Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
QuitMoaning · 20/09/2020 09:28

I am on a self catering break on Peak District.
They are doing really well (the indoor pool is on booked time slot basis so we get private pool for half an hour) but the only think that really mystifies me is that they only provided one toilet roll because of Covid. I was notified so able to bring some but why only one? Does toilet roll carry it and if so, has that one been specifically cleaned?

Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket · 20/09/2020 09:30

Can't have a pot of tea or a coffee at the holiday Inn. Instead you get a pot of hot water and teabags (or sachet of Nescafé) on the side because of COVID.
WTAF?
That one was too much for me.

LouiseNW · 20/09/2020 09:31

RiftGibbon

“Not being able to try on shoes in shops.“

Do you really not understand why?

middleager · 20/09/2020 09:35

A small car park round the back of some shops.

My mother is up the pubs but won't meet a friend in a coffee shops as it's "indoors"

Junglerum · 20/09/2020 09:35

Child maintenance service aren’t chasing non payments or arrears ‘due to covid’ but will take change of circumstances ie NRP having another child. Obviously doesn’t matter if RP and child need the maintenance to live off Hmm

dentydown · 20/09/2020 09:37

My son has to take the exact measurements of ingredients because of COVID. The school used to provide Cooking oil, salt and pepper , but now the children have to take the ingredients in, in disposable bags/pots because of COVID. I’m looking at amazon for takeaway pots for the flipping cooking oil!

Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket · 20/09/2020 09:41

Here's another funny one, you've been allowed to pay a nanny to come look after your kid (with no sd) but for ages your friend/ mum/ sibling were not allowed to do the same thing for free.
YAY capitalism
Also this,
Kids were not allowed to get an education, but grown ups were allowed to go to the pub. Just really makes you proud to be British, doesn't it?

MrsWombat · 20/09/2020 09:42

The reduced menu's in restaurants is so the staff have more space to social distance. Mcdonalds have been very clear about this in their communications. I assume it's the same with Dominoes. I miss our usual half and half.

I'm going to add families who won't give their child the flu vaccine purely because of covid when it's even more of a reason this year. Definitely nothing to do with believing conspiracy theories. Sods law we get a flu epidemic too.

dentydown · 20/09/2020 09:45

Due to COVID we have to meet the children at the gate and the teachers socially distantly dispatch the children (at a distance of 2-5m+). So everything is outdoors. Yep fair enough.

School have now said parents have to wear masks when collecting the children. So even though they are teaching the children for 8 hours (children are dirty buggers), the parents who are in the same household as the kids and are at a very long distance from the teachers in the open air have to wear a mask! (We are complying btw, this isn’t an anti mask rant)

I am enjoying the garden visits from the health visitor because of COVID though. Shame the weather won’t hold up for much longer.

zigaziga · 20/09/2020 09:49

All of our local libraries are still closed "because of covid" but the ones 30 minutes away in the more affluent towns have managed to open. There could be an innocent explanation for this... but it really annoys me.

Yep our libraries and leisure centres are shut but the ones in the next borough are open so it’s just extra public transport if you want to go.

I think this will kill libraries off tbh.

dentydown · 20/09/2020 09:49

@linerforlife can you do it online? I’m a bit Hmm about that. That isn’t well thought out by the dvla open to all sorts of fraud, surely!

tabulahrasa · 20/09/2020 09:50

“The reduced menu's in restaurants is so the staff have more space to social distance. Mcdonalds have been very clear about this in their communications. I assume it's the same with Dominoes. I miss our usual half and half.”

But if both toppings are on the menu?....

81Byerley · 20/09/2020 09:52

@MamaGothel re the straws. Watch bar staff putting straws in drinks by holding them at the top, and you'd never want a straw again!

iklboo · 20/09/2020 09:52

FIL told DS he shouldn't play online games because of Covid. I seriously hope he was joking but he's probably not.

CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest · 20/09/2020 09:55

The 72 hour at school one here is teachers won't touch their work or artwork for 72 hours to mark it but then it doesn't take 72 hours for her to return it 🙄
So that assumes only the kids can spread it not the teacher and why doesn't she just wash her hands after touching it.
Would love her to come into the supermarket where I work and I'll refuse to give her any products for 72 hours. Why would kids schoolwork be more likely to give you covid than an item in there (which I can guarantee that at the moment you get certain customers touching every one to get the latest date/best one)

Gwenhwyfar · 20/09/2020 09:55

"Someone I know refuses to take public transport and orders all his shopping online "because of Covid", but happily goes to pubs and restaurants several times a week, because this is "low risk" according to him."

I go to pubs, restaurants and public transport and I would agree that public transport is MUCH worse. People are stuck very close to each other, touching sometimes. I haven't had that in a cafe since Covid.

ProlificNameChanger2000 · 20/09/2020 09:59

This is fucking disgusting *GP surgery doing all flu jabs over several days in one local secondary school - for population of 45000 people - all vulnerable, shielding and elderly people told to make their way there at specified time slot . No direct public transport to the school or parking .

Said this is safest option . As opposed to doing them in GP surgeries ...

It’s bonkers is what it is .*

I hope to God this gets investigated. I bet my bottom dollar it's selfish on the part of the practice in terms of saving their own skin. This is NOT in the interest of all these elderly patients. PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR MP AND MATT HANCOCK ON THIS THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

mfwannabe · 20/09/2020 09:59

When we rented a holiday apartment in the summer there was a note to say that all the cleaning products, including hand soap, had been removed, because of covid. Seemed slightly counter intuitive....

Greysparkles · 20/09/2020 10:01

Staff have not been redeployed anywhere, sat at work twiddling thumbs I have a friend who works there

But they're ready, waiting to be redeployed. That's a good thing

AnnaBegins · 20/09/2020 10:02

Both a local park and a campsite we went to had only 1 toilet open in large toilet blocks "because covid". How forcing 4+ times as many people into using the same toilet reduces surface contact I'll never know!

Monkeytapper · 20/09/2020 10:02

Couldn’t sing Happy birthday at TGI fridays for my sons birthday because of COVID, said too many people with their mouths open at once so would spread germs.

JJsDinerWaffles · 20/09/2020 10:02

I’m mixed about libraries. I desperately miss them - but surely the issue is that the whole point is that you pick up and take home books which have been touched by lots of other people? Unless the spray every single book before it’s taken out...

Ricekrispie22 · 20/09/2020 10:07

My local library is shut on Sundays now ‘due to covid’.

ClarencesMum · 20/09/2020 10:07

@zigaziga

All of our local libraries are still closed "because of covid" but the ones 30 minutes away in the more affluent towns have managed to open. There could be an innocent explanation for this... but it really annoys me.

Yep our libraries and leisure centres are shut but the ones in the next borough are open so it’s just extra public transport if you want to go.

I think this will kill libraries off tbh.

I think that is part of the plan. Absolutely no reason why they cannot be functioning properly.

A few our ours have opened with really conflated and bizarre rules which will bamboozle a lot of users.

Then lo and behold the library issues are down, we need to shut.

Our county has also turned every road it could into a 20 and lowered other limits with zero consulation or notice. Literally drove to school one morning along a 60 road, went back to get them in the afternoon and it was a 40. There was some legistlation passed that meant councils can do all that. Cos covid. Makes no sense.

SBTLove · 20/09/2020 10:08

@MamaGothel
We’ve bought the metal reusable straws, that way only you have touched them.