Are you going out for walks during lock down?

[Whitegrapeandblackberry]

I haven't been out for a walk in almost 4 weeks, I'm so worried about it so I have stayed in with DD 2 years old but im wondering if I'm being silly and if I should go out for a walk a day?

Yes! Or a bike ride
Fresh air, exercise, change of scene, stretch legs, stretch eyes, maintain some fitness, muscle strength and lung capacity, Vitamin D, for me and the DC.
DH stays in if his hayfever is bad, but goes on his bike turbo trainer instead or waits until late evening instead.
We are fortunate to live in the countryside though. Last night DS and I waked for an hour and only met one other person. Sometimes we don’t meet anyone.

I was bed bound for 8 weeks when I was pregnant and was shocked at how quickly I lost muscle tone and physical fitness. If I end up in hospital, I want to be fit!!0

SacredHour I’ve already mentioned that one... Didn’t go well - people don’t get it!

No, I don’t go out daily. I’ve been out 2 times during lockdown so far (in 4 weeks). Once to waitrose at almost closing time so it’s quiet & once round the block via park with my two kids. I have COPD so am trying to keep the risk to a minimum. As I work from home & have the kids to drive me batty entertain me, I don’t really have much time to go out. I have been thinking it may be ok to start running early morning though but again kids kind of make it impossible. You are not being daft or anything. Everyone is different & has different health concerns etc so just do what feels right for you & ignore the rest.

Yes most days. DS is shielding, we live in the middle of nowhere and his consultant said there is no harm in him going for a little walk occasionally if he feels he needs to get out, and if we can walk somewhere very quiet. He is a bit anxious so doesnt go out often but I think it's good for your mental health, I also worry about both of us getting scared of leaving the house.

I go out with my DH and dog 3 times a day every day. If other people are walking close by we zig zag around them. (Cross over the other side of roads and paths) I couldn't do without my daily exercise. It's good for you mentally and physically....

No, I have left the house/garden twice in 6 weeks. One to A&E (sent by 111 because of my asthma) and once for a walk to a local nature reserve (we go regularly in normal life) and it was so busy that it was impossible to socially distance so decided not to go out again. I am vulnerable (not shielding), have been lucky enough to keep my regular delivery slot I had before lockdown but my DH still has to go to work. We are lucky enough we have a garden just big enough for the kids to run around in so not missing out on vit d and still getting some exercise.

I should add DH still goes out for a walk and dd1 sometimes does with DH(if she is really stressed). The kids are both autistic and actually prefer to stay home.

you loose muscle tone if you are in bed 3 days with a virus, fresh air,excersise essential, if you are reasonably fit and healthy, and I have 2 dogs

I have not long got back from 3rd walk in 6 weeks. DH had to persuade me but I'm so glad he did. We walked nearly 5 miles and it was wonderful to get out! It has done my head a lot of good.

I can't bear not leaving the house. Dog walks or bike rides for me every day. Also do online classes when I cba!

If you can pluck up the courage then do.Its going to be a long lockdown and it's gets difficult to cope with mentally.A bit of fresh air and sunlight will be so good for you.Go somewhere at a time that's likely to be particularly quiet even if you have to get up early.Its a difficult time but take care xx

We do! We stayed home the first two weeks because I was quite stressed about the thought of going out, but I realised my kids weren't doing enough exercise, so we started going for walks around the block. We live on the outskirts of our town, and we've found a couple of fields that are usually quiet except for dog walkers and the odd family or couple out for a walk. Everyone is really sensible and gives each other a wide berth. I'm very risk adverse but I do think it's safe, and the fresh air, exercise and sunshine has done us all the world of good!

Definitely! Everyday even if I don't want to as we live in a flat with no garden. This virus is here to stay, we have to find a way to live with it

Genuine question to the people who aren't going out due to coming into contact with the virus (excluding shielding, etc) Do you realise Covid isn't going away and unless you stay inside for a good year (and that's if they can develop a working vaccine) then you will have to venture out while Covid is around.

I'm genuinely interested in this as keep seeing comments saying that the individual will not be going out until Covid has gone, which interests me that people think it will just disappear, or are you going to stay in until you ever get a vaccine?

