Lockdown 2020

[ExSurveyor]

Four years since the world suddenly changed and went very quiet.

It seems unreal now.

 

[marshman]

And still, we want to "blame" someone for the response of people throughout the world who had impossible decisions to make - its all to easy now to look back with the benefit of hindsight!

 

 

 

[LizG]

When nearly all the planes stopped flying into Stansted I suddenly realised I could hear the Sky Larks

[Ray]

2 hours ago, marshman said:

And still, we want to "blame" someone for the response of people throughout the world who had impossible decisions to make - its all to easy now to look back with the benefit of hindsight!

 

 

 

No blame attaches to the vast majority of decision makers doing their best in exceptional circumstances. Reviews all over the world of different approaches taken are very sensible in order that we can all be better prepared next time. If in rare cases these reviews reveal reckless behaviour then specific blame can and should be applied to those responsible if they caused more death and suffering... not through lack of knowledge which is understandable but as I say through reckless decisions.

[Gracie]

I think it was all so new, so rare, unprecedented and so bloody cruel. No one really knew what to do. The decision makers made their decisions to the best of their ability at the time. I don't blame anyone. What I did find so deplorable was the powers that be decided our lives for us, gave us rules and locked us down but didn't follow those rules themselves. That wasn't right

I don't mean to get political, it's not allowed and that's not what this thread is about.

I can't believe it's been 4 years already. Let's just hope lessons have been learned and it never happens again

Grace x

[Norfolkangler]

You are spot on Grace. Deplorable that there was one rule for us and another for, well lets just call them others. 

[MargeandParge]

Absolutely astonishing the other thing that has struck us is how Unstable and selfish the whole World has become. Since Lock down. We hope that good will, love ,and common sense will return to a potentially beautiful world without greed,idleness and lethargy.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[YnysMon]

2 minutes ago, MargeandParge said:

Absolutely astonishing the other thing that has struck us is how Unstable and selfish the whole World has become. Since Lock down. We hope that good will, love ,and common sense will return to a potentially beautiful world without greed,idleness and lethargy.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

Not the whole world thankfully. The majority are still doing their best in an increasingly confusing world. However, I think most people’s sense of decency remains intact. 

We have to remember that, even during the dark days of WW2 there were despicable criminals who took advantage of the situation to make a profit and rip off others.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been increasingly disgusted at how the Princess of Wales has been treated by our media and social media. However, from reading comments posted in response it’s clear that the great British public has rallied around in support of her and her family. When it comes down to it, most people can spot hypocrisy and sheer nastiness a mile off, and most of us don’t like it.

[MargeandParge]

This forum seems to be full of the best . Looking at news clips with people bawling comments from an inset to a photograph  We are so pleased and privileged not to entertain social media. I am sure that both Marges and my life are better for not being involved. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[floydraser]

Memories of lockdown:

A very empty Sainsburys; empty of people and empty shelves.

Queing very quietly around the car park of our local Aldi waiting our turn. I took a picture at the time but can I find it?

Scum selling hand sanitizer at astronomical prices.

The press: if you were unlucky enough to have a close relative pass away due to Covid then you had a value. If your relative passed away on the day of a party then you had even more value and all the other bereaved relatives were cast aside.

In our 12 house cul de sac most of them ignored the rules then stood outside at 8pm clapping for the NHS. This was BEFORE the parties.

[YnysMon]

In our street people respected the rules. We are lucky enough to have an allotment at the top of our cul de sac. During lockdown this was a lifeline. Walking to and from the allotment we got to know several of our neighbours, at a respectful distance, more than ever before, so there were pluses. I also remember how peaceful it was without airplanes or road traffic.

On the negative side, during the first week of lockdown in March 2020, our next door neighbour Anne was one of the first victims. That coloured our view of Covid for a long time. 

[Mouldy]

10 hours ago, floydraser said:

Memories of lockdown:

A very empty Sainsburys; empty of people and empty shelves.

Queing very quietly around the car park of our local Aldi waiting our turn. I took a picture at the time but can I find it? . . . . . . . . .

Yep, remember it well.  Almost silent in the supermarkets, where you were only allowed in on your own, so no children screaming and running around.

