Continue Lock down

Don’t be pressured into lifting restrictions until this thing has been beaten and we are sure that we are safe.

Why the contribution is important

Getting business back on it’s feet and dying of the virus in the process is a poor decision. Be patient and get it right for the long term.

by Meic on May 05, 2020 at 01:54PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 2.6
Based on: 281 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Garywall8787 May 05, 2020 at 13:56

    Disagree

  • Posted by Placemgt May 05, 2020 at 13:57

    Absolutely right - people before the economy etc. etc.

  • Posted by bobbie18 May 05, 2020 at 13:58

    Too soon to ease the lockdown parameters

  • Posted by Donald May 05, 2020 at 14:00

    Definitely.

  • Posted by Fifer72 May 05, 2020 at 14:00

    A very poor idea. There is risk in all aspects of life, we manage the risk and get on with life.

  • Posted by June May 05, 2020 at 14:01

    Start separating the care home deaths, as it’s skewing the R number. Everyone around my town appears well and the undertaker assures me funerals are down! That begs the question why we are all sitting at home. If you don’t lift lockdown soon, the economy won’t recover.

  • Posted by Felvus May 05, 2020 at 14:02

    Important to continue until the risk of R number is well below 1, otherwise all that we’ve done so far will be forfeited. Easier to carry on with lockdown now than trying to reimpose it.

  • Posted by ElsieC64 May 05, 2020 at 14:02

    No one would argue against the lockdown to ensure our physical health is managed appropriately. However an extended period will inevitably impact on people’s mental health and it is imperative that timelines for lifting this are given as soon as possible to help in this regard. People need to have something positive to focus on for the future. At the moment this is completely lacking!

  • Posted by dalrob1964 May 05, 2020 at 14:03

    agree business doesnt need to be put first but people need more than is available right now

  • Posted by AlexMD May 05, 2020 at 14:04

    Sorry, it's a nonsense. Continuing the lockdown may perhaps save the lives of a few old and infirm (NB - I am in the elderly category). But we're doing it at the expense of the young. When people who want the lockdown to continue find that their children are dying because services have broken down and they can't get the fruit and other foodstuff they've had all of their lives and the food that is available costs more than they can afford, perhaps they will then see sense. BTW, being a pensioner I could say, "I'm all right Jack". But I won't because I love and care about others.

  • Posted by alloha May 05, 2020 at 14:04

    I thoroughly disagree with this idea.

  • Posted by tom26 May 05, 2020 at 14:07

    "people before the economy" - i do not get that, if this goes on too long the economy will be so badly damaged, unemployment will soar and we can see the stats that link deprivation and poverty to bad health. You cannot separate people and the economy - we need to lift as much as is safe to do so whilst protecting the vulnerable.

  • Posted by DRoo May 05, 2020 at 14:07

    We need to be sensible about this. However we also need to see a more concrete plan on how this will be eased.

    The Scottish Government has to stop hiding behind statistics which are from a limited sample. They need to test more and do this quickly.

    They then need to timetable the move to easement.

    If we don't have a strong economy we don't have the money to make the NHS more resilient.

    In the long term we will be more vulnerable without the resources needed.

  • Posted by Sue24 May 05, 2020 at 14:08

    The purpose of lockdown is being lost. It was so that the number of cases did not swamp the NHS. That hasn’t happened. Lockdown does not get rid of the virus, like measles, winter flu etc the virus will be with us for a long time. A vaccine may or may not be found. The lives of many have been severely impacted by lockdown, especially younger people. If lockdown continues they will be the ones paying for it for years to come as the government and the economy try to cover the economic deficits it has caused. Maintaining lockdown should be optional depending on personal circumstances.

  • Posted by POLOPARKJ May 05, 2020 at 14:09

    For as short a time as possible. Other similar sized nations are getting back to work. By mid June I would expect UK including Scotland to be looking to prevent poverty, which will kill more for years to come, unless the Govt is to bail us all out and pay our bills indefinitely

  • Posted by Carole64 May 05, 2020 at 14:09

    Time to lift the lockdown and take a sensible approach. We have to manage risk every day in our life, continue to protect the vulnerable and let the majority carry on, get back to work, allow businesses to open, kick start the economy again

  • Posted by Alasdrum May 05, 2020 at 14:10

    Clearly it is important that we control this virus. However it is also important that we keep it in proportion. If we stay locked down long enough to save every last person there will be no joy in our lives until a vaccine is (hopefully) developed and rolled out globally. Not only will there be no joy but there will be no jobs, no tax revenues etc etc. And lots of people with non-Covid illnesses will die prematurely. We must take a balanced view and accept that we cannot save everyone from this horrible disease.

  • Posted by Pilot May 05, 2020 at 14:10

    Agree and the airports and all other points of entry should ensure that incomming people to Scotland are screened else the lockdown is a nonsense

  • Posted by Spice2010 May 05, 2020 at 14:11

    With the majority of cases now in care homes what is the benefit of extending lockdown to the general public. Surely other aspects of quality of life need to also be considered.

  • Posted by JHastie88 May 05, 2020 at 14:14

    DISAGREE!

  • Posted by Molly96 May 05, 2020 at 14:15

    A terrible idea. We need to get perspective on this and open up society as soon as possible (along Swedish lines) and trust the public to act in a socially responsible way without continuing to be treated like children.

  • Posted by LAB14 May 05, 2020 at 14:21

    As a doctor currently watching lots of my patients suffer as corona collateral damage instead of with covid19 I cannot agree with this idea. This plan only works if you are willing to stay at home for the next 1-2 years ...as any scientist knows this virus isn’t going to be beaten anytime in the near future and we will not have a safe well tested robust vaccine to use anytime soon and most scientists believe the government is being overly optimistic with the time scale it’s reporting as that really is a best scenario possible time scale rather than a very realistic one ...we need a plan going forward that is both safe and sustainable ...”lockdown until it’s beaten” just isn’t realistic.

  • Posted by Ann May 05, 2020 at 14:27

    We can’t continue in lockdown forever and a vaccine may never be found so we need to move forward sensibly allowing the country to get back to some sort of normality . For most people the virus produces a mild illness and most of us will need to get it sooner or later . Lockdown was to protect the NHS which it has done. Measures can be reintroduced if necessary and people who are scared to go out can continue to stay at home .

  • Posted by doccy May 05, 2020 at 14:29

    The lockdown will cause death and morbidity in itself. If a vaccine was around the corner fine, bit it isn't.

    Sorry - we need to raise the lockdown, even if R does go above 1. We can't keep going like this for the next 2 years.

