grocery shopping online, it is only because of medical appointments and visiting my dad that I need to go outside, otherwise I could just stay indoors until I die.

Also anxious because room is too small to sit 2m apart and read that even speaking can spread droplets. How can I possibly know whether they've been in contact with someone else asymptomatic. Knowing I'll be anxious about that there likely to lie and say they haven't been out shopping yet either etc 

Also having had no one in my personal space for months I don't want anyone in my personal space with no idea of when they'll leave.  I have mobility issues and mostly housebound so can't cope with meeting anyone outside of home in a public space either.