Deserted roads on my way into work, involved in the logistics industry, so classified as an ‘essential worker’ and being given a letter by my employer to produce to the police incase I was stopped and questioned about the necessity of my journey.

Feeling slight miffed that NHS workers were being clapped on Thursday nights, but feeling forgotten as they weren’t the only people who were doing their bit in very trying times.

Wondering what fate would befall me when I caught Covid in early April, before much was known.  How bad would it get?  As it happened, despite dealing face to face with drivers from across Europe, with absolutely no masks or sanitizer available at work, not too bad although I still can’t drink Coca-Cola, smell onions or garlic four years later.

Returning to work after two weeks with Covid, but being sent home for another week, as I coughed in our office causing panic amongst my colleagues.

Having to work even longer hours, due to many of our team being furloughed to save the company money, but having an even greater workload, due to panic buying in the shops.

Strange times indeed, but how quickly have we’ve forgotten the people who worked through it, to keep us supplied with essentials and keep us well.  Some folk have very short and selective memories.

[Hylander]

12 hours ago, MargeandParge said:

This forum seems to be full of the best . Looking at news clips with people bawling comments from an inset to a photograph  We are so pleased and privileged not to entertain social media. I am sure that both Marges and my life are better for not being involved. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

Social Media I agree it is like a cesspit at times.        We were all pretty good along in our area , as most of us oldies were scared to death to go out of the door in fear it would be our last.       I am pleased to say that thanks to our Government we were able to have our first Covid jabs in the January.  Had to travel a long way for it but it was all worth it.   The volunteers at Southwold were amazing standing out in freezing weather directing all of us old fogies to where we should be or not be.  I am just about to have my 8th jab.  This time at the local pharmacy.      We had one family up the road from us that ignored all the rules, had people round all of the time and even carried on a business at the property with people calling with their cars to be repaired.     Even repaired vehicles in the road quite blatantly.    No social distancing there.       Thank heavens for all of the delivery drivers that were absolutely wonderful.    At the door I met some very interesting people who had very different careers normally but were doing the delivering to 'get out of the house'.     

[SwanR]

 

[ExSurveyor]

One of the many strange things I noticed during lockdown was that people would cross the road to avoid walking past me.

Funny thing is, they still do

[Lulu]

We had plans to move Luna from Horning to Broadsedge at the end of that March. I said to Graham I had a gut feeling we would be going into full lockdown within days so called David and asked if we could bring her week early. Thank goodness we did. Put her in her new mooring and that was that for what seemed like forever. 

  I lost my sense of taste and smell a few days later. It was like a switch had been switched off. Graham had made a particularly hot curry and I couldn’t taste it at all. I felt a bit rough but at that time there was no tests and I don’t think loss of taste and smell was on the list of symptoms . Like Mouldy, 4 years on nothing tastes as it used to especially cola and chocolate and onions but  I’ve got used to it.  
 

I worked throughout  including furloughing people. How I wished I could furlough myself. Exhausting and relentless.  I can remember getting incredibly annoyed and resentful of all the people staying home making banana bread and taking up new crafts while I was working my socks off! 
 

By July I wasn’t feeling well, stressed and really tired. Had some blood tests and discovered I had antibodies so proof I’d had Covid and now had long Covid. Funnily enough I felt far worse after each jab. 
 

My most vivid memory was the day after we were told to stay at home,  looking out of the window and our usually busy road completely empty and taking Desmond for a walk and everyone giving eachother a wide berth. 
 

The hardest moment was my son going to his grandmother’s funeral in Hampshire when it was limited to a certain number of people. My son said there was hardly any vehicles on the motorways and was very eery. My daughter wasn’t allowed to travel from Scotland. She still talks about how hard that was for her bless her. 

[NeilB]

Not a great time for me so I'm going to look at the positive it eventually bought for me personally.  The enlightened attitude to working from home allowed me to request and be granted a permanent work from home contract.  There were other personal circumstances involved but without this I would not be living in Norfolk making the best of what I have.  Bit lonely at first but I now have a steady stream of friends and family visiting me plus my fantastic children!

