Should we be spending more time with loved ones.

[sigmu87]

The projected figures are alarming and Johnson’s losing family members prematurely warning, was stark.

If the worst comes to the worst, lots of people will die. My mum almost certainly as someone with underlying health issues.

I have heard people saying they are staying away from parents to protect them. One woman was crying on the radio yesterday about her decision not to visit them anymore until this is over.

My mum suffers from loneliness as it is.

What do you think on this. Is it better to carry on as normal with the usual precautions of hand washing etc or to avoid completely as may become the instruction?

It makes me sad to think peoples parents could pass away and their family won’t have seen them for weeks or months depending on the severity.

We live 2 hours from our family and have put visiting plans on hold. We have just visited for a family event so saw everyone then. We are basically hunkering down for a few weeks and then will assess nearer Easter.

We are considering bringing my MIL to us. She lives alone and has dementia (2nd stage so assessed to be ok to live alone), COPD and mild mobility issues.

My parents who are over 70 but in pretty good health (touch wood) have decided they would rather not have visitors. We haven’t seen them for a couple of weeks now and it seems we won’t for a whole still. I find it heart breaking but at the same time need to respect their decision.

My parents are 3 hrs away and have cancelled Easter plans to us :(

It's so difficult, my DM is late 80s and lives on her own, my DF has recently died, and I normally see her a couple of times a week. I had a conversation with her last night and she wants me to still go round, but then that makes me worried about doing some of the things that keep me sane and healthy (gym/swim mainly) and keeping my business going, I already had a long period last year when both my parents were ill and everything was on hold and it was difficult to bounce back from that, in fact I haven't really. My biggest risk other than that is teen DD who's at a huge college and her friends are off out clubbing etc. as usual. I don't know what to do for the best.

My mum has an underlying health condition that makes her high-risk - but she also lives rurally in a place with few people.

I'm literally her biggest exposure risk, given my job in a very international setting and the fact that - even with restrictions in place - I still meet dozens of people each week, some of them from all over the place or who have themselves met with people from across the world just recently.

Also, my local area has multiple confirmed cases. Hers has none.

So, I'm not seeing her for the time being - we've decided to speak on the phone more often, though.

It really does depend on your own assessment of the risk/benefit balance.

Some people might bring their Easter visiting forward, in case it's considerably worse by then (11/04 this year). Others might cancel altogether right from now. Others might carry on.

All depending on where you live and what you do - how exposed you think you might be - and the same for your hosts.

There is no 'best' answer when you are dealing with a situation where one or more of the people is highly vulnerable.. just the one you think you can live with.

Dealing with loneliness is a separate issue. You can FaceTime your own family, but what can people do about those who are all alone, generally but especially now when things like (indoor) clubs may be under pressure to shut down

My father (75) normally picks up one of my children (who goes to a school that's awkward to get to) and get the other en route once a week.

My sons (13) would jump in the car and out and my dad would make them a quick snack and go home.

He doesn't want to do that at the moment, which I understand.

My mother lives a couple of hours away but we are holiding off at the moment.

Saw PILs last weekend (83 and 77). We wanted to see them while we can..But FIL (who's had triple heart bypass previously) was not remotely bothered by cv and looking at bargain holidays!

I’ve kept my dc away from grandparents for the last few weeks, and I’m calling everyday to chat and video calling with the dc. It’s hard to know if we’re doing the right thing. If they die after weeks of not seeing us then we’ll have put us all through this for nothing.

It’s just sad isn’t it: my mum sees one person a week usually and that’s it. The other six days she sees no one. I find it all very sad all of this.

My mother in law lives just a couple of minutes walk from us. She is already frail with a history of (minor) heart issues. We are rural with no cases anywhere near us yet. She is normally very active but as reduced her activities and is talking about self isolation maybe next week. We can disinfect and leave supplies in the garage. We both come into contact with alot of people at work. So don't want to pass anything on to her. We changed her glitchy house phone last week plus got a second cordless one. Her house is pretty big and we wanted to make sure she is always near a phone if she is unwell and not feeling cut off. We have filled the freezers and supplied sanitisers. We brought lots of cheap white cotton gloves that she is wearing just now out and about. She then boil washes the gloves.

Her other son and family have stopped their weekly visits until this is over.