Are we still in lockdown?

[Emcont]

Are we still in lockdown?

What are we still not allowed to do?

The lines are so blurred!

It was announced by the government that you could go out for one form of exercise a day but people decided this meant you were only allowed to leave the house once a day which was never the case. You were only supposed to go to shops for essential items when you absolutely but there was nothing to stop you picking up some wine once there. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could adhere to it all but there have always been those who are more special than everyone else and absolutely needed to take their kids out for exercise 4 times a day and could only ever do the shipping daily with kids in tow in spite of their partner being home etc etc.

That sort of behaviour made it harder for others to stick to it all as it's a kick in the teeth when you are struggling but others are out there as if nothing was happening!

I would say we’re not in lockdown anymore. I’m back at work full time and thus my kids are back in school full time.

You can go shopping, and not for essentials, and, after this weekend, you can go out to bars and restaurants and pretty much anywhere you like (although I’m really disappointed swimming pools are not open), including on holiday.

It’s not much of a lockdown if it still exists!

Yes. I’m furloughed so I can’t work
School is closed so DS is home. We have home schooling.

No swimming lessons, no Parkrun, karate is on Zoom. Family is still sheltering so can’t see them. Pubs, cinema and hair salon are closed.

I have two close friends who come and have socially distanced coffee but that’s all. The furthest we have travelled since March is a sports club about 30 miles away (once for a birthday treat).

Lockdown will end for me when I’m allowed to work, home schooling ends, my greys aren’t showing, I can sit in a pub garden with a ploughmans and I can hold a drinks party for my neighbours in the garden.

At the moment we are yes.

Come 4th July I'd say no.

Cummings was possibly the catalyst but I think it was pathetic that people used this to go ahead to do as they pleased, he broke the rules but it wasnt like he had 10 people round for a house party and organised an outdoor gathering for 30 of his mates. There is absolutely no excuse for that.

I find it ironic people moaning on facebook that their businesses are still closed but are then having parties with no social distancing at all. They are stupid. One I even saw said 'family socially distant get together' and the photo with it was of them cuddling head to head in a selfie!

From the 4th of July lockdown will feel much less severe with the opening of many restaurants, hotels etc however we are still being careful by socially distancing, schools remain closed to many/most pupils and we are in a strange hybrid of applying risk assessments to most things we now currently do.

It is easier that full lockdown, not as stressful (mainly due to contact with family and friends again, shopping etc) but I am a long way from what I consider to be 'normal' life. A long long way from a stress free existence.

@thisisgoingtohurt

You know what, I'm taking responsibility for myself. For weeks it was very difficult being home with dc. We're young, trying to make it in this world and my mental health was going down the pan.

@Littlecaf no, in a support bubble you act as if you are one household. No distancing required. You can hug etc.

It all changed july 4th anyway. 2 households can meet indoors

I would argue that we have never been in lockdown.
We have been severely restricted but unlike some countries we've had it easy. Emwe were able to go out once a day to exercise but no time limit was set, just suggested.
Where I live it now seems the same as it was pre restrictions except the pubs,gyms and restaurants are shut.
People are mingling. It's like everyone has given up.

@chocolatesweets it's difficult for many people.The way you worded your post is that you were not allowed to do those things but you were as long as it was outside and at a distance. The part I don't understand is why it's ok for you to see both family and friends but others arent, if we all did that then Covid would still be killing 1000 people a day near on. Could you not have made a decision to just see your parents if you really had to and ensure none of you were seeing others to keep spread to a minimum. Why couldn't you see your friends at a distance?

We all have our struggles but it's our responsibility to not put others at risk surely. I am not actually having a go at you, I just do not understand your reasons. My own family may be left with nothing the longer this goes on so I have my own reasons for feeling that people should be adhering as much as possible.

I wouldn’t say we are still on lockdown, we have moved past lockdown but still have restrictions in place.

Semi lockdown, ie guidelines eased.

I'm still in lockdown but don't care.

People have to be sensible now and do what is right for them. don't have multiple families inside or outside your house at once or day after day. See people absolutely. We need to. But carefully, socially distance. Good hygiene for all. Don't forget if you see different people daily and get symptoms all will need to be traced and isolate/swabbed.

Don't leave the house or mingle with others if sick. If you go shopping or the pub or other activities that are now allowed after Saturday wash hands well too afterwards. Keep a safe distance when possible. it all helps mitigate the risk.

