No hugs, indefinitely

[AvenueQ]

Just saw this tweet (see photo) and I jiust can't get my head round it. It seems insane. So no single person to start a new relationship for... potentially never???

There is a ‘private’ shop near me that has had big signs up saying they are open over the whole lockdown.
It’s widely supposed to be a brothel so it was always annoying me driving past it that the police allowed it to stay open. I guess they regard it as essential! Ug.

ref. vaccines , there seem to be so many different types of symptoms with Covid. I wonder whether they'll need different vaccines and\or how long it'll be before they create ONE size that covers all? If they manage it

just because she maybe a doctor , it is just her opinion

Yep- and whilst I have utmost respect for the medical profession, I have heard some of the most ignorant, ill informed and stupid things come out of the mouths of GPs. So they certainly aren't God

My Dad is in his early 50s and not especially high risk. He's basically said he'll never go out again for non-work reasons unless there's a vaccine.

It does make sense to minimise going out depending on your job. Within my family there is a doctor, a nurse, a care home worker and a teacher. They are all minimising where they go and who they see, apart from going to work they hardly go anywhere.

@judyCoolibar - I so agree with you! Hate having to hug and kiss every single person you slightly know when you meet them. I'd rather hug my dog!

OP, use your common sense and ignore crap on Twitter.

I am seeing my 18 year old son for the first time tomorrow in 12 weeks, there is no fucking way I am not hugging him. He has been staying with my mum, and I don’t actually give a flying monkeys about what the rules say. It’s total bullshit. I have done everything that has been asked of me, I am done now.

These irresponsible comments from professionals or otherwise may ultimately do as much harm as the virus. People's mental health is being affected, some more so than others, and these comments when read by some could potentially push some vulnerable people over the edge.

It's her opinion - it's not law.

Personally I think gradually people will (many already are) look at their risk level as an individual and go and do what they want then. So meet up with someone they have been chatting to online - why not - it if their life. Seriously this virus is not life threatening to lots of people and the risk level to most is not high. What people then have to do is stay away from the very vulnerable afterwards or get a test done! If positive isolate if not off you go.

Lots of testing before meet ups needed?

Lack of touch is extremely damaging to mental health and wellbeing. Touch beneficially stimulates our nervous system. And picking up non-life-threatening germs from each other is essential for becoming strong and having healthy immune systems. I think people should hug who they like. Wash hands, wear masks, sanitise public shared areas. But embracing loved ones is part of what makes life worth living.

One of the great advantages of lockdown for me is being freed from the obligation to hug people. I hate it and I hate that people just assume it is acceptable to everyone.

@Oysterbabe

I'm not allowed to hug random people anyway. Injunctions, sigh.

That's ridiculous. You can add until the virus is only found in tiny pockets of the population and are immediately tracked and tested/quarantined

I actually hate hugging and like a nice old fashioned good morning with a tip of the hat interaction so I’m fine with it.

"You can add until the virus is only found in tiny pockets of the population and are immediately tracked and tested/quarantined"

This. We need test, track and trace that works properly. At that point, you'll know if the person you're about to hug has an asymptomatic case of the virus and - if they don't, and you don't - you can hug them.

This is just some random on the internet. You are allowed to ignore it.

invisibleoldwoman yep I’m the same, don’t get me started on kissing European style. I worked in an international setting for 25 years and had to tell many a colleague from overseas to not do all the kissing and hugging to greet me.

It's just someone's opinion.
I'm in another European country and we are ahead of you in terms of lockdown. There are announcements every week about more relaxations of the restrictions. They've been telling us for at least 6 weeks that we will be required to wear facemasks in public places until a vaccine or treatment is found.
People have got so sick of the facemask rule (I won't go into it here - but lots of issues with it and how it is being applied) that there are people beginning to protest and refusing to wear it. Also many people refusing to go to shops (apart from food), restaurants etc because of the facemasks and therefore the money isn't flowing into the businesses as the government would like so....
lo and behold, this morning we are told that the facemask rule is going to be relaxed in the next couple of weeks....

We were also told no freedom of movement to travel until a vaccine is found. That was bullshit as well - borders open to several EU countries from 15th June.

Things are changing all the time. There is no way that nobody will be allowed to hug until a vaccine or treatment is found. The government cannot keep that amount of control over people's personal lives for an extended amount of time. People will ignore it.
I'm not saying we should ignore government guidelines but I'm saying that the guidelines will change when more people decide to just do what they want and that some measures are over the top. When a large proportion of the population start to make noises about this being unacceptable, the government will let things drop as has happened where I am.

Meanwhile, stick to the rules which have been given but don't think too far ahead as to how long they will go on for.

Surely if both huggees wear a mask (and particularly if both have been shielding), and hands are washed before & after, then the risk is minimal.
I understand that there are 'rules' but there is also common sense and appropriate behaviour with regards to minimising risk.
E.g. six people can meet - but what if you are a family of 5 meeting grandparents? As long as everyone maintains distance, etc
the number of people is immaterial. By this I don't mean have a big party, but personal responsibility, mitigation of risk and practical application of hygiene have to be at the core rather than blindly following numbers.

@Dollywilde my experience of single friends who live alone is a bit different....

Many of my single friends (all mid 30s) started ‘just chatting’ on dating sites out of boredom and being alone in the evenings, but most of them have now admitted to secretly meeting up for dates. One has found a boyfriend and made it ‘official‘. They obvs aren’t currently shouting it from the rooftops though. I can’t imagine they’re the only ones either.

I think it’s a bit out of order, I wouldn’t break the rules, but then, not being in that position myself, I’m not sure I should judge.

@Goatinthegarden it’s tricky, isn’t it? With my friend I have said to her before that I think she’s quite pessimistic at her chances at meeting anyone (and this was pre-lockdown) but I met my now DH at 23 so it’s not really my place to comment - dating 10 years on from that must be such a different beast. In any event I’m pretty lax about lockdown but I’m not sure I’d be enthusiastic about getting within 2m of someone new at the moment. One thing to want to hug my mum in her garden, but hooking up with someone for the first time is (or was) anxiety-ridden enough without worrying about Covid...

Whether there’s any truth in a section of a generation missing out on life choices will remain to be seen I guess, but either way it’s exceptionally hard on single people at the moment. I wouldn’t be wanting to feel the pressure of trying to meet someone amidst all this.

And yes, that will remain the case until we have a vaccine or the virus dies out

Well given that its been about 18 years since the SARS outbreak and scientists still haven't been able to produce a vaccine for that then I really wouldn't hold your breath.