COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion
- Thread starter ThundyCat
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Exactly if the supermarkets and pharmacies had closed we would have been in far more difficulty. The medical services looked after the severely ill, the shop workers looked after the rest of us.
I have to declare my daughter worked through all the lockdowns luckily avoiding any complications.
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My scariest moment was working in a Covid Ward in 2020 before jabs and having many comorbidities.
I was on Reception but could still see all the carnage.
In March I was sent home and told not to return because of all my illnesses.
In August I was told to come back and I'd be OK if I wore a mask.
They asked for volunteers and I just thought "Well if this is the end so be it".
I didn't actually get my first bout of Covid until Christmas Day 2021 and my youngest thought she had killed me but I sailed through it with nothing much happening (thank you vaccines that don't work because I've read it on here).
I was on Reception but could still see all the carnage.
In March I was sent home and told not to return because of all my illnesses.
In August I was told to come back and I'd be OK if I wore a mask.
They asked for volunteers and I just thought "Well if this is the end so be it".
I didn't actually get my first bout of Covid until Christmas Day 2021 and my youngest thought she had killed me but I sailed through it with nothing much happening (thank you vaccines that don't work because I've read it on here).
And non of which would have been possible without HGV drivers. In fact it's the whole supply chain, But HGV's get so much stick but without them the country would grind to a halt in days not weeks..
The whole thing was Chaos. And i believe whatever the Government did would have picked apart and lessons learnt. Dont think any country got it right did they.
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I think it was Sweden who were being held up on a pedestal for how to cope with Covid and it eventually it came out they weren't doing as well as us.
There were even headlines saying loads of ICU staff were leaving.
You can't cope with chaos, carnage and unpredictability.
Like I said earlier we have over 100 seriously ill Covid patients but it's as though it's all kept quiet now because the vast majority won't believe it anyway.
i remember at the time the talk about Sweden doing it right and we should follow suit.. Bit difficult when our Countries and Culture are vastly different
Nor did they spend 200 million on a judge led enquiry to say that no government got it right.
Analysis of the WHO and China also sadly lacking.
I fully agree with your HGV comments.
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I asked CoPilot
Sweden’s COVID-19 strategy was both praised and criticized: it avoided lockdowns and kept society open, but this came at the cost of higher early mortality, especially among the elderly.
Sweden’s Distinctive Approach
- No strict lockdowns: Unlike most countries, Sweden relied on voluntary guidelines rather than mandatory restrictions. Schools for younger children, restaurants, and shops largely stayed open.
- Focus on trust: Authorities emphasized personal responsibility and societal trust, encouraging distancing and remote work without heavy enforcement.
- Healthcare resilience: Sweden’s healthcare system is known for equity and efficiency, but it faced criticism early on due to high death rates compared to other Nordic countries.
Outcomes of the “Swedish Experiment”
- Mortality: In the first wave, Sweden had much higher death rates than Denmark, Norway, and Finland, particularly in care homes.
- Economy: Sweden’s GDP fell less sharply than many European peers in 2020, and unemployment rose more slowly, suggesting economic resilience.
- Long-term health impact: Later waves saw Sweden’s mortality rates align more closely with European averages, but the early losses among the elderly remain a major criticism.
- Public debate: Some experts argue Sweden’s approach avoided the social and mental health costs of lockdowns, while others stress that the lack of early restrictions cost thousands of lives.
Did Sweden “Get It Right”?
- Yes, in some ways: Sweden maintained social functioning, avoided harsh lockdown fatigue, and protected parts of its economy.
- No, in other ways: The strategy failed to shield vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, and Sweden’s early death toll was significantly higher than its Nordic neighbors.
Key Takeaway
Sweden’s COVID-19 response is now seen as a mixed outcome: a bold experiment in public trust and voluntary compliance that worked reasonably well for the general population and economy, but let down its most vulnerable citizens. Whether it “got it right” depends on whether one prioritizes economic and social continuity or minimizing mortality.
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and because Sweden didn't have lockdown this also happened -
Yes, a significant number of Swedish nurses, particularly those in intensive care units (ICU), left their jobs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic due to immense pressure, exhaustion, and poor working conditions. This exodus worsened an existing nursing shortage in the country.
Reasons for Resignation
Nurses' decisions to leave were influenced by a "tangle of challenging paradoxes" and an accumulation of stress:
Consequences
The high rate of resignations created a severe staffing shortage, pushing the healthcare system, particularly in areas like Stockholm, to its limits with ICU capacity reaching 99%. The crisis was so severe that some regions requested assistance from the Swedish armed forces and neighboring Finland.
