Two wrongs don't make a right. Don't be a twat, stay home, save lives.

[effingterrified]

Just that.

Just because one arsehole might choose to recklessly endanger others, that is not a good excuse for you to do the same.

Stay home, socially distance when out, save lives. Wear a mask.

The sooner we all stick to this, the sooner we can get rid of this virus and move on.

[Popcat120]

Someone at work (in a hospital) came out with last week...
'I've hit my peak, I've had enough, I'm having my Grandson on Friday and at the end of the month it's my birthday so I'm going to have a bbq with my family.
They are OK, they've been isolating and working from home'

Yes love, maybe... But you're not alright, you've been working in a hospital, exposed to all sorts, but your willing to pass that on to family... Good one!

Shes a care assistant and honestly thinks it's passed through touch...
Fml... These people!!

[effingterrified]

No, it won't. New Zealand has already agreed to open borders with a number of other countries that are also virus free.

What is increasingly likely is that those countries that are virus-free or have tiny numbers will open up to each other, while people from countries with appalling death stats like the UK will be banned.

That is what Greece announced today - they are opening up to travellers from lots of countries - but people from the UK are excluded because our death rates are so high.

The UK have become the pariahs of Europe. :(

We all know that until and unless a vaccine and/or treatment is found, the only and quickest way to defeat the disease and return to normal life is for ALL OF US to socially distance as much as possible now.

[HesterShaw1]

Is New Zealand going to seal its borders forever then?

[effingterrified]

Well, that aged well as a message.

New Zealand as of today as ZERO people in hospital with coronavirus and ZERO new cases.

Which shows what an island country can do when it has a good leader who cares about the ordinary people rather than a shite one who doesn't.

It shows why early lockdown and a proper test and trace system make so much difference to final outcomes.

We could be in New Zealand's shoes. That we aren't is entirely a failure of our leadership.

[CayrolBaaaskin]

We’re not going to get rid of the virus. New Zealand will get reinfected as soon as travel restarts.

[Hobbesmanc]

Many of us are taking an assessed view of risk as the government guidelines are simply so inconsistent and illogical. The same way as not everyone sticks to the recommended alcohol intake or eats their five portions of veg.

The message that it's fine to meet in parks (apparently now open sewers) but not in a garden is for many people just bonkers. And those who've had to go to work throughout this are seriously questioning some of the other rules.

For all the scaremongering and personal anecdotes, the mortality rate for those outside the risk groups is minuscule. Lets try and be more innovative around provision for those shielding - but be realistic about kick starting the economy and letting those of us who arent higher risk and don't live with those at risk get some framework relax the restrictions.

I love that fact that so many posters are surrounded by dozens of neighbours flaunting/flouting the rules with thousands of BBQs but are so pure themselves. Where are all these law breakers? Or are they just people trying to make sense of the situation.

[savehalloween]

• I have a relative in London who has ended up in a hospital in central London as all the ones near them were completely full. And this wasn't at the start of the virus. This was recently.
  
  I have never, ever known this to happen before.*
  
  Ambulances are diverted away from hospitals frequently in Winter. Not sure where you've been but our NHS has had capacity issues for a while now.
  
  It makes for an attention grabbing headline but it has no bearing on lockdown. On the BBC front page today is an article about deaths being at an all time low, European countries opening their borders and a new drug being available on the NHS which aids recovery.
  
  But of course, grab that one and run with it.

[savehalloween]

You don't get to do your own Boris briefing.

Wearing a mask isn't compulsory or even advised in some nations.

And lockdown is easing this week. So not sure who is going to listen to your unqualified advice

[Righteouswarrior]

I think what the OP was trying to Convey has come across badly. I can see where they're coming from though the way it was expressed has got others backs up. I expect they are fed up with the whole 'well if one person isn't going to follows the rules then neither will I' attitude. I sensed the frustration in her posts that the population on the whole would do better to do the right thing and continue with the guidelines and use common sense to reduce spread rather than be influenced to break guidelines by one idiot all over the news currently. So by all means go out, get on with life, carrying on with social distancing but if you can, stay home where possible to reduce spread.
As I see it her post came off as a command, someone telling others what to do, no ifs or buts, though I think the message was meant as a clarity on sticking to guidance rather than abandoning it due to one person's actions.

[TheAlphaandtheOmega]

I think that most people are just following the current guidelines, masks aren't compulsory though and we can go out as much as we want as long as we stay 2m apart from others, more stuff opens next week and shops on the 15th June. Nothing stopping you staying at home OP though. Daily Fail is reporting barbecues and garden parties up to ten people next month so hope that is correct.

