It’s just been announced that Off-licences have been added to the government's list of essential UK retailers allowed to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic. This is obviously for those who cannot go 14-days without an alcoholic drink: bbc.co.uk/news/business-520...
It beggars belief: It’s just been... - British Liver Trust
It beggars belief
68 Replies
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Alcohol can be bought in supermarkets anyway so don't see any problem with this. Nothing wrong in having a drink in these testing times.x
If people have no problems health wise or dependency wise drinking alcohol then I can't see a problem with them being able to buy alcohol from an off license to have a drink at home. Often off licences sell many other goods apart from alcohol.
I would imagine that the Government realise that people are under enough restrictions at the moment without creating more if it can be avoided.
Alf.
I agree freddy - if they make going to get something to drink part of their daily exercise surely that is OK. Of course it would be great if no-one drank any alcohol but we surely have to be realistic don’t we?
Stress can cause an awful lot of mental strain and personally I drank to reduce stress. Of course with hindsight that was mad because I overdid the stress relief element! 👎😕. But moderation would have been, I think, fine. Oh and before anyone shouts at me I haven’t had a single drop of alcohol since June 21, 2014, and never will again - obviously!
I’m sure this subject will split posters in two very different stances but please remember we all have our own legitimate views....
Main thing is we close down this awful situation by taking sensible but pragmatic precautions. Except us vulnerable people where there is no room for pragmatism!
Good luck everyone...
Miles
Agree 100% This lockdown won’t be ending in three weeks, and some households will be like the proverbial pressure cooker as this situation continues.
I'm gobsmacked !!
Me too Laura.
Laura009 in reply to
Shows how weak and pathetic people really are ... when the going gets tough lets get pissed... cos we all know it won't just be the 1 !! ... could someone please direct me to the healthunlocked liver forum ... l seem to have landed in the wrong place !
Laura as I said it is not wrong to have different viewpoints. I respect your view as I would hope you respect mine.
Hi Laura.
Not all people who drink alcohol do it to get P'd.
I have roughly 20 people in my family that drink alcohol responsibly and can only think of maybe two that that would drink it to excess.
My wife likes an occasional French coffee and has 3-4 units of brandy a week drinking this.
Occasionally, and we're talking probably every couple of months here, when we entertain friends or relatives to a meal (not at the present time obviously) my wife will have 2-3 small glasses of prosecco and our guests certainly don't drink to excess.
So there is nothing wrong in my view of any of them buying alcohol from an off licence along with any other goods that an off licence might sell.
There are also people that buy their tobacco products from an off licence. Not the healthiest choice but it is their freedom of choice to do so.
I know that you have had your problems in the past when you were married to someone who caused his own demise through alcohol and he hurt you and your children very badly and I really, really do feel for you but not everyone is tarred with the same brush.
So we must amicably beg to differ.
Best wishes.
Alf
Sure anyone who wants to drink can if they want to its their choice. But if all the supermarkets are remaining open and selling alcohol why do off licences have to remain open as a necessity too ? Fine if thats what people want and need to get through this crisis. But I thought the idea of a lockdown was to cut down free movement of people to stop the spread of cv19. Surely this can only be achieved by having fewer places to shop in ? Thankfully l have plenty more and better things to do with my time .
Take care of yourselves
Laura xx
It's a fair point about off licences as supermarkets are open. Think it's more about social cohesion and tax revenues myself.
Fewer places to shop mean bigger crowds. The same principle as cutting down the number of underground trains in London. If it gives people the opportunity to buy alcohol without increasing numbers in the supermarket then that's excellent and absolutely the right decision. No harm in trying to achieve some normality in these strange times.
It is a crazy time ... it is still very unclear whether we are in lockdown or not. Either way l have no reason to go out and more than happy not to. I'm self employed and always worked from home. My work load is as heavy as the run up to Christmas. My customers are at home using the time to redecorate. Ordering fabric online having it sent directly to me to make up their furnishings. I have a peloton in a spare bedroom ... on that mornings and evenings. I have loads of Kelly Coffey Meyer fitness dvds which l also do daily and hubby and l take turns to walk the dog. Our food is delivered and we have a milkman. Life goes on. Just keep safe, fit and healthy !
Crazy yet building merchants are closed and our plumber said if a boiler breaks down he cannot get parts he can however buy a drink.
