2m social distancing just not going to happen after lockdown

[FreierFall]

Even now many people can't be bothered. Yes queuing outside people do but once inside B&Q, Aldi etc it's just not happening.....at least where I am. Can you imagine walking down a busy high street after lockdown ends and trying to keep 2m away from everyone. Totally unrealistic to expect the population to do it. Heathrow have said social distancing at their airport is basically impossible. Not sure what the solution is though until the vaccine is available (next 6 months fingers crossed)

[MilkTrayLimeBarrel]

Well it will be happening wherever I am - I will keep on distancing myself from everybody for as long as it takes to get a vaccine/treatment.

[FreierFall]

I don't blame people for not being able to stick to the 2m thing. It's so alien and unnatural, and to be constantly checking for other people around you....It's mentally draining. I'd rather wear a gas mask!!

[Qasd]

In density crowded cities it will be impossible not because people “cannot be bothered”but because you could never with the best will in the world walk through central London streets two metres apart if there were a normal number of people out and about it only works now because most people are not out so when you do need to go out it’s quiet. Socially distancing would practically require a lot less people to live London than do!

[Derbygerbil]

Face masks are surely part of the answer. They may not be completely effective, but they should substantially reduce the risk of someone with the virus from passing it on.

Part of the problem is that some people have an “all or nothing” mentality. Either something removes the risk entirely, or it’s not worth it... Hence people not going out in case a puff of wind from a passing cyclist will contaminate them.

Then those people, unable to cope either with the behaviour needed to continue completely protecting against the risk, or the concept of risk mitigation go “fuck it... If I can’t 100% prevent it, I may as well carry on as normal”.

[Letseatgrandma]

If you've got a lot of the country back to their 40-50 hour weeks are they going to be happy to stand aside for other workers or is that going to drift to an end?

I definitely think that will be an issue.

[ifonly4]

I work in a well known shop. We've been told there has to be a 2m distance and to ask customers to step back sufficiently if we're by a wall, another customer or need to operate self serve - no one has, but if they do refuse we've been told to walk away. I doubt many employers think like them though.

Organisations are going to struggle even more financial with time having to be given to social distance, extra hand washing, paying an extra member of staff to be on the door to limit numbers. It'll all have a knock on effect on products being more expensive.

Regarding being at work, you could argue people won't be going out so much socially, shopping, so they've got time to queue (I know what I'd rather be doing though).

[psychomath]

Good post Derbygerbil.

I think some of what happens next will depend on how many people turn out to have had the virus already, once the antibody tests are ready. About half of my friends have had COVID-like symptoms during the lockdown period but none of us were hospitalised - obviously without the test we can't be sure that's what it was, but if it does turn out that a high proportion of people have antibodies already then the social distancing measures can be relaxed a bit. For example maybe we'll have to wear masks inside supermarkets and not go out if we have a cough, but standing 2m from every other person at all times won't be necessary. On the other hand, if only a few percent of people have had it then we'll need to keep stricter measures for longer.