  • Posted by Carole64 May 05, 2020 at 14:32

    The purpose of lockdown was so we didn't swamp the NHS. That hasn’t happened. The virus will still exist like other illnesses such as measles, flu. A vaccine may never be found . Our wellbeing and livelihoods has been severely impacted by lockdown. Maintaining lockdown should be for those only in high risk categories

  • Posted by sl806e May 05, 2020 at 14:33

    Continuation of the lockdown will have an appalling affect on peoples mental health, physical health, personal wealth and will destroy the economy.

  • Posted by alileslie May 05, 2020 at 14:34

    We cannot simply remain in lockdown with no exit strategy. There are huge social, emotional and economic sacrifices being made across the country (and globally) and it is impractical to assume that we can remain in limbo.

  • Posted by Haffer May 05, 2020 at 14:36

    Lockdown needs to end, I don’t care if it’s gradual easing of restrictions or a cliff edge but it needs to end. Care home deaths are tragic but they are also the most frail in society and we cannot -rote the everyone forever. The lockdown was used to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed and this has been successful.
    Take the care home deaths out of the R number data and it will drop significantly.

    We’ve trusted the ‘science’ to much and have spent millions on standby hospitals etc that didn’t need to be spent.

    Time to at least ease the restrictions

  • Posted by StacyConroy May 05, 2020 at 14:43

    Disagree! This is having a massive impact on my son's well being, there needs to be an exist strategy. There is still going to be transmission whatever we do. Also would like to point out that where I stay it looks like Lockdown is over anyway!!

  • Posted by mg68 May 05, 2020 at 14:46

    Scrap lockdown, data from countries without or less with just social distancing are doing just as well. Government have followed the panic option as nobody will be critical of following the crowd.

  • Posted by mg68 May 05, 2020 at 14:49

    End the lockdown.

  • Posted by SRuss91 May 05, 2020 at 14:52

    Let's remember the reason for the lockdown: it was to save the nhs from becoming swamped and prevent deaths through being unable to provide the service. The nhs is doing fine, deaths are falling, hospital admissions are falling. Let's begin the phased return of social interaction, medical services, education and businesses etc. Im not asking for things to go back to normal right away, but let's get things moving in the right direction. The virus will never go away, and a vaccine may take years and years. I'm desperate to see my partner and i miss my work in nurseries. Please let's have a plan to get things going again.

  • Posted by BiggGrumperz May 05, 2020 at 14:52

    End lockdown? What, and risk over-whelming the over-worked and over-burdened NHS workers all over again? Well over 100 NHS workers have died so far. Are you prepared to have let them die in vain? Ease lockdown, possibly, but under strict rules. Which can't be enforced anyway. Look at mobile phone use while driving. Some people are just too selfish.

  • Posted by DG May 05, 2020 at 15:09

    Yes continue the lockdown. And close down all passenger flights.

  • Posted by DMacDonald May 05, 2020 at 15:46

    I would urge the government to carefully balance the short-term physical health issue with the longer-term economic and mental health issues. There is no easy answer here so would ask them to look at both sides of the scales carefully and fully before continuing to enforce lockdown without easing some restrictions.

    Scottish people have on the whole, done a great job of adhering to the restrictions and looking after each other. 6 weeks is a very long time (particularly with small children around!) so would ask them to give the people something back, even if it's just some very small changes. Hope is a very powerful thing and will make the public feel like they're actually making a difference and will get on board more. Give a little to get a little please :-)

  • Posted by ISMactier May 05, 2020 at 16:00

    Disagee with original comment. As others have pointed out the virus is going to be with us indefinitely and we need to learn to live with the risk. There is a risk to everything we do in life and this is no exception. Need plan urgently with timescales for easing of lockdown giving priority to helping people's mental health by allowing contact with family members (whether they live locally or further away) and of course kick starting the economy. Solitary outdoor activities could begin almost immediately.

  • Posted by raeraegat May 05, 2020 at 16:05

    completely agree

  • Posted by Arvika May 05, 2020 at 16:19

    Scot gov needs to stop making points and ensure that there is a joint approach with the Uk gov. Scotland cannot and should not be different and it’s important that we get back to work...albeit safely.

  • Posted by Scotelka May 05, 2020 at 16:25

    It's quite sad reading the comments of people who believe the lockdown should end now. In Scotland there was no true lock down, as it was introduced in other countries. We are still able to leave the house, police wasn't asking anyone to show a permit to go to a shop, we weren't forced to wear masks. Looking outside of my window I wouldn't know we are in lockdown if I didn't read the news! Perhaps that's why it is taking so long to see the true effect an adherence to strict lockdown rules would bring. Now people are demanding to ease the mild restrictions we had and want to rush it. Some countries after suffering for 5-7 weeks now record minimal numbers or no new cases, whilst all we achieved is a fairly stable number of cases and negligible decline in new deaths. With all due respect to people who mention mental health, socialising isn't the only way of taking care of your mental health. We have technology available to maintain social contact through different media. It is not the same, however a way better than burying your loved ones. Perhaps instead of demanding government to ease the restrictions too early we could all put some effort into following the guidelines for a wee while longer, instead of rushing to B&Q as if our lives depend on it...

  • Posted by iwhelan May 05, 2020 at 16:49

    Completely disagree. Trust the public go to the Swedish model and get the economy moving as soon as possible. Livelihoods being lost (and a lot more will be) will mean lives being lost. The cure will be worse than the disease if this goes on much longer.

  • Posted by Donald May 05, 2020 at 16:59

    Confusing question I think. Some comments are against lifting lockdown, some for lifting.

  • Posted by geraldwiley May 05, 2020 at 17:08

    Totally disagree. We must protect the vulnerable but at the moment we are severely damaging those who are not vulnerable.

    We need to have a method which protects everyone and damages no-one.

  • Posted by lnelily252 May 05, 2020 at 17:48

    This is a bad idea. Mental health is already suffering, don’t cause long term damage to our future workforce who are ultimately going to have to pay for this situation the rest of their lives likely 40+ years from now. We need to focus on transforming the future not preventing the inevitable. As long as the NHS can cope, that’s the key.

  • Posted by Rachel_T1502 May 05, 2020 at 18:01

    I wonder if some small changes could be made for low risk activities that would have a massive impact on peoples' mental well-being such as allowing low risk social contact for people living alone with 1 other person/household, people sharing aspects of care with family members, balanced against increased policing of areas that encourage public congregation- people failing to adhere to one way systems and social distancing in supermarkets- perhaps legislating much tougher limits on maximum numbers in supermarkets , compulsory use of cloth face coverings which seem to have had a remarkable impact on transmission rates in some areas of other countries, inspection of businesses and legislation to ensure workers are protected

  • Posted by sczettner May 05, 2020 at 18:03

    Quarantine the vulnerable, not the healthy.

