Is there a small benefit to the pandemic?

I am struggling to think of anything positive. It's made two of my family seriously consider giving up their careers in nursing. They have had a nightmare year. Not just the work but the fear of bringing covid home to their families.

My DGC with keyworker parents have been at after school care for 5 days per week instead of the 2 they would have had if me and DH had been able to do childcare. Five long days have been too much for a just five year old in their first year at school. The other DGC have been home schooled by parents trying to WFH full time.

As with anything there are some positives that come from difficult situations. The lack of traffic, the way people have reconnected with the outdoors, the way people have further developed their skills with regard to technology, less consumerism.

Oh yes! Ive been having chemo since October. I haven’t missed a thing!

I am now recovering from a winter bug: cough, cold, sinus problems and feeling really unwell for 5 days.

Me too, but the cough lingered on for a couple of weeks.

I can think of some positives but in the main, this has been devastating for so many.
The only positive I can think of is that, with less travel, the earth has been less polluted - but that has been contracted by the appalling amounts of rubbish which has polluted our land as people discarded their litter.

Sorry but I cant think of anything good that has come out of it for DH and I personally or our families.

I hope (!) that a lot has been learnt from an emergency planning point of view and I trust that a lot of good science has been discovered.

Agree with M0nica no benefit from the pandemic however small. I’m thinking of people who had operations cancelled or whose screening didn’t go ahead. M0nica how did you catch the winter bug? I assumed there wouldn’t have been any this year with all the hand washing, distancing, masks etc. My cousin was telling me she has similar and she’s hardly been out for the past year. Or is that the reason, we haven’t been exposed to the usual winter germs?

Like PaperMonster's sister, DD nearly died last summer because her GP saw her by phone only and didn't order a crucial test until so late she nearly died. Even then she was not admitted to hospital, which she should have been. She lived alone, worked from home and was just told to take herself to A&E if she thought she was having a heart attack!!

Last November DH had a heart attack followed by triple bypass surgery. The bypass surgery went very well. What didn't go well was the hospital-acquired infection (not COVID) he caught that was resistant to antibiotics and led to the three more operations and an extra six weeks in hospital. He has been home three months, but is still a long way from recovery and was sent for more xrays this week.

I am now recovering from a winter bug: cough, cold, sinus problems and feeling really unwell for 5 days.

Well, I’ve damaged myself wfh and am in much pain. And my sibling is more seriously ill than they would have been had their GP actually agreed to see them and get the necessary tests sorted out - and if the consultant they needed to see hadn’t been diverted to Covid duties. My dad’s mobility has nosedived as he didn’t feel safe doing his little walks as all and sundry were out and about walking.

Yes!
My nuclear family has a closer relationship now, working for home and no daycare can be stressful but being with the kids 24/7 has been the best

No flus, colds, sneezes, etc - not socializing as much and masks made a huge impact

Granted we are introverts and less social interaction is a blessing.
If I were an extrovert, not sure what I would have done

I agree, and have not needed steroids for asthma for 15 months.
I know that had I caught Covid I could have been one of the very poorly people.