So they expect us to never see family?

[SpongeCake23]

Unless I missed it, I heard no mention of seeing family in the future plans.
Opening schoolswaa outlined, even possibly opening hospitality services further down the line came up, but nothing at all about seeing people. What does that mean? We’ll never be able to?

Going out for food is not isolating.

You would be an idiot to hug a parent if you have been going out for food.

Does anyone have a link to a news page where says we can meet another family at a park etc.

@hadenoughfornow
But thats my point. If my mum goes out for food and hugs my dad when she is at home how is that any different to me doing the same. Its not. Thats the reality. If both households are isolating and only going out for essentials / food, how is it any different. Its only because the government has said don't do it....but they haven't. They have been as wishy-washy as anything with information and have never specifically answered a question.

@R2519 you or your parents could have caught it on one of your shopping trips and be non-symptomatic therefore giving it to the other if you do hug.

What about if your family are over 70? Can we see them at a distance or not?

Why wasn't there any mention of this in Boris's speech? This is one of they main things people want to know!

So much confusion. I'm embarrassed for this government.

I’m very upset by this - my near 3 year old needs to interact with her cousins at this point. A walk at 2 meters is pointless for such an age group. This and the playground reopening would have been a lifesaver for us.

I know, it's like they're just doing it to annoy us when, in fact, the rules are there to save lives!

Going out for food is not isolating

Quite. I isolated for a month because my dad was ill and when the time came I came over to my parents to be with him for his last few days. Now staying with mum probably until the end of lockdown. I go to the shop now once a week, but we mainly get deliveries and I go for a walk now and then. Mum doesn't go out at all.

Luckily I can wfh though my job ends at the end of May.

@CherieBabySpliffUp.
I understand that.....but you could have picked it up at the shops then go to work, as you can't work from home, and give it to everyone there. Yes social distance will be observed but there is jo way to ensure 2 meters is always kept when working for several hours in the same place. Touching services etc.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I won't be seeing my parents for a while yet but I'm trying to get my head round how people think its any different or of they just feel because the government hasn't said you can do it they think they can't or its a huge risk.

Obviously those who are shielded or very vulnerable are excluded from when I'm saying.

On bbc news. And Dominic Raab said it was fine on bbbc this morning.

If my mum goes out for food and hugs my dad when she is at home how is that any different to me doing the same. Its not.

Individually it's no different. But it's just more people being in contact, more people in more places, having been to more places etc and that is what they are trying to limit.

It's been left wide open. For a reason. We are being encouraged to make individual choices. If all the white vans this morning with 2+ people in are anything to go by then I sure as f are not going to stop seeing my family any more. Mine are coming over this weekend. Figured it's safest time as more risky when schools back and we are all out more. We've all been isolating.

@oneforsorrow29
I completely agree and that is my point.....no guidance specially given and nothing is said about not doing things. Its like the government is giving everyone just enough rope to hang themselves but not quite enough to be able to say we advised against it. They are so wishy-washy in everything they say its completely open to interpretation.

Why do people thing they are isolating and in next breath saying except going for food? Isolating is NOT going out... for food or any other reason. I despair!

This is guidance, not law. We know that children under 7 aren't transmitting it and those that are normal weight and healthy, aren't likely to get sick from catching it (a lot less than other childhood illnesses), which is why in other countries they are allowing hugs between children and grandparents/cousins etc.

You've got to consider the chance of transmission. It has mainly been adults breathing etc on each other. Young teenagers who have it aren't spreading it to their younger Siblings.

The Government's handling of this has been disgraceful, we have been let down by our health service and those within it. So they are covering themselves.

You've got to watch the science and risk assess for yourself. Tbere may not be a vaccine for the over 70's. Why people aren't getting that, when it's been said again and again, i don't know.

What @ponoka7 said. This.

@StoutDrinker2019.
I do agree to an extent. My only fear is if every bugger does it then we may have a problem. I personally think the government have been intensively vague in the hope at least 50% or people 'stay at home' still whilst accepting the other 50% won't.

I suppose time will tell. My understanding is a great deal of the outbreaks are in hospitals and care homes rather than the wider community where the R number is below 1 so.perhapsntbe government think its a risk worth taking, knowing some will see family etc and ultimately just see what happens.

We don't know that young children don't spread it.

There have been studies that suggest that, and I actually suspect its probably the case.

BUT I don't believe there has been a consensus that children do not spread? They still don't know for sure.

Also worth pointing out that the easing of the lockdown from 1 Jun won't happen if everyone heads out hugging one another! Infection rates will be too high.

@Doidontimmm
I apologise for using the word isolate. I didn't mean it literally as in never once been out. I am fairly certain that hardly anyone has truly been isolating. Not going out for a quick walk or to get some milk. I suppose I meant only going out for essentials. For example we use out local village shop and click and collect. My parents get deliveries and use their local corner shop. To me only using those once a week or less is as close to isolating as you can get.

From what we've seen in shop staff, again that doesn't seem to be a major source of transmission. Two of my DD's work in retail, only one of my DD's work colleagues has had it. She caught it from her Nurse DD who she lives with. Interestingly her DD was on oxygen in hospital, but she had standard flu like symptoms. That's to do with viral load and transmission route. No one in work caught it to a level were they had symptoms.

I think it's becoming a personal choice and the quicker that we get the antibody tests up and running, the quicker we will know a lot more.

The responsibility to be smart and responsible has been firmly placed on the individual.

Just look on here at all the threads where people are not staying at home and looking for ANY way to bend the rules because they are lonely, frustrated, at the end of their tether trying to wfh with young kids, bored shitless by having to parent their kids 24/7 , you name it - there is a complaint about every aspect of life .

Unfortunately what people do not seem to be able to grasp is that a viral epidemic does not get resolved because people are bored and frustrated.

I think the government has just gone 'fuck it' if they can't understand how this works after 2 months of having it explained in simple words - then just let them go out and get it. Then we can say 'we told you so' ..

I won't be going to visit family. I will continue to face time them. However I have had a young neighbour die of this. We live rurally and she was wfh and just going out once a week for shopping. I think this is the problem with the gung ho .. until they know someone who has died or nearly died of this - it doesn't feel real.

I predict complete madness taking over and a second major spike in late June.

It's about weighing up the risk. We stayed home for 6 weeks to protect the NHS which is now coping. Some lives have been saved. There is a limit to what we can control on that front. We are seeing my parents only. We won't be seeing any other family for the foreseeable or doing anything other than essential shopping. So we will now act as one household for the foreseeable future. I fully expect my mum to come and stay again and help with childcare. The risk in this case is low. We are adults and we are prepared to take the risk. Please remember that we do live in a Liberal democracy and not a fascist state!! We are not being prisoned in our own homes (China did that but not here).

@MrsTravers very good point. People everywhere are talking and acting as if the 1 June etc changes are definitely happening and they are not. They will not happen if R rises... which is partly down to us (not wholly, because of care homes etc).

Let's just put our kids in zorbs

I’ve already seen my sister a few times on my garden path while dropping something off to each other. It’s good to know I can do the same with my parents who live half an hour away but I’ve always known that would just upset me more, to see them but not be able to hug them or go inside. Fucks sake, this is so hard