Surveys found that around 21% of critical care nurses reported an intention to leave their position due to the moral distress experienced. The decision to leave was often described as necessary and a relief, even if it came with sorrow over the loss of their professional identity and planned future in intensive care.
These challenges highlight the need for strong organizational support and leadership to prevent burnout and retain essential healthcare staff during a public health crisis.
Yes, a significant number of Swedish nurses, particularly those in intensive care units (ICU), left their jobs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic due to immense pressure, exhaustion, and poor working conditions. This exodus worsened an existing nursing shortage in the country.
Reasons for Resignation
Nurses' decisions to leave were influenced by a "tangle of challenging paradoxes" and an accumulation of stress:
- Extreme Workload and Long Hours: Nurses faced months of 13-hour shifts, often working over 40 hours a week, which led to high rates of sickness and exhaustion symptoms.
- Moral and Ethical Distress: Many nurses experienced moral stress and guilt related to providing what they felt was inadequate or "substandard and inhumane" care due to a lack of staff and resources. This included situations of futile care (no one decided to withdraw ventilator support for hopelessly ill patients) and being unable to meet patients' and families' needs for closeness and security.
- Lack of Support and Inadequate Pay: Nurses reported a lack of administrative or managerial support and expressed frustration with their pay levels relative to the demanding conditions.
- Safety Concerns: Staff worried about their own risk of infection and transmitting the virus to their families, which was exacerbated by inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) at times.
- Loss of Control: The implementation of crisis agreements meant nursing staff lost influence over their working hours and were subject to unpredictable scheduling changes and on-call demands during free time.
Consequences
The high rate of resignations created a severe staffing shortage, pushing the healthcare system, particularly in areas like Stockholm, to its limits with ICU capacity reaching 99%. The crisis was so severe that some regions requested assistance from the Swedish armed forces and neighboring Finland.
Surveys found that around 21% of critical care nurses reported an intention to leave their position due to the moral distress experienced. The decision to leave was often described as necessary and a relief, even if it came with sorrow over the loss of their professional identity and planned future in intensive care.
These challenges highlight the need for strong organizational support and leadership to prevent burnout and retain essential healthcare staff during a public health crisis.
Likewise, I had 6 days off, the night I finished work... Boom, I've been suffering in various ways since, it has kind of migrated to sinuses now, not bad just really irritating. Thankfully I'm only back in for one day before Xmas. Sucks to be feeling ****** over xmas though. Hopefully it ***** off over the next day.Picked up a grotty coldstill not at bad as what I used to get pre-2019 but worse than anything I've had after the first dose of COVID.
Not sure if Covid or just a rough cold. However when you work day in day out around people coughing and spluttering spreading their diseases it was just a matter of time. My turn to return the favor!
Mostly just the raw throat is annoying / at the point where it makes me cough just as I'm trying to settle to sleep, other than that I feel OK.
Went in to work for a couple of hours but decided it was a silly idea - aside from potentially spreading it around (though I think I picked it up from work anyhow) being out and about likely just delaying it recovering.
I'm leaning towards it being a cold rather than COVID or flu.
Went in to work for a couple of hours but decided it was a silly idea - aside from potentially spreading it around (though I think I picked it up from work anyhow) being out and about likely just delaying it recovering.
I'm leaning towards it being a cold rather than COVID or flu.
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I had covid 4 times, working for the NHS you got it for free and yes I had the jabs. Had some strange flu about 7 weeks ago again free from work, horrible sore throat and a dry cough, the usual sweats and freezing but very little snot. I asked a couple of Doctors at work and they both said it was covid again lol. Oh well.
Everybody I know, including myself ended up with something pretty nasty round about this time. It took somewhere between 4-6 weeks to recover;some of which were hospitalised, others receiving two sets of antibiotics etc.
Both my parents got something they are convinced is COVID as they had their flu jabs (albeit that doesn't mean you won't get it) and it is way worse than they normally get with colds. On the fence myself as COVID circulation is pretty low at the moment while flu is still going around quite a bit but the symptoms do seem more COVID like and my family traditionally has been fairly resistant to flu.
My local NHS trust is in a critical incident because of the number of flu and COVID patients.
For as long as it isn't an odd sniffle or feeling a little rough, I imagine
I got hit with something like the flu prior to Christmas, cleared up around the 29th of December only for me to get hit with a swollen throat chills and continual coughing on the 29th of December. I couldn't even eat. Only just started to feel better on the 14/01/2026. Whatever it was, it was nasty. I'd previously received the flu and pneumonia jabs.
Similar for my parents - both have hot and cold chills, continual coughing and bouts of fatigue been going on for over a week now and they are fed up with it, at first thought it was just the stuff going around at Christmas finally catching up with them but this seems to be different.