ADs self isolate in a fridge Boris style

[BogRollBOGOF]

We've polished off our hotel breakfasts, flocked to the beaches and eaten out to help out with Rishi. Now the D-Day style floatilla of Anti-Dementor boats weather the stormy seas of tiers 1, 2 and 3 and support each other through the calls for lockdown.

Hold on tight and get those bouyancy aids on...

I was just come around to idea we may get locked down for two weeks half term - then three weeks started to be mentioned now apparently there may be a series of firebreaks in wales this winter.

Gusses we'll find out Monday - school's made it clear they have no idea what's happened but they are expecting to teach like they did when entire years were in lockdown if half term is extended- which I suppose is something at least.

@Recycledblonde

My main argument against lockdown, social distancing etc is the damage it is doing to MH, particularly amongst the young and the old. I spend many depressing shifts talking to elderly people who have tried to commit suicide because they are so fucking lonely. They say things like, ‘ my family won’t come and see me because they’re scared of giving me the virus’ and ‘ I haven’t had a hug for months, I can’t go on like this’. All their routines have gone, day centres, chats in the library and at coffee after church, they can’t hear people with masks and so their isolation mounts. Those who are carers for spouse never get a break because the volunteer befrienders and friendly neighbours can’t come in to sit with their spouse to allow them out. Most don’t succeed in taking their own life because they don’t know what will kill them so they take an OD of antibiotics or laxatives and are therefore not put on any casualty of Covid list, but they really do want to die. Some do succeed and I wonder how many are not even noticed as an OD because they’re expected to die fairly soon so no post mortem. After all most of the elderly stockpile their meds anyway and an overdose of , for example, beta blockers wouldn’t be noticed. Those who sanctimoniously say “ they wouldn’t like dying of Covid either” are spectacularly missing the point. Life’s are being shortened massively, loneliness is the biggest killer in the western world before all this shit happened, god knows how many it will kill now.

I agree with this . A few years ago I may have been in favour of 'life at all costs' even for the very elderly , but having seen my father in end stage dementia for 6 months I k ow now that there are worse things than dying 6 months early for some elderly people . I think it's very sad when people refuse to visit elderly relatives because they are worried of passing on the virus , yet the elderly themselves are very clear they would rather have the contact I think a lot of people are also missing the exemption of household visiting in that you can visit to give care . I know absolutely that if this has happened a few years back when my parents were still in their own home I would have still visited . Distanced within their noble and disinfected yes, but I couldn't have not visited .
Staff at my mum's care home are supposed to wear masks when doing close personal care but don't have to otherwise . When I do a video link with my mum, mostly the staff tend to have their masks dropped down and I would never object as I think for most elderly with dementia a mask can be frightening , and at best, stops communication due to not seeing full facial expressions .

See if they try and test children in schools randomly etc they do need permission don't they? (as they do for immunisations etc). It would be possible to just say no.

@Orangeblossom7777

I quite like the message from our public health guy here, about doing what you think best and looking at benefits, seems sensible. (we have quite high cases here now)

Mentions cases rising..and mainly in the young / universities..and being well managed (apparently)

"Now, having said all that, and emphasising that we are in a relatively good position to keep safe here, total societal risk is increasing and everyone needs to think about their role in preventing transmission, wherever and whoever they are.

So, I ask you to ask yourself, whenever you are mixing with others or going out:

Is this necessary?
Is this safe?
Is the benefit worth the risk to me and to others?

Answer those questions honestly and thoughtfully, based on a general understanding of the current situation, and you will find you can still be doing those things that are really important to your wellbeing, but will not taking unnecessary risks for little benefit.

If you avoid seeing more people than you need to, avoid crowded places that you don’t have to visit, and continue to apply good rules of social distancing and protection wherever you go, we will keep case numbers as low as possible and get through this as well as we can"

Totally agree on applying those questions as a risk assessment to what you are doing : I think this is the philosophy I've followed since around last May. I'm neither 'dementor' nor 'anti dementor', a bit in between , use a bit of common sense and weigh up benefits v risk .

Yes, I think our area is quite good in being generally sensible but not dementory- we've never had things like benches taped up for example.. and this message was in the local press as well as how to approach things. Just a shame it can't be the message in general from government really.

@Recycledblonde - great post about of one guidelines. I came across the same a week or so ago and was shocked. People don't believe me when I tell them!

*OFCOM

I hit a bit of a wall this week. I work in children's services (as many of you know from my earlier outbursts in the 'rona zone), and reflecting on whats happening to our young people, the effects that its had on them, the attempted (and in one case successful) suicides, the self harm, the things that have had to be done and the decisions that have had to be made to keep them safe because the services that normally support aren't there or overrun because, yknow, covid.
Its devastating. Whats happening to them now and the effect it will have in years to come. They are children and they are vulnerable but because they are not vulnerable to covid....no one here (except you lovely lot) give a shiny shit. And it breaks my heart.

@shinynewapple2020
I think this is the philosophy I've followed since around last May. I'm neither 'dementor' nor 'anti dementor', a bit in between , use a bit of common sense and weigh up benefits v risk

It is the philosophy we all follow. Being an AD means making your own risk assessments (taking into account your own needs and fears AND the needs and fears of people we're interacting with)
and not judging others for making different decisions.

We mostly follow the rules but do our own risk assessments round the edges, bearing in mind our own mental and physical health.

We can also whinge about the restrictions (and other things) without necessarily breaking them AND without being insulted for our views.

