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?

@eMmAsuper8

I feel the same!! One of my friends is being so arrogant about this. I’ve been accused of being paranoid and she’s adamant she will still be going to bars/clubs/shops and doesn’t even think too much about hand washing as if she gets it it will ‘just be mild flu’ this makes my blood boil as she knows I have a father in the high risk category in one of the highest confirmed areas in the UK! She’s brushing it off as media hype and asked me not to talk about it . Great feeling like you can’t talk to your friends about this!

No turdtime you don't give a shit. Other people do.

The reason they haven't enforced it yet is a) the emergency legislation has been drafted yet and b) they're hoping we'll all be good citizens and think of those at risk before we make selfish decisions like going to the pub or to bloody yoga. They're counting on the vast majority of people doing the right thing first before they have to start bringing in stricter rules.

Try shopping in Lidl and keeping yourself 2 metres from everyone. Lol. Shelves bare. Shop jammed. Clearly, I'm not the only one thinking only of themselves.

people are expected to travel on public transport to work in places full of other people yet they can’t meet friends, it’s bloody bonkers

It's a pandemic FFS. Life has to change to try to prevent hundreds of thousands of people in this country dying.

Your selfish attitude risks killing people in your neighbourhood, perhaps your friends, do you understand that?

Do you drunk drive? If not why not? What you're doing is worse.

The whole thread shows the nonsense of the govt's recommendations yesterday. If it's essential for social contact to cease then that needs to be enforced. You can't just "recommend" that people stop but allow them to keep on doing it

Given that recidivist criminals in the UK operate with impunity, it is understandable that the government is reluctant to criminalise the large scale idiots who refuse to adapt to this new paradigm. However, this softly softly approach won't work if many people are incapable of distinguishing between necessary and unnecessary social contact. So a lock down is inevitable. But how will it be policed?

absolutely not. my toddler is imo the most dangerous so he's not going to nursery and we aren't seeing family or friends for the time being. yes it's very difficult and lonely and it's hard to let "just this once, we'll be careful" but consider the alternative of being locked down because otherwise healthy people are dying in their beds as NHS has collapsed.

Well a trip to any supermarket in the past 3 days would have told them that people aren't doing the 'right thing'. People only think of themselves. Get that into your heads and life will be a lot easier for you.

I’m not the only one thinking only of themselves

Just because you’re not the only disgustingly selfish human being in the world, doesn’t make it ok.

But all the Kids are still going to school! How much social contact is that?
There are over 1500 kids at my dcs school.

Get that into your heads and life will be a lot easier for you

I prefer my like knowing that I’m doing my best to help others and that I have people around me who are going out of their way to help me.
But you crack on as you are. Whatever makes you happy.

Who is going out of their way to help you Hoffi?

I believe the NT are shutting their properties but will be keeping gardens and parks open for people to have a walk and some fresh air. I think you need to take your own flask ans biscuits as the cafes will be shut.

Foghead that is currently unavoidable social contact. Unavoidable because to close the schools will mean losing NHS staff/carers/other essential workers as they will have to stay at home to look after their children. That is likely to change soon, but at the moment it is classed as unavoidable.
Going to a yoga class is avoidable. Going to a baby group is avoidable. Going for a drink with friends is avoidable.
I don’t get why people can’t see the difference.

I think that the schools staying open is presumably because the Italian experience suggests that closing the schools spread the virus because people decamped en masse to different parts of Italy carrying the virus with them. Dunno how long the open schools situation is viable....

For starters, I simply can't lock down as I don't have enough food in the house. I am only making essential journeys - to the shops. But I sure as hell am not going to wither away and die here in my sterile Mecca, for the sake of some other fucker.

If you watch the modelling videos linked to earlier, you would see the point of avoiding social contacts even if your children are still going to school.
I also think that schools are likely to close on Friday.

@turdtimelucky this attitude is what will kill the people with increased risk, you can make that decision for yourself all right but what about others who are doing ESSENTIAL work who may be immunocompromised. it's not about you! it's about doing you bit to limit the spread and enable people already infected to make themselves know with symptoms.

Like I said above turdtimelucky, my family and friends who are putting together food parcels and leaving them on my doorstep. Who are sending activities over for my DC to do. My DC’s teachers who despite putting themselves at risk every day going in to school are finding spare time to send activities over for my DC to do. DC’s friends who are sending videos to my DC to cheer them up. My dad who drove for miles trying to find calpol to leave on my doorstep as I had none for my teething baby.

Hoffi - in your case you've symptoms. So you're not going above and beyond for anyone. You're doing what you've been told.

The advice isn’t law. Meeting others and socialising IS very much a human need- and while the schools remain open I will be meeting people are using my judgement as to when or if this should stop. Or when I am forced to.
I’m taking daily baseline temperatures for the whole family so am not taking it lightly... but I won’t panic and shut down either.

My mum is in an at risk group and is still working with the public in the NHS. Thank god not everyone is as selfish as you eh Turd.

Hoffi - So basically, everyone else is out and about but you're being all pious because you're at home BECAUSE YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS.
I don't have symptoms. And until I do, I'll do just as your friends and family are doing and go about the place as much as I feel like.

Boris wanted us to spread the virus merrily among ourselves
That's not quite the plan.He wanted people to do as much as possible to protect ourselves in order to control the transmission rate and develop herd immunity while carrying on working for as long as possible.
That is still a good plan in theory but unfortunately this virus is too viruoent for it to work , at least in the UK. It seems to work well in South Korea, but they have much more knowledge and experience of dealing with viruses, and the people are more socially responsible it would seem.

im not being fucking pious. You’re being a selfish twat. Not because you’re going to the shops, you need to buy food. But because you’re proclaiming loudly that you only give a shit about yourself.

And that is why no one (as you have admitted you self) gives a shit about you. It’s simple. You reap what you sow.