Social distancing still the law but people seem to have forgotten this

[ColdCottage]

Is it just me or have people forgotten they are meant to stay 2m apart unless that's not possible in which case they can go up to 1m+??

I keep seeing photos on Facebook of friends cheek to cheek, holding babies etc. When I'm out and about people standing close socialising, touching each other when they are clearing not family (elbow knocking as a greeting so not 1m+)

I feel people should know this and it's socially awkward to remind them as adults of this but it's the law, not just guidance.

This is having an impact already. The COVID-19 reporting app was all pale pink for low numbers for a number of weeks and now today it's covered in medium and dark pink blocks where the numbers are going up again. This is the impact of people forgetting to social distance all the time.

What do you do if someone is clearly ignoring the rules, in person or on social media. Do you tell them or leave them to it?

Do you tell them or leave them to it?

Tell them what? That they’re ignoring the rules? I assume they already know

I think people who don't adhere to social distancing are selfish idiots. I'm not overly concerned about catching it myself (and if I do catch it it'll probably come from the hospitals I work at) but I keep my distance to try and keep others safe if I'm asymptomatic.

I have had to stop looking at social media with all the folk meeting in huge groups as it was stressing me out. My family and I are doing out best and that's the best we can do.

I have had to stop looking at social media with all the folk meeting in huge groups as it was stressing me out. My family and I are doing out best and that's the best we can do.

Indeed - I think the less people concerned themselves with what other people are or are not doing on social media the world would be a better place

I thought the covid app had gone dark pink again because of the new way they’re tracking cases

^ It did. They went from cases per 100k to cases per million (pm) because community spread was so low that the map was meaningless as it was. OP at least read the key of your data source before you start alarming posts about it.

In my area there were 28 daily cases per million people in the past week according to Zoe so I’m guessing all the hugging isn’t having a huge effect.

It is not law !!!! And why get so upset nothing you can do ... I learnt that when my anxiety levels were rising

Oh dear, OP. How embarrassing for you.

Stop saying that it is the law. It isn’t. It is a government guideline only and it isn’t compulsory.

The sooner this whole charade is over the better in my opinion. I’ve followed these arbitrary rules throughout the lockdown and very nearly lost both elderly parents without being able to see them again (non-Covid related serious health crises). We are going this weekend now that their local hotel has reopened. I will be visiting them and social distancing can almost certainly get to fuck.

In my area there were 28 daily cases per million people in the past week according to Zoe so I’m guessing all the hugging isn’t having a huge effect.

^ we've (my town) been averaging 1 diagnosed case a day since the beginning of June while Zoe reckons there are 70 active cases in the whole population of 350,000. I'm quite comfortable with those numbers!

It's always surprises me a little bit when people don't social distance.

I don't really know how to act anymore. We have to wear face masks in shops where I don't get close to anyone, but it's ok to hug all your extended friends and family.

I went into a little bakery today and I didn't know how to act, was I allowed to linger looking at the cakes, but they were very laid back and normal.

I caught the postman today is just got back and he was heading off with my parcels, I didn't know if he'd be ok handing them to me or if he'd put them on the floor.

I know there are times when people just won't be able to social distance, but I still try to whenever I can.

I still do the social distancing but round here it’s as if the pandemic was just a dream a lot of the time. On the last day of school there was a big group of mums who went for a picnic in the park.

@mrsknottschicken

I still do the social distancing but round here it’s as if the pandemic was just a dream a lot of the time. On the last day of school there was a big group of mums who went for a picnic in the park.

But this is what I don't understand. We've done this. But all our children are in school together. So why can't we? What Possible different does it make? Our children are in a bubble together and come home to us after being all over each other all day, being 4, so, why can't we see each other ?

Not least bc covid is with us for a long time, I am not going to police other people. I just do not know how folk have the energy to do that outside of quite narrow contexts (like in a doctor's surgery or visit to a care home). I don't have emotional energy to give much thought to what other people do, at best of time, unless it's outright violence.

and on top of that, I don't think perfectionist social-distancing ideal is possible for most human beings to maintain in the many months & years to come. Most ppl are still avoiding most of each other most of the time, I reckon, but not according to whoever's daily changing ideals. What good does it do yourself to worry about what other people do?

It's not the law. It's guidelines sure but the only law is no gatherings of groups greater than 30. You can express your worry about people not following guidelines all you want, I don't blame some people for being worried. But don't go trying to spread false information and lies about what is and isn't law. You just make yourself look stupid, get people's backs up, and they're less likely to listen to your actual reasonable worries when they're preceded by lies.

