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?

Well I do only give a shit about myself. I don't care what Joe Soap gets up to and I'm pretty damned sure he doesn't give a shit about me.

Hoffi - if you think that strangers care about you, you're beyond deluded.

Gosh I find it fascinating how quickly people blame each other for spreading the virus while fighting in the aisles for hand sanitiser.

The Government advice is open to interpretation, we are told that we can go outside and exercise if we have symptoms so why can’t we go outside for exercise if we don’t have symptoms? This is not the same as visiting pubs and social gatherings.

How do you define essential contact, essential for the economy and a our financial security or essential for our mental health or physical health?

The government are fudging the figures, not testing, the NHS can’t cope and the lack of transparency increases fear. I think the advice needs to more explicit, particularly as it is a fast changing.

The benefits of social distancing needs to be explained more clearly.

What has church got to do with anything? I’m atheist. Haven’t stepped foot in a church since a wedding 12 years ago.
Anyway this is pointless. This is why we will all be on forced lockdown within days/weeks. Because people can not be relied upon to think about others.
Enjoy your life Turd.

This is from an Australian I u doctor but it applies everywhere. Even if you aren't worried about catching the virus you might care when you and your kids can't get treatment for something else:
"Coronavirus isn’t just like the flu, but it’s only really very dangerous to the elderly or the already unwell. Quite a lot of people in their 80s will die, but most of the rest of us will probably be okay.

“If you’re in your 70s and you get Coronavirus, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

“If you’re in your 60s and you have a heart attack, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

“If you’re in your 50s and need bowel cancer surgery, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

“If you’re in your 40s and have a bad car accident, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

“If you’re in your 30s and have terrible pre-eclampsia as a complication of pregnancy, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

“If you’re in your 20s and have a bad reaction to a party drug, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.
(...)
“So it’s up to you to flatten the curve. Wash your hands. Stay home."

Wow so groups cancelled for obvious reason and people in my group chat are arranging meet ups and play date. Honestly I think us actually social distancing are in the minority!

Avoid play dates but send the kids to school when nobody knows if you’ll be sitting beside somebody who’s infected. They may have been sent in with symptoms because “it’s just a cough” or even be sent in in good faith because they’ve not shown any symptoms.

Send them in on packed school buses to crowd in to classes of 40-50 when teachers are off, wonder if the school has any soap or sanitizers left. Note how many pupils don’t even wash their hands after going to the toilet. Pay for your lunch with a fingerprint. Get coughed on on the bus home ,return home to your family who have been told to stay at home for 12 weeks because their health conditions make them very vulnerable.

What a wonderful way to limit the spread and reduce the strain on hospitals.

Can anyone explain why we are not being encouraged to keep our children at home unless we actually need to send them in for childcare reasons? We keep being told it’s for childcare of essential workers but what reason is there to send the rest in?

We live very near PIL and SIL/BIL.

We have 3 DC (7m, almost 3y and 5y). Now have to self-isolate for a fortnight as DD and I have a cough- hers is still there, mine has gone but I have a small cold. DH and DS1 at home for next 2 weeks.

FIL has chronic health condition- although is very well- and grandma (90s) lives with them. He has a slight cough. Now they are self-isolating.

SIL is pregnant and having a difficult time with it- now has to stay at home for 12 weeks! What does that mean for BIL? Has he to stay at home?

We have gone from all being fine to all being 'interred' (as DH put it last night) in the space of 3 days.

Can anyone explain why we are not being encouraged to keep our children at home unless we actually need to send them in for childcare reasons?

It’s up to you if you want to keep your children at home. Our school has sent an email out saying children self isolating at this point will be marked on the register as ‘unable to attend due to unavoidable circumstances’ with no penalty. If you want to keep your children off, speak to the school and ask them their policy.

Of course you don't meet up - my baby groups have all cancelled now but I wasn't going anyway. Non essential is not meeting mates for a chat. This is a global health crisis ffs

Non essential is not meeting mates for a chat.

I bet you have a family. All the people with this attitude seem to. For those of us who live alone suicide is a real risk.