You can get a nice bottle of red, various foodstuff and a newspaper
And if like me a shielded person then they will deliver
Presumably that’s a bad thing ?
Nope it’s a great thing - except leave out the wine obv!
It’s a good idea, it takes the strain away from the supermarkets. There are people who drink responsibly so why not, I was not one of those by the way.
Dont see a problem with this.. many people can and do drink responsibly.
I enjoy the odd glass of Prosecco or maybe a cocktail..in fact I've just added 2 bottles of Prosecco to my Tesco shop 😊
Well it would be nice to think that all the revenue from the sales would go straight to the nhs for all the extra equipment it so desperately needs.
in reply to Laura009
I'll drink to that. 😜
Why should now be a time to put more restrictions on folk?
As an alcoholic, I choose everyday not to buy alcohol, but I wouldn't impose on others who can and do drink responsibly.
No comparison with plumbing parts, or whatever else the govt have decided to restrict.
Keep safe and be kind 🌞
Absolutely Matt, too much unpleasantness. People disgust me.
Richard,
Thanks for highlighting the decision making in this time of emergency.
Most people can drink responsibly but others can’t. As well as long term damage, people who have been drinking are more likely to ignore social distancing and harm themselves or others, putting a strain on the health services.
In a few weeks, we are likely to face a shortage of ventilators in hospitals. Medical staff will need to make decisions about how to allocate these scarce resources, I would have thought that these will be akin to donor organs, albeit in a shorter amount of time.
I think the police should note the names of people acting irresponsibly and if the medical staff are faced with a difficult decision, these people should be off the list for a ventilator, should they require one.
Going by that logic then drinkers should be taken off transplant lists ?
I am talking about people acting irresponsibly. The qualifying for an alcohol related transplant is very strict due to the shortage of donor organs.
Medical staff will have to decide who gets a ventilator in ICU, it will be a difficult time to make these decisions.
Then will all those with self inflicted underlying conditions be bumped to the bottom of the ventilator waiting list..so all those who smoke,are overweight,alcoholics and drug addicts are excluded from further help?
Is that what your getting at?
Nope, take the 20 people who held a BBQ after the latest restrictions were announced and the police had to break them up. There are not enough ventilators for the people who will need them. How are medical staff going to make a decision?
Well thankfully it doesnt work like that. Why should someone be penalised for 1 silly mistake..
It will work like that, Governments are crying out for ventilators. Medical staff will need to prioritise who gets one.
They arent going to say..oh look he was out having a barbecue he can die..or she was caught in the off license buying gin..so shes not worthy of medical attention 🙄🙄
It has already been stated that in incidence of shortage of ventilators that medical staff will have to give priority to the people who in their expert opinion are the people more likely to survive.
They will not be sifting through any records for past misdemeanours.
Alf
That is my point, if there were a list of people who ignore the advice and congregate for lock ins or BBQ etc, they might just reconsider their choice if it makes them a lower priority for treatment.
A timely reminder of the content of the Hippocratic Oath needed. Revised and approved in 2017. No crap in here about judging people. Note the penultimate commitment inparticular... In the old version there was a commitment not to act as "God"
AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION:
I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to dedicate my life to the service of humanity;
THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;
I WILL RESPECT the autonomy and dignity of my patient;
I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;
I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing, or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I WILL RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I WILL PRACTISE my profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical practice;
I WILL FOSTER the honour and noble traditions of the medical profession;
I WILL GIVE to my teachers, colleagues, and students the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I WILL SHARE my medical knowledge for the benefit of the patient and the advancement of healthcare;
I WILL ATTEND TO my own health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard;
I WILL NOT USE my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I MAKE THESE PROMISES solemnly, freely, and upon my honour.
in reply to TT-2018
The point I was trying to make Mark was that during 2017-2018 there were 337,867 hospital admissions due to alcohol in England alone. That is 6,497 a week. In my own area over the same period, we had 2,246 hospital admissions and that is 43 a week.
With people having to isolate and have all this free time on their hands, this can cause even more pressure on to the ambulance staff and the NHS.
I see over in South Africa they have imposed a ban on alcohol for 21-days. And they have imposed tough sentences if anyone it caught buying, drinking or selling: businessinsider.co.za/can-i...
