Going out almost everyday - not essential

[Justasking321]

Me and my 2 kids have followed lockdown rules since this all started. Stayed indoors and have only gone out to buy food once a week. Friend I know with 1 child has never adhered to the guidance and gone out almost everyday day, shopping, park, out with friends, etc.. I have told her as well since the beginning of all this that I won't be doing playdates till this is all over. We've kept our distance. Was talking on the phone and I asked her what she was doing today. She said nothing just going for a walk (with her dc). Her ds and my ds have a quick chat on the phone and her dc tells mine, "We're going in the car to (friends) house. I'm going to play at his house". So she lied to me and her dc said what the real plan was. I don't know why she lied. She even went to visit her parents at the weekend an hours drive away because she had not seen them in ages. I can't believe she lied to me and feel different towards her now, even more so because they are putting other people's lives at risk by going out whenever they feel like it because according to her "they are sociable people and have no symptoms" 😟
AIBU- get over it and move on
IANBU- she lied and Is still not following government guidelines. Keep my distance friendship wise.

A woman literally leapt out of the way and hid against the wall as I passed her on a walk yesterday- I was at least 2 meters away.

In your judgment. I go for daily walks and it's my experience that runners consistently overestimate how far away they are from other people. And they take risks to overtake. I'd say most runners do vaguely aim to avoid people but many of them pass between a metre and two metres if the alternative is to stop altogether or jog on the spot or slow down to stay behind. And they are moving at speed and usually wear headphones so they are not fully aware of what's going on around them, people approaching round a corner etc.

I walk with sticks. The length of the pole held by the handle plus my arm is less than two metres. It would seem very threatening if I held the pole out at arm's length but it wouldn't ever touch you if you were keeping a two metre distance. Of course I would never do that, it would be very rude and dangerous, but maybe every time you pass a walker with a stick imagine them swinging it out at arms length and if the thought doesn't bother you then you are far enough away.

Every time you go out, you are putting yourself at increased risk of catching this virus - and therefore of spreading it.
Everyone has a different threshold for risk assessment, which is why we have rules in place. The modelling shows that these rules should keep the level of transmission and illness within what the NHS can cope with.

Of course, people's behaviour will differ within the guidelines.

I'm a key worker, so I'm at increased risk. I interact with people who are unwell as part of my job. To try to mitigate that, I don't go out except for work and one supermarket visit a week. DC and I exercise in the garden. I'd still be within my rights to go out exercising every day though. I've decided it's wiser not to, other workers might make a different judgement, but we're still within "the rules".

This woman is breaking the rules by unnecessarily associating with others. This is making her permitted outings of park and supermarket a higher risk than those of someone following the rules. So her going out every day potentially has a much bigger impact than someone who keeps to themselves on a long walk every day.

Great you shop a lot. It’s not because you are supposed to, it’s because no one is stopping you

Or because you have no choice.

And still, @Leflic, you're referring to my four times in one day outings when I've told you several times that was to source medication. Thankfully most judges would have more sense than you and would understand that medication is essential - so much so, the law states it is.

@QuimJongUn If you have RA and take meds(?) does that not mean you are on the vulnerable list for online shopping slots?

I know two people (friends) with RA and their meds are immune suppressants so they are allowed to register for priority slots for food orders.

YABU - All you are doing is letting it get to you- wind you up. You can’t control other people or their actions. Just keep your family safe and worry about them.

Every time you go out, you are putting yourself at increased risk of catching this virus - and therefore of spreading it.

But it depends on the location.
My DCs are in central London and limit going out.

I live rural and can almost guarantee that if I go out for a walk I may pass someone in the street but I cross to the other side and on en route to the countryside where it's fields. I wear gloves when I open gates, wash hands on return and give anyone I pass a very wide berth (far more than 2 mtrs.)

JinglingHellsBells registering for an online shopping slot doesn’t necessarily mean that one will be available for you, in fairness.

Do what you need to do to protect your own family and her behaviour will not impact on you, you will waste a lot of energy, Our lockdown is not a true one because we are only trying to manage and slow the transmission, not stop it. Let thos y=that are going out be the infected population. Just dont mix with them

I disagree that there's no 'spirit' to the lockdown rules and it's just about what is legal or not.
The govt didn't make it the law to only go shopping once a week because for many that is impossible. But if you can then you should. Just because there's no specific law prohibiting people from going out several times a day, that doesn't make it right!
I don't want to he in lockdown any longer than necessary but fuckwits who take the piss are going to risk us all and prolong the damage to the economy.

@BarbaraofSeville LOL
Yes, it made me feel really guilty about my 5 min walk to the post box then a longer walk later in the day.