  • Posted by codenamev May 05, 2020 at 18:56

    The lock-down as of NOW is going to effect more people that the virus, never-mind locking down for another few months etc We need to learn to adapt and live with the virus and realise it has a mortality rate of around 0.3%. Matt Hancock was back to work within a week for heavens sake !! Even Boris Johnson who was a worst case scenario was back to work in 3 and i hear was full of beans after 2 weeks !

  • Posted by ProtestTheHero May 05, 2020 at 19:13

    To continue prioritising the lockdown ahead of the physical, social, emotional, economic, mental and educational damage the lockdown is causing (and will continue to cause in the coming years as its repercussions slowly become evident) becomes more irresponsible with every passing day. Especially so given the mental health time bomb this is creating, all the other illnesses going undiagnosed and untreated (how many lives lost as a result?), the mothballed Nightingale hospitals and quiet A&E wards. Could not disagree more with OP.

  • Posted by poppetandmog May 05, 2020 at 19:16

    Completely disagree. This is a disease that largely affects older people yet it will be younger people paying for this via austerity/tax rises for many years to come. The lockdown doesn't make covid disapear. We have to find a way to live with this virus. Keeping people in their homes , killing our economy and creating a mental health crisis is not the answer.

  • Posted by codenamev May 05, 2020 at 19:45

    The lock-down as of NOW is going to effect more people that the virus, never-mind locking down for another few months etc We need to learn to adapt and live with the virus and realise overall for the majority of the population it has a low mortality rate. Matt Hancock was back to work within a week for heavens sake !!! Even Boris Johnson who was a worst case scenario was back to work in 3 and i heard was full of beans after 2 weeks !

  • Posted by Doug May 05, 2020 at 19:51

    Totally agree

  • Posted by Pragmatist May 05, 2020 at 20:08

    I strongly disagree and believe that a pragmatic, balanced response would be to start to ease some of the restrictions this week where infection rates are lower. There are nearly 300 unoccupied beds in my region and number of people (unfortunately) in ICU is small . Current restrictions were modelled against worst case scenario which has not come to pass in this area thankfully.

  • Posted by waterstein May 05, 2020 at 20:08

    We didn't need lockdown in first place - social distancing was working.

  • Posted by Benthelobey May 05, 2020 at 20:57

    Ridiculous idea to continue the lockdown. This thing will never 'be beaten and we'll all be safe' - it can however be managed and accepted just like influenza is now. We need to work a way out of lockdown soon to avoid economic disaster!

  • Posted by darrenpake May 05, 2020 at 21:50

    Totally disagree, a prolonged lockdown will have an enormous negative affect on people. The gradual steps of coming out of lockdown should be happening soon, just like in most other countries!

  • Posted by MGlasfam May 05, 2020 at 23:44

    Agree. Continue the lockdown. Why spoil what has been achieved so far when another few weeks could make all the difference. It is hard for everyone but if we give up now we might have to do it all over again.

  • Posted by Jeannie May 06, 2020 at 00:03

    I agree to early to lift lockdown

  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 06, 2020 at 03:08

    This is ridiculous - we'll all have died of old age by the time Covid has been beaten. Lift the lockdown, be responsible, care for those who need looking after and/or wish to continue isolating, and let's get back to and enjoy life - and make do and mend our failing economy.

  • Posted by lmjdear May 06, 2020 at 07:53

    No-to many unforseen circumstances from lockdown. Open it up , stop scaring people into being unable to think about risk for themselves. We will be living with this for a long time, start to let us manage this for ourselves with just a few key restrictions where necessary.

  • Posted by Julief May 06, 2020 at 08:37

    Disagree. There is a very real human cost to continuing the lockdown. Lives are being lost because it. Be it patients not receiving treatment they need, suicide ( now and in the future as a result), those not living in safe homes. These are not figures that can easily be pulled into a graph for a daily briefing but doesn’t mean they should e discounted.

    I would be interested to know how the government are measuring the non covid related deaths as a result of lockdown and how these compare to covid deaths.

  • Posted by JohnZed May 06, 2020 at 08:41

    Lockdown in its current form will end/be ignored by the summer, as the population wont put up with another month or two being told to stay at home. The Government stats already show that the population mobility is increasing, so should accept that and concentrate on how to maintain social distancing whilst allowing mobility

  • Posted by Djalaodbdld May 06, 2020 at 10:14

    Totally ridiculous. We need to give something to the people to give them hope and actually help with the compliance with lockdown.

  • Posted by dantelopez May 06, 2020 at 11:19

    Strongly disagree, there needs to be a form of change, for example, allowing bubble groups or small social gatherings limited to 2 or 3 people as soon as possible. Minimal social interaction such as this will motivate people and help to maintain morale, good mental health etc. Another issue is partners living separately. For many who would (before lockdown) see partners daily or regularly, being apart like this will be causing huge issues - even some of the 'strongest' relationships may be weakening if there isn't a way forward or a way to allow people to at least have the choice to see their partner soon. It has been over six weeks and if this continues there will be lasting mental health issues as a result of this. Relationships that are irreparably damaged may result in a high number of relationships ending, divorces etc and that added mental stress at this time is unnecessary and dangerous. Relationship breakdown is a leading cause of suicide in Scotland (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/suicide) and unless action is taken, there is a risk of a 'Mental Health Pandemic' looming on the horizon. Even for those not in relationships, the ability to visit a friend and talk in person would boost morale and mental wellbeing considerably.

  • Posted by borisj May 06, 2020 at 11:28

    We were too slow into lockdown, we should have been in lockdown before the first detected community spread infection.
    Our lockdown was not thorough enough, leaving lots of potential carriers in the community in positions of mobility.
    The Message was not clear enough with construction and manufacturing continuing in England but stopping in Scotland (for the most part)

    We need a clear message that until Scotland's infection rate (number of new daily cases) is on a steep downward trend (it's currently flat so the virus is fpassing from one infected person to another victim every day) we should either strengthen, or lengthen our lockdown.

