people, please, stay home if you can

[Lua]

Most places that have eased lockdown measures, are seeing an increase in the number of cases. So there is no way around it (at least in the short-term), live a "normal life" and increase the risk for everyone (there are no "personal risk" in a pandemic).

I see a lot of people in mumsnet saying that we suffer too much to save the lives of 80 year olds. While I find this cold assessment horrible on its own, there are so many case of under 60s suffering badly. This is a harrowing picture of 63 year old woman:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/25/from-cold-to-coma-to-homecoming-one-womans-100-days-of-coronavirus

Sure, the risk is low. Sure, we deal with risks all the time. But we also try to mitigate risks all the time. We use seat belts, and we look before we cross the road, we use helmets, etc There are many reasons why someone needs to go into work, and those are understandable. But do people "need" to go to raves, beaches, cinemas? do we really need to go into shops and buy a new summer outfit?

Life needs to be different, and we need to find new ways to make our economy tick. Lots of opportunities in new fields. Lets support each other and look for new ways to make the world go around.

YABVVU. If you feel you are at risk then by all means stay at home. But don't try to inflict your fears on other people.

@MulierLite

YANBU - we don't have a good enough track/trace/isolate system to believe that any future outbreaks will be local and/or easily contained. However nobody wants to hear that!

Yeah, we do actually. Our contact tracers are picking up well over half of new contacts, enough to considerably slow transmission and identify clusters. Not enough people want to download aps, this is true in most countries, not just the UK. OP you seem a bit behind the research. Transmission outdoors is extremely rare, so it's safe to go to beaches as long as social distancing is observed. The risks are also low in shops as long as social distancing and hygiene measures are observed. Perhaps you should try and learn some real facts before you lecture other people, eh?

You are being very unreasonable.

I say this as someone in their 60’s.

Life must go on.

Lets support each other

Op you do get this is not short hand for “do what makes me feel happy? Right. That support each other works two ways?

People need to be able to make risk based decisions based on their own health, age and vulnerability. To self protect if they feel the need. Others can do as they see fit.

I get your scared and maybe you need some help through this period, but you need to try to calm down and understand individual risk.

I think this is one of the most short-sighted threads I've ever seen, and I'm dismayed that so many people can't see what is going to happen in just the next few weeks. And this isn't one of those "We all decide for ourselves" situations, because the effects of individual behaviour are felt socially in the case of infectious disease.

I have been shielded since the week before the official lockdown, and I haven't been anywhere or seen anyone. It's not the best time I've ever had in my life but it's not that hard either. One thing I have learned, though, is that the majority of people are incredibly bad at dealing with any kind of adversity. Especially the middle classes. So perhaps I should not be surprised at the lack of patience, resilience, strength, and self-reliance on display here.

Totally agree with you. Whilst this awful virus is about we should only be going out if necessary. It's still a lot freer than it was at the start of the lockdown. There's no excuse for going into town simply to get a new outfit or something when you can perfectly well order it online or just wait.

Absolutely not. I'm going to the pub for dinner on the 4th

That poor woman is only 58. She probably caught the virus in hospital working as a phlebotomist saving lives. She might not be able to work again if her fingers have to be amputated. So everyone needs to wear face masks, social distance etc.

You don't get coronavirus from going to a beach.

Im staying home. Its madness how now its ok to go out.

You make choices for yourself and your family. I'll make my own choices thanks.

But you can't dictate what those around you are doing, can you? If someone ignores social distancing and comes up right next to you? Or if someone coughs/sneezes or spits when they're walking past you? Or goes to the loo and doesn't wash their hands before they make your sandwich?

You can't force other people to abide by the rules/guidance and that's the fundamental problem.

Look at Anfield and Cheltenham Races. People have admitted they still went despite having covid symptoms.

As the lockdown eases, the vulnerable are going to have to protect themselves more than they did a month or two ago - at least it was pretty safe to go out in those days as most people were following the guidance. Now, as guidance is relaxed, people are going further and breaking the relaxed guidance, so the risks of being "out there" doing even supposedly safe things like having a walk, are increasing.

