Damn, blow, blast and bloody hell (76/365)

[white_hart]

I've been watching the rollout of the vaccine progress down through the age groups (T, in the 50-54 bracket, got the text inviting him to book his first appointment last week) and feeling relatively optimistic about my slot coming up soon. Clearly, this was a mistake, as one should never feel optimistic about anything to do with the UK government's handling of the pandemic, as it now appears that no-one under 50 is going to get vaccinated until May (other than those who are vulnerable for other reasons).

It's not as if I am particularly vulnerable; it's entirely possible that if I was to catch COVID, I would be fine anyway, but that's not a risk I want to take given the number of people under 50 I know who've developed long COVID without having had any pre-existing vulnerabilities. And it's not as if I had any plans to rush out and spend time in crowded indoor places, though I think there will probably be a push to move towards getting back into the office after Easter (and I was letting myself wonder a bit whether it would be possible to visit my parents for my mother's 70th birthday at the end of May). It just makes any end to this feel that much further away.

Of course, it's probably also hitting particularly hard given that today is the anniversary of the last "normal" day in the office (not that it was very normal, as it was mostly spent making desperate plans for moving to working from home). I'm glad I didn't know then that it would be over a year...

Comments

[cmcmck]

You get the impression of having been lied to- again!

[white_hart]

Indeed.

[mrs_redboots]

So sorry! But if your mother has been vaccinated, you should be safe to visit her at the end of May. She won't be in danger from you, nor you from her.

[white_hart]

As I understand it, it's not yet clear whether the vaccine stops people transmitting the virus, so that's not necessarily true. And none of us are risking going anywhere near my father if there's even the tiniest possibility of a risk.

[mrs_redboots]

As I understand it, the risk of transmission is lowered to practically zero if you have had both jabs - but I can see your not wanting to go near your father. My own mother, at 93, has had both jabs now, and is on record as saying that she certainly doesn't want to die of Covid-19, but would prefer that to the "long, slow slide into senility". On the very rare occasions we've seen her, we've been sensible about distance and fresh air....

[qatsi]

R (who is younger than me but has asthma) was vaccinated yesterday. Aged 49 1/2, I spent months being unclear about whether I would be offered a vaccine anyway, and now this :(

[white_hart]

:-(

[nineveh_uk]

It's pretty dispiriting, isn't it. I try to tell myself that previously I felt lucky to think I could be vaccinated by September and that May is still soon. But having hopes raised and then dashed is always disappointing. Hope you can see your parents soon.

[white_hart]

It is very disappointing.

[clanwilliam]

The one tiny thing that might have caused a twinge of regret about my decision last year is no more. No regrets - apart from leaving love and friends.

[white_hart]

No, I think you're in a much better place there! (Though interestingly the Dutch temp at work, who I'm pretty sure is well under 50, got a text offering him an appointment the other day, which was no use as he's currently at home in NL rather than here.)

[tree_and_leaf]

Yeah, it is gloomy news.

[white_hart]

It really is.

[danieldwilliam]

Aye, being in my mid-40's I was just eyeing up the vaccine slots approaching me and thinking "pretty close now, pretty close".

So very much agreeing with you.

[white_hart]

I think Scotland may be different, so you might still be OK.

[danieldwilliam]

We're getting a proportionate cut in our allocation but the impact of that on our vaccination programme isn't clear yet. Second doses to be prioritised, 1st doses for over 50s schedule is unchanged but what happens to first doses for the under 50s hasn't been announced.

[girlyswot]

I’m sorry. Moving goalposts are so hard to cope with.

I don’t know but I wonder whether I might have found this past year easier in some respects if I had known from the start how long it would be. Uncertainty has been one of the hardest things for me.

[white_hart]

It's hard to tell, isn't it? If I'd known then I would have cancelled my bus pass and got quite a substantial refund, at least.

[muninnhuginn]

Definitely a blow. I hope at least that you won't be expected to return to the office before you're fully vaccinated.

[white_hart]

So do I! We now have a "roadmap" (why is it all roadmaps? It's more like a medieval map with "Here Be Dragons" all over it, anyway) which certainly doesn't seem to suggest that anyone will be pushed back to work before the end of June, but we'll see.

[norfolkian]

I'm with you in that I don't want to risk long Covid. Having been ill for much of my mid-twenties with thyroid-related illness, I'd rather avoid other longterm illnesses if I can help it, thanks.

[white_hart]

Quite!

[crinolinerobot]

Yeah, it's an utter PITA. Everyone I know seems to be getting them - younger, older... I guess I'll just keep staying indoors.

But they will get round to us eventually.

[white_hart]

It's not even that there is much I want to do, I just want to feel like we're on the way out of all this!