So have I missed something? Do we not need to bother with social distancing anymore? Because

[Mrsbadger77]

I've seen sooo many people today sitting, walking , cycling with friends or grandparents, people you know don't all live together just acting as if everything is back to normal. Extremely infuriating as I have so many people I would love to see , but I thought we weren't supposed to be doing this. Am I missing something? I'm in the West Midlands btw.

I've seen the same, also West Midlands!

There have been several posts like this every day for over 2 months.

That hasn't been reflected in infection or death rates, nor has it indicated lockdown ended or was pointless.

Same OP, also West Mids.

We are allowed to see one member of our family (different home) away from either home, whilst maintaining social distancing with that member of family.

So as long as that is what people are doing, it's fine.

Everyone I know has been and continues to stick with the rules. As long as most people do it will help. There are always people who feel they can bend the rules but its important that the majority stay on task.

Yes, I’ve noticed this the last 2 days too. Not West Midlands though!

Yep people are just too dumb to realise that yes some measures have been lifted and there's more freedom but social distancing needs to be practiced.
Even on mumsnet people are spouting it's perfectly safe outdoors and the rest of us still sticking to the 2m rule are paranoid hypochondriacs.

I get the impression a lot of people have gotten complacent about it now. As soon as Boris announced we were passed the peak the other week mindset of people changed.

There are so many threads about this already, all with the faux-innocent "Have I missed something?" No, no you haven't.

Genuinely, how do so many people have so much time to observe what everyone else is doing? Do you not just go out and get on with your own life, doing what feels right and appropriate and common sense for you?

Transmission rates in the community are so low and most other countries require social distancing of less than 2m so our guidelines all seem a bit arbitrary now.

My neighbours currently have six guests in their garden for a bbq. Looks like possibly one set of parents plus sibling/partner.

My children peered through the fence and asked why their granny can’t come round. She was widowed last autumn so she’s alone a lot.

My husband has just left for a night shift on the Covid ITU. It’s all quite hard to explain to the kids.

I feel the same OP, a lot of people seem to have almost gone back to normal, to look out of the window you’d never know we were supposed to be in lockdown.
I just stick to the rules as best I can and tend to let others get on with it.

But lockdown is not just social distancing; it's all the places that are closed which would be higher risk, all the people WFH who would otherwise be in offices. We are clearly still in lockdown otherwise people would be able to go to the gym or the pub or a football match.

The beaches in Dorset, Kent, Sussex etc have been very busy, with little social distancing going on.

We have two parallel worlds going on.

I think the government should allow small group gathering outdoors. It’s summer nearly, it will happen anyway.

Genuinely, how do so many people have so much time to observe what everyone else is doing?

Well it is headline news today. And it didn't even look like they were having much fun. Gridlocked in hot cars and standing in line for one stinking toilet. I'd rather be in my back garden anyway.

I went to see my mom for a walk it's been ten weeks now I want to see her. People can evaluate their own risk and let them get on with it the others that want to can carry on the way they are.
We are grown ups we can decide for ourself somewhat on what we feel is worth the risk or not. I haven't gone into someone else's household but I know some that are within my own family who are now mixing.

Well I guess we will know in two or three weeks what the outcome is.

No, as you very well know, you haven't missing something.

Yes, as you also know, there are some people ignoring the guidelines.

If you want to discuss the fact that guidelines are being ignored, then just bloody do it, and stop with the faux-innocent "have I missed something?"

Apologies for the stroppiness, 8 weeks of being on my own with no company (slightly relieved by two outdoor meetings at the weekend) is taking is toll and this week I am getting irritated with, and swearing at, everything.

Out of a neughbourhood of 13,000, I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over 5 or 6 clusters of people in the local park, nor indeed the youths hanging out in bushes, unaware that their weed smoke betrays them from over 10pm away.

There is nothong indoors to do. Most people still are not working in their usual place of work(WFM/ furlough), no school or social activities. Not even a recognisable form of rush hour. It's a little more relaxed than a couple of weeks ago, but still very far from normal.

"Yawn".

Oh I'm sure op is sorry to bore you, Strawberry.

After all its only people's lives that could be risk.