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

[Rainbowb]

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.

Knittingaddict but the childrens centre is an important resource and the lack of it will be causing people problems. They provide referrals to the food bank. They offer parenting courses for those who are struggling. When I was suffering with post partum depression they honestly saved my sanity. I can't think why schools and nurseries can be open but they are confidently saying they wont be able to offer children's groups until next year, even though the same service can be offered to those who can afford private classes. They are not working effectively from home so why not reopen?

Large department store in my city has closed all the tills except one set on each floor. Instead of people being able to use 8 different tills we’re all herded into a corner to use 2.

I realise my point got a little bit muddled there. What I'm trying to say is it doesnt matter if a lawyer or accountant works from home even if they could feasibly get in the office, but the impact of the children centre staying closed is more serious

@THisbackwithavengeance

Covid for some companies has been a welcome excuse to cancel any pretence at customer service.

Virgin Media and Currys I am looking at you

Add sky tv

I bought my very elderly mum a new fridge freezer as hers broke. Day before delivery, AO emailed to say they wouldn't come into the house because of covid, so we had to put the old fridge freezer by the front door and they would swap it for the new one. (I had paid £25 for them to take the old fridge away).

But, if I paid them £35 for "installation " then they would come into the house and deliver the new fridge to the kitchen. Apparently that £35 was going to remove the risk of catching or spreading covid.

What a load of rubbish!

I called AO, and to cut a long story short the delivery guy was a sweetheart and moved the new fridge into the kitchen despite his employer's policy.

My h was trying to buy a waterproof jacket. He wasn't sure of the sizing, but as you can't try them on in store, he paid for both, brought them home to try them, and then took one back. What difference does it make?
His father has now got pretty bad alzheimers. He has to take him to the surgery and they said they would do his full health check in the car park! Can you imagine how a very confused and frail old man would feel being weighed and having bloods taken outside, especially as the outside temp will have dropped when he's going in a couple of weeks. It is so undignified and uncaring. Having made a fuss, they reluctantly agreed that they will let him into the building.
I think covid is being used as a wonderful excuse by some local authorities to run down or get rid of services that, previously, they couldn't have dumped because there would have been such an outcry.

Notice on the toilet door at work to say only one person in at a time. It's a self-contained cubicle with one toilet and sink in it.

A girl at work doesn't want to come back to the office as she has to take public transport. That I understand.... however she took public transport to get to a airport for 2 weeks in Spain and happily gets public transport to go out to restaurants and pubs.

@HathorX

I bought my very elderly mum a new fridge freezer as hers broke. Day before delivery, AO emailed to say they wouldn't come into the house because of covid, so we had to put the old fridge freezer by the front door and they would swap it for the new one. (I had paid £25 for them to take the old fridge away).

But, if I paid them £35 for "installation " then they would come into the house and deliver the new fridge to the kitchen. Apparently that £35 was going to remove the risk of catching or spreading covid.

What a load of rubbish!

I called AO, and to cut a long story short the delivery guy was a sweetheart and moved the new fridge into the kitchen despite his employer's policy.

@HathorX We had the same issue, our dishwasher finally stopped working for good so we ordered a replacement from AO. I assumed that if we booked the installation service, they would have to come in the house and thus the delivery men would be wearing masks for that? They charge £35 just to plug the fridge freezer in, so you weren't missing out by declining that "service"!

I made a Boots optician appointment for DS, and had the same rigmarole as BlueJava experienced. I didn't bother asking why on earth they were asking if we were experiencing covid symptoms in July when the appointment wasn't until September, as I thought the reply would be a version of "because covid". I'd have found it very difficult in their position not to say to customers, "I know this is daft, I'm really sorry but I'll get in trouble if I don't ask". Assuming, of course, that they were aware how pointless it was...

His father has now got pretty bad alzheimers. He has to take him to the surgery and they said they would do his full health check in the car park! Can you imagine how a very confused and frail old man would feel being weighed and having bloods taken outside, especially as the outside temp will have dropped when he's going in a couple of weeks. It is so undignified and uncaring. Having made a fuss, they reluctantly agreed that they will let him into the building.

I wouldn't agree to any medical checks being done outside, godd for your DH for insisting. As well as weather issues, surely it's a breach of confidentiality too? If you're outside, then anyone can hear/see what's happening.

