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?

@paddintonthebear, thank you. I understand this is the govt advice now on gardens, but I have looked through the 60 page document and can’t see it, admittedly skim read what I thought were the relevant sections, so they in my view made an error not including it in the 60 page document or updated FAQ page on gov website.

I'm looking forward to schools going back as me and my mum both work in the same school so I'll actually be able to see her.

You're not allowed to meet people you know even at 2m away as you will spend a long time with them unlike randoms in the supermarket.

Incorrect on both counts. Yes you are allowed to meet one person outside 2 metres away.
Secondly, there is far less risk in doing that than being indoors in a supermarket, as long as you stick to the distancing.

For those going on about using toilets if people use gardens. What do you think happens in the work place. People touch stuff others do, use the same toilet. You could have multiple employees using one toilet. None of the rules make sense.

@mrs2468, I will say firstly I think the communication by the govt has been yet again poor and some of the guidelines bordering on illogical such as being allowed to meet members from another household outside but only one at a time and not together even if keeping 2 metres apart (though this might be to not encourage larger gatherings in parks) but I understand on a general level not all people will be advised to follow the same rules as they have to prioritise those who can and cannot. This govt have chosen to prioritise work over socialising.

its not up to two people though it is its one from each household

@Gabsalot, I know but if you can see one other person from another household in the morning and one in the evening I don’t understand why you can’t see them together if you all keep 2 metres apart.

@Paddingtonthebear, I read the bbc piece and still don’t think it’s clear about whether you can have one person from outside the household in the garden as it refers to not being able to have friends in the garden for a bbq so multiple people. I know @OceanOrchid says on a legal basis they couldn’t prosecute about having more people in the garden so the guidelines are advised not enforceable. However, it still remains in my view in that piece the advice on having whether you can one other person in your garden or not is not clear.

“The new guidelines will allow one person to meet one other person from outside their household outdoors - as long as they stay more than 2m apart. That means, for example, a person wouldn't be allowed to meet both their parents together. It also means that having a barbecue in your garden for friends would not be allowed, even if you all stayed 2m apart. And you would not be able to invite people inside your home.

The ideal solution is for everybody to set up new gardening businesses as then you’d be allowed to go into any garden you like because you’d be going to work.

If Boris would be happy for me to do so in a park, then surely I could do so in her garden where she wouldn't have to drive anywhere.

@wintertime6, the govt guidelines have not changed for those in the shielding category so here at least the advice is not you can meet your relative in the park but not in their garden. The advice for someone shielding is still not to meet others face to face. However, I more than understand for your relative’s mental health if you both choose to meet in their garden and keep at least 2 metres apart.

no i dont either @guylan

The garden thing is fairly academic anyway. I mean, I haven't seen sight or sound of a policeman the entire duration of lockdown, let alone on my street. Even in the unlikely event that your neighbours dobbed you in, the likelihood of the police coming to arrest you for sitting with one other person in your garden is essentially zero.

Why explained here apparently

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-lockdown-rules-why-you-can-only-meet-one-person-in-the-park-at-any-one-time-2849733%3famp

there was no point in this they might aswell stuck to the exercise when you want rule and thats it

There is a point for me, I get to see and speak to a loved one in person after over 7 weeks on my own feeling increasingly lonely. Just because it may not work for you, and it may not seem a very logical rule to some, we shouldn't just not bother with it. It is very useful and very welcome for many who live alone.

The garden issue is covered by “you cannot visit other people’s homes”. Gardens are part of a home and are private property. Public outdoor space is public, not privately owned.

So I can walk with my Mum but not my Mum and Dad simultaneously? But my husband can walk with my Dad and me with my Mum, you know, a few metres behind?

And I can’t sit in her garden on the grass in case I need a wee and need to go in the house. But in the meantime her cleaner is allowed in her house? But I am not? What if the cleaner needed a wee? But if she employed me as her cleaner I would be? But also I am allowed to now go back to the office and work, and share that (revolting) loo with 20 other people? And my y6 is back in school without a 2m separation, but she’s still not allowed to sit on her grandparents lawn?

Honestly some people struggled to grasp ‘stay at home’. This is going to be impossible to control. Common sense will not prevail.

The garden issue is covered by “you cannot visit other people’s homes”. Gardens are part of a home and are private property. Public outdoor space is public, not privately owned.

