Feel like we have a choice between guilt and loneliness!

[Miserablemoan]

Spent the day with my brother and his family. First time the cousins have seen each other since feb and it was lovely in lots of ways but I feel like I will have 2 weeks of worry now in case we have inadvertently passed on the virus. One of my kids has been back at school and we have been to a few shops and met up with others for walks whereas they have barely left the house.

The kids were really good and did make a good attempt to stay apart and there was certainly no hugging but there were points where they were close and there was a fair bit of happy shouting and singing.

I guess brother etc knew the risk and wouldn’t have invited us if they weren’t prepared to take it but now I feel irresponsible even though we followed the rules pretty well and were outside for virtually the entire time.

Is this going to be the way that all social interactions go for the foreseeable? 2 weeks of worry for each lovely day?

I think it is going to take us all a while to feel comfortable with seeing people again, especially if you have been following the rules. But we have to start getting back to a type of life that makes us feel safe but also being able to see our friends and family. Personally, I am being sensible and taking precautions still but like you am starting to reach out to people again.

Depends on why you are worried really? I assume you aren’t vulnerable? In which case, I would really try not to think of things like that. You’ll all most likely be totally fine even if you did catch it.

There’s no point socialising etc if you are going to be super anxious afterwards? And are you planning on staying totally indoors for the next 2 weeks? Because if not, you could catch it elsewhere in the meantime also. We went to the zoo today, kept apart where possible, washed hands etc .. DD will go to nursery tomorrow, I’m getting my hair cut, I need to go to Sainsburys at some point and I’m meeting friends for a picnic. I could catch it at any one of those points or indeed from an Amazon parcel to my house.. I’d go insane if I was worrying about all of those! I just try to wash my hands regularly & be sensible when out. Mitigate my risk but accept I could catch it anytime really..

I’m not especially worried about catching it myself-I know there are no guarantees but I’d likely be fine as would dh & my kids. And because of that I’m taking some ‘risks’ e.g meeting friends for walks, going to the shops, kids at school etc.
But these risks make it more likely that we’ll pass it on to others-particularly now we can spend longer with them and go be inside-which I’d feel awful about.

The risks of catching it are small. Unless you live in an area with a v high transmission rate. In any case Most people who catch it are fine.

Lock down was about protecting hospitals and not overwhelming them.

Going to mass singalongs, gigs, v crowded places or using packed public transport with no mask wearing Are higher risk.

Going to a friend’s house...v v small risk indeed.