Page 9 | AIBU to be shocked that this isn't common knowledge?

bumblingbovine49 · 20/10/2020 02:30

It's quite clear and has been for ages that restaurants and pubs are turning a blind eye/ ignoring/ not asking questions about who is sat at a table. This is perfectly understandable, they are struggling and can only realistically do certain things so they space the tables out, clean a lot, wear masks, open doors/ windows and turn a blind eye to the requirement to space out non household members by 1-2 metres.

At the same time lots of people have missed the bit about social distancing between non- household members when mixing households
So you do have a point about that op

Goosefoot · 20/10/2020 02:48

@Walkaround

The government has created so many exceptions to its keeping at least 1m away guidance (eg abandoning it completely between children and between adolescents in school bubbles, and between adults and children in nurseries, and in taxis that are of a normal size and shape, and in driving instructors’ cars etc, etc) that you can forgive people for getting confused and thinking it has also abandoned this guidance with respect to people mixing with other households in groups of up to six... Otherwise, why on earth would it not explicitly point out that most people’s homes are too small, and most pubs and restaurant tables too small, to enable people to meet up in groups of up to six, even though this is allowed if anyone has the space to do so? Or maybe a Government metre is shorter than a metric metre.

I think governments are perfectly aware that it is not really possible to follow the guidance and don't expect or really even want people to. Because if they did there would be little economic activity and little social activity, neither of which is sustainable for more than a short time. They can't say that outright as it's not politically acceptable.

Goosefoot · 20/10/2020 02:59

@FractionalGains

There's been an assumption that if there's fewer than 6 people it's somehow safe

I don’t think anyone thinks it’s “safe” if by safe you mean zero chance of contracting covid. People think it’s legal and worth the risk.

This seems to be a misconception about these kinds of public health guidelines - that somehow if you do the things, you (and others) are safe, and if you don't, not safe.

Safe has become a word that does a lot of heavy lifting in a lot of discussions at the moment, and I suspect there is some deeper worry that it represents. Consequently when it's used people see it as having a tremendous amount of weight that in instances like this isn't really justified.

redcarbluecar · 20/10/2020 03:49

I’ve been to quite a few pubs and restaurants in groups of up to 6 (before our area went to Tier 2) and sat as you would normally, although not ‘crowded in’ or physically touching. You couldn’t be 2m away from other people at a pub table, or behind screens - you might as well not go. I felt that the social distancing came from the measures taken to ensure we were nowhere near anyone else in the venue. I don’t know of any venues being closed down or reprimanded in our area except a couple that continued to host larger gatherings.

ReluctantRenegade · 20/10/2020 04:13

I think at this point a lot of people are feigning confusion about the rules because they don't want to adhere to them. Surely such a large proportion of the UK including those with responsible jobs, their own businesses etc. cannot be so thick.

SunscreenCentral · 20/10/2020 05:03

All been squared away in the Republic of Ireland. Nationwide Level 5 back in again this week. For 6 weeks

Florencex · 20/10/2020 05:05

[quote DameFanny]If you go to the pub, or a restaurant, you're not supposed to mix households, or be outside your bubble.

I thought this was all pretty clear - you distance from anyone not in your bubble. 2 metres, or 1 metre with screens, masks or something similar.

And I haven't bothered with the pub or whatever because what's the fun in waving at people from behind a screen. But that's not what people are doing is it? They're sharing tables with friends and getting Covid. Even though it's illegal, and the pub/restaurant can be closed down for it.

I thought the people going out were mostly just eating in a different set of walls with their household - or the posturing mask debaters who tell us it's just a sniffle - but I was honestly shocked on another thread that this isn't common knowledge. How many people are breaking the law?

www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery[/quote]
It isn’t common knowledge because it isn’t true in many parts of the country.

emilybrontescorsett · 20/10/2020 05:05

I'm in tier 2. The only people I can go to a pub/cafe or other indoor venue with are people in my household. If I want to meet with my sister for example, we would have to sit outdoors. Several places near me have built under cover, heated outdoor areas to improve their business. In tier 2 if you meet in a pub/cafe with anyone interviewing your household/bubble , you must sit 2 metres apart. It's not worth going anywhere to do that.
Of course children at school are not doing this.

SwallowsInSpring · 20/10/2020 05:07

You’re completely right. We went out for lunch today-me and my husband. Sat together at a table, spaced apart from other tables. Lots of hand gel, one way, waitress wearing a visor etc. But at the other tables probably about half the people were friends meeting up for lunch. The next table along from us was four women in their 70s, they didn’t kiss each other as they arrived and did a sort of stand back and wave thing, then they sat down round quite a small table. About 50-60cm apart I’d guess.

It’s so weird! You can mix indoors or outdoors in groups of up to 6, from up to 6 different households, maintaining social distancing. Unless you are in a support bubble in which case you count as one household, and households don’t need to maintain social distancing. It’s very clear!

I feel sorry for all the people making HUGE efforts-my daughter’s school, my son’s nursery, the local farm park, the local theatre. All closed for a while now struggling to reopen with so many measures in place. All the small businesses who have gone bust or barely scraping through. All the people not hugging their family members. And restaurants can get away with this?? I don’t understand it at all.

icedancerlenny · 20/10/2020 05:35

I’m shocked. I thought people were just breaking the rules but looks like no one can understand them. I think the basics are quite simple that you don’t go within 2m of anyone you don’t live with. You can only have one support bubble and only if one of you is lives in a single adult household. That’s not hard to understand.

