Are people you know IRL actually taking this seriously?

[HouseElfy]

Because the people I know generally really aren't. There seems to be a massive disconnect between mumsnet, social media in general, the actual news and what people IRL are doing. Yes, a lot of them are working from home now but other than that they are going shopping, to cafes, seeing friends etc. Just had a phone convo with a work colleague and she said even though the schools are closed now, "of course" they will still have playdates and so on because "kids would go mad" otherwise. My 76 year old granddad and his wife are still queuing for their pensions at the post office and going to their bloody bridge club. My FIL is still playing golf. My father says he is self isolating but then is still inviting visitors round for dinner. My own mother seems incapable of staying indoors longer than a couple of hours at a time and is currently out mooching about the shops.

Is it just me and people I know?!?!

Everyone I know is taking it seriously, but we are in London so maybe we are ahead in that respect as the situation is worse here.

So am I!!

It seems to be a real mix near me, I have to admit that until a week or two ago it hadn't dawned on me just how severe this could be.

I work in a customer facing job, expecting us to be shut down fairly soon. We have been a lot quieter, so it's certainly had an impact. Although, we have still had customers coming through the doors and there's a definite 'nothing will stop me' mentality from alot of people. I also know a few people who are self isolating and distancing, so it's a real split here!

I work in a school and we are open until tomorrow. However today we as staff have been told we must turn up on Monday. Waiting to see what we will be doing.

I don’t know many people taking it seriously, I keep talking to people and lot of them are going out etc. Just me who is sat at home and only going out when I have to.

Petiolaris

I think that is extremely harsh and pretty unkind.

round here it is EMPTY.

station car park (I drop kids off) usually full, can hold 200 or more cars, l;ast 2 mornings, 3 cars.

Walk the dog, nature reserve usually loads fo dogs and walkers - this morning deserted.

Supermarket car parks and supermarkets are heaving. every where else is empty. All kids clubs (scouts band etc) are closed.

Really the only place I see people is round food shops.

Some people I know, the conspiracy theorists kind, have slowly taken notice. Others are ignoring the advice completely. DP and I are batting off snide comments when we say we're socially distancing ourselves. My immediate family is my priority and meeting for a pint,a coffee or a chat isn't a necessity, so we're seriously considering long term distancing from the idiots.

If it wasn't for people wearing face masks, and the supermarket shelves being empty, you really wouldn't know anything was going on around here.

I feel like this too. My great grandmother has been to the shops and cafe and mass yesterday which I couldn't believe. I'm here with a baby and toddler trying to socialise on a bare minimum! My dad said it's all a fuss over nothing, despite having a chest infection he wants to come round but I feel like I'm over reacting if I say no! It's a very strange time to say the least.

Nope. People in post office were laughing about it. Others seem to think even if uk has a total lockdown it wont effect our town. It'll be business as usual.

No they're not.

My parents are isolating as they're high risk, but literally everyone else is carrying on as normal treating it all as a huge joke.

Drove through my local high street earlier and all the cafes etc were heaving with people, mainly age 60+.

Makes me fucking furious to be honest. When the schools are having to close, people won't be able to go to work, yet the very people we are supposed to be protecting are out and about enjoying themselves.

I find this weird because where I live people mostly stopped socializing well before the government enforced it. Partly for their own safety, but mostly because they see it as their responsibility to protect everyone.

The governor of my state announced yesterday that all restaurants, bars and pubs must close to dine-in customers. 95% of them had already done so because no one was coming in anyway, and because they could foresee that a move to takeout only was the only thing that was going to keep them in business.

They are kind of taking it seriously but missing the point. The supermarkets were heaving. The smaller shops had chatty, excitable queues round the block. There was a lively FB thread about 'supporting our local cafes and restaurants in this challenging time' by using them. The original poster was suggesting takeaways but everyone else was discussing getting out of the house to go for lunch or dinner in public. So all the high-risk central London workers who have been asked to work-from-home are out and about in our suburb. Just missing the point.

Fuck yes. In the past week the only people who my DD and I have seen - aside from people serving in shops -- are her godmother, for 10 minutes on Sunday to hand over an essential item.

It may be that in London people are slightly ahead of the curve because the virus has hit here earlier. But I despair at the stupidity and selfishness honestly. "The kids will go mad." Maybe. But its better than dying on a respirator of a highly contagious disease. Choices.

I understand why people who can't stop work are keeping on and why they are deeply concerned about their futures.

What I can't get my head around is this endless stream of morons popping up here who are incapable of understanding that the virus won't make an exception for them because they want to go to yoga/take their kids swimming/play bridge/go to a wedding.

Crack on if you must. But don't be surprised when more people become ill and some die and it takes the economy longer to recover.

Largely, yes. Fewer people on the streets. I can’t comment on coffee shops etc as I haven’t been to any since the advice changed. Friends and family are mostly socially distancing and working from home where possible. The ones who aren’t are definitely in the minority.

Yes. My parents have not seen any of their DGCs in over a week and have been in self isolation since last Friday. DS1 has been out of school since last Friday and has only been with one or two friends, outdoors on their bikes.

Most pubs and the bingo hall have closed. Shop workers are wearing gloves and food establishments are only providing take away services. St. Patrick's day, the place was deserted. Sure Start play and stay is cancelled.

I am at the antics being reported on Mumsnet of people not taking this seriously. Do they think that countries are going into lockdown for a laugh?

@Petiolaris use your brain. Without freelancers, we wouldn’t have taxis, television, plumbers, hairdressing, cleaners, dog walkers, artists, actors and goodness knows what.

But they’re just who gets now because a global pandemic has destroyed their income? You sound pleasant

The people in my town literally think we are gonna be here laughing at the rest of the UK with no lockdown rules being enforced on us.

My small set of friends are taking it seriously, several have pre-existing conditions and we are all 40-60 odd so not in the highest risk group but could be if they are already ill.

We are all not socializing, keeping distance if we meet to hand something over/dog walking if they want to still see each other, only going on essential journeys.

There are some people not doing that, I am cross at them as they are wandering around town basically increasing our infection rate too steeply but I hope soon more serious measures are in place. It's pretty sad that some people have to be criminalized to obey social distancing, but that seems to be what's required, the only thing that makes me feel better is I'm not around them!

The coffee shop/pub at the bottom of our road was quite packet yesterday, today, about 6 people in this morning and 1 person a few hours later - normally many more. Streets are more deserted than normal. Buses empty or nearly. Everything just feels different.

PACKED!!!

The problem is Bozo has just 'advised'. He needs to stop sitting on the fence and order it.

I think it’s quite reasonable under the circumstances for people to cancel gigs, lessons, performances, or other bookings. Most freelance workers either save or get insurance for a possible period of no work due to illness or disaster. There’s no point getting angry at people for cancelling - it’s entirely right that they should cancel. It’s your own fault if you didn’t prepare for the possibility you might have no work - a broken leg would have been as disastrous as coronavirus in that sense.

I have no idea to be honest, we’ve been in self isolation for 6 days and I’ve got no idea what the rest of the people in our large village are doing! Seems weird to think people might be out and about as normal while we’re stuck in the house!

Most of our friends are taking it seriously. Kids play dates stopped, no unnecessary trips out etc. No stockpiling as such. There are barely any cars on the road.

Our parents are a mixed bag though - many are trying to hang on their social lives.