Friend who lives next door to parents with underlying health conditions

[PrincessConsuelaBananahamm0ck]

As title says. She lives next door to parents who are both in late 60s. One of whom had serious heart attack last year and has high blood pressure. She and her kids (13 and 7), pop round most days for cuppa etc, hour at the most. Usual kisses/hugs for grandma and grandpa. She told me today that she mentioned to them about possibly stopping visiting for a period of time once CV has hit our area (it hasn't yet). Apparently they laughed and thought she was joking. I think she's right. If you were in her situation, would you still be visiting so much? She's worried her family will infect them and her mum would be one of the cases doctors will choose not to treat if/when we hit Italy levels. 65+, heart disease, high blood pressure. Is she right to already be thinking of limiting contact to phone calls and chats over the 6ft fence?!

YABU unless she knowingly havs been in contact with te virus.

I’m in her situation, next door to parents, but mine are in their 80s, both with health issues. I haven’t been in at all in the last week. But rest of the bloody family still keep rocking up with their school and nursery aged children and my father is out and about all over the place. None of them will take it seriously. I got to a point I was really angry over it all as I'm terrified of losing them both and feel like I'm the only one who cares.

I’ve taken a bit of a mental step back a bit this week because it wasn’t doing me any good and I can’t force them but I’m damned if I’m going to pass it on to them. I’m FaceTiming them but I won’t go in.

She is right.

She is doing the right thing There are far too many people still not taking this seriously. Do they think they are immune, do they think they couldn’t possibly spread the virus or are they all just astonishingly stupid?

Your friend is being sensible. Regardless of whether or not she currently has it, reducing our social contact is one of the small changes that we can implement that will allow this virus down.