Obviously there’s more to it such as 1m plus mitigation and actually the ‘established relationships’ part has been abandoned above tier 1, but regardless of these kinds of details, the basic principles are limit social interaction and keep away from the people you do see!

Whatsonmymindgrapes · 20/10/2020 07:25

@DameFanny this is common knowledge but people are fed up and just doing their own thing. You can go to a pub beer garden/cafe outside area and mix with people not in your household. You’ve never broken the law? Never had one sip of alcohol before your 18th? Never driven 35 in a 30 area? Everyone breaks the Law now and then OP I’m sick of yin’s jollier than thou Covid attitude. You’re not “shocked” that people are doing this, you just love moaning about Covid!!

Whatsonmymindgrapes · 20/10/2020 07:26

Sick of this holier*

Original poster

DameFanny · 20/10/2020 07:29

Going by comments on this and other threads this isn't common knowledge @Whatsonmymindgrapes. And I don't know why you find it 'holier than thou' - am I not allowed to see things differently than you?

OP posts:

Original poster

DameFanny · 20/10/2020 07:31

@Florencex that's the base guidance for England - it's only not true if you can't meet anyone in the pub, no?

OP posts:

Walkaround · 20/10/2020 07:33

@ReluctantRenegade

I think at this point a lot of people are feigning confusion about the rules because they don't want to adhere to them. Surely such a large proportion of the UK including those with responsible jobs, their own businesses etc. cannot be so thick.

Not true. With so many regular changes of guidelines and rules, and so many of the guidelines being impossible to adhere to all the time, anyway, you don’t have to be thick to be confused by the mixed messages being sent out. You definitely don’t have to keep a metre away at all times from a hairdresser while getting your hair cut, or a driving instructor while having a driving lesson, or a fellow pupil in the classroom, or another passenger in an aeroplane, or a taxi driver, or another passenger in a private vehicle who you are having to give a lift to (with masks on and windows open, and sitting as far apart as you can, which may not be 1m, but as per the guidelines on giving lifts where you have to...). It is not against any laws in England in tier 1 for six people to book a table at a restaurant and sit around it, eating and talking with no masks on - no rules on size of table or limiting each table to one household or support bubble. The rules are as clear as you would expect from a Government getting its knickers in a twist over how to keep businesses running whilst telling everyone it isn’t safe to get anywhere near each other.

Original poster

DameFanny · 20/10/2020 07:39

@SwallowsInSpring @icedancerlenny it's weird isn't it - the distance message seems lto have got completely lost somewhere

OP posts:

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 20/10/2020 07:40

I'm more " shocked" that people cant asses the risks for themselves and act upon it , you know, like an adult with a brain ?
If you feel it is risky dont do it , despite what a politician tells you. Look after yourself with distancing , hygiene etc why all this angst over every other scenario that exists that is probably never going to come up in your own life ?
Its madness when the PM has to go on telly to tell grown ups to wash their hands after going on public transport. I despair .

RichardMarxisinnocent · 20/10/2020 07:51

You're allowed just one support bubble and only if you are a single adult household. You can have a childcare bubble I believe but not clear on the rules on that.

The app has absolutely nothing to do with Serco.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 20/10/2020 07:56

Thank you OP, you are correct and I have been baffled for ages why so many people seem be ignoring this or have forgotten about it. I have posted about it on a few other threads.

Oliversmumsarmy · 20/10/2020 07:57

Pubs and restaurants have been open since July
There wasn’t a spike in infections till children went back to school.

We have sat round a table with friends. I mean how can you and friends eat out if you have to SD. It doesn’t make sense unless you are going to book out a restaurant.

For those of us not with school age children who have been isolating for a couple of weeks or haven’t been in close proximity to anyone and have worn a mask when outside their home I feel perfectly safe sitting and eating with them.

You can only catch this virus if another person near to you actually has it.
If the people you are out with don’t have it then you can’t get it from them.

Halliehallie9828 · 20/10/2020 08:01

You do realise that a lot of people are just PST caring? They are fed up and if the they are allowed to meet in groups of 6 then they will.

SwallowsInSpring · 20/10/2020 08:01

@walkaround but that’s why in those situations they’ve suggested wearing PPE. So if you can’t do your job and stay a good distance apart, like hairdressers etc, then wear a mask (and a visor ideally). The waitresses at the restaurant we went to were wearing visors because to reach our table to put down drinks, food etc they needed to come within 1m of us. The people sitting together weren’t wearing masks etc.

Halliehallie9828 · 20/10/2020 08:03

Past*

chomalungma · 20/10/2020 08:13

As far as I'm aware the 2m/1m has always been guidance and not law

I remember BBC Breakfast going to restaurants and pubs and looking at how they were implementing the 2m rule for people.

NaturalLight · 20/10/2020 08:14

I hear you DameFanny. We are in tier 2 so absolutely not meeting with people inside, but I hadn’t appreciated the SD guidance for tier 1. And from my avid reading of Covid posts on here I don’t think many people do. Which means that a lot of people are in situations where they are potentially spreading it.

The other “misunderstanding” that concerns me is that you can have Covid without displaying any symptoms - or just having a headache - or what you think is a mild cold. And those people are meeting with friends inside with no social distancing.