At last! 6 people can meet in a garden!

[BruceAndNosh]

WE can meet family

Unless you're sheilding. Then you just have to watch the rest of the world go back to normal and be forgotten about. Never mind.
Well yeah really. There should be a plan for those shielding, but honestly, I cannot see a plan that would not put them at risk. So now it seems its a choice between take the risk or continue locking down My dads meant to be shielding for his own good, but says hes not going to hide indefinitely. I assume many will say the same and just..chance it.

Have seen a couple on the shielding list majorly kicking off as they find it unfair that because they have certain conditions they are advised to stay in, but others are allowed out. Apparently if some should stay in everyone should, which I disagree with tbh.

Mind I don't think its realistic for many of the shielding to do so until a vaccine comes. I know sme have been touting September, but the medical consensous seems to be..a lot longer than that realistically.

Johnson's 'family' is considerably more than 6!

God, I'm worried that people will want to come to ours. I'm not ready yet!

WE can meet family

While I’m glad for you I can’t see my mum as she’s in a care home.

@BeltaneBride so what is the right number?

@Snozzlemaid

Do the over 70s have to still stay at home or can they do this now? FIL has no health problems and has so far stayed at home.

My parents have been out to the supermarket. They're over 70. I've often seen people over 70 out. Think they were advised to stay home, but the over 70s have always been allowed out as far as I'm aware.

Johnson's 'family' is considerably more than 6!

Hence the ' '

I'm assuming, because it hasn't been stated outright, that the number is based on 2 parents, 2 children (U.K. average is 1.7), 2 grandparents.

Children are people so would think the 6 includes them
😂Spluttered my wine there!

@BeltaneBride
The numbers are large enough that everyone, who is not shielding, should be able to have some form of social contact, whilst small enough to hopefully keep the R value below one and small enough that large households can not blindly socialise as a group where it would be more appropriate to some to stay at home. By allowing multiple households they are acknowledging that friendship groups of single people from multiple households mixing at the same time is no greater a risk than a family visiting the maternal grandparents one day, the paternal grand parents the next, and then each of the siblings one at a time for the next week.

God it's still bloody loony tunes on here. Sigh.

I've suggested to my parents that we could take the tent (and porta loo) and stay in their garden as they're 3.5 hours drive away on a good day. We could go for 2 socially distanced days out - maybe one at the quiet, non-touristy beach just along from them.

They could cook a BBQ and take their food before we go up and take our servings - with our own plates. I'll even bring my own wine .

I hardly saw them last year as they were full-on supporting my sister who had cancer (the treatment went really well). I've missed them but that was important.

This year we were going to spend more time together. They're supposed to be up at ours this week. As they're over 70 they've been very much isolating with food deliveries and short local walks only and want to see if there's a second spike after the rules are relaxed before they start socialising.

If you are shielding you still need to follow your letter. It is for your own protection. If you should be shielding but choose to meet family and friends then you have put your own life at risk. Your choice. Boris has not changed the rules in this issue.

Sorry if I've missed this but is there a rule about how far you can drive to do this? Also are over 70s the same so they can do this too? Thanks :-)

No overnights. (No change)
Over 70s have always been allowed out but were advised to stay in (no change).

That was specifically disallowed @elfycat.

Why can’t people get that if we are patient and follow the next step of guidelines they may ease them more. In places R is 0.9. If it goes over 1 we may be back in strict lockdown. Do people really want that, or do they think they are special so the rules don’t apply. Also with test and track your breaking the rules may impact many people.

Am loving all the complicated arithmetic here! Better than algebra and matrices.
Perhaps we should get the kids to do the math to keep them in practice till school is back?

@Wecandothis99
As long as it's within England you can technically drive as long as you want, but realistically public toilets not being open and not being allowed to stay over night will limit it somewhat. Over 70s who have not been told to shield can follow the new guidance if they feel comfortable to do so but should not be forced into unwanted meetings and should pay extra care not to come into close contact with anyone, which means it probably isn't a good idea to include them in a BBQ or to use a toilet in their house.

@StatisticalSense thank you 😊

I think this is to benefit those on their own or childless couples who to be fair are probably struggling with lockdown more than (most) families. My single friends have found lockdown much more emotionally challenging than those I know with a partner and kids at home
And teenagers who would rather be with friends than family - for them meeting with five other pals will be brilliant news

Does this mean that kids can play out in the street with their friends ie on bikes if they stay 2m apart? So sad to see all the kids out but playing on their own

Should the number not depend on how big your garden is? I mean. if my garden were the size of Petworth park.......or if my garden were no bigger than a backyard? Ridiculous.

you can use the toilet. That was said specifically.

@RaspberryMctriple

Unless you're sheilding. Then you just have to watch the rest of the world go back to normal and be forgotten about. Never mind.

I'm not on the shielded list, but I'm pretty much shielding due to several underlying issues, so I do have some understanding.

Shielding is guidance, not law.

What exactly could they do to make the actual risk for us any less?

Personally, other than keeping the lockdown firmly in place and licking harder to drive the R right down, I can't think of anything?!

They're not going to do that, so what are the options?!

I think for everyones sake a harder lockdown should have been enforced for another month or so, get the R down. When it's higher everyone is at more risk and we risk a second wave and lockdowns.

You could see how painful valance & witty found that. They don't agree with this easing up - too much, too soon.

If I were you I'd go somewhere remote for a change of scenery & some sunshine before the R starts to climb again. I will be. I won't be meeting anyone though that's for sure!

I'm very pleased for everyone who will benefit from this .

I am still waiting to be 'allowed' to have sex with my boyfriend. I can't do that from 2m away in a garden...