I'm not actually sure what people like the op and the many, many other threads along similar lines are after. If you want to tell people off, tell them off - you don't need mumsnet approval. Or are they just looking for everyone to agree how terribly awful other people are and validation of how virtuous they themselves are.

Oh dear, OP. How embarrassing for you.

I don’t see why it’s so embarrassing for the OP. I wouldn’t say anything to others but just try to stay away from the situations where no SD is happening. If everyone gave up all SD then we would be back to where we were in April so I am glad that at least 50% (I reckon, who knows) of the population is still doing it, and yes I agree that the people who are blatantly ignoring it (large very close gatherings etc) aren’t thinking of what this autumn and winter could be like for all of us. And the summer is when it is much easier to meet people outdoors so it’s the ideal time to try and keep the numbers as low as possible.

@downwardspiral1

Oh dear, OP. How embarrassing for you.

I don’t see why it’s so embarrassing for the OP. I wouldn’t say anything to others but just try to stay away from the situations where no SD is happening. If everyone gave up all SD then we would be back to where we were in April so I am glad that at least 50% (I reckon, who knows) of the population is still doing it, and yes I agree that the people who are blatantly ignoring it (large very close gatherings etc) aren’t thinking of what this autumn and winter could be like for all of us. And the summer is when it is much easier to meet people outdoors so it’s the ideal time to try and keep the numbers as low as possible.

It's embarrassing for the OP because she had come on in a self righteous huff about all the terrible people breaking the law, only to be told over and over that it's not the law. So she's got a fairly fundamental point in her argument wrong, which rather undermines her "I'm following the rules, unlike all these dreadful lawbreakers!" position.

Which is why, I'm guessing, she's not been back.

Yes but it doesn’t really matter - the point about social distancing remains the same.

Title of the thread: social distancing still the law but people seem to have forgotten this.

Well, it's not the law, and you can't forget something that didn't exist in the first place.

@SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito

Title of the thread: social distancing still the law but people seem to have forgotten this.

Well, it's not the law, and you can't forget something that didn't exist in the first place.

Exactly this.

I’m social distancing. I go shopping as little as possible. When I can I use online deliveries. I walk the dog early in the morning to avoid running into other people. I wear a mask if I’m inside a shop.

Still doesn’t mean 2m social distancing is the law.

Many people are living within the guidelines, certainly in our area. Unfortunately the rolling average of new cases hasn't gone down, in fact, it had slightly risen. Just goes to show we can't go back to old ways otherwise this awful thing will get out of control and they'll be more guidelines. The police have been going around our shops in the town centre and there's always police outside, so we're expecting them to monitor people with no masks as well as general social distancing. Cases are very low in our county, one borough didn't have a case for a month, and no new cases anywhere this week. Just goes to show it's worth the effort it to keep people well and alive. My friend lost her lovely healthy Dad to it early on, so no one is exempt.

Maybe they should all be put in jail? Would thatake you happy?

@downwardspiral1

Oh dear, OP. How embarrassing for you.

I don’t see why it’s so embarrassing for the OP. I wouldn’t say anything to others but just try to stay away from the situations where no SD is happening. If everyone gave up all SD then we would be back to where we were in April so I am glad that at least 50% (I reckon, who knows) of the population is still doing it, and yes I agree that the people who are blatantly ignoring it (large very close gatherings etc) aren’t thinking of what this autumn and winter could be like for all of us. And the summer is when it is much easier to meet people outdoors so it’s the ideal time to try and keep the numbers as low as possible.

Of course it is embarrassing. OP came on declaring that social distancing was “the law” and expecting validation for that.

It isn’t the law and never has been. It is a guideline only and not compulsory.

So, when you are standing in a queue and you can feel the person behind breathing on your neck, what do you do?

Stand there like a numpty and keep quiet, or tell them in a nice way to back the fuck off.

Everyone is more than capable of keeping their distance, it's not rocket science, it's just pure bad manners.

My understanding was that it was a legal requirement. I stand corrected. Even with it not being law it is a government guideline for a reason, to try and protect our population which is why I'm baffled that people don't follow it.

Yes it's not fun socially distancing - but putting the good of everyone first seems common sense to me. Equally as others have said above just because you don't feel the need to follow the guidelines please don't assume those around you feel the same and keep clear unless you have their permission to go closer - or it's physically not possible - for example narrow pathway with fences either side.