Are you honestly sticking to 2m social distancing?

[thisisthebestoftimes]

From my point of view lowering the social distancing to 1m will make no difference to the R number. I have quite a lot of friends of all ages and no of no one (apart from one family who are shielding so not going out) who is actually sticking to this. We are not hugging and kissing but we are standing pretty close. It's the same with everyone at my work - we wash hands regularly and don't sit too close, but often stand close together.
We did in the beginning of lockdown until probably the end of May/beginning of June.
YABU - I am sticking to 2m
YANBU - I am not sticking to 2m

[tenlittlecygnets]

Yes, I am sticking to it, and so is my circle of friends..

[GoatyGoatyMingeMinge]

No (and never conformed to it, even at the outset).

[Peterbishopssarcasticsmile]

It really annoys me when people don't out in the streets. Fair enough if you're not longer worried, but what gives you the right to decide that for other people?
I've lost count of the amount of people who have barged past me or walked three abreast and not moved out of the way when there's plenty of room and they don't have to fling themselves in the bushes or road.

[MsAwesomeDragon]

I'm trying my best, but it's quite difficult in a lot of places. In shops, other people aren't staying 2m apart, and often get closer to me than I'd like, which is partly why I try to avoid shops if I can. I've been on a few walks with friends and we try to stick to 2m apart, but we sometimes get a little closer than that on narrower paths or when passing people.

The main place I'm finding it difficult is at work though. I'm a teacher at secondary school, and only went back this past week (I wasn't needed for the KW rota as there were so few children in). If there are 10 pupils in my classroom, at 2m away from each other then I am literally trapped behind my desk in order to stay away from them. How can I pass them a book (they pretty much all need new exercise books at this stage) if they are at the back of the room and I'm trapped at the front? So I need to go closer than 2m in order to hand things out. It's incredibly difficult to remember that I'm not allowed to move around the room as well, it's how teaching works in normal times, wandering round and helping individuals. I'm getting there, but I forgot a few times last week and had to hurriedly retreat when I remembered . Collecting anything I've printed means I need to go closer than 2m to an admin assistant as well, because she works in the office where the printer is, and I can't get into that office without getting closer to her than 2m, obviously we all try to stay as far away from her as possible, but it's not quite 2m 🤷

[AdaFromYorkshire]

Yes, rigidlly. And getting increasingly annoyed with people who think it's okay to take that choice away from me.

[Mayorquimby2]

No

At this stage I'm taking risks I feel happy to accept to get on with my life and arousing risks I feel aren't worth it.

[waterandlemonjuice]

Yes we are

[ragged]

I was at a busy touristy place today.
I'd say vast majority of people are trying very hard to stick to the spirit of 2m, even if walking down the odd narrow path means there are sometimes 1 second moments < 2m away from strangers.

[Jeremyironsnothing]

Yes, absolutely.

[LettyBriggs]

I’d happily stay 2m from people if that’s what they want but don’t feel the need to do so myself. It is a totally arbitrary number.

[Allmyeye]

I am and I get really fed up when other people who clearly aren’t bothered about SD come too close. Particularly bad in supermarkets although sometimes I agree it can’t be helped. Fine if it’s an accident but some people just don’t try. I cringe when I hear people saying 2m should be reduced. Boris is desperate to get people back to work/school so if he felt it was safe he wouldn’t need persuading to reduce it. Understand the problems for the hospitality trade etc but that doesn’t make it safe.

[lootsharks]

@MsAwesomeDragon

I'm trying my best, but it's quite difficult in a lot of places. In shops, other people aren't staying 2m apart, and often get closer to me than I'd like, which is partly why I try to avoid shops if I can. I've been on a few walks with friends and we try to stick to 2m apart, but we sometimes get a little closer than that on narrower paths or when passing people.

The main place I'm finding it difficult is at work though. I'm a teacher at secondary school, and only went back this past week (I wasn't needed for the KW rota as there were so few children in). If there are 10 pupils in my classroom, at 2m away from each other then I am literally trapped behind my desk in order to stay away from them. How can I pass them a book (they pretty much all need new exercise books at this stage) if they are at the back of the room and I'm trapped at the front? So I need to go closer than 2m in order to hand things out. It's incredibly difficult to remember that I'm not allowed to move around the room as well, it's how teaching works in normal times, wandering round and helping individuals. I'm getting there, but I forgot a few times last week and had to hurriedly retreat when I remembered . Collecting anything I've printed means I need to go closer than 2m to an admin assistant as well, because she works in the office where the printer is, and I can't get into that office without getting closer to her than 2m, obviously we all try to stay as far away from her as possible, but it's not quite 2m 🤷

It is difficult, can you put the book on a table and then move away and they pick it up ?

