I agree completely.

I hate the virtue signalling and holier than though attitude. My next door neighbours had everyone round (10+) so they could "clap together" last year. Wait a go showing support by being selfish b******s and complaining I didn't clap.

My dad caught it from a cash point we think. He'd shielded virtually the entire time - I did all his shopping, prescriptions etc. Sod's law says that was what caught him. I've been told repeatedly I should be angry and that he would still be with us if certain things had happened.

Who to be angry with though? The Government? The Bank? The person before him? His doctor for not taking it seriously? Us for not getting him into hospital sooner?

There isn't always someone to blame and no one will have 100% followed the rules. How many of us have used a cash point or a petrol pump and may have left the virus behind?

Yes you can be angry at those who are out for themselves - but a pandemic won't change how they approach things. Civic duty and free-speech are two very different things.

Boris isn't self isolating after an aide caught it. I don't expect him too. Those signalling he should to set an example are not going to be influenced by him. Apparently I should be angry about this - why? The man is PM and he needs to do his job.

My favourite comment is an anti-government, Covid denier I know - who hates capitalism in all it's forms (but works for Tesco). Apparently I should be angry my dad gave up his life for Covid and Boris won't self-isolate. This is a man telling me I should be angry about my dad dying of a disease he doesn't believe exists and that the government should not be imposing masks as it impinges on free will. At the same time he slates the government for the high death toll. If there is plinth of opposition - you will find him upon it.

The fact is not all those who died gave up their lives to Covid. Some deaths truly are tragic - For some though it was the final nail in the coffin undoubtedly when combined with other conditions - but no one knew at the start who it would affect and we still don't.

I'm a relatively healthy 40 year old, my 70 year old mum who has smoked for 35 years was affected for 2 hours. I still have bad days now where I can't function. All the medical science would say it should be the other way around.

There in lies the issue. No one knows with certainty and what makes one life worth more than another? I wouldn't wish anyone going through Covid, or seeing the inside of a Covid ward. But it's like someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time driving a car and someone steps out. You can take all the steps in the world, but the 1 in 1000 will always happen.

There's certainly truth to that. You can always do your best and nudge things in this direction or that, but sometimes your luck is just out. The very first time I had a 'night out' after we were all fully vaccinated I caught it. Had been so careful prior but in the wrong situation it could've been worrying. And as you say, some people do absolutely 'everything' right and are fully shielding and either because of a brief moment or something they touch they still end up on the wrong side of things. I think as with everything in life, you can only do your best for yourself and others and sadly sometimes life throws one curveball too many. Considering what you've had to deal with, you have a healthy and balanced attitude about the situation I'd say.

My favourite comment is an anti-government, Covid denier I know - who hates capitalism in all it's forms (but works for Tesco). Apparently I should be angry my dad gave up his life for Covid and Boris won't self-isolate. This is a man telling me I should be angry about my dad dying of a disease he doesn't believe exists and that the government should not be imposing masks as it impinges on free will. At the same time he slates the government for the high death toll. If there is plinth of opposition - you will find him upon it.

There are plenty of these out there - they don't really know what they believe in except that they don't like the Conservatives and everything else stems from that irrational hatred and so it becomes illogical as well.
I know one anti-vaxxer - we don't talk anymore - who says that as most people he knows have been jabbed that he has no need to - we are keeping him safe!
He also believes that the government want to chip us ( as such) by way of the vaccine so they know where we are.
He told me that whilst holding an up to date "i Phone" - hmmm.

Always use their disposable gloves at petrol stations and your knuckles on cash points and payment screens. Shirt, Jumper or jacket on door handles and you can stop viruses getting into your system. Public transport not so easy. I’d wear a proper mask, maybe gloves, if I wanted to.

COYP

He did. Talking to the doctors, their concern about the variants wasn’t that they were more deadly but rather they were more sticky in that they stuck around for longer. Using a sleeve won’t stop that.

It’s half luck. I know people his age who have carried on as normal and not caught it, it’s a luck of the draw. You can give yourself the best chance you can personally but if your name is on that ticket then that’s it.

My sister spent an entire year working in the bakery of supermarket without catching it (that we know of), reducing produce at the end of the night and being jostled left, right and centre.. Go figure that one.

Same in groups when someone announces they've got covid-19. You imagine you'll all come down with it, but some manage to avoid it (sometimes only to get it later down the line!). Lots of asymptomatic people about too though so who knows. Now that most have antibodies due to vaccination I would assume (correct me if I'm wrong!) that it would be very difficult now from antibody tests to even know if someone had it or not previously..

Edited by BlueJay (09 Aug 2021 3.54pm)