Escaping London ‘Lockdown’ before ‘too late’ ?

[Stircrazyschoolmum]

Since the announcement at 17.00, I’ve been pinged by 3 different mum friends/associates telling me they are escaping SW London to Norfolk / West Country whilst they still can. (There seems to be an opinion that London will lockdown imminently although that wasn’t how I read the press conference.)

To be fair, they all had plans to be away over the Easter holidays but now are saying they will go ASAP (one already packing car) and won’t necessarily return until the peak in London dies down.

I kind of thought avoiding non-essential travel meant you weren’t supposed to travel and misguidedly (?) thought restrictions on pubs/theatre etc wasn’t just a London thing? One family is staying with parents (healthy but still?)

I’m not passing judgement as everyone has to do what they believe to be best, just curious whether I’ve misinterpreted the guidance!

Norfolk’s terrible - you don’t want to come here!!!!!

I’m glad I’m not alone in my thinking!

I did challenge one and her argument was that it’s her own second home and could isolate more effectively there with small kids due to space. They are fit and well so no transmission (she believes) They are taking the bloody bog roll with them!!!

Ping them back and tell them Norfolk kindly declines their plans.

General interested question- if someone were to get in their car taking with them everything they needed for a weekend, turned up at an isolated cottage, stayed there without leaving for the whole weekend then got in the car and came back, surely that would be ok?

I live in London

My mother - 82 - does not

I now have to decide whether or not to go there tomorrow or Wednesday and wait it out. I’m inclined to wait till Wednesday to see if I can get my medication in my borough. I’m probably immunocompromised because if asthma.

I’m aiming for Wednesday. My works all cancelled anyway.

Should I run for it tomorrow and just assume her surgery can sort my meds?

I’m not sure.

I don’t want to leave her alone for 12 weeks.

I've just cancelled a holiday that I've been looking forward to for months. Pinksparkly. Air BNB are now doing full refunds if you booked before March, don't know if that helps?

Tell them there is not one ecmo machine In Norfolk seriously you're a gonner if you need it red toe tag for you

I can't afford to lose £400 as we won't be able to rebook if we do but I can't see how I'm going to get a refund as the government has only advised against non essential travel, not banned it.

I think you won't get it back. No obligation to, and companies simply can't afford to refund out of good will due to the circumstances.

To be fair why would we expect second homers to be anything less than absolutely selfish.

I knew this would happen, we've been lucky in Cornwall so far.

Londoners, Cornwall doesn’t want you!... Even more so than usual 😉

In all seriousness, stay where you are. We only have one major hospital in the whole county, and we can’t cope with there being more sick people than just the locals, or a higher infection rate due to people bringing the virus in from cities.

Please tell them Cornwall says no thanks. Our health services are stretched in the best of times and already our vulnerable people are struggling. Met an older lady in a supermarket this afternoon who was really upset due to the panic buying. And not being able to get what she genuinely needs. It's bad enough here as it is. Oh and I'd say from things I've heard on the grapevine cases are lots higher here then what are being reported, as they are everywhere. Everywhere will be locked down soon enough.

OP tell your mummy pals Norfolk doesn`t bloody want them!!

As a Norfolk person, please tell them to FUCK OFF!

OP remind them in this quaint part of the UK if they need ICU or hospital care.....its rather more thin on the ground here!!

If I had a bolt hole in the country it would be set up to be self sustainable as possible. I would pack up what we need and go into lockdown elsewhere.
No need to visit anywhere to infect other people. And unlike staying in London, we could stay in isolation for a longer period of time.

Maybe that what those who are packing up are doing. I know someone doing it and I don’t blame them

Yeah, who wants to be near our world-class teaching hospitals

And this is one of the main reasons why schools are not being closed. Those who have the means will just up sticks and spread the virus with them. Look at the pattern of outbreak in Italy and Spain, this is exactly what happened there.

This is happening in France too. Campsites in the South of France are heaving now that the schools have shut.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat over here in the Netherlands a lot of holiday places are offering a voucher for cancelled holidays. So, no refund but no loss of the money either, you redeem the voucher for a like-for-like holiday/break within a year. Seems fair to me.

Oh dear this is what happened in Italy.

Beware those that live in Blackpool loads that couldn't go to Benidorm for St Patricks are coming in their massive

Tell them to stay where they are. More hospitals in London.

When you think people can’t be anymore selfish .

The south west is full of elderly and few scattered hospitals.

Campsites that would have loads of social contact wouldn’t it

Everyone is bonkers. I’m closing the doors

Unfortunately it's not Airbnb, it's an independent holiday company so I don't think I'll be getting it back.

I think you won't get it back. No obligation to, and companies simply can't afford to refund out of good will due to the circumstances.

I'd be happy even if they gave me a voucher and let me rebook. I've spent thousands with them over the years but will look elsewhere in future.

Maybe it is why for school thing people just up and off

Are they bringing their own toilet roll, or will they descend on Londis like a plague of locusts?