Continue to do what you think is safest for you and your family. We've seen what's happened in the USA and I feel that lots in this country have the same attitude of 'living normally' ( still a worldwide pandemic) will end up risking it for the lot of us. But we can start to do things gradually ( not all rushing out on Saturday) and start to enjoy going places and seeing people again.

I'm not changing my behaviour massively yet. Will wait and see. Am seeing more people outside though.

I agree lines are blurred, they have been since the start.

Its ridiculous this nonsense started in March and here it is still miserably dragging on
Yes things are technically reopening but with the rules hardly normal.

All complete over reaction

@thisisgoingtohurt it's difficult isn't it. We can only be responsible for ourselves though. If I gave everything away, there would be nothing left of me. I believe that keeping myself happy is the only way other people are going to be happy and healthy around me.
I'm sure we would be more or a burden to the nhs if I'd left myself become depressed. I'd be shouting at my kids, making them more stressed. Increasing all our stress levels, thus creating greater chance for any virus to thrive in our bodies. Stressed bodies don't cope well with virus.

From the 4th of July

you can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location - public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household - you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case - even inside someone’s home - that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble

Some people are and some aren’t. Basically everyone is just doing whatever they want at this point.

Honestly, I don't think we are. From the 4th of July the restrictions are practically non existence, aside from a handful of businesses not being allowed to open.
I took my daughter for a walk round the park the other day and it was the exact same as any sunny day pre pandemic.
Though to be fair, our lockdown from the start was half asses compared to most other countries.

Not lockdown, we are coming out. I don't know why the UK Govt can't use simple language like other countries who are using a step by step guide of removing restrictions. Makes it much easier to understand.

I think some people want to be in lockdown forever...

So many people are ignoring any rules and I can see why!
Face masks on public transport but no one (in my area anyway) is enforcing it. The bus company even put out a statement to say they aren’t enforcing it which has resulted in no one wearing a mask.
Mandatory quarantine unless you come in from certain countries then you don’t have to do quarantine.
2m rule gone down to 1m+ regardless of it agreeing with science

@chocolatesweets it really is. I think as long as we all have a clear conscience and can genuinely say we did everything we absolutely could to get through it then it will work out and it sounds like you can say that, unfortunately those who were having big house parties etc from day 1 were not doing that for their own mental health or for the NHS!

We are on the other end to you (well DH is as hes quite bit older than me) and this could well ruin our future finacially with little time to make up anything for our retirement. It is a totally shit time all round.

I think people telling you to look up what the rules actually say are, while correct because everyone should do that, only seeing half the picture here.

Yes, one can read the rules, notwithstanding that they've not been well drafted. I'm a solicitor and even then I've found some of the revisions poorly worded. But there is also the issue of how they're being interpreted and enforced in practice. When a powerful government advisor was able to do a shit all over them for a jaunt to Barnard Castle and the most senior members of government were all falling over themselves to say how fine that was, naturally that muddies the waters. The initial trip up, whilst an arsehole move, was likely not illegal but there are other people who did get fined whilst travelling to obtain childcare. There were a number of instances earlier on in lockdown of police harassing and fining people for breaches that were not breaches, which again contributes to confusion.

And moving forward, much is unpoliceable. Of course people from more than two households are going to be meeting each other in pubs. Who's going to keep an eye on that, the landlords? You can essentially have whoever you want in your house now as long as you don't get very unlucky. It's all very well something being illegal based on what's on the statute books, but if it's widespread anyway then of course people will find it confusing. This isn't by any means limited to coronavirus related rules either.

We are but it doesn't feel like it! Both chikdren at school/pre school. Me and dh at work. (for me no social distancing at work as special needs children) meeting with friends outside. We visit my mom and dad in their house. My mom and dad isolate. I am their carer. I take tjem medication, food, do some housework for them. My dad wants us all to visit as he says his mental health is rock bottom.

Well it depends what your 'normal' is, because for many, life is still very much restricted.

Some people's industry is still closed and will be for months or more. Some people are WFH and would prefer to go back to the office and/or be out and about visiting clients instead of being at home where they might not have the space/peace to work effectively.

Many DC are not back at school yet. Many leisure facilities and attractions are not yet open. Restaurants and pubs will be restricted in capacity and people might decide it's not worth the bother. Many ranges in supermarkets are not being made, so you can't get all your normal shopping.