This is the paradox of the current Covid pandemic phase: The UK has one of the highest rates of infection and the death toll continues to rise, but the national mood seems optimistic. This could be attributed to British stoicism or a Keep Calm and Carry On mentality.
Experts say no. Experts warn that there are many factors at play.
Linda Bauld, professor of health at the University of Edinburgh, stated that we are still in a phase when large numbers of people die from this disease. It has faded into the background. It has become a part of our daily lives. There has been a de-sensitization to mortality.
The UK reported over 45,000 coronavirus cases on Thursday. More than 800 deaths have been reported in the last seven days. Hospitalisations are increasing, with one-fifth ICU beds being occupied by Covid patients. The latest figures also showed that an estimated 200,000 students were absent from school.
The UK is faring worse than its European neighbors, with a death rate per million nearly three times that of France, Germany, and Italy.
The numbers are better than many predictions. Sage scientists predicted that October could see between 2,000 to 7,000 hospitalisations per day.
It isn't all about statistics in any case.
The Covid announcements would have said Very sadly that three people had died. After that, it would have been Very sadly that 70 people had died. Prof Robert West, University College London's behavioural scientist, stated that this was the case.
They don't say it very sadly. We know that images stir emotions in people, but numbers don't.
Bauld believes that current attitudes are shaped by Freedom Day, the social contract between the government of the public and the government. It states that people would come forward to receive vaccines, which Bauld believes has influenced their perception of the world. She said that many people have believed this.
Some scientists are also affected by this view. Bauld said that although Covid is now endemic, there are still some who believe it.
Another group of scientists says, "Look around the world at countries that don't tolerate high levels of infection. And what about long Covid?"
Scientists are finding it difficult to provide a cohesive argument in their community. The government has the ability to pick and choose which viewpoints it supports.
Are there any particular characteristics of the British psyche that make them appear unaffected by the continuing toll of the pandemic, such as a rigid upper lip or an internalizing of angst?
According to West, there is no such thing. When it comes to safety, the British are more concerned about driving, safety at work, and how we approach public health, than other countries.
This is because it is conditioned by what we see around. It is clear to everyone when our leaders speak of Covid in the past.
Stable state
The data curves that show the spread of a disease change from an initial pandemic to an endemic stage become less abrupt as it shifts. Psychologists say that the steady stream of deaths in the UK, despite the fact that it is on an upwards trend, tends to be less alarming than those we saw during the first year of the pandemic.
We were built to respond to change. West said that we don't react to a steady state. To make people feel more involved in their lives, something will need to happen in the psyche.
This could have been evident in the apparent lack of concern by the health secretary when she was asked about the high levels of infection. Things seem to be fairly stable at the moment. According to Sajid Javid, the numbers have fluctuated between a little up and a little down in the past few weeks.
West says that accepting a steady state is about framing. He said that there are stable states that can be troubling to humans. The fact that it will continue to be troubling for humans may lead people to say: We can't have 1,000 deaths per week.
The NHS's continued strain may be a trigger for this reappraisal. Although hospitals may not be overwhelmed, figures released this week revealed that 5.7million people were still on waiting lists at August's end. This is the highest number since records began in 2007.
It's not normal. That is the simple truth, according to Prof Tim Cook, an expert in intensive care medicine and anaesthesia. There is no chance of business as usual with Covid patients occupying approximately 20% of ICU beds, and 10% of hospital bed spaces.
Cook stated that this proportion will continue to gradually occupy hospital beds for weeks or months. Cook said that I don't see an end in sight to this level.
There is some disagreement among health professionals as to what a safe and acceptable state for Covid.
Some people still favor a zero Covid model with the goal of having no cases. Others accept the current situation in which there are approximately 40,000 cases. Andrew Goddard is president of Royal College of Physicians.
All of us have accepted that doctors include 10,000 flu deaths each year. This tells us a lot about our tolerance for Covid. However, the effects on the most disadvantaged parts of society as well as certain ethnic minorities could reduce our tolerance.
What is the new normal?
The UK public is still not clear on where they stand on this continuum. Some also resent the idea that there is acceptance of the current situation.
Professor Stephen Reicher, a University of St Andrews psychologist, stated that the idea that everyone accepts the new normal is dangerous. This can lead to a feeling of fatalism.
Reicher cites a lot of psychology evidence that shows our behavior can be influenced more by what others think than our beliefs. He said that if your attitude is against a social norm, you are less likely to follow it.
Reicher claims that the UK government has been routinely normalizing the current rate of infection.
He said that they have been acting as if this was inevitable and seem to be comfortable with the possibility of infections rising. Many people want to find a psychological explanation for everything, but it is important to understand the political and ideological contexts in which this is occurring. We are looking at normalization.
Natural phenomena are a powerful way to normalize a situation. For example, you can put the continuing spread of Covid down the virulent qualities of the Delta variant.
Reicher also believes that media plays an important role in establishing a normal perception. He said that almost nobody's mind is affected by the media. However, it can change people's beliefs about others.
Recent surveys have shown that people still hold cautious views on Covid safety. There is however a growing gap between attitudes, and behaviors.
Some find it bewildering that there is no public response to the current death rate. It is almost surreal to accept the current infection rates. Kit Yates, a University of Bath senior lecturer in mathematics, stated that while no one is making much of it, well over 100 people are currently dying each day from Covid.
Yates points out, however, that vaccination has not changed the outcome for high Covid rates but having so many viruses in circulation can have serious consequences.
Current Covid deaths are equivalent to more than 40,000 per year. He said that this is not normal.
The government has given up on any pretence of public health measures to combat Covid. Although it is a national scandal, the public seems to have lost sight of it.