It seems quite a few people don't understand the purpose of the lockdown? I've seen the same regarding sending children back to school - that they wont be going until there is no more Covid....

Would really like to understand :)

@DaisyLou33 this is something I am confused about too.

We keep hearing people talk about after the lockdown and also vulnerable people talking about being x weeks of their 12 weeks in. What is this 12 weeks? If you are so vulnerable you need to make sure you don’t get ill you’ll need to be isolated for more like 12 months.

It’s the same with people not letting DC see non resident parents during lockdown. The point of lockdown as understood it was to slow down the rate of infection before it was too high a burden on the NHS. If anyone within the family groups is particularly high risk you’re probably better off re-thinking visits full stop (lockdown or no lockdown). If they’re not I don’t understand the logic of waiting until after lockdown because you’re worried about catching it. The virus doesn’t vanish once lockdown is over.

I’ve seen things on Twitter about very high risk people (cystic fibrosis etc) counting down until the end of their isolation and I’m just so confused about this.

Yes. Not every day, but most days. And I've been spending a lot of time in the garden too. I think the risk to mental/physical health of not is greater than the risk of catching anything. And DS goes a bit crazy if he doesn't have proper exercise.

@zigaziga We are actually in the shielding group due to little one, so have thought the same exact thing. I completely understand Covid will be around indefinitely and that we will come into contact with it. All I can deduce is that 12 weeks was given originally to give them time to assess the situation, stop the NHS from collapsing due to a high percentage of vulnerable people becoming infected at once and hopefully give them time to understand treatment protocols better.

Its just a guess obviously but possibly they may extend the 12 weeks but unless they extend indefinitely, I've been coming to the same conclusion as you.

I didn't leave the house for three weeks through fear, but then I was ill. With tonsillitis I think. I was confined to my room for a week and my whole attitude changed, because having to be cooped up made me realise how lucky I was to be able to even go out.

Now I walk for an hour a day, or go to the park with the kids. Today we drove 5 mins and went to a massive park for a walk for 2 hours as a family. We had to go to great lengths though to avoid others as nobody seemed bothered to move aside or distance.

We’ve been out for a walk twice in six weeks. Went for the second one today and it was actually really nice and not half as stressful as I’d thought it would be.

Kids all moaned though! So any idea that they’re suffering by staying in the house and garden pretty much put to bed!

I go out with my teenage dd once a day.
We have a very large green space nearby which means that we can walk safely while practising social distancing, DH also goes for a run daily but without us.
I would go potty without this outlet.

Yes, I take my DS out for an hours walk every afternoon. It's the only thing keeping me vaguely sane

@DaisyLou33 I suppose maybe 12 weeks sounded vaguely doable and 12 months doesn’t? Still, it confuses me that someone would be counting down the days/ weeks until their child with cystic fibrosis can leave the house again. There is no countdown clock until CV is no longer a risk.

I feel like a lot of this hysteria I read about on MN has passed me by in real life. My DH goes to work as normal. A lot of my social group are doctors and are, naturally, working harder than ever. No one WANTS to get ill but no one is terrified either (actually, I think I have already had it but whether that means I am protected or not seems debatable). My hope I guess is that through social distancing and common sense if I get it (again?) I can infect less people than I otherwise would have done.

There is, I understand, a lot of debate as to how a vaccine would work anyway given some are much more effective than others so if the best we can hope with is to reduce the transmission of CV we are all going to have to accept that this is something that the world will have to live with for a very long time.
i think really we are all going to have to calm down about this and start living some kind of semblance to a normal life again if we can whilst trying to protect the most at risk members of society for a much longer time.

Yes, every day. It’s important family time & we’re making memories that’ll last a lifetime. My girls are older, so taking pictures of flowers, ducks etc & are really appreciating the little things (as am I). Please do start going out. Everyone needs exercise to get the blood pumping. A walk really will break up the day & clear your head. Unfortunately, rain is now arriving though :(
Deep breaths & enjoy op x

Absolutely, just round the streets and small park near the house but a good 2/3 miles every day.

We play the keep away game, so that the DC try to ensure they stay 2m away from people. We have to cross the road to avoid people regularly.