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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask (lightheartedly) what’s the most bizarre or confusing “because of Covid” you’ve heard?

282 replies

Rainbowb · 19/09/2020 22:36

My next door neighbour has had someone else walk her dog for her since lockdown “because of covid”. Never goes further than her garden. Such a shame because daily walks have never been banned and I’m sure the change of scene would benefit her and her dog would love her to take him!

Just wondered if anyone else has come across bizarre things being done or not done “because of covid?”.

Disclaimer - this is a light hearted thread just to help see the funny side a bit for my own sanity. It’s not meant to be dismissive of people’s genuine experiences or fears.

OP posts:
Zeewest · 21/09/2020 19:06

I watched several "now do they do that" type shows during lock down, a lot of manufacturers have stopped producing less popular items to concentrate on increasing production of "staples", ie Heinz are only doing three soups and only "normal" beans, ie none with sausages or chilli, Walkers are only producing large multi packs not small multi packs.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/09/2020 19:14

My DDs Primary school is not having homework this term. I'm not overly upset.

Brockaslass · 21/09/2020 19:22

I asked a woman to pick up the face mask she dropped on the floor in car park, despite the fact it was clearly hers and she's just took it off, she claimed she couldn't pick it up cos of Covid. Then argues that disposable meant they can dispose of them. Couldn't seem to register her tiny brain cell that it doesn't mean dispose on a floor

tanqueray10 · 21/09/2020 19:25

@TheVamoosh Yes exactly that!! I find it fascinating how people are complaining about others breaking the rules whilst justifying their own rule breaking 😂

Zeewest · 21/09/2020 20:52

NOT all GPs the one I work at is doing flu clinics in the building 4 mornings a week, patients have to q up 2 meters apart and we can only do 3 per half hour becuase the nurse has to sanitize the room after each but we are getting there. Next week we are doing 4 afternoons of home visits for flu shots to the housebound. We have been doing baby immunisations all along and now do other injections and smears and have to sanitize between each appointment so we have about 2/3rds of the number of pre covid patients coming into a tiny building with no seating area and no plastic shields in reception

Zeewest · 21/09/2020 21:13

My local town has huge queues at Nat west/Barclays/Nationwide and Halifax, no queues at Co-op or Metro, I appreciate the last two don't have as many branches but if there is one near you, switch banks

Celestine70 · 21/09/2020 21:25

The local community centre is shut, ok fair enough but we can't use the free car park either.

Summerisdone · 21/09/2020 22:44

The ‘funniest’ (definitely more grating than funny) I’ve heard is from my ex, who is fighting his workplace because they are wanting to begin reintroduction into the office by having people go in 1-2 times a week (with a load of new measures in place for safety), as he’s saying he’s not willing to risk himself. Yet he point blank refuses to wear a mask anywhere, he doesn’t even carry one around in case he gets pulled, and he made a regular use of the EOHO scheme 🤔🙄

MustWe · 21/09/2020 23:02

Councils are absolutely loving being able to muck about with the roads willy nilly. The power is going to their head.

TinyTornado · 21/09/2020 23:34

I go swimming. I have to book at slot, to be ticked off a list on arrival.
I dared to be 5 mins late and got a telling off for like a naughty school girl, late for her PE lesson. (Not cheap this place either- it’s my one luxury) I asked why it was so important to arrive on time so long as I wasn’t early and left on time. So we can tick you off the list, I was told. Well why can’t you tick a list at 12:35, not 12:30, I ask.
Because of Covid.

LifeIsGreatForUnicorns · 21/09/2020 23:43

My son ordered a takeaway pizza from pizza express as he’d missed his train home and had an hour to wait. They wouldn’t cut it into slices “due to Covid” or give him cutlery “ due to Covid”...

thenightsky · 21/09/2020 23:49

GP surgery making us all wait, standing around in the car park. 40 mins wait the other day. I've not long had a hip replacement and can't stand for long, so went and sat in my car 10 foot from the door. They refused to acknowledge me as part of the queue and put me down as a did not attend! Fuckers could see me from the door way.

Lillibee4 · 21/09/2020 23:53

I went to the pharmacy to ask for a blood pressure test, I was told they are not allowed to do them because of close contact due to Covid, but only doing flu injections!