Paddingtonthebear, I am probably splitting hairs here but the govt website says ‘You still cannot, however, visit friends and family in their homes.’ The phrase ‘in their homes’ leaves it open to interpretation to me whether the garden can be classed as ‘in their homes’. Also I haven’t seen anything in government’s FAQ or 60 page document strategy about the difference between publicly and privately owned property.

Finally, I appreciate the garden question is a bit academic as the likelihood of being prosecuted for having one person who is not a household member in the garden with you is virtually nil.

@LemonadeAndDaisyChains
Sorry my post wasn't clear. I am not going to people's gardens as l think working in care home I'm probably high risk to my friends and family. But l know people who are doing this and l can't see a problem they are all off work and hardly going out.
No idea what they do about toilet but we live in a small town no one to far away l suppose they go home. I could go out for an hour and not need the toilet l expect most people can.😃

"It's bonkers isn't it. You can see very single person in a household in a single day, just not at the same time."

I would think it is because the more people there are the less likely it is that all those who need to will maintain social distancing and it also harder to spot if an unlawful gathering is taking place.

I'll be sitting with my mum in her garden more than 2m apart. I'm not meeting her in a park then sitting on a bench that god know how many other people have sat on. I think it's safer to do so in the garden where complete strangers aren't walking past so that's what I will be doing. I feel the 'in their homes' is literally in their home not garden. I think if you respect the 2m then why not.

So does that mean my husband and I can meet my mum outside because there’s one of her, but that she can’t meet us because there’s two of us?

Regarding new slogans and real meaning behind it.....
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2664289803816535&id=642444842524195

For all the people saying that they'll just meet mum in the garden or why not two of us..

Have you chatted to friends at your gate or fence? I'm vulnerable (but not severe enough to be shielding) but live in a friendly area where neighbours chat over the fence and people we know come by the gate while gardening. Without fail people get closer and closer through the course of the conversation, I have to back away until I hit a hedge or something and then to ask for more space. These people are still trying to maintain distancing, it's just that humans are sociable and we've spent our whole lives thinking that speaking from 2m is odd and unfriendly. It will only be harder if it's someone you really love, and you feel 'safe' on home turf.

No I haven't seen my mum since February as I've kept myself away from people before the lockdown. She's been furloughed since March and is very respectful of social distancing. We both know we have to keep 2m apart but it'll be good to chat to her face to face after so many months. It'll be good for her too as she is struggling on her own without seeing people like many people I know.

Well I'll happily admit to being odd, unfriendly and antisocial because I didn't get closer than 2 m to DM when I sat in her garden because I knew that I shouldn't.

We've also managed it quite successfully with another close relative who's shielding and we've been to visit every other day throughout lockdown because we've been walking their dog and taking shopping. They let the dog into the garden with his lead already attached and he comes to us, we go for a walk and have a chat when we return. Relative remains in their garden a few metres away at all times because they know they are vulnerable and even though we've been careful, it's not impossible that we could catch the virus while out and about and pass it on to them.

Plus if I met these people in the fabled Park that the government is so obsessed with (why 'the park' and not the woods, the town square or the supermarket car park?) the urge, or not to stand close to them would be exactly the same.

I am sure before the advent of this virus whenever anyone talked about home, it would include the house and garden, it was just one thing. It’s only now that people are separating it out.

I am sure they are asking people not to meet in gardens as it can’t be policed and you end up with people having parties etc.

The one person meeting another in the park is to ensure no gatherings. If you have one household meeting another household you could have say 2 households of 6 meeting up. The likelihood of social distancing being met is highly unlikely.

The whole point of this is to ease lockdown not give up on it completely. In respect of these rules we should be grateful, we have never had strict lockdown like a number of other countries.

In theory in workplaces etc social distancing should be maintained as much as possible and that is now going to be policed.

In respect of schools parents should be maintaining social distancing on the way to and from school with other people just like you would when out exercising etc. Drop off and pick up should be organised in such a way that social distancing is maintained between adults. It is thought that virus spread amongst under 10s is unlikely so social distancing between them is not required, but I am also assuming that all staff in school will have to maintain social distancing between themselves.

It’s all about social distancing and trying to avoid mixing with other people, but trying to start getting back to normality and the economy going, otherwise the consequences of that being worse than the virus itself.

Yes the rules are confusing and the organisation behind the speech and the production of the guidance was shambolic, but we need to try and do our best, because otherwise we are going to be in a much bigger mess than we are now.