[LemonadeAndDaisyChains]

I'm not going to be a twat but it's hard when there's so much twattery around and some of it receives government authorisation

Same, and totally agree! Makes you think why should I be bothering

[Bramblebear92]

Yes, tell all those living in flats with no gardens to "stay home." Tell people whose 20 mins in the park is enough to get them through another day to "stay home."

There's thought to be a significant connection between Vitamin D and fighting Covid. But, let's forget that, and stay home. Because anyone who dare glimpse the sun is a serial killer obvs

[Mumratheevergiving]

I'm not going to be a twat but it's hard when there's so much twattery around and some of it receives government authorisation.

[Namechange8186]

Yeh I don’t really get the whole well I’m gonna break all the rules now attitude

Yay that will show the rich elite by spreading the virus about and potentially making other people ill yeh fuck you tories that’ll teach you

[Madein1995]

Important costa related thing- now all non essential shops are open from 15 June (finally!) Does this include costa do we reckon?

I'm surprised at how different the food retailers are though. Subway is open including in store, with protective stuff. KFC etc doing delivery and Drive thru. Not heard of McDonald's open, and certainly not walk in..drive ins all well and good except if you dont drive!!

[Mrhodgeymaheg]

My eyes are doing a full 360 degree roll in my head.

[Wired4sound]

Our local drive through costa and Starbucks are open!

They have a natty little invention to lower the drinks closer to you too.

I had a Costa the other day and it tasted like heaven.

Sorry for the derailment - as you were.

[KOKOagainandagain]

There are some counties that have responded well. Strict lockdown has not been necessary to control infection rates and deaths where non-pharmaceutical measures have been deployed early and consistently. This has prevented the virus getting a foothold. There are multiple examples of countries that have done this in south east Asia and Europe and the means they have used are well documented.

There are other countries that have totally fucked up - unnecessary deaths directly and indirectly from CV and screwed the economy to boot.

If you hate a draconian lockdown and it's effects you need to support non-pharmacological methods of control and suppression because we don't have therapeutics and we don't have a vaccine.

Gold standard is to stop geographical movement (not potentially spreading the virus from one area to another is basic common sense) plus hygiene (handwashing, wearing a mask) plus when faced with a highly contagious virus that spreads when presymptomatic or even if you remain asymptomatic but which can be fatal, during a global pandemic, you really need community testing, tracing and efficient quarantine.

It is true that this could have been avoided if we had done things differently. If we had put out the smoking ember instead of providing the best conditions of possibility of an out of control inferno, things might have been different.

But to continue the analogy, we are being encouraged to go back into a still burning building because the growth of the fire is no longer exponential as a consequence of firefighting actions (that will be overwhelmed if the growth once again becomes exponential which may be case if we go back into the still burning building).

[BritWifeinUSA]

Interesting that people are still blathering on about “protecting the NHS” - if you don’t start going back to work, start shopping and start doing other tax-generating activities, there won’t be an NHS to protect.

Gradually re-opening things, bit by bit, is not a government order for everyone to rush out and cram themselves into a pub. By all means continue to stay at home if you want to. But don’t deny others the option to make their own risk assessments.

Curious as to whether you expect the government to tell you when it’s safe to climb a ladder, go out in your car, cross the road, eat food that’s a day past its sell-by date... or whether you consider yourself adult enough to make such decisions? Why would this be any different?

[MarginalGain]

Caffe Nero is open, but closed on Sunday and Monday.

Starbucks is open!

[Waxonwaxoff0]

We may not have had a strict lockdown like other countries had but we are still very limited as to what we can actually do. The local park gets boring after the millionth time you go.

[Drivingdownthe101]

Well I can’t see my family and friends so I may not be on lockdown but I certainly can’t do as I please!

[IcedPurple]

We arent lockdown anymore, seriously need to say we are. We are not! We can go out as much as we like therefore we are not lockdown into our homes.

There's never been a real 'lockdown' in England in the sense of having to provide a reason to go outside the house, as happened in Spain, France and Wuhan. However, while people are free to go out, where exactly is there to go? Pubs, cafes, restaurants, most shops, museums, tourist attractions, gyms, swimming pools etc are closed.

[cyclingmad]

We arent lockdown anymore, seriously need to say we are. We are not! We can go out as much as we like therefore we are not lockdown into our homes.

[TorkTorkBam]

I travelled north to south years ago with a sick child and a couple of healthy ones. We stopped in laybys for wees and brought sandwiches and bottles of water in the car. God it was grim but we did it. It would have been more convenient to go to service stations but we did the less convenient thing because we didn't want him spreading a gastro bug to anyone else. I am sure many people have done similar at some point in their lives. It is entirely possible to drive 300 miles with zero human contact if you care about infection control.