Socialising and Clinically vulnerable/Extremely clinically vulnerable

[BacklashStarts]

We’ve all been, I thought, observing ‘the rules’. This means me and my family have been home, one of me or DP going shopping 1/2 a week, etc. Ditto for my sister.

Turns out my parents have merrily been going out daily, going to shops, going on a bike ride with some other retired friends, ‘bumping into’ people and having picnics. I was really surprised as they both have conditions (mum COPD, dad diabetes) and had been fussing about shopping slots but turns out their lockdown life is very like their normal life.

They are now putting pressure on me to think about when they can come and sit in the garden and have coffee with us and the kids. I said that wasn’t up to me it depends on when the rules change. They said they’d already been doing it with several of their different neighbours!

I checked the guidelines in case I’d missed something but the rules are definitely still that you can, on your own, meet one other in a public space. So there are 2 of you in total - not eight of you in a back garden! This is further complicated as Dd, 5, probably goes back to school next week so we’ll have much more exposure to others than we have so far.

Neither of my parents will tell me if they’ve had a GP letter about being in the shielding group but even if they haven’t they’re in the clinically vulnerable group, right? And thus shouldn’t have moved on to seeing 1 more person let alone picnicking and cycling groups.

Am I being OTT to say that with the rules as they are, their health as it is and dd going back to school that we’re still a long way from socialising in the garden?

Evening bump

They don't want to follow the rules that strictly & you do.
I think you have to decide what you're comfortable with & they can do their own thing if that's different.

Yes, you’re right but that’s very adult and if I don’t do what they do I’ll get a load of stress. But yes, you are right!

It depends, a lot, on whether they are in the shielded group, or not.

The rules for England change on Monday - up to six people out of doors, as long as you maintain 2m distance between people from different households.

The advice for those who are shielding is still not to do this, AIUI.

I’m in the vulnerable group. I do think that out of doors keeping your distance is safe as long as you are careful about handling stuff that other people have handled. But you need to be able to do what you are comfortable with and not let other people push you into actions which would leave you anxious.

Thanks all, I posted this a couple of hours before the new announcement! But though that changes things I would prefer to wait for track and trace and then meet. This is apparently me being awkward for no reason. Hi hum.