  • Posted by Lornab May 06, 2020 at 11:49

    We cannot hide forever - covid19 will have an impact on many things including employment, future education, mental health and serious health conditions which are currently slipping under the radar. We need hope and a plan of how we can safely move forward.
    What we should look at is where we can prevent more deaths - care homes would be a great place to start and hospitals where non covid19 patients are currently living
    From a communication perspective, if you keep saying the same thing, in the same way for long enough people stop listening. Perhaps the time has come to update your messages in a way which will engage with the population of Scotland - you can still make the key points just in a different way

  • Posted by LauraJones May 06, 2020 at 11:50

    Disagree. Lockdown is literally killing people. The mental and physical health implications are huge. Release us from house arrest before we all kill ourselves

  • Posted by LauraJones May 06, 2020 at 11:51

    Keep lockdown = destroy the economy forever

  • Posted by Rabg May 06, 2020 at 11:58

    From what we have seen with Britain having the highest rates in Europe and only second behind the USA in total numbers, we have to learn the lessons of not going in a lockdown scenario sooner. Therefore coming out of the lockdown will be more damaging in the long term as the risk of a second or 3rd wave of the virus would be far higher.
    The lockdown should be extended till the end of June, so that the ‘R’ value has the best chance to come down, therefore reducing the risk of any further lockdowns in the future. If we reduce measures then before then people will naturally become more relaxed about the measures in place and the risk of further lockdowns would be inevitable. If the ‘R’ value is brought down to 0.1 or lower then it would be fair to say that we have beaten this, any higher would risk further infection and further lockdown.
    If we start to ease lockdown at the end of May then we are half heartedly beating this and not giving everybody the best chance to come out of this and resume normal life quicker.
    Short term pain for long term gain.
    If we lockdown till end of June then and the ‘R’ value is down at 0.1 or lower then we can basically resume normal life instead of prolonged agony of semi lockdown, social distancing for the rest of the year! For an extra 4-5 weeks of full lockdown is better than having another 5-6 months of a semi life that’s actually just rubbish. Children not getting the education they deserve because they are not at school as they should be, work places like the hospitality industries not being able to operate as they should.
    If we come out of lockdown end of May in stages we are just prolonging the agony of not being able to go to the pub, restaurant, work place, playing football with your friends or playing any sport with your friends.
    Why the contribution is important

    This idea is important because it’s the simplest and most effective way to beat this situation. Common sense should prevail and rushing back would in the long run just extend this period instead of beating this period and returning to a normal life.
    If we didn’t do this it would be like getting a prescription for antibiotics from your doctor and only taking half the course prescribed instead of the full course. The chance that you’ll be back at the doctors for another course of antibiotics would be inevitable. Just think about it!!!

  • Posted by BenjaminGriffSPT May 06, 2020 at 13:51

    Far too soon to ease lockdown

  • Posted by BStrozzi May 06, 2020 at 13:59

    My sister in law down south has lost 7 friends to the virus - one was only 46. PLEASE continue lockdown until it is safe

  • Posted by Magan6 May 06, 2020 at 14:12

    I think it is too early to ease any lockdown restrictions. It is hard not seeing loved ones and even with technology now its not the same however it's what is needed at this time. The death toll is rising. Far too soon to lift restrictions

  • Posted by The_Guru May 06, 2020 at 14:14

    Time for the lockdown to end, and get the economy up and running again

  • Posted by LauraAR May 06, 2020 at 14:19

    Lockdown should definitely stay in place for now. The deaths and infection rate are still too high to risk stopping it. It obviously can't stay in place forever but it should be very slowly relaxed, tiny steps and some restrictions need to stay in place until a vaccine is ready and has been given to all at risk groups.
    The economy will be much worse off if lockdown is lifted too soon, deaths rocket and a second lockdown is needed. We need to try and squash the virus as much as possible now and the more we do the sooner life is back to normal.

  • Posted by Edin1234 May 06, 2020 at 14:28

    Lockdown cannot be continued indefinitely. The risk from indefinite lockdown on everyone's future health and wellbeing will become a greater risk than the virus - particularly for children and young people. We must learn to manage the risk as best we can and miminise it wherever possible. Extending lockdown should not be considered a strategy. People need hope, and an exit plan must be outlined, even if the timescales cannot be guaranteed.

  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 06, 2020 at 14:29

    Rabg, if you seriously believe that a general populous lockdown can - and will be sustained until the end of June I think you're living in your own little bubble. It won't, and there is no point in so much as giving it the smallest consideration. Lockdown measures may have been too little and too late at the time although there is no point in crying over spilt milk. The country needs to open up NOW and return to a semblance of normality for everyones good.

  • Posted by YMCA May 06, 2020 at 15:14

    Disagree. People are really suffering because of this lockdown. Everyone has had enough. Give us some hope and let us know when to phase out lockdown

  • Posted by Girlsgonezombie May 06, 2020 at 16:40

    I think lock down should continue until cases have fallen dramatically and until there is further evidence from watching other countries ease out of lock down.

  • Posted by Ziggy127 May 06, 2020 at 17:20

    Couldn't disagree more

  • Posted by Alvaro May 06, 2020 at 18:29

    In 1918 the second wave was the one who kills between 50 to 100 millons people please dont make the same mistake is to early we shoud wait until deads equals normal day in a hospital

  • Posted by Brett May 06, 2020 at 18:31

    Acting in the interests of people and making incremental changes to the lockdown is necessary. The timeline of this should be determined by safety and our ability to react and enact policy. (As has been demonstrated by Scot Gov throughout.) When it is judged safe to do so is key. Lockdown is only going to be in place for as long as is required. Nobody wants to be restricted longer than is necessary. The approach taken so far is the right one.

  • Posted by ScottGall May 06, 2020 at 18:44

    It’s necessary to continue. There has been no country yet foolish enough to ease restrictive measure as there’s every indication from the “first wave” that this virus can have a spread rate greater than the Spanish Flu. Hearing people prioritise the “happiness of young people” at the expense of others shows how little they themselves truly understand. It is only thanks to the lockdown that the numbers are as low as they are. 30,000 UK Deaths indicates the effect this virus had whilst only being allowed to spread without control for a few weeks. Can we really be sure the damage to our society would not be drastically worse if we simply re-open the country?

  • Posted by Slr75 May 06, 2020 at 18:47

    We have managed this long and can continue I would rather a longer lockdown than risk a second peak. Scotland need to stand separate from england, our economy is going to take years to recover anyway what's another 4weeks or however long it takes to survive a second peak

  • Posted by O52O2O May 06, 2020 at 19:10

    Agreed - it is too soon to lift the current lockdown. The number of people currently infected and R rate are still too high. Nobody enjoys lockdown and it is hard for everyone in different ways but risking a second wave with a second lengthy lockdown would be far worse then keeping going with this. The current lockdown should gradually be lifted only when the infection rate is low enough to to properly test, track & trace to stop a resurgence of the virus.

  • Posted by Foxysas May 06, 2020 at 19:20

    Let's be real here, we have not had a REAL lock down. Spain and Italy have, we are free to go to the shops when we want, go to B & Q, B & M, its ridiculous.
    We should have had border closure, check points and allowed out once for shopping. Lock down should have been monitored properly not just suggesting stay at home.

  • Posted by Lstewart May 06, 2020 at 19:47

    Disagree.

    It's unfair for 100% of the population to be living like this when the virus is statistically known to impact mainly elderly or Ill people.

    People are losing their jobs, with nothing else job wise on the horizon, people are struggling with mental health and struggling jugging the impossible combination of "working from home" while looking after a child.