TT-2018 in reply to
Politicians need to make unpopular decisions in times of emergency, like the one that we are going through.
These measures are for the benefit of society as a whole, which will ultimately benefit all of us.
But why should people be denied a ventilator due to overcrowding because someone made a mistake--or choice--to have a gathering. They wouldn't distribute ventilators based on who ignored warnings, but someone will be denied.
Why should I and millions of others be denied one than because all those who choose to become alcoholics,drug addicts etc are using up all the resources?
Do you see this works both ways..people who made the mistake of attending a gathering or made the mistake of abusing their bodies over many years..why is one mistake any more forgivable than another?
Don't forget the dangers of withdrawal! people who are alcohol dependent will need it.
I’ve had cirrhosis for the past three years and by the grace of God I received a liver transplant two weeks ago from a big and tall donor because I’m also big and tall. My MELD score was 24, I was low on the transplant list but that got me my new liver.
I live in the USA. Ever since I got home from the hospital I’ve been a fall risk. I was also a fall risk in the hospital having fallen once. The other day I went to get something bending over which was a big mistake and I fell backwards almost cracking my skull open and landing on my back. I live alone but have relatives nearby. We almost had to call a locksmith because my cousin didn’t have the key to my top lock which I mistakenly locked. There was nothing the management office in my building could do since they didn’t have the key either. I somehow got up eventually with all the energy I had to unlock that lock. I’m hoping that locksmiths are essential services.
Glad you got your transplant, London 👍.
The only thing I was told about my donor was his age and what he died of - which I knew anyway because I could only have one from someone who had had a brain death.
Do you know it is funny - not - how many of us have balance issues both before and post TP. I was sent to a Falls Clinic for 3 months - one day a week - two years prior to my TP. It was great because we got lunch which almost invariably consisted of a sponge and custard pudding 😀👍. I told them I was a diabetic but they basically said:- well don’t asks for seconds then. But of course.....😀😀. Oh - and it taught me lots of good practices - almost forgot that!!
Good luck and be careful - it really is easy to be a bit careless and fall and hurt yourself! I can’t even ride a bike any more. 😕, but in the overall scheme of things that’s really trivial, isn’t it.
Miles
Actually the nurse on my team was telling me a story about how they had a donor for one of her other patients. She called the police to have them Bang on his door to get him to come in because he wasn’t answering his phone. I thought it was interesting story. I never thought I would ever get a liver transplant so soon so I had my phone off. 2 o’clock in the morning the police came around to bang on my door just like the story she told me! She called them to get me to the hospital because they had a big and tall donor. It turned out I was waiting all night since they were waiting for the donor to die. When he did later on that night they discovered it wasn’t a feasible Liver so I was Sent home after 24 hours of waiting at the hospital. I got home to my apartment at 6 AM and slept all day depressed. At around 10:30pm That night I was ready to go back to bed and I got a call from an unknown number. It was another Transplant Nurse that said they had another big and tall donor for me. This guy was deceased and they were checking his liver three cities away. They got me ready when I got to the hospital because this one was a go. They flew the liver in by helicopter. Originally my hepatologist was saying I should move out of state to a place where livers were more in abundance than where I was in New York. I didn’t have the money to move so I just kept the faith. I was then offered two livers in one night! There is always hope.
That is a fabulous story London - lucky or what! 👍. I think, at least from what I have read on here, to get a second chance so soon after the first No-Go must be very highly unusual! I only had to wait two weeks and I thought that was brilliant - which of course it was 😀👍.
Thank you my friend . All of you people here have gotten me through each day for the past three years. I was a lurker LOL.
A lot of people say they have been lurkers 😀!! I hope any lurkers can see now that there is no harm at all in joining in and that NO-ONE will ridicule any comment.
Miles
I just felt so hopeless because my ESLD made me not want to post anything. I am living proof that there is always hope. That’s what I want you fine folks who feel lost to take away from my first post.