[Oblomov20]

I wonder when the Government are going to lower it from 2 to 1m. My school say they can't take any more children, including my Ds2 who is year 6 and should be already in, until bubbles increase from 15.

We have been trying to obey the rules. I too find that it's when I shop in supermarkets that it's the worst. In fact it was worse in the first couple of weeks, back in mid March.

Now I'm not so bothered I guess. We've only had 300 deaths in our Borough. More people than that normally die in this given period.

[letmethinkaboutitfornow]

Strangers - yes, most of the time (I don’t get upset if they come within two metres)
Friends - no, we meet and chat / walk... (no kissing, hugging) - they are not shielding
I hope they ease the 2 m to 1 m by July- anyone who ants to shield can do it themselves, I have no problem with it, but I want my beautician and friends! Sacrificed enough 🤞🤞🤞

[MsAwesomeDragon]

lootshanks there isn't even space for that if we all keep to 2m apart. We literally all need to stay in one spot the whole time. Anyone who moves is automatically less than 2m away from someone else. And since these are year 10 and 12, they are adult sized, and it's difficult to argue that they would pass the virus on any differently to adults (I can sort of see the argument for younger children not passing it on as much, but still haven't been convinced as there just isn't enough evidence). On Monday I'm leaving a pile of exercise books by the entrance and they can collect one on the way in.

[lootsharks]

I can't see that there would be any difference between adults and year 10/12 either, mine is over 6 foot and doesn't look much like a child at all.

[PhoneLock]

I only really need to worry about every other week when I do a shop. Then I try to but have had to accept that it can't be maintained all the time.

We've only had 300 deaths in our Borough

Good God! We have had 12.

[JosieJasper]

I still try myself out of respect for others but people don’t do the same for me when I’m working. I explain the current procedure, guide them to online options to prevent them having to queue and advise if they still need to speak to someone, it will only be someone behind the screen. They still start coming close to me and try to show me paperwork etc. I have to step back all the time, they get closer than one meter and they moan constantly about having to queue. Not my fault so piss off (obviously don’t say that but oh how I would love to with some of them).

[SomewhereEast]

I'm intrigued at some people's certainty that all their friends are sticking to 2m. Unless you accompanying your friends everywhere you have no idea what they're actually doing. In my experience uncommitted people tend to quietly & indirectly suss out their friends' observance levels & then roll with it when socialising (or find a polite excuse for not socialising if they think its too much faff). Also while its obvious from being out & about that lots of people (ie literally everyone in my town) are letting 2m slide, its still not something people will advertise, in my case because I can't be arsed fighting a battle over it. So a strictly observant person - especially a person who is very much known to be strictly observant - may not get an accurate impression of others' behaviour

[SomewhereEast]

Also at this stage its basically been telegraphed from space that the 2m rule will be gone soon anyway.

[Russellbrandshair]

No. I’m not walking in the road and I’m not asking my kids to walk in the road just to give someone 2m on the pavement if it’s not possible to find a space to wait. Sorry but I’m not risking my kids being hit by a car just because someone else is paranoid or scared. When it’s safe to do do I do give people space.

[ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia]

No not sticking to this 2m minimum guidance BUT MORE wherever possible! The greater the better as keeping common sense common for added safety!

Not going to lie as it is not always 100% possible but best endeavors for as much safety first social distancing as possible so no - usually more than 2m! There are endless reasons why UK has world record daily Covid fatalities so any little helps to stay away from being yet another sad statistic!

Stay safe all!

[eitak22]

I try to but then people who seem to think it doesn't matter makes it impossible in shops. Everyone round here seems to think it's over and my fb is full of families meeting up, not keeping distance and hugging children.

[AnnieCartwright]

I have been nowhere except work since lockdown started. However, social distancing at work is impossible as I am frontline NHS.

[zingally]

I'm trying to stick to it...

But this morning I went to the supermarket... I usually go on a week day. This was my first weekend trip since all this kicked off.
And I have to say, it was a disturbing experience. It was absolute chaos. People totally ignoring the one-way system, not giving each other space, shopping in groups, kids and teens everywhere.
Honestly, for the first time in MONTHS, I genuinely felt unsafe in there.

I'll be going back to weekday shops for the foreseeable.