This person also added more points that were in effect emotional blackmail.

@JinglingHellsBells I'm currently only on pain relief. I was on methotrexate, then plaquenil and sulfasalazine, but couldn't tolerate them. My meds were due to be reviewed at my next rheumatology appointment which was cancelled. I last had a steroid injection 4 months ago so I'm pretty much on my own right now - the disease being uncontrolled does mean I'm often in a lot of pain and find getting around hard, but it's important to go for a walk daily to keep things moving when I can.

Because I'm not on any immunosuppressant medication at the moment I'm not considered vulnerable - which is fine, there are people far more vulnerable than me who need those slots.

Me and my 2 kids have followed lockdown rules since this all started. Stayed indoors and have only gone out to buy food once a week.

Those aren’t the rules.

@Dyrne The person I know who is eligible is going to get a government password which allows access to slots. I was talking about people who can get this and I assume it's easier for them that for others.

@QuimJongUn I may be wrong but was told that the meds have a long term effect on the immune system even when off them, so I think you should check that out. You may get good news!

People in my village have been spying and counting the number of times people are out walking.

I feel quite embarrassed for the the people who are not only doing this but are willing to admit it too... what a sad life they are leading. If I had nothing better to do all day than stare out the window counting people I would definitely keep that to myself.

And still, @Leflic, you're referring to my four times in one day outings when I've told you several times that was to source medication. Thankfully most judges would have more sense than you and would understand that medication is essential - so much so, the law states it is.

So this is essential medication but it’s obviously non prescription if you needed to trawl round for it, that literally no one else could get for you? You
really need a back up plan in case you get sick ( everyone in your house will need to isolate too). You are woefully unprepared for this virus. Good luck.

No they haven’t defined essential shopping or infrequently in law. But shopping four time’s in a day and every day afterwards is frequent and it would be fairly easy for a judge to reach that conclusion.

No it wouldn't. It would be a massive reach, given that the rules don't limit the amount of times. And fwiw I'm a solicitor. The rules allow individuals to leave their home only for essentials, which includes shopping for food, and don't define how often this can happen. That's it.

Incidentally, I've not been shopping for weeks. That was an odd assumption to make. My own shopping habits have absolutely nothing to do with the undoubted fact that there's nothing in the lockdown rules on the number of times a day an individual can go shopping.

@Leflic it's prescription pain relief. For an autoimmune condition. My immunotherapy was due to be reviewed at my next rheumatology appointment, which was cancelled because of cv. None of my local pharmacies had any in stock. I am often in so much pain I can't get out of bed so yes, I'd say it was essential. Who else could have got it for me, pray tell? DH is a key worker wfh ten to twelve hours a day, dealing with the fallout from cv on peoples' lives. We have no family and no friends locally. A 'back up plan' is a luxury we do not have.

Everyone was unprepared for this virus. What a silly thing to say.

Stop judging others simply because you are privileged enough - and, I assume, in good enough health - to be able to be handling all of this the way you believe everyone else should be.

@QuimJongUm if you have recently had immunosupressants then you will most definitely be able to register on the gov uk website as vulnerable. I'm surprised you have not had a text or letter telling you that. Other people I know in your position with those meds or a recent history of them have been contacted and told to self isolate for 12 weeks.

I am not disbelieving you but I think you may have slipped through the net and be able to access more help (in terms of online shopping) than you think.

Maybe complete the gov uk online form and see what comes back?

@JinglingHellsBells my last steroid injection was 4 months ago and my last dose of sulfasalazine/plaquenil was just before that. So, quite a long time ago - hence the need for pain relief. Afaik it's patients who have had certain types of biologics/oral steroids who are in the shielding group, I've had neither thankfully.

I'll have a look at the form - thank you for mentioning it - but honestly, there are people who are far more vulnerable than I am. I'm managing ok and I'm fairly sure that after this long my meds won't be affecting my immunity - although there is a chance that if I were to catch cv the immune response would be greater and cause more problems than if I didn't have an underlying autoimmune condition.

Get rid of your selfish friend.

Oh good. Some more mini Hitlers bring sanctimonious.

BarbaraofSeville

@Justasking321

Why is it any of your business? Wind your neck in and worry about yourself FFS.

@QuimJongUn I know someone who has been on all the same meds as you and off the last one owing to side effects for a few weeks. Still waiting for new treatment when clinics resume.

They have been sent texts saying they are on the vulnerable list and are allowed to register for priority shopping. They were told that the effects of stopping those drugs means the immune system is compromised for up to 2 years as they take that long to leave the body. It's not just about the biological drugs, it's about the ones you were taking.