I use the phrase 'mild insanity' because I honestly feel that it's some element of cabin fever that's caused a minority of individuals to become paralyzed in this way.

At this point we've gone way beyond any semblance of 'flattening the curve' and gotten stuck because there was no plan to unwind the lockdown.

You don't know what things will be like by the end of the year.

As long as 1) the virus is still around, 2) we do not have a vaccine, 3) we have not reached a certain level of herd immunity, policy making should be based on the day to day data that we have, and about the immediate term.

Perhaps the evolution of the situation means that it will be safe to be back in the pub celebrating with your buddies for Christmas. But then again, perhaps not. We don't know.

Claiming broad things like "I will be back in the pub by the end of the year" is not about sensible decision making, it's pure emotion and is not what we need right now.

I don't agree. It would be a complete abdication of responsibility to not have a concrete plan after months of lockdown.

Have people always been this petulantly childish, or is this a new thing?

(Watch the people thinking "You're not taking our need to socialize seriously!" burn this comment to the ground...)

You're not taking their need to socialize seriously! I hesitate to even respond, because the idea that it's childish to have concerns about extreme social distancing for 9+ months is so absurdly disrespectful that you frankly don't deserve my time. Hopefully you'll be able to look back in a bit and reevaluate why you felt the need to be so rude.

This. I live alone and after 5 weeks my mental health has deteriorated significantly. This is not a situation that can last as is till 2021. We'll have a suicide and mental health crisis.

Ironically, something we already had.

I thought as the parent comment at first. A bit more than 3 months in, I now think like you.

People are horrendously social creatures. Even I as a self labeled introvert am really feeling the cabin fever.

A lot more people have lost jobs. Restaurants continue to go bankrupt. Retail and airlines continue to let people go.

To sell the other side as petulant children is bordering on slanderous.

I'm a nerd so I don't mind being in front of the computer all day (I do resent the loss of civil liberties though).

But I have a friend already going through depression who is going through hell with this stupid lock down. It affects people differently.

Surely, now that things are beginning to reopen, the deniers are the ones who believe that it’s not getting safer and we have to stay inside.