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Original poster

AIBU to go for a coffee at friends house ?

207 replies

Giffgaff99 · 19/03/2020 21:52

I'll drive there and back. Is it safe in the current virus climate? Friend is not ill that she knows of

OP posts:
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LittleRen · 20/03/2020 09:48

My DH is working until the bitter end - he is MD and is showing solidarity. He would love not to, and to just hunker down at home with us... honestly, how are people not afraid to go out for these non essentials?? Maybe I am simply paranoid.

dottiedodah · 20/03/2020 09:49

Well I was due to meet a friend next week too .However we have both decided its going to be too risky . The whole point about Social isolation is just that ! If we all pull together ,then hopefully can look forward to meet ups in the Summer and lots of days out then ! Skype .FB .texting and a good old fashioned telephone call are all OK.

LolaSmiles · 20/03/2020 09:52

How many "we're socially distancing but do you think it would be fine for us to do this activity that's non essential and definitely not socially distancing" threads are we going to have?

Ninkanink · 20/03/2020 10:04

Seems like there’re going to be hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them.

Utterly ridiculous.

MrsWx · 20/03/2020 10:06

@MrsWx let’s talk about this in small words given you seem to have trouble understanding.

I do understand. It's not essential but so is so many peoples jobs who are still currently doing them? Yet that's okay because you HAVE to do it, yet there is far more risk of the virus spreading. I'm not just talking about my work, the bars and restaurants, non essential shops - until these all are forced to close I don't think people will understand the severity of the situation.

However I do think that there is also many peoples lives who may be at risk without that 'meet for coffee' Health and well being isn't just physical. This push for everyone in isolation is isolating the people who need help the most.

I referred to the brightly coloured poster above, check on friends and family safely is in the amber.

PurpleDaisies · 20/03/2020 10:11

I referred to the brightly coloured poster above, check on friends and family safely is in the amber.

  1. That’s not an nhs poster.
  2. “Safely” means observing the social distancing rules, which mean not going out for a coffee.

However I do think that there is also many peoples lives who may be at risk without that 'meet for coffee'.

I agree that many people’s mental health is fragile. That “meet fir coffee” has to become something else, like a Skype virtual coffee or a chat on the phone.

Andorra155 · 20/03/2020 10:20

Why do some people think the rules don't apply to them? This is why we need a lock down.

daisypond · 20/03/2020 10:22

No, of course it is not OK. Is it essential travel? No. Is it social distancing? No.

willdoitinaminute · 20/03/2020 10:24

To those who are fretting about their mental health please don’t be offended but how much worse is your mental health going to be if you lose a friend to Coronavirus because you have ignored the advice.
Everyone who is still going to work is doing so knowing that it carries a risk.
I am currently self isolating but will return to work next week where I will have to put myself at a much higher risk than most, where social distancing is not possible and as has been seen in Italy no amount of PPE is effective in stopping infection. I am scared shitless but as a HCP i have an ethical and moral duty to be part of the team.
I will probably not get paid for the next 3 mnths because i am self employed and will be expected to be deployed into a frontline roll when we enter emergency period. It is likely to be entirely voluntary and will put my family at risk but our frontline staff will need our support.

We can all do our bit to help the doctors and nurses who will be doing their best to save our loved ones, SO STAY AT HOME AND LIMIT YOUR CONTACTS.

Using your mental health as an excuse will seem pretty silly in a few months time!

Themaraudersmap · 20/03/2020 10:26

@PurpleDaisies oh well if it’s not an NHS poster it must be rubbish. Off to the pub I go. Hmm

Conrad79 · 20/03/2020 10:26

This thread makes me sad. OP don’t be an arse. Have a video call FFS.

Social DISTANCING. Clue is in the name - no?

Themaraudersmap · 20/03/2020 10:27

@MrsWx if you refer to it again you will see amber means ‘use caution’ ie don’t go if you don’t have to. I’m sure the Op friend is perfectly safe and can have a Skype coffee.

It’s amazing how people can cross the road without getting killed given how much they need this to be spelt out to them.

PurpleDaisies · 20/03/2020 10:28

I wasn’t advocating going to the pub. Where have you got that from any of my posts?

I’ve been advocating strict social distancing all over this board. What I disagree with is somebody using a non nhs poster to justify flouting the stop non essential social rule.

If you want wilfully misunderstand what I wrote, go right ahead. Don’t go to the pub though.

Themaraudersmap · 20/03/2020 10:32

That poster couldn’t be any clearer about what not to do. It’s a good guide to social distancing. Saying it’s not NHS invalidates it to those masses of posters who are already looking for an excuse not to social distance.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 20/03/2020 10:33

The suicide rate is going to shoot up in the next few months.

PurpleDaisies · 20/03/2020 10:35

Read my bloody posts.

Your argument isn’t with me. It’s with the poster who was using that poster to justify meeting friends for coffee under the guise of safety.The nhs is not saying that.

That is not an nhs poster. Did you make the poster? You seem far too over invested in the usefulness of that poster.

People should take their advice first from the nhs.

Ninkanink · 20/03/2020 10:36

I’m not sure it will, actually. Many people find that their survival instinct kicks in when the choice of whether to live or die is potentially taken away from them. I know that for myself, many years ago, I can still pinpoint the exact time that my mind flipped the switch from, I don’t want to have to deal with this pain, to, I really fucking want to live.

Ninkanink · 20/03/2020 10:37

Anyway I’m not sure that discussing suicide is prudent at this time so I’ll say no more on that. But I do think that many people will find that actually they can cope.

bigmamama · 20/03/2020 10:39

@giffgaff99 I'd go. Just MY opinion!
People can be so nasty and vile on here - keyboard warrior comes to mind. The amount of key workers still working and they're kids going to school probably out number the people who aren't! Go have that coffee, enjoy it might be the last for a while

PurpleDaisies · 20/03/2020 10:41

People can be so nasty and vile on here - keyboard warrior comes to mind.

Yes, damn those people who are concerned for the vulnerable and elderly.

How many people are you happy for the op to risk infecting for her coffee?

daisypond · 20/03/2020 10:43

Go have that coffee, enjoy it might be the last for a while
How irresponsible can you get. I despair.

PapercraftNinja · 20/03/2020 10:44

It’s unfair to be unkind it is a genuine question and maybe others reading this thread will benefit from your comments. It’s a very strange and uncertain time and these are very new measures.

I will be following strict self isolating measures at the moment and complete social distancing due to a member of family having a mild temperature. Even if that wasn’t the case I would still be social distancing as it starts asymptotic

Scruffyoak · 20/03/2020 10:45

No. I want to see my friends but I am not as its non essential

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 20/03/2020 10:46

I wasn't looking for a discussion on it. With people's worries about money, and everyone in isolation, it's more than likely going to be the outcome.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 20/03/2020 10:48

will excellent post. Stay well xx Thanks

We've FaceTimed family this week and it's been great, a bit noisy at times but everyone's got involved. I'm planning to FaceTime some people with wine this evening. We've got so much tech, assuming the internet doesn't break we should use it as much as we can.