    Shield the elderly and vulnerable and let the rest of us get on with living

  • Posted by Colin87 May 06, 2020 at 20:38

    I disagree. We must apply facts, data and common sense to find a way forward. The main transmission routes now are care homes and hospitals so let's focus on these areas and release some of the less risky areas e.g. outdoor exercise for longer, some business starting up again where risk is very low etc

  • Posted by GordonM May 06, 2020 at 20:45

    Show us the evidence to continue the lockdown or get life back to normal. This nonsence has gone on far too long and is now doing more damage than good . Ask the 150,000 newly unemployed in Scotland when the UK government furlough ends and our Finance Convenor's pocket money runs out from London and she has to start acting like an adult and make real decisions (has she been furloughed? not heard much from her lately). I'm an adult and am perfectly capable of making the right decisions - I do not need a bunch of amateurs in Holyrood telling me how to deal with a situation like this. Support those who need help and let the rest of us get back to normality

  • Posted by Dougieo May 06, 2020 at 20:58

    100% agree

  • Posted by LCam06 May 06, 2020 at 21:09

    I feel the lockdown, in the long run, will do more damage than good.

    Allow people to make the decisions about how they want to live their lives. We could be waiting years (IF) for a vaccine to be made available by which point poverty and poor mental health will be the things killing people, not a virus.

  • Posted by Arturo May 06, 2020 at 21:54

    Need to move forward. Current lockdown is slowly falling apart so lets take control and guide the population to a new normal. Special measures for care homes clearly needed (Scottish Goverment has failed as has UK government to control spread to most vulnerable )

  • Posted by Halina May 06, 2020 at 21:57

    I have a neighbour who has tested positive for the virus along with her husband and son and her and her son are out sunbathing in our communal back sitting right at the back door. I've seen dozens of people from my balcony meeting in the street having a natter and definitely not 2m apart.
    Yes to an exit strategy but definitely no to exiting just now. If people can't follow the "rules" now we what are they going to do if restrictions are eased. This has all been stressful enough without having to faces second wave.

  • Posted by AlexMD May 06, 2020 at 22:03

    Get rid of the lockdown.

  • Posted by Lizwren May 06, 2020 at 23:51

    Continue with lockdown until the infection rate is much lower. Staying in lockdown much reduces the spread of the virus and then it will be much easier to track and trace fewer cases to eventually ease restrictions.

  • Posted by Hamsterpus May 07, 2020 at 00:10

    Lockdown will be viewed in history as a huge error. Follow Sweden. No lockdown and death-rate half of Scotlands, with herd immunity coming quickly.

  • Posted by Mummykins May 07, 2020 at 00:21

    Cannot believe some of the comments. Why don't we ask the family members of the bereaved how they feel about lifting the lockdown? Its the "amateurs in Holyrood" who has the best interests of the public at heart. Yes jobs will be lost - is that more important than life?

  • Posted by Arete May 07, 2020 at 03:11

    Yes, people first and foremost. Everyone.

    Don't give in to the minority who have other priorities, and seem content for sacrifices to be made in the confident expectation that it will be someone else less fortunate who has to make them. We have had enough of that kind of thinking during the previous decade.

  • Posted by PotatoNinja May 07, 2020 at 07:32

    Continuing lockdown is not just something you can do. A high part of the population lives in cities with no outdoor areas of their own which means they lack interaction with the outside and exercise. Lockdown takes a toll on physical and mental health. In a time like this it is already expected for the number of depression and other mental disorders to skyrocket. Continuing lockdown may perhaps save physical lives but quality of life would be poor and some might even not consider it worth living.

  • Posted by May2020 May 07, 2020 at 08:16

    A lot of people on here are talking about the small risk of dying from the virus. This is the wrong way to look at this. This virus is very very dangerous for those who SURVIVE having it. Firstly, let's think about the people who survive the virus but have had to spend time in intensive care, do you know what this is like? It is completely terrifying, and you are likely to have long term mental health issues, then there are the long term physical effects. This virus is NOTHING LIKE THE FLU, it causes blood clotting, it affects the kidneys, and appears to have neurological effects. We do not know how long these effects will last. A lot of people are having very serious lasting effects even though they have technically 'recovered'. Now lets think about the way you die if you have this virus, I suggest all of the people who want to lift the lockdown go an read exactly the way this virus kills you, and know that you will have a time before death of knowing you are going to die and being totally alone in hospital, then think if you want anyone in your family to die like that, and if you don't then why send that risk to everyone else? Anyone can die of this virus, anyone can get it and anyone can have long term damage from it.
    The lockdown is not strict enough, and must continue until we understand this virus more.
    The economy is something we as people invented, we are smart enough to come up with a solution to keep people safe and change the way we do business.

  • Posted by DebbieD May 07, 2020 at 09:24

    Agree with continuing lockdown, spread has been contained but the virus remains at large.
    Easing lockdown must put lives first

  • Posted by Julief May 07, 2020 at 09:31

    I’ve lost three elderly people in the last week. None of them to covid 19. All of them because it was felt unsafe to take them to hospital. Lockdown is literally killing people.

  • Posted by Ossian May 07, 2020 at 09:40

    Completely disagree - it is not people v the economy it is covid v everything else which is also going wrong (cancer deaths up, suicide up, massive mental health problems, loneliness). We need to learn to live with it, not just exist with it.

  • Posted by DennisThecat May 07, 2020 at 10:11

    Disagree.

  • Posted by MrsTee May 07, 2020 at 10:18

    I agree with extending the lockdown period. The statistics demonstrate that it is helping to reduce infections and deaths.

  • Posted by stonehaven1234 May 07, 2020 at 10:39

    I disagree with this. The lock down is negatively impacting our mental and physical health and needs to end soon.

  • Posted by WilfredLawrieNicholasJohnson May 07, 2020 at 11:15

    Like everyone else on the thread all I have is my opinion on the matter. Only the Government have full access to the information to allow an informed decision. My feeling is the lockdown should remain. It has always been 'lockdown lite' in any case when compared to other countries in Europe.

  • Posted by irene108 May 07, 2020 at 11:21

    Far, far too early to lift lockdown - stick with it a bit longer and hopefully we will have a much better outcome.

  • Posted by Linzinisbet May 07, 2020 at 11:25

    Please do not lift the lockdown before there is supporting evidence to do so, scotland has already had enough cases without replicating the English figures, I will happily take masks melting my face at work for as long as it takes !!

  • Posted by NKTC May 07, 2020 at 11:33

    Totally agree. This is an indiscriminate virus, not a political or economic thing. Science should dictate when lockdown is relaxed, and in what manner. Removing it too early will just result in a spike in infection and the need for a further lockdown.