CheeseAndOnionIcecream · 22/09/2020 00:07

The public toilets in my local shopping centre closing at 4pm,even though the centre is open until 5pm. When I asked a security guard why they were closed an hour earlier,he said 'Because of the Covid pandemic'. I'm still none the wiser. Confused

CheeseAndOnionIcecream · 22/09/2020 00:10

thenightsky Omg that's awful. Just another example of Covid being used as a pathetic excuse for services/businesses treating people in a shabby manner. Makes my blood boil when I hear things like this.

edin88 · 22/09/2020 09:17

I had to get some paperwork from my midwife (who is based at my GP surgery). When I called to request it, I was told I couldn't go into the surgery to pick it up as the surgery is 'closed to patients'. In the end, the midwife left it for me in a public library to go in to collect?!

Also had the car in for a service with the dealership. Each car is sanitised before and after anyone works on it, but they're not doing any car cleans 'because of covid'.

Is it just me, or is the world just using covid to be awkward!

CurlyStrawsRock · 22/09/2020 09:35

I go swimming. I have to book at slot, to be ticked off a list on arrival.
I dared to be 5 mins late and got a telling off for like a naughty school girl, late for her PE lesson. (Not cheap this place either- it’s my one luxury) I asked why it was so important to arrive on time so long as I wasn’t early and left on time. So we can tick you off the list, I was told. Well why can’t you tick a list at 12:35, not 12:30, I ask.
Because of Covid..

This one just makes my blood boil. I'm usually pretty laid back but the lack of common sense these days is bloody ridiculous. I hope some of the idiots who are behind these 'rules' read this and realise what a bunch of complete numbskulls they are

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 22/09/2020 09:39

Near my parents, a bus route is alternating in the mornings between 'school' and 'everyone else'. It's the bus route I used, was always jammed 50:50 between school kids and commuters. It was rather noisy. I'm wondering how many of the commuters hope it continues post pandemic...

CurlyStrawsRock · 22/09/2020 09:48

@MulticolourMophead

I've heard a few of these batshit reasons being spouted locally. I decided to have fun, and anytime now that someone is "because Covid" I start asking for a copy of the relevant risk assessment. The "deer in headlights" look that comes over people's faces makes me smirk.

We ALL need to do this 😂😂

MibsXX · 22/09/2020 11:05

@Hollyhead

The one I don’t get is larger shops closing various exits and entrances thereby forcing more people to use a reduced space and thus making social distancing harder. I’m looking at you John Lewis Solihull.
that sounds extremely dangerous to me in the event of a fire or emergency.. bet the emergency lights will still go on in that event and people will go to the nearest lit up exit.. only to find it locked..............
VioletCharlotte · 22/09/2020 14:35

@TinyTornado

I go swimming. I have to book at slot, to be ticked off a list on arrival. I dared to be 5 mins late and got a telling off for like a naughty school girl, late for her PE lesson. (Not cheap this place either- it’s my one luxury) I asked why it was so important to arrive on time so long as I wasn’t early and left on time. So we can tick you off the list, I was told. Well why can’t you tick a list at 12:35, not 12:30, I ask. Because of Covid.
Is this the Village Gym?! Same thing happened to me. If you're late for your slot you get a black mark. Three black marks and they restrict your bookings!
RubyRedBerry · 23/09/2020 13:24

I wasn't allowed to put my shopping directly into the bags in Lidi, even though the bags had been in the bottom of the trolley throughout. I had to move to a counter (that i hadn't seen been cleaned whilst i'd stood 20 mins in the queue) unload out of the trolley onto the counter then re-put them in bags. God knows how many people had mauled the counter before me. It also meant the queues outside were piling up as people needed extra time to pack bags, and there counter bit was rammed so no SD going on by there either. Bizarre.

unmarkedbythat · 23/09/2020 14:04

DS2 told me this morning they can't currently wear coats in the corridors at school "because of covid".

loulouljh · 23/09/2020 14:08

No tap water available in c afe!!!!

willloman · 23/09/2020 14:09

Rose789 yours takes the cake, or biscuit, or scone or whatever.
I'm still trying to figure out the infernal mind behind that one...
can someone please explain because I just can't fathom...
I'm thinking maybe the waitress was a bit short of the picnic and had misunderstood some perfectly innocent instruction...?