I really want to break the rules today.

[rulebreaker645]

I've been so good so far, I've followed the rules to the letter. But I've had enough now.

I want to see my mum and dad and my DC are missing their grandparents so much.

They have a huge garden, with a pool. All I want to do is spend some time over their.

I don't know if it's just the weather, it's gone on so long or it's this Dominic Cummings bullshit which has spurred be on !

Someone talk me down !!

Personally it’s not with the risk to my parents’ health but you do you

Can I remind you that we are still at a critical stage with controlling this pandemic. That there is no treatment or vaccine. That older people are particularly vulnerable to infection and only 20% of patients on a venterlator survive, the marority do not. Sneering cynisim directed at Dominic Cunnings is not an excuse for not using your brain. Remember , the second wave of the Spanish flu killed over 100,000 and left many with serious lung damage and other long term health issues.

Who could possibly forget that?

However, hanging out together outside in what sounds like a spacious garden with an outdoor toilet (and presumably not hugging/kissing/sharing food or drinks), is probably as low-risk as it gets in terms of visiting. It's not far off meeting someone in a park.

No idea why it posted a gin bottle there.

You try treating a Covid patient. They start bleeding , from everywhere.. And even if you can somehow control that their lungs are like cardboard. A lot of patients dying now have been on a venterlator for weeks. The elderly just die. You wouldn't be so "whatever" about it if you worked on a Covid unit. A lot of Critical Care staff are going to need PTSD therapy after this. But hey, the suns shining , let's have a party.

Remember , the second wave of the Spanish flu killed over 100,000 and left many with serious lung damage and other long term health issues.

The Spanish flu mutated into a particularly deadly virus.

Scientists are saying COVID 19 has a very low chance of mutating, thankfully. We have antibiotics and better communication and we're not a malnourished population which has just endured years of war.

I am not sitting here saying there won't be a second wave of this virus - how do I know? But it is not Spanish flu. It will not have the impact Spanish flu did because life has moved on massively since then.

DC wanted to push for herd immunity. Looks like it's working, and it will be blamed on people rather than government policy.

Second wave won’t peak like Spanish Flu did because we have better awareness and tracking (ok not that track and trace stuff but better access to daily numbers etc) and can therefore be more nimble and have better control of the numbers. Also if a second wave is inevitable (which it isn’t), I’d rather see it outside of flu season. There may never be a vaccine and if there isn’t then we need to mitigate mental health and economic damage in a measured way. And social distancing in someone’s garden in any event is so incredibly unlikely to pass on the virus even if through some chance one of the family members is infected but currently asymptomatic.

Enjoy your afternoon OP.

My GP has it. My local hospital has been overwhelmed and closed to all new admissions. We're not out of the woods yet.
Just because one tory wanker has been caught out as a complete hypocrite, let's not all break lockdown.

GreyGardens88

Follow your instincts

PrimeroseHillAnnie - yep, you have PTSD so we all have to be miserable. Right.

I’ve worked in an actual war zone. I don’t go around dictating to others .

This thread is pretty depressing.

Just because one selfish arse decided to break lockdown and our idiot prime minister is too weak to sack him doesn’t mean we should all start ignoring the rules.

Well said @PurpleDaisies.

I agree that many people will suffer for a long time because of this, and I hope that no one is saying "whatever" or "let's have a party". But it's about risk. Two families who have been pretty much isolating and then meet up in a huge outdoor garden is probably safer than going to the shops.

(FWIW I'm saying this as one of the overly-paranoid, sanitising shopping type. I'm working at home for the foreseeable future and I feel nervous every time I going outside. But even I know its not realistic or healthy to stay like this long-term.)

I wouldn’t why would you put people you care about and want to see at any kind of increased risk ?

I would say if BJ wanted lockdown to end, he's played a blinder here hasn't he. What would DC do really is a tune played on their fiddle.