  • Posted by Smac May 07, 2020 at 11:54

    Totally agree. There are some parts of Scotland that have not reached their peak yet. To lift the lock down would cause untold damage in rural areas.

  • Posted by Kimmi May 07, 2020 at 14:20

    We need to continue and be firmer with lockdown, too many folk have just ignored it

  • Posted by randomchaos May 07, 2020 at 15:18

    This lockdown must end, or at the very least the restrictions must be loosened. We are killing our economy, and who knows what the long term effects of this will be? I would argue that we are exchanging our long term future for short term security.

  • Posted by jnoble May 07, 2020 at 15:21

    We have to get out of this corner we've painted ourselves into following the 'scientific' advice of some very suspect sources. We can see exactly what is happening in other countries and Covid is on the run, but will grumble away for a while yet. What we can't afford to let happen is for the economy to go up the tube, multiple businesses to go to the wall, children to lose their life chances, folk with other illnesses dying because they are not getting timely treatment.
    So far we have had 3 deaths per 10,000 people in Scotland.
    The vast majority of those sadly succumbing to covid have short life expectancies and perhaps also poor quality of life. I'm in the older age group and would have no issues with my life being shortened a bit if I caught it - one less mouth for the overpopulated planet to feed.
    Relax the lockdown and let those who wish to continue to isolate and are at risk do so and be supported.

  • Posted by Simonfielding May 07, 2020 at 15:25

    and The lockdown has done its job. The NHS has not been overwhelmed despite the virus having been in the UK for at least 4 months. The lockdown needs to be lifted now to protect what little of the economy is left. I’m an older citizen and, with many of my friends, am quite happy to increase my risk (which is still minuscule) if it gives more opportunity to my children and the younger population generally. It is selfish in the extreme to do otherwise. Give the opportunity to the vulnerable to be protected (voluntary isolation) and let the rest of us live with the choices we make.

  • Posted by kmack May 07, 2020 at 17:33

    It is far too soon to lift lockdown. As a person who is vulnerable to Covid-19, with vulnerable family members and friends, I am extremely anxious about the amount of people breaking distancing rules and campaigning for lockdown to be lifted. I have no garden, and am scared to leave my flat due to neighbours constantly socialising at close contact. The lockdown has not yet fully done its job. I understand the negative impacts it will be having on people who are vulnerable in other ways, and this must be looked at as a priority. However, for most of the population, I feel strongly that the frustration of a few more weeks at home is nothing compared to the lives that will be lost if we lift lockdown prematurely. Unfortunately the Westminster government's incompetence in ensuring other protective measures (PPE, testing and tracing, quarantine of people entering the country etc.) and their slowness to act means that longer lockdown is necessary for the UK than other countries. For those who say that only vulnerable people should continue to isolate, I think they are not considering how much more difficult it will be for those people to distance themselves when all the spaces around them are so much busier.

  • Posted by ACW May 07, 2020 at 18:15

    I find lockdown really difficult due to the lack of access to a dentist. I live in pain and find lack of access to a proper healthcare scary. It definitely affect my mental health in a negative way. I would really like it to be over soon but I support the continued lockdown. If we ease it too fast we will end up with a second wave that will force another lockdown, possibly much longer one. Many more people will die and the results for economy and everyone are going to be disastrous. We need to scale up testing and give PPE to all frontline workers before we can consider any changes. Let's stick to it for now.

  • Posted by NH May 07, 2020 at 20:13

    We were too slow to start lockdown. Let's not make another mistake and exit too early. Will be good to see what happens in other countries who've eased lockdown - what worked and what didn't. A second wave of the virus not only harms health but the economy.

  • Posted by HazelAnne May 07, 2020 at 21:04

    Disagree.

  • Posted by Mosley May 07, 2020 at 22:23

    I suggest we are given a zero star option as I strongly apposed this idea, the nation are becoming divided once more, lockdown vs no lockdown but keeping shielding for those who wish it, hand hygiene and social distancing perhaps we will be given a vote again.

  • Posted by Stewart20 May 07, 2020 at 23:39

    Disagree. Prioritise resources towards segmenting and shielding of vulnerable. Virus does not have serious effects on the overwhelming majority of people under the age of 50 who have no health conditions. Remove threat of legal sanction replace with public health guidance. Most people have been terrified by media reporting of pandemic anyway, and most will follow guidance like hand hygiene, distancing, etc.

  • Posted by Noblec May 08, 2020 at 07:08

    Madness. The lockdown is being lifted by grown up members of the public reviewing the available evidence and deciding to increase activity whilst socially distancing. This will further increase over the weekend with advice from the uk government, Europe and the US with the additional knowledge of no 2nd surge.

  • Posted by owenc00 May 08, 2020 at 08:04

    Some people are going to have to die of the virus whenever we get back to normal, as a result of that decision. The "safest" option - in those simple terms of deaths from this virus - is that we stay in lockdown forever. Clearly, most people are going to refuse to accept that. The consequences of the current lockdown go far beyond number of deaths vs economic recovery.

  • Posted by AnvilApril May 08, 2020 at 08:07

    Entirely disagree! The negative of extending lockdown even longer far outweighs the good!

  • Posted by Boss16 May 08, 2020 at 08:08

    This is the best idea ever!!
    Well that is if you want most of the current working population of the UK to be unemployed and then who's going to pay for the NHS then!?
    Who do you actually think is going to pay for all of this support that has been given out through the HMRC job retention scheme, grant funding etc etc? I will tell you who it will be... the current taxpayers who are now also paying for the current state pensions being paid out, and then have also been pushed into these auto enrolment schemes to pay for our own pensions when we retire. So basically we are paying for the failings of previous governments and will be expected to do so again..
    There is no cure or vaccination as yet so live with and manage is the only way. We cannot sit any longer is this state of economic suspension or there will be no return

    RIDICULOUS idea!!

  • Posted by aloneinthehills May 08, 2020 at 09:19

    Disagree

  • Posted by Fredbearwizard May 08, 2020 at 10:15

    DO NOT lift lockdown think of the lives that are being saved
    let everyone out if you want more blood on your hands
    I DONT SO STAY HOME!

  • Posted by Outis May 08, 2020 at 11:06

    I agree the lockdown has been a necessary 'emergency break' when we were overwhelmed by this out of nowhere - but only for the short term, to increase resources and find better ways for prevention and management.

    But prevention cannot be hiding away indefinitely.

    Life needs to go on. Children need to go back to school, people need to go back to work and humans do need social interaction.

    With every day longer in the current situation, we are creating massive issues for all aspects of life in the future and we will be sure to regret not being a bit more 'daring' now.