@LivinLaVidaLoki
I know. It's hard enough getting vulnerable people support in non-covid times, let alone now. I could've written the same thing, only I work with adults. Was fretting about a couple of them last night, & I've had to let it go for my own sanity. I will pick it up again on Monday, & just hope things are ok.

Someone from another organisation, where they are not seeing service users face-to-face, was in awe of how "risky" our jobs must be with covid around. No, wearing PPE to see a patient is not risky. Not seeing your service users at all is risky! But it's all ok because this other organisation is aware that we are fully operational so they can get us to do the leg-work for them, in the knowledge that we won't say no because we have a duty of care, & a conscience.

Curlygirl
Yes our staff have the perspex at tills but when the customers are packing their stuff they are at the end of the till which isnt 2m away so why isnt there perspex across there with a hole to push shopping through? Cashiers are turning round and talking to customers all the time. Perspex is necessary in one bit but not the other. Its not exactly scientific.

@Willow2017

Curlygirl Yes our staff have the perspex at tills but when the customers are packing their stuff they are at the end of the till which isnt 2m away so why isnt there perspex across there with a hole to push shopping through? Cashiers are turning round and talking to customers all the time. Perspex is necessary in one bit but not the other. Its not exactly scientific.

They've done that in my local Aldi. Started off with just in front of the cashier where no one ever stands anyway but have now got full screens with a gap. Very large things still have to be passed round but most stuff goes through

Hmmm. I have posted something in aibu. I don't expect it to go well, but this morning I got an email from someone who I respect immensely urging me to sign. And I thought well the tide is turning maybe let's get the word out to others...

@RobinHobb Is that the GB declaration? I signed a while ago and am pleased to see the number of signatories increasing fairly rapidly now. There is an alternative to what’s happening if our government can get their heads out of their arses and consider other viewpoints!

@RobinHobb

Hmmm. I have posted something in aibu. I don't expect it to go well, but this morning I got an email from someone who I respect immensely urging me to sign. And I thought well the tide is turning maybe let's get the word out to others...

They've moved it to the petitions board - good way to make sure few see it.

Just seen a Sky news report from Derbyshire. There is a locally famous ex footballer in a care home there. His family members arent even allowed to go and see him through a closed window
Appalling.

@Willow2017

Curlygirl Yes our staff have the perspex at tills but when the customers are packing their stuff they are at the end of the till which isnt 2m away so why isnt there perspex across there with a hole to push shopping through? Cashiers are turning round and talking to customers all the time. Perspex is necessary in one bit but not the other. Its not exactly scientific.

We've got it set up that when they pack their shopping, there's a particular spot they have to stand on (marked by a fucking great big green spot!) That was worked out to be the correct distance I presume, although we're quite a new built store so it's not like it's an old building all squashed together. However, the number of times we have to tell people to stand on those bloody spots EVERY BLOODY DAY is enough to try the patience of a saint, and I'm no saint. And don't start me off on the customers who lean around my screen either!

Speaking of Sky their "journalist" Sam Coates was asking about more restrictions at the briefing yesterday Wanting more draconian ones. Salivating at the thought.

Video in link

twitter.com/dalcon02/status/1317129156614885376?s=20

[quote Iheartmysmart]@RobinHobb Is that the GB declaration? I signed a while ago and am pleased to see the number of signatories increasing fairly rapidly now. There is an alternative to what’s happening if our government can get their heads out of their arses and consider other viewpoints![/quote]
Yes
Thank you
Wanted to get it out there a bit more

@IAintentDead
Yes; I saw. No traffic.
Just shocked at how censored it is in the media. Am now sending it to school mums. This will go down well ;-)

I lost you all for a few days and can I just say I am so glad to have found you again.

I live overseas. Our cases are relatively high every day but almost no one is dying and we are all carrying on as normal but with masks.

I'm agog at what is happening in the UK. I'm so sorry about the utter shit show you are all going through.

@Recycledblonde That explains all the social media Twitter accounts of NHS workers saying there is no excuse for not wearing a mask. And how its false that ppl cant breathe in them etc. Pics of "if i can wear all this PPE you can wear a mask" etc.

And i do before any lurkers get the idea that i dont.

But i dont think its a responsible use of social media because it gives the mask exemption haters more ammunition.

This is why i was questioning NHS social media policy on an earlier thread.

Now ive finally got the answer

I got a phone call from my dad yesterday. Did i want to come round and see them as it was going to be illegal after midnight. So after i finished the grocery shop i went round. there. Had large cod and chips from the chippy up the road. First takeaway ive had in ages. Watched HIGNFY round there and yes they have only traced one person. I heard it too. My 84 year old DM is now on this thread with us in spirit. She is FURIOUS. AND she pointed out last night how young people are being screwed over in all of this. She doesnt use the internet but she is here with us. So another AD.

And it was fucking gridlock on the roads at 7pm when i went round there. I think loads of people all did the same thing as a last chance to see family members.

I got back home at ten to midnight. As i got out of the car a couple who had pulled up at the same time got out of their car and gave me a knowing look and a smile.

Question..............on tier 2 we cant visit family members now , if we have a circuit breaker lockdown following this tier 2 we are on now , not being allowed to see family is going to be applied for even fucking longer. My parents are elderly so cant bloody sit outside.

Helena, given your mum’s age, surely visits can count as care visits?

What do people think a circuit breaker lockdown would be - like the original one?