In my local park we weren't allowed to let our dogs off the lead because of Covid

I think that's because so many dogs have poor recall that owners have to physically remove them from interactions with other dogs. A friend, who has often told me how "covid aware" and how "careful" he is (yet, incidentally breaking social distancing on occasions when it could've been avoided as he's so lacking in self-awareness ) showed this perfectly; his dog ran up to an on-lead pup in the park. Things got a bit overwhelming for pup so friend called his dog back, which was ignored. So friend had to go over and physically get his dog away from the pup, breaking social distancing badly in the process (which he didn't even acknowledge)

Another time I was sitting on a park bench and a dog came over to say hello. Not a problem as I love dogs, but he wouldn't return to his owner when asked so owner had to come close to me to get him

In Reception class last week, two children were role playing McDonalds.

Child 1: What would you like?
Child 2: A cheeseburger.
Child 1: We're not doing cheeseburgers because of covid.

I made a Boots optician appointment...I didn't bother asking why on earth they were asking if we were experiencing covid symptoms in July when the appointment wasn't until September, as I thought the reply would be a version of "because covid". I'd have found it very difficult in their position not to say to customers, "I know this is daft, I'm really sorry but I'll get in trouble if I don't ask". Assuming, of course, that they were aware how pointless it was...

Crazy isn't it. I'd have a very hard time not apologising to customers for the ridiculousness of it too. Utterly pointless box-ticking exercise unless the appointment was within the quarantine period

Mikethenight2good That is taking the piss!

Bugger that makes sense for a touch POV thanks. Still doesn't explain the getting into the 2m space bit which I've read is more of a risk than touch?

@disappear

In Reception class last week, two children were role playing McDonalds.

Child 1: What would you like?
Child 2: A cheeseburger.
Child 1: We're not doing cheeseburgers because of covid.

That's both quite cute and horrifying in same incidence!

Because of covid, I've missed several blood tests, med reviews, health checks and scheduled consultations. My modern, single story, spacious GP/ health centre has been online appointments only since March. Phlebotomy and clinics closed throughout.
Yet, my friend's small surgery which is a semi-detached house on a residential street, has been open for months.

The reduced speed limits in town centres is just ridiculous. People were seriously stepping into moving traffic to avoid coming within 6 feet of someone for 2 seconds who statistically is less likely to have COVID than to have it? They seriously thought stepping into moving traffic was the safer option? Some people are not safe to ge out on their own. It seems some people have become so obsessed by this that they have lost all basic common sense.

“People were seriously stepping into moving traffic to avoid coming within 6 feet of someone for 2 seconds who statistically is less likely to have COVID than to have it?”

See, I haven’t seen anyone doing that... fairly wide pavements, not a hugely busy town, these aren’t big towns at all - I’ve seen places the same size in England described as villages, lol.

There’s not crowds stepping anywhere nevermind off the pavement.

So that’s why I suspect the council’s using it as an excuse.

Also I’ll add - they did it by just putting small signs up, waiting a week or so, then announcing it and adding the big signs at the start.

For just over a week we were all here going - is this a 20 now? Since when? Is it official yet? What’s it for?

Partner cited "risk of covid" as his reason for not going to the shops to pick up flea treatment for his parents dog, as the rain made it more likely he would catch it. He was in the pub that night though

@disappear

In Reception class last week, two children were role playing McDonalds.

Child 1: What would you like?
Child 2: A cheeseburger.
Child 1: We're not doing cheeseburgers because of covid.

This makes me so sad. My son is 3 & insisted he was a big boy so had to wear a mask the other day. We're reaching our young children to be afraid of people, not to hug others & to be completely anti social as other people carry a deadly virus you can't see. Poor little mites :(

Following an arrow ok then. Also walking into a restaurant with a mask apparently but everyone sat down even just drinking and walking around with no mask 🤭😳 Same at a trampoline park we went to. Mask on arrival but once inside no one has it on but someone went to toilet and put mask back on🤣 ok again. Covid Safe I guess

They closed one of the main roads in the town where my mam lives because of covid. Only taxis and buses allowed now but it means the two other main routes are much more busy.

^
DC’s bank branch normally closes at 5pm. We went to deposit some money in their accounts and it had shut at 3pm because of Covid. We noticed lots of places in town were closed early too because of Covid. Not sure how a couple of hours off the opening times helps if the same number of customers come in, but in a shorter time span.^

Maybe they are opening reduced hours because of reduced staff numbers due to shielding/illness/furlough/childcare issues.