The new rules in France are quite clear about what this means - you can go out within your immediate area to buy food or visit the pharmacy. You can go for a run or walk your dog, but you must do these things alone - you can’t meet with someone else outside your immediate household to do this. The way it was explained to me was that you need to think about how you can limit your contact with others - you can’t avoid being in contact with the people you live with, but should limit all other contact to essential transactions.

I agree it is really hard if you live on your own

HOT YOGA?!! I am actually flabbergasted by the stupidity.

I came across the following in an article I was reading this morning, but haven't looked at it yet. It does seem that changing one bit of our thinking could provide a helpful bias when having to make such decisions.

"In the words of Prof Graham Medley, our best option is to “imagine you do have the virus.. and change your behaviour so that you’re not transmitting”.

TK: Nooruddean on Twitter

HOT YOGA?!! I am actually flabbergasted by the stupidity.

Well, it might depend on how it is done. If everybody brought their own mat and towel, and made sure they were in a big enough room, and were all two metres apart at all times - what would be the risk, actually? Why is that any worse that walking in the park at 2 metres apart?

Obviously if they were sharing mats and/or were within a few centimetres of each other, and/or chatting before and after within normal social distance, that would be different.

My niece is a widow with a 6 yr old DD. She works in a care home. The home have banned all trips out and visitors, now many of these visitors are a valuable help for their relative in the home, both on a practical and emotional level.

The home will not employ more staff, therefore the carers are working extra hard both physically and dealing with with the residents who are missing their families and days out. The residents are going to be stir crazy in a few weeks.

Working with vulnerable people she knows she needs to be vigilant.

Social distancing means she is coming home from work exhausted and cooped up at home with only a 6 yr old for company. She is worried what will happen if the school closes, she is worried that her child may become infected and she would be unable to go to work.

Taking her DD to the park but keeping her distance would make a difference in how she manages her mental health.

There are many people in similar or worse situations. I really don’t know how some people will cope both financially and emotionally and I think it would be quite easy for some people to choose denial rather than face their fears.

I cannot stress this enough, PREGNANT WOMAN DO NOT NEED TO STAY AT HOME FOR 12 WEEKS. They are strongly advised to limit social contact but can still continue to go to appointments where necessary, to the supermarket if required etc.

The only people who will need to be shielded for 12 weeks are in a very specific subset of people who will be contacted by their GP next week. It's not just people who would get the flu jab either, it's people who are severely immunocompromised, who have severe asthma (as in they've been in ICU with it or frequently need steroids) and CF, and some people with chronic kidney disease etc (ie needing dialysis).
If you don't get a phone call from someone within the NHS next week, you do not need to stay completely indoors for 12 weeks.
You should, of course, continue to limit social contact but you will not be on house arrest!

They are strongly advised to limit social contact but can still continue to go to appointments where necessary, to the supermarket if required etc.

And what about work? What if you're in a public facing role? What if you can't work from home?

I am sure we will go into enforced lock down. Things are changing very quickly. It was only 5 days ago that the advice was only to wash your hands.
And London is supposed to have a lot of cases. Once more people die in London it will change.

What is difficult to understand about the fact that someone who doesn't have any symptoms may still have coronavirus or be a carrier ?

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

Sorry but this is absolutely bonkers and incredibly selfish. We are in Spain where the country is in lock-down. We can shop for essentials like food but only one of us can go into the shop, likewise one of us can take the dog for a quick walk (country tracks up in the mountains where we meet no one) but not both.

Absolutely no one here is doing gym classes or having coffee with friends or jogging. All restaurants, bars, schools are closed and police are on the streets issuing fines to anyone who is stupid enough to ignore the rules. 🤷‍♀️

I am currently furious with Slimming World as they are saying going to group is essential for us to keep on track but I suspect mainly as all their consultants are self employed. No waivering of fees even for those self isolating.

It's bloody irresponsible. Weight Watchers have already closed down before the announcement yesterday

If I had no symptoms I’d still meet friends outside. Maybe not in the house but I’d go for a walk.