What's classes as non essential social gatherings? Can I still meet friends with my toddler?

[HotChocolatemarshmallows]

We usually go to baby groups then for a coffee. Baby groups are now cancelled and I'm not sure I'm happy to go for a coffee now either, not sure I want to go to peoples houses either! So is a meet up for a walk safe?

Are people avoiding friends now?

I am.

It sounds dramatic but the less people you see the better. Meeting up with friends is non essential socialising. I'm an extrovert and love being around people but we all need to do our bit as much as we can.

DS and I will be going to school, work and the shops and that's it. I'd WFH if I had the option but I don't. We need to take this seriously.

Yes definitely. We've cancelled numerous family events that are due to happen in the next month.

Surely you know meeting friends is non essential?

Essential social gatherings refers to interactions with other people that cannot be avoided. Things such as picking up shopping/prescriptions/essential works such as gas, electricity etc.

Meeting up for a social get together is not an essential thing. Bars/cafes/restaurants should be avoided. Going for a walk could be ok, but you will all need to maintain space between you.

This may help. No one should be meeting up with fiends. It’s the opposite of social distancing..!

I thought a walk with a friend was a good compromise. Maybe I'll cancel

I mean no offence to you personally with this OP, but I genuinely can't understand how people don't understand the meaning of essential or non essential?!

The non-essential and essential is bloody confusing to me, because as a teacher I am expected to go into work today and carry on as normal.

Why is it ok to spend the day shut in a classroom with two dozen children with questionable hygiene, but then not walk home in the fresh air with my colleague who has spent the day in the classroom next door to me?!

Is meeting them ‘essential’? No. Then cancel. It’s going to be tough, but it is what it is.

Baby groups where I work are still running. My employer does not give two fucks.

I can go to work mix with the public all day, use dirty public transport but I can't see a friend with no symptoms in my own house? Guidelines are far too woolly.

@Goatinthegarden totally agree with you!

Yes I would say it is non essential and should be avoided, which is pretty tough. I am in a similar situation, my boyfriend of 3 years and I don't live together so I am trying to get used to the fact that I probably won't see him for the next few weeks. It feels pretty crappy, especially as we can walk to each other's homes without getting close to anyone else, and if we lived together we would be seeing each other daily.

Oh, and I am also going to be expected to go to work on at least some days and mix with people (rota being implemented for WFH as am an essential worker and some of us need to be in the office). My boyfriend works in the same building so I am allowed to come across him there, but not in our homes.

Absolutely not avoiding friends
Still doing hot yoga, running with friends, round to friends for coffee etc

It is essential to my mental health
Lot less than was ie no coffee shop meets or dinners out etc
But still socialising

@Goatinthegarden It’s not okay. We’re just collateral damage.

goatinthegarden

Oh I agree completely that it's contradictory and ludicrous. I'm a pregnant nurse feeling really concerned about how I should still be Frontline staff facing loads of patients on a daily basis and still send my daughter to nursery mixing with God knows what, yet they've said to social distance! But I still understand what essential and non essential means!

Go for a walk in the fresh air. Get the little ones to run around. Best way to combat bugs in my opinion. Obv wash hands after and dont let the children lick each other!

Those of you still seeing friends, are you aware of yesterday’s new instruction to ‘avoid non essential social contact’?

I think if none of these people are displaced symptoms and u are careful about hand washing and using anti bac then I am still going to visit only my bestest friends house coffee etc vice versa
As we still have to walk out children to school togther. I do care of course as I have health anxiety but I have to get out for my mental health.
It won't be long before we will get stopped by police and fined for going out

Quite apart from my own worries about being a teacher with moderate asthma but who has had the worst cheat infection I've ever had just a few months ago that left me gasping..but I'm still ok to go to work with super spreaders....

Yes makes no sense not to see work friend when in class together all day. Same with kids saying they cant see friends but they are at school all day?

My teen doesn't get why she can't go skating at the weekend but can be expected to be in 8 different groups of kids for her lessons on a daily basis.

Its all about limiting the number of people you come into contact with. So if your work involves travelling and then seeing people, then its essential. If other people are staying away, then you are in contact with less people. This article explains it really well and has graphics to show how social distancing works. www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/