[Local Localist]

I've long been pessimistic about the whole situation regarding coronavirus lockdowns, and I think the following article really hits the nail on the head.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-heal ... SKBN2AB0KK

But I think, looking in the future, we’re going to be doing this for years. We’re still going to be doing this 10 years down the line, in my view.

[Godstud]

Other
As vaccines are available things will return to a semblance of normality with maybe some persistent precautions remaining.

I am, of course, being overly optimistic when it comes to "the West", where I think people will go back to be being dumb as soon as possible.

[Rancid]

I thought this question was about my penis.

I'm thinking another year or so. Spring 2022.

[Subliminal]

We could go back to normal immediately if we wanted to.

[B0ycey]

Depends by what you mean by normal. I suspect this is the last lockdown, but not the last of Covid19 for which will remain indefinitely. Even if the virus never mutates it would take 7.5 years to achieve herd immunity. And this is in regards to retaining this level of vaccination progress in the third world. So I suspect we will see annual boosters for the vulnerable and governments slowly admitting this is just something we are going to be living with forever. The UK government has already said as much

[Subliminal]

Depends by what you mean by normal.

Living like it’s 2019. That’s what more and more poor countries are doing since they can’t afford lockdowns.

[B0ycey]

Living like it’s 2019. That’s what more and more poor countries are doing since they can’t afford lockdowns.

Well that won't happen until the West are honest with themselves or their populous give up. Whilst there is covid cases, there will be restrictions in place even if it's just paper masks and the 2m rule. And aero travel is fucked beyond fucked so you can think again if you believe you're going on holiday any time soon, especially if we have new variants discovered in said holiday destination. Because nobody is paying £2000 to be stuck in a hotel for 10 days.

Nothing is normal until the whole world is vaccinated. The world is too open to say otherwise. Things might return to some resemblance to 2019, but never exactly the same I suspect. Zoom instead of flights and the Internet instead of shops and those are the things I can think of on the top of my head.

[Subliminal]

Well that won't happen until the West are honest with themselves or their populous give up. Whilst there is covid cases, there will be restrictions in place even if it's just paper masks and the 2m rule.

There are European countries - such as Sweden - which even don't have paper masks.

And aero travel is fucked beyond fucked so you can think again if you believe you're going on holiday any time soon, especially if we have new variants discovered in said holiday destination. Because nobody is paying £2000 to be stuck in a hotel for 10 days.

Actually you can go travelling right now. There are lots of European lockdown refugees in Sansibar at the moment.

Nothing is normal until the whole world is vaccinated. The world is too open to say otherwise. Things might return to some resemblance to 2019, but never exactly the same I suspect. Zoom instead of flights and the Internet instead of shops and those are the things I can think of on the top of my head.

Zoom can't replace meeting people in person. Shopping on the internet may be slightly cheaper, nevertheless there are so many people who enjoy shopping tours. There are so many people who are looking forward to go back to shopping malls and travelling without masks. People want to catch up what they missed during the pandemic. As soon as the restrictions will be lifted, shopping malls will be full of people (and airports as well).

[late]

Nobody knows.

Covid could mutate into a harmless puppy, or a fire breathing dragon.

Which tells you we should be gearing up to try and prevent a repeat. I am hoping Biden to do that, eventually, Trump certainly would not have...

[B0ycey]

There are European countries - such as Sweden - which even don't have paper masks.

...and Italy is on strike. So fucking what? You were asking about normality. Sweden is perhaps more liberal than most, but nothing is normal even there. Perhaps there is a sense of division now appearing throughout the world, but governments aren't weakening there preventive measures as far as I can see. And until all of Europe is vaccinated, even the UK who is ahead with their vaccination program will have to place restrictions on travel due to the dangers of new variants. So again, that isn't normal. Nothing will be normal until governments decide to mitigate rather than suppress. But that requires honesty and I doubt we will see that until there is no other choice.

[
Actually you can go travelling right now. There are lots of European lockdown refugees in Sansibar at the moment.

Well you cannot travel on holiday legally at the moment. And even "essential" travel requires 10 days in a hotel. Again that isn't normal. And this isn't ceasing any time soon. That measure will be in place for a year at least. I suspect longer.

Zoom can't replace meeting people in person. Shopping on the internet may be slightly cheaper, nevertheless there are so many people who enjoy shopping tours. There are so many people who are looking forward to go back to shopping malls and travelling without masks. People want to catch up what they missed during the pandemic. As soon as the restrictions will be lifted, shopping malls will be full of people (and airports as well).

Relifting of restrictions perhaps will help at least the retail sector. I don't see international travel returning to what is was ever again. Maybe holidays will return, but zoom has shrank the world and unneeded business trips will cease I am sure. And that isn't even taking account that new variants breaking out will no doubt result in action being taken on travel in any case.