  • Posted by Barbara1407 May 08, 2020 at 11:30

    Disagree. The longer the lockdown last the bigger impact on the economy and people’s mental health. It’s about time to loosen some restrictions eg allow people to visit their closest friends (some people have families in different countries and friends are their only family) and open up national parks to allow people to do hillwalking, it’s fine if it’s within 2 hour drive from their house.

  • Posted by Dave_H May 08, 2020 at 11:49

    It is quite wrong to leave all elements of the lock down in place for very much longer.

    It is a fact that people are getting frustrated at being locked up at home, while we can all think of outdoor activities we can do away from others with no risk but are currently banned.

    If the lockdown remains too restrictive for too long I fear it will be disregarded and people will break it. there is some sign of that happening already.

    I fully agree that a LOT of things that involve contact with many people should remain restricted for some time, but people need to see some real signs of the lockdown being eased to allow some freedom to do things that are no or very low risk.

    You say you want a grown up discussion about this. Listen to all the calls for some easing of what you can do in your leisure time without risk. Treat the people like grown ups and give them a little more freedom and I am sure they will respect the rules that remain in place for good reason much more.

    Have a look at the Irish proposals for releasing the lockdown, they have some very good ideas how some rules can be ended very soon with little or no risk, while other restrictions will have to remain in place for longer. A well thought out and presented plan like that will be respected.

    Continuing for some time to say you can only go out once a day for a walk local to you, will show you have not thought about it and will be disrespected, when almost anyone can list several outdoor activities they could do with less or certainly no more risk than their daily walk close to home.

  • Posted by dblair May 08, 2020 at 12:12

    It will take 18 months until ‘safe’ to lift lockdown. Many more people will die from poverty than coronavirus if lockdown is continued in its current form. The Economy isn’t some abstract thing - it’s a measure of people’s ability to put food on the table and a roof over their head.

  • Posted by FM79 May 08, 2020 at 13:44

    There needs to be a balance between saving lives and saving the economy. The current lockdown blanket approach was fine as an initial measure to allow the facilities to be put in place in the NHS and business to make adjustments to cope with and manage the covid situation. That has now happened and it's time to move to the next stage. The reality is that covid will never be over, we need to now find a way to coexist with the virus without creating an even worse economic situation that leads to poverty, non covid related deaths and long term negative health issues that are far worse than covid is.

  • Posted by BeataK May 08, 2020 at 13:50

    Disagree - this lockdown is not sustainable in the current form. Why my partner who is a self employed painter is unable to work due to restrictions where he has customers' empty properties to do up. And there are many people like him who would meet no one in their working day but cannot work, cannot pay taxes. Its a total disaster. This country is running on a credit card and one day we all gonna pay for this.

  • Posted by Chimp May 08, 2020 at 17:07

    Couldn't disagree more!!

    I believe the R number for the general population is significantly below 1, but is being inflated by care home figures where most new cases seem to be occurring. Lockdown care homes as tight as a drum, and allow the rest of us some respite from the unnecessarily draconian lockdown measures. I live in Lothian where only around 2000 cases have been reported in total from a population of almost 1 million (source: BBC News website). How many patients have been admitted to the Louisa Jordan??? Get some perspective and let us out to participate in activities where we can maintain social distancing. Sweden had no lockdown at all and have far fewer cases than UK.

  • Posted by WilfredLawrieNicholasJohnson May 08, 2020 at 18:50

    Keep lockdown in place until the TTI is in place. We will only get one chance at this.

  • Posted by dtmfom May 09, 2020 at 01:57

    We missed an opportunity this week to extend family bubbles. Far safer than allowing the current crowds at supermarkets and DIY stores.

  • Posted by LMD2020 May 09, 2020 at 09:35

    Making changes at the right time informed by the advice is key to avoiding being back at square one.

  • Posted by waxwing May 09, 2020 at 12:04

    People are not independent of the economy. There is a direct relationship between the economy and death rates. Scientists estimate that once the economy declines more than 6% it will start to cause more deaths (through poverty-related ill-health and suicide) than Covid-19. If lockdown is continued much longer we are in real danger of that size of decline.

  • Posted by XR May 09, 2020 at 12:20

    I disagree with the idea. Risks are part of life. Refusing to take any risk is contrary to the essence of the human nature (not to mention the loss of our basics liberties and rights). Maybe the Scottish government should trust its citizens a bit more and only provide guidelines in the same ways the Swedish government trust its citizens.

  • Posted by PiedFifer May 09, 2020 at 16:31

    If we look at excess deaths in countries where the virus has spread widely we find the countries with stricter lockdowns have higher excess death numbers. There is a case to be made that stricter and longer lockdowns are causing more damage than looser and shorter ones.

    I don't know if the numbers are accurate but I read that in Europe around 500k cancers are diagnosed in an average month. During this pandemic only 15% of cancers have been diagnosed in lockdown months. I've seen doctors claiming their patients aren't getting the treatment they would normally get. It's not hard to see that we will likely see major collateral damage in future if we continue down this path.

    There is a worry that there will be a second peak. However there is a good chance there may not even be one or that it won't be as high. The data shows that Social Distancing measures were already having an effect before the lockdowns were instigated. Plus the pool of likely victims has decreased.

    If the purpose of lockdown was to flatten the curve then moving forward if flattening the curve or keeping it flat or in decline can be achieved with looser restrictions then it should be done. Without Sweden we would not know if it was even possible.

    I'm reminded of the Japanese WW2 soldier who spent 29 years in the jungle refusing to believe that the war was over. Imagine if there was never going to be a 2nd peak. How long would we continue treading on eggshells for before we realised?

  • Posted by Christina May 09, 2020 at 19:23

    Disagree very much. I'm not saying we should ease the lockdown 100% and go straight back to normal, but ease it slowly and steadily. To continue this for much longer will 'cost' so much more in the long run. And I'm not talking money. By saving lives this lockdown has also put many many lives at risk. The NHS did not get overwhelmed and sooner or later we need to get things moving again. We will all be exposed to the virus eventually because it won't magically disappear. Sadly that's what it is.

  • Posted by jimmac123 May 09, 2020 at 19:28

    We need to find a way out of this - already economists are forecasting 4 million plus unemployment and a global recession - every week we remain in lockdown, the worse that gets - and we will only learn in time how many lives have been, and will continue to be lost, as people have avoided GP and Hospital visits - cancer, strokes, heart attacks.
    In other words, this is not an argument of "lives vs the Economy" - it is an argument of "lives vs the Economy and lives".

  • Posted by Moj14 May 10, 2020 at 12:42

    This lockdown if it goes on much longer risks becoming counter productive, mental health affects physical health, at the very least we need more options to see family and gain wider freedom around exercise and daily outing.

  • Posted by johnxsmith2019 May 10, 2020 at 13:22

    We cannot hide for ever.