[Gracie]

I have admired and always will admire the people that worked through it all, NHS staff obviously but the lorry drivers and delivery people etc etc who worked through the night too just so there was food on the shelves ( They forgot the toilet rolls though ) The other side of the coin, the people who were totally alone and cut off from society, the loneliness and isolation they must have felt. How we will never get those lost years back. The dreadful situations where people died alone because loved ones couldn't be there to hold their hand, an absolute tragedy

It gave me a sense of perspective, how lucky I was and am to have my family and friends, who, thankfully survived it where so many didn't 

And as for people crossing the road to avoid walking past the Boss, don't they know he has a fleet of boats  

Grace x

[ExSurveyor]

What helped the NHS cope and the essential workers to keep us stocked and running was the vast majority of the population doing as they were asked.

It really was a joint effort that nearly everyone contributed to and made sacrifices for.

[Norfolkangler]

Unfortunately, I did not see too much of a joint effort round my area. Yes, the responsible people were following the rules. It was mostly the younger people not giving a care in the world. We have a college just up the road, and they all just stood around in groups during breaks etc with No masks and no social distancing, Many used to walk the short distance down to the high street during lunchtime, again no masks and in groups not even giving the general public space. We had buses full of workers off to the Bernard Mathews factory each day that passed my house,  packed with workers, none of whom (except the driver) had a mask on. I even phoned the Bus company to ask why they were exempt. They told me they were not exempt and it was the drivers duty to get every passenger to wear a mask. You could not blame him. He couldn't make them could he! 

Being classed as a key worker (I work offshore) having to drive to Aberdeen around 550 miles from my house as we were not allowed to use public transport was a right chore. The only good thing was that the roads were clear as most people locked down.

Its surprising how quickly you tend to forget all these things until this topic came up.

My wife and I consider ourselves fortunate in that we did not loose any loved ones during this period. My heart goes out to those that did, especially with the arrangements for funerals etc and the limited numbers.

Lets hope we never have to go through anything like this again.

[CambridgeCabby]

Lockdown caused a change in life for me , whilst Katie , my daughter and son in law worked all hours in the hospital theatres and Covid critical care I worked long hours for little or no returns , some weeks it was costing me £100’s , so for the first time in my life I went to work for someone else as opposed to for myself with Waitrose , best part of three years in and I’m still there , I couldn’t believe the first week I had off work and it was paid!!!!!

I’ll stay put till I retire now 

[grendel]

I remember I was furloughed for a month, and when I came back it was to a 2 month backlog, they literally called me back as soon as they could, it was a life changer for me as working from home became the norm, and ever since it has saved me from 3 hours a day commuting, I now go into the office only for training or meetings- though now its a 2 day trip to coventry and a 4 hour drive each way when i do go into the office.

my neighbours - well they never stopped doing the babysitting for their extended families (many ex's and many kids), so it was unsurprising that they quickly went down with covid- but that didnt stop them as they still continued as they still continued to be the contact point where the kids were handed between parents for visitation rights and they continued having people in the house through lockdowns.

I bubbled with my sister and parents to keep them supplied with shopping as soon as that was allowed, my sister had been getting shopping for them and dropping it off at the door up to that point, but as she doenst have a  car, the bigger stuff was problematical.

as far as I know I have still managed to avoid covid, despite me finding that I could not breath in a mask (I tried to go shopping once, and by halfway round asda I was gasping from lack of breath and had to take it off,) when I tried again at home, within 5 minutes of wearing the mask my blood oxygen dropped below 94% and I couldnt continue. so I found a large mesh scarf they I could wear, as a token gesture.

[Hylander]

19 hours ago, SwanR said:

 

That is lovely Jean.

[Smoggy]

I never got the joy of furlough, half the staff did but a key handful of us worked through. 

Van jobs were good as the roads were lovely, it's been a long time since driving was anything other than a chore.

Had to take hearing aid batteries to my Mum on a regular basis so naturally that was a job for the bike on empty roads .

 

[JawsOrca]

Me and a team 3d printed over 25k+ face masks for the NHS, care homes and other key workers and only stopped because the government threated us with persecution for providing uncertified items to the NHS (And disciplinary action for NHS staff taking the items) .. Strange how we went from police hand delivering masks, radio interviews and MP's thanking us then being threatened with legal action.