I I can’t take dd to visit her boyfriend tomorrow can I?

[TakeANote]

Their college closed today but all the other local schools and colleges are open.

But social distancing means she can’t visit him tomorrow, doesn’t it?

She is cross and says if they went to the college next door they would still be seeing each other.

This is confusing! I can’t take her, can I?

No.

Nope. She needs to take this seriously.

I would if she's not displaying symptoms. It's not exactly a gathering is it. And if they lived together they'd still be seeing each other. How old is she?

No

You have no idea how long it is going to be before they get to see each other again either. I suggest it falls into the with caution group.

Yes, you can. Assuming neither of them has symptoms, there is no reason for her to be distancing herself from him.

They are both 17. She normally takes public transport but I would drive her.

They weren’t expecting school to finish today. It’s come as such a shock.

But it isn’t ESSENTIAL is it?

No, this is how it spread across Italy, by people travelling.

@Bercows
That diagram is for vulnerable people.

I get that it seems unfair when all the other colleges and schools are still open.

Some people appear to have the virus with no symptoms.

Is visiting him worth risking your lives and the lives of anyone else you live with when you get back and infect them?

I’d say no. Unless you plan to leave her with him as they live together or something.

The Italian spread was due to people re-locating completely, wasn't it? Not by a 17 yr old seeing her local boyfriend whom she would (until today) have seen at college anyway...

The less contact people from different households have with each other, the more slowly this will spread, and the more chance the most sick people will have of being ventilated when they need it.

Either your DD or her BF could be asymptomatically carrying the virus. They should not meet up.

It is also confusing because we work in the NHS and frankly the advice feels like it’s been “you healthy people should really try to get it...” We are EXPECTING to get it. I’d rather get it ASAP frankly.

No, I wouldn’t. As an aside, I was slightly amused to see reading in the safe zone on that list

Social distancing guidance is for vulnerable groups at the moment.

www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

Social distancing guidance is for vulnerable groups at the moment.

It’s for everyone isn’t it?

Well, my boyfriend doesn't live with us, he lives an hour away. We're still seeing each other as long as we're healthy, Kids are still in school, the advice is to avoid gatherings and self isolate with symptoms. Not to never see anyone ever.

Yes the guidance is actually REALLY vague. It says to reduce contact and avoid gatherings. It doesn’t say avoid contact.

Do you have anyone vulnerable at home?

Does the boyfriend?
I take it you wont be mixing with anyone?

Assuming you go to work, then theres the chance you would bring it back anyway.

Are you expecting her to isolate and not see anyone?

My BIL is an A&E doctor and says at the moment just avoid large groups and gatherings etc, if it's a small group and you're all symptomless it is ok.

It applies to everyone

The advice is for EVERYONE. That was made very clear at the press conference yesterday.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Skip to the summary table if you don't want to read it all.

I would suggest using common sense. Are either of them on high risk groups? If not, let them see each other. My DS is still getting 4 buses a day and in a hot room with other sweaty teens. I've just queued for 20 minutes in the local supermarket.

It doesn’t really apply to everyone though because children with asthma were being advised to go to school today! Which is confusing.