    Many people are crumbling behind closed doors, running out of money etc - £74 a week on UC for many who have mortgages/family etc is no help.

    So many have fallen through the cracks of the various help the Government issued - only people that have got something are salary on PAYE and if you have premises. Most others Universal Credits.

    The SNP cannot stop Scotland from working if they are not giving us additional financial support.

  • Posted by kpm321 May 10, 2020 at 17:13

    I disagree. Restarting the economy is needed to avoid a great increase in poverty (which increases death rates).

  • Posted by JaneySue May 10, 2020 at 21:29

    Disagree.
    Locking us down does not make the virus go away.
    We could stay locked down for years and the virus would still come back.
    A vaccine or immunity will make the virus go away so we need to get back to work safely and protect our health from the multiple I’ll effects of the lockdown.

  • Posted by jeankemp May 11, 2020 at 01:51

    We can eliminate this virus. It would have been easier to achieve had we listened to WHO advice at the beginning. The job will now be harder, but it can be done. BUT we will need to maintain lockdown in order that the Test, Trace and Isolate strategy has some chance of success. In addition, testing capacity must be massively increased and a rigorous programme of community based testing be initiated.

  • Posted by Debs69 May 11, 2020 at 12:11

    Its the right thing to do for now...economies recover dead people don't.

  • Posted by Shona May 11, 2020 at 12:29

    Lockdown needs to be lifted ASAP for the general population once the R number is established to be less than zero outwith care homes - the danger to the economy is real and the misery that will cause for everyone including the most vulnerable (including premature death) outweighs continued lockdown for the majority.

    Not everyone will survive getting this virus sadly - but continued 2m distance outwith immediate family, hand washing etc can mitigate going forward.

  • Posted by Gi May 11, 2020 at 12:31

    Continuing with lockdown is essential. Risking lives for any reason is unacceptable and I am so proud that the Scottish government is putting lives first!

    Lifting lockdown or easing too soon puts people at risk and under pressure.

  • Posted by Cathol May 11, 2020 at 12:53

    Disagree, those in favour are likely those at home on full or 80%, not those struggling to survive.

  • Posted by alexandra97 May 11, 2020 at 13:10

    I fully agree that people should to an extent, come before the economy. However there is no cure for covid-19 which means no matter what restrictions we have in place some people are going to sadly die. What needs to be weighed up is the people dying because of the lockdown, those in domestic violence incidents, those with mental health issues, those who are unable to get their vital lifesaving treatment (eg cancer) because this lockdown is in place. It is also impossible to keep the economy shut down until the disease is eradicated as the country and the pound would not survive. The harsh reality is some people are going to die and the implications lockdown has needs to be weighed against the amount dying because of covid-19.

  • Posted by EGJ May 11, 2020 at 13:21

    Don't lift the lockdown until the Scottish Government are confident that it is the correct time, have a plan of action in place and can implement each step clearly. I trust their decisions.

  • Posted by alexandra97 May 11, 2020 at 13:23

    For clarity this isn’t going to be “beaten” there is no cure and there is no vaccine and there won’t be for a long period of time.

  • Posted by Stargazer1960 May 11, 2020 at 14:57

    Completely agree that ensuring the virus is not free within the community is essential before easy lockdown too far.
    Increased testing including randomised non-symptomatic testing in the community will be essential to understand how far away we are from being truly able to test, track and isolate.
    However, we have to learn how to live with this disease as it does not seem to be going away anytime soon. We need to keep pushing the regular hand washing/sanitising, self isolation if symptomatic, wearing a face covering when out and about in busy venues and try to ensure that these are being followed robustly throughout society before any 'return to normal' can be considered

  • Posted by LOBBIG May 11, 2020 at 15:37

    Agree. Lockdown must remain until it is safe.

  • Posted by Jem May 11, 2020 at 17:08

    I completely disagree. As I understand it, the aim of lockdown was to flatten the curve and avoid completely overwhelming the NHS. We have successfully achieved this and in many hospitals, there are actually far fewer patients than would be expected at a time without COVID-19. ‘This thing’ is not going to be beaten until either we find an effective vaccine or gain herd immunity, both of which are going to be a long time coming. Continuing lockdown will likely come at a greater cost to people’s lives, mental health and the economy than COVID-19 will.

  • Posted by Alec_Erskine May 11, 2020 at 17:31

    The current lockdown is excessive.
    The loss of life caused by the lockdown (extra cancers, extra heart attacks, stress related condition, losing the will to live, domestic murders etc) has to be balanced against the saved lives. Also the massive deterioration in quality to life and destruction of people's livelihoods has to be considered.

    This is a condition that affects a tiny minority of us and virtually nobody under the age of 30.
    The old are at it again, we have fleeced the young for our pensions, inflated property so they cannot find anywhere to live, and now we are ruining their lives by putting them under house arrest. Let them out now.

  • Posted by geforse1 May 11, 2020 at 18:38

    The lockdown has served it's purpose, ie preventing the NHS from being swamped and getting the infection rate under control. Time to move on. If it is extended further people will simply start ignoring the restrictions, although many won't admit to it.

  • Posted by sandraed May 11, 2020 at 20:24

    I agree with the continuance of lockdown. It is apparent that many are disregarding the distancing required, particularly in shops and out walking. If we get a green light for meeting up, that inch will become a mile. Until we know we are getting less and much less people infected, we need to stay apart.

  • Posted by Bek2020 May 11, 2020 at 20:55

    Covid-19 unfortunately is here to stay and lockdown does not 'beat' coronavirus, it just stops the NHS from being swamped. As lockdown has served its purpose in this capacity, for the sake all other areas of health, and many other aspects of life, it is time for lockdown to end. I agree with some of the comments here, there is risk in life and with some wise regulations including shielding those who are most vulnerable, life could return to a new kind of normal.

  • Posted by KevinG May 11, 2020 at 21:05

    If only this was practical, I agree with others and say Manage the risk, even if they find a vaccine for COVID-19 there's the small matter of 8 billion people needing it.

  • Posted by cadatta May 11, 2020 at 21:47

    I think very soon it would be an idea to let younger, less at risk people get back to work, whilst continuing to shield vulnerable groups. There is the possibility we may never, ever get a vaccine for Coronavirus. The longer the lockdown goes on the more likely people are to begin to break it. The number of Covid related deaths needs balanced against the number of deaths resulting from mental health conditions, people not getting cancer treatment and people dying of other illnesses who are not going to hospital to get the necessary treatment they need. I cannot see really at what point in the foreseeable future that it will be TRULY safe to come out of lockdown and therefore I think we need to begin to be pragmatic about it

  • Posted by Kelly May 11, 2020 at 21:53

    #stayathome #staysafe #savelives
    #limitrisks
    #thinkofothers #ThinkFamilyFriendsFuture
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