To think seeing family in their garden is safer?

[VodkaCranberry2]

So we can see one member of another household outside 2m apart... surrounded by other strangers 2m apart where we don’t know where they’ve been/who they’ve seen, but we can’t social distance in our family’s garden where we know they’ve been isolating/only going to the shops? Is this not ridiculous?

It’s always been about common sense. Since lockdown has begun, I have met with a friend in her garden. We have sat 2 metres apart. Coffee has been involved. We have made regular use of hand sanitizer. At no point have I needed to hug her, or go in the house for any reason. I have only ever done it on really nice days.

I have had this sort of contact with 1 person in total. 2 other people I have chatted with at 2 metre distance a couple of times outside.

MarieQueenofScots - but what happens if you have a family member in you garden who then asks to use your toilet or asks for a glass of water.

but what happens if you have a family member in you garden who then asks to use your toilet or asks for a glass of water

They’re bringing their own drinks. They live 2 mins away so toilet won’t be an issue.

Well let's hope you don't live to regret it.
Or rather, let's hope you do live to regret it.

I was half-way through chemo when covid struck. I've had the official letter about shielding. I'm not allowed to go into public spaces like shops, streets or parks. Lock-down, for me, goes on indefinitely with no end in sight. I live on my own.

My grown-up children take it in turns to bring me essential supplies. They come into the garden through the back gate and we have a catch-up. They bring their own refreshments. I sit by my kitchen door. They sit a good 4 metres away.

My oncologist has given me permission to do this.

And I am going to continue doing it because I am using my common sense and think that a consultant oncologist knows more about covid and my risk of catching it than Boris Johnson.

@Frankiefree - give them a glass of water on a tray. Then when they have finished dump the glass in soapy water. The risk is minimal. They just need to sanitise their hands after drinking.

The toilet is a no no. Use a bush or go home for that

What about if you meet in the garden, keep 4m apart at all times and take your own drinks?

I think people have to make their own risk assessment. Thier is no problem seeing family and friends in a garden . Keep socially distance and bring your own drinks. I say this as as someone who is still working and not going to see other people as I am probably high risk to others. But my friends and family who have been nowhere l don't care if the crack on.

@teenagetantrums
Genuine question - curious.
You say you meet up in the garden for drinks - what, you never go in the house?
What about if you need the toilet?
Do you just go home again?
Go into the house?
Go into a bush?!

I've met up with a friend in my garden. She came in through the side gate. She lives on the same street as me, so in the unlikely event of needing the loo during an hour of chatting, she could just pop home. She brought her own drinks. I felt no compelling desire to hug her. We sat about 4m apart. Risk involved: 0.

DB has been coming round to see DM in our garden for the last couple of weeks. She has dementia and was constantly asking why he didn't want to see her anymore.

We're just about able to keep 2m apart and it's been really nice just chatting in the sunshine. He brings his own refreshments!

Listened to Lord Sumption on R4. He was awesome. You cannot have law based on common sense. Because law deals in certainty and precision. Common sense (as advocated by BJ) might be interpreted differently by law enforcement officers.

I have been visiting my mother who is shielding. Have dropped shopping off (left by her back door) having accessed her garden by the back alley and gate. And then sat well away from her. No physical contact (because we are both grown ups and capable of controlling ourselves). No visit to the loo (I’m like a camel). And I take my own coffee in a thermos cup.

We cannot meet in the park, because she isn’t allowed in the park. I absolutely fail to see what risk this poses.

I'll be going to see my uncle and his partner soon and sitting in his garden. I'll take my own drink and won't need the loo. He's over 70 but has started going out to get shopping now so he's more relaxed so I don't see what the problem is.

A garden is a private place so any gathering there isn’t covered by the legislation. Being out of the house without reasonable excuse (the journey there and back) is prohibited tho.

just a thought - and I'm not (usually) in to conspiracy theories but do you think it's intentionally vague to see what we all do so they don't look like control freaks? they want to get the economy going and were taken by surprise apparently at how thoroughly we obeyed the stay at home message....

Being out of the house without reasonable excuse (the journey there and back) is prohibited tho.

Not if I put a few tins of beans and pint of milk in the car, I'd be delivering food.

@Ocean all the people I want to visit live within walking distance.. so its exercise

I thought that they were talking about seeing one person outside the household in a 'bubble' as in, they became your lock down buddy and you were exclusive.

The thing about seeing other people outside your ‘Household’ is in step 2. We are currently in step 1

@Flissity, forgive me if someone has already addressed this on here and I have missed it, but the updated FAQ on what you can and cannot do on the government website says:

“From Wednesday, 13 May you can meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines....You still cannot, however, visit friends and family in their homes.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

I can’t see anything in the updated FAQ on the govt website about being able to visit one person from outside the household whether a person’s home’s gardens is included in the definition of outside, nor can I see if someone’s home garden is mentioned in the government’s 60 page Recovery CoVid 19 document. Equally nor is it spelled out whether not being allowed to visit friends and family in their homes includes the person’s garden. However, it sounds like some cabinet ministers today have been saying no to visiting people in their gardens. It seems poor communication that the written documentation available isn’t clearer on the garden/outside issue and does not match closely enough with what cabinet ministers are saying in interviews today.

Honestly at this point I will be surprised if people can follow the rules. I think I got the gist of it eventually but it felt like things were going round and round in circles with Boris saying “I think everyone is quite clear” urn no. Also I don’t give a shit about cinemas and pubs I just want to know when I can hug my mum! She’s 50 not 90 and yes I know it’s a pandemic and I’m probably being a selfish entitled cow but I normally see her every weekend with the kids so having not seen her for over 9 weeks because we isolated before the lockdown due to coming in contact with a confirmed case is hell. I was ok for the first 4 weeks but I am now an emotional wreck. After hearing tonight that mixing of households is not expected until July at the earliest I feel like I can’t breathe.

The government is happy for us to travel on public transport to go to work and get the economy going again but it doesn’t care about our emotional wellbeing and allow us to sit in our garden 2m away from one other adult. It’s obvious which of these activities puts us at risk the most.

I thought that they were talking about seeing one person outside the household in a 'bubble' as in, they became your lock down buddy and you were exclusive.

@TiddlestheCat, the newly released 60 page govt Covid 19 strategy document says the govt are still consulting SAGE on whether it would be possible in the coming weeks to set up a bubble system with some people outside their household as they are doing currently in New Zealand. For now the change from this Wednesday is you can see one other person outside your household outside one to one at any one time. There is no mention of the bubble system for current advice or that it can only be limited to one other person throughout, just only one to one at any one time outside.

@tarlared - wrong, as it specifically said you can exercise with someone from outside your household as long as you maintain social distance.

sussexmum

I thought that too.

From Wednesday, 13 May you can meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines....You still cannot, however, visit friends and family in their homes

That is still confusing isn't it- about gardens, as not 'in their home' is it and also 'outside'