[Subliminal]

...and Italy is on strike. So fucking what? You were asking about normality. Sweden is perhaps more liberal than most, but nothing is normal even there.

Compared to the rest of the Western world, there are hardly any restrictions in Sweden. You can go to the gym, have dinner with your friends in a restaurant and so on.

.Perhaps there is a sense of division now appearing throughout the world, but governments aren't weakening there preventive measures as far as I can see.

Austria has weakened its measures following a wave of protests.

And until all of Europe is vaccinated, even the UK who is ahead with their vaccination program will have to place restrictions on travel due to the dangers of new variants. So again, that isn't normal. Nothing will be normal until governments decide to mitigate rather than suppress. But that requires honesty and I doubt we will see that until there is no other choice.

There's always a choice (unless your name is Angela Merkel).

well you cannot travel on holiday legally at ten moment.

Yes you can.

And even "essential" travel requires 10 days in a hotel.

Depends on your final destination.

Again that isn't normal. And isn't ceasing any time soon. That measure will be in place for a year at least. I suspect longer.

The more people getting vaccinated the harder it will be to keep up all those restrictions.

Relifting of restrictions perhaps will help at least the retail sector. I don't see international travel returning to what is was ever again. Maybe holidays will return, but zoom has shrank the world and unneeded business trips will cease I am sure. And that isn't even taking account that new variants breaking out will no doubt result in action being taken on travel in any case.

I will review this post in ten years' time.

[B0ycey]

@Subliminal

As taking holidays isn't regarded as essential travel and we are meant to be in lockdown you are soooo wrong. But whatever. How about asking this. When do you think we are returning back to normal? Even BoJo is talking of caution at the moment and Shapps says even booking in the UK for a holiday isn't advised at the moment. And that is something I am sure will happen. So what about paper masks and 2m distancing? I don't see them going until we haven't seen a case for a month or there isn't a threat of new variants. In other words, never.

[Subliminal]

As taking holidays isn't regarded as essential travel

Who says that travel has to be essential?

and we are meant to be in lockdown you are soooo wrong.

No.

But whatever. How about asking this. When do you think we are returning back to normal?

As soon as all the elderly will be vaccinated. Moreover, there's high pressure on the governments from lobby groups and voters. So in six months' time life should be normal again.

Even BoJo is talking of caution at the moment and Shapps says even booking in the UK for a holiday isn't advised at the moment.

I'm not talking about the UK. I'm not a UK citizen, so what?

And that is something I am sure will happen. So what about paper masks and 2m distancing? I don't see them going until we haven't seen a case for a month or there isn't a threat of new variants. In other words, never.

Again: I will review your post in ten years' time. It's a safe bet that nobody will wear paper masks in 2031. (Unless there should be a new pandemic.)

[JohnRawls]

I've long been pessimistic about the whole situation regarding coronavirus lockdowns, and I think the following article really hits the nail on the head.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-heal ... SKBN2AB0KK

Depends on what you mean by that. If you mean when the lockdowns will disappear fully then the answer is somewhere between May and end of August. If you mean when the economy will reach pre-Covid levels then it will be also summer of 2021 for countries who handeled it well and summer of 2022 who handeled it like badly with everyone else inbetween.

[B0ycey]

@Subliminal where are you from? Perhaps there is blurred lines here due to different understandings. The UK have said air travel needs to be essential. We are in lockdown. All travel is required to be essential. Even air.

Besides even here in the UK, in six months everyone won't be fully vaccinated due to two doses. So that is perhaps wishful thinking no matter where you are from.

[Subliminal]

@Subliminal where are you from?

Germany. We can travel abroad. Sure, it has become harder in the past few months but it's not impossible for the average citizen. Here is a report in German about travellers who escape the lockdown and go to Zanzibar. (Use bing translate if you don't speak German.)

Perhaps there is blurred lines here due to different understandings. The UK have said air travel needs to be essential. We are in lockdown. All travel is required to be essential. Even air.

I see. Your lockdown is harder than ours.

Besides even here in the UK, in six months everyone won't be fully vaccinated due to two doses. So that is perhaps wishful thinking no matter where you are from.

But all the elderly should be vaccinated by then. Chances are good that our supreme court will abolish all covid-measures then. (Even lower courts have thus far quashed more than 60 regulations.)

[Robert Urbanek]

Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is utterly desolate . . .” — Isaiah 6.10-11

[Skynet]

Never. I doubt the virus will be eliminated by vaccines, because it spreads in the 3rd world where new mutations occur.

Even if the virus is defeated. Shaking hands will dissappear and masks in public transport will stay.

[snapdragon]

As soon as I read of the title of the thread, I knew someone would talk about their bloody dick.

It’s the old ‘how long is a piece of string’, question. We’ll never, ever be normal as the virus is mutating too quickly. Or most countries are responding too slowly. Probably a bit of both.

That will not stop the usual numpties carrying on as if it’s not their problem, which is making everything worse.