I despise the unpleasant way people are criticising others. If there are some small moves to keep life relatively normal for those who like a drink whilst we are confined to home (much more that 14 days) then it seems to be a sensible move and of course keeps people out of the supermarket and numbers down if they want alcohol alone. There are one or two comments from people on here that I recall have offered conciliatory words to people that are alcoholics or have been and yet now talk in a derogatory way about people "getting pissed". Don't let your halo's slip people. I'll be having my usual glass of wine at the end of the week and will look to buy it from somewhere other than a supermarket to keep numbers down in there and protect others. My halo is firmly in place. If you can't be kind in these extraordinary times then best keep quiet in my opinion.
essential retailer my a**rs
Come on people, let's not make this nasty.
Let's focus on what we can do, not try to change what we can't.
Be kind 🥰xx
Hi I think ThreeSmiles has the most valued point that we all have our own thoughts and although we are in lockdown thank goodness we still have freedom of speech in this wonderful country, so let’s hold everyone with respect and there views I haven’t drunk since September 2003 but I did buy my wife a small bottle of chocolate Bailey for Mother’s Day and she will probably throw some away because she doesn’t drink enough 😂. As with the plumber and build merchant my wing mirror was broken yesterday and I have to go to the doctor and hospital but I can’t get a mirror until lockdown is lifted and my car is essential for me 🤔. Good old gaffer tape , please take care everyone good luck in these trying times .
😃🐶
I have to say I would be having dangerous seizures if I couldn't get the alcohol I needed while I was dependant on it, so the off licences for me are doing a good job staying open, as I wouldn't like to go in a big supermarket while withdrawal was ravaging my body.
Last thing we need is to cut the supply of the vulnerable alcoholics as that would mean more being admitted to hospital for alcohol withdrawal, seizures and delirium tremors while this is all going on. I would go to the ends of the earth to get myself a drink while I was at my worse, thankfully I'm not that person anymore but i do feel for anyone in that position, so people who live in glass houses and all that.....
Hope everyone is keeping safe by the way, and all the workers on the front line I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous work your doing, makes me proud to be British to see how we are pulling together with this. I'm bloody sure I'm not going to let this virus wipe me out, after fighting so hard to live in the past year. Hopefully one good thing to come from this is, a global segregation from China as its nothing more than they deserve, but we all know money talks.
Take care all
Ashley
CocoChannel in reply to
Not sure about the China comment, but as someone who was previously alcohol dependent, I consider myself very fortunate indeed to have overcome this addiction, especially in these times as it’s one less thing to worry about.
An ex-drinker should be asking themselves how they’d be feeling if Coronavirus had surfaced during their addiction.
in reply to CocoChannel
Very true, but reason I mentioned China was this was caused by them conspiracy theories or not, and the way they treat animals is barbaric to say the least, which if to be believed, was how this all started. There inhumane practices of live/wet food markets and treatment of animals is disgusting. They are light years ahead of most countries in technology,transport and manafacturing but seem so short sighted with the humane side of things on many subjects, hence why the rest of the world is picking up the mess they created.
pigeonCl-HU in reply to
Totally agree, especially regarding the horrors of the animals caged in China's hellish markets.
Those people who perpetrate the atrocities deserve the most atrocious punishment.
But it does not work like that in the real world: instead we all suffer as a result.
pigeon.
CocoChannel in reply to
By the way, Ash. Nice positive profile. Glad you quit the drinking, and at a much younger age than I did. Plenty of time to start living, well once this situation improves 👍
Liberty82 in reply to
I totally agree, some of the big supermarkets near me had stopped selling alcohol as the off license part is outside owned so it really wasn't up to Tesco et al if the off licence part stayed open. There would be increased pressure on the NHS if those who are alcohol dependent start having seizures or withdrawing and I can't imagine it would be an effective way to get people sober. Most people drink responsibly anyway. X
Blimey
I haven't been on here for a while, is everyone OK?
Personally I believe they should be shut to stem the spread of the contagion.
Buy what you need from elsewhere there are plenty of outlets.
Back to work now
Max
Nice to see you back Max 👍👍, how's your new liver doing....well I hope🤞🤞
David
Hi David
I've never felt better thanks. Plenty of energy which is great. I've been busy today at work arranging a huge airfreight consignment of covid-19 testing kits from Canada so more should be available soon for those that need to be tested.
Max
So sad to hear that some people are having a meltdown because off licences are open the government have kept them open to take pressure off our supermarkets, people who don't have alcohol problems shouldn't be penalised
Physicological innit 🤔
I,m glad I don,t drink anymore ? this would have driven me insane .
❓