YABU

Sensible measures re hygiene and distancing where the latter is possible, everything open and protect the vulnerable. Me and my kids have done enough to protect the NHS and stop random people we don’t even know getting ill.

Oh, and btw although not particularly old, a 63 year old is not under 60.

The risks are also low in shops as long as social distancing and hygiene measures are observed.

So who is policing the SD and hygiene measures??

Life needs to be different, and we need to find new ways to make our economy tick. Lots of opportunities in new fields.

Bangs privilege gong! Life is going to be very different once the full ramifications of this recession, possibly depression, are felt. Every day, more and more redundancies. Ever lost all your money, everything? Life is very different when that happens (and before some clever clogs plops on to chime, 'Oh, what about your health, what about losing that?!' Yes, I've lost that, too, my mental health after my child lost her life, thanks much, that lead to aforementioned lost everything).

Name one of these industries with lots of new opportunities, please? What sort of training and qualifications are required? What is the pay like? What type of employment is it?

I'm waiting . . . .

No thanks.

I think your warning has come from a place of kindness but I intend to venture out again albeit cautiously. I need to weigh up the risks of earning money, socializing etc against becoming unwell. I know what risks are acceptable for me personally and I will also avoid putting anyone else at risk.
The sad truth is that this may never go away

Sorry but your post has really wound me up

This. Pisses me right off. I’ve been working my arse off for months keeping our staff safe and making sure food supplies aren’t interrupted with not a penny extra pay and no time off, while half the country sits at home on 80% pay, and now im are being told I am not capable understanding the risks and mitigating them now things are easing up.

In fact, I’m furious about that. You were all happy enough for us to take the risks when we were frantically trying to keep the supermarket shelves sticked for your panic buying.

So who is policing the SD and hygiene measures??

Well when I went to the shops this morning it was the people working in them who policed it.
In the queue for Homebase we had a talk on the ‘rules’ in store. People directing you down the aisles. Signs about remaining 2m apart. Someone on the door asking you to sanitise your hands before going in. Perspex screens at tills. Contactless payments encouraged. Many wearing masks.
Pretty much the same in every shop I’ve been in.

Nah.

You do you

I've had enough now. I have stuck to every single rule. Stayed home. Gone to the supermarket only once per week. Washed all my shopping ? Car door handles? Everything.

I am missing seeing anyone from my family other than DH and DS. I saw a family member in the supermarket and we had a socially distanced chat - and it brought home to me just HOW much I/we need to get back to some kind of normality.

Of course I don't want any more people to die of Covid19 (or anything) but it isn't sustainable to individuals and the country as a whole.

Here we go again - there is a minimum 1 of these threads daily - bore off OP

As the lockdown eases, the vulnerable are going to have to protect themselves more than they did a month or two ago - at least it was pretty safe to go out in those days as most people were following the guidance. Now, as guidance is relaxed, people are going further and breaking the relaxed guidance, so the risks of being "out there" doing even supposedly safe things like having a walk, are increasing.

This has been happening all the time anyhow. Cold and flu season and no one locks up.

It's unsustainable (more redundancies announced today!).

In an ideal world maybe.However ATM it is very difficult financially for most people and the stability of the Country as well .If we all stay home and dont go out or buy anything the economy will be tanked FFS!Long term people cannot be expected to lock down indefinitley it isbad for our wellbeing generally!

All we'll have is people determinedly acting like selfish fuckers

Oh give over with your selfish twaddle.

There are many reasons why someone needs to go into work, and those are understandable.

The main reason anyone goes into work is to earn money to provide for their families, and also as a consequence pay tax which keeps the economy going. Even those who work in places you deem “non essential”.

Virus isn’t going anywhere, time to start living with the risk. Which to the majority of the population is small.

No....

We are getting back to normal, it's gone on too long and I am not putting my life or my families on hold any longer.

If you want to stay home, go for it. Those at risk can stay home, the rest of want us want and need to get back to normality.