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?

Op you were sadly misinformed and yet you still post in a truly sanctimonious tone, assuming the right to issue directions for others to follow.

Just shush.

People should try to distance where possible outside but there's really no need for 2 ms or for people to be leaping into the road to maintain distance.

I don’t believe it is the law actually OP, well at least it isn’t here in Northern Ireland.

The NI government say social distancing is “guidance” so in other words they strongly recommend you distance from other people outside your home as much as possible, but if you choose not to then that’s your own problem and of course it’s at your own risk

And yes, it is annoying when people do not adhere to SD guidance. I see it all the time. But what can you do? You can’t go up and force people to distance as much as you’d love to sometimes

Aaah is it "sanctimonious judgey I'm the only person in the world doing this" time already?

Have your Blue Peter "I've stood 2magic metres away tutting at the world badge.

Yes but it doesn’t really matter

^ well it does actually - unless we live in a post-truth world where anyone can say any old shit & pretend it's real.

OP whilst you don’t have the right to ask others who aren’t bothering you to SD, you can ask people to SD from you. So If someone is too close to you, ask them to stand back

@torydeathdrug

Yes but it doesn’t really matter

^ well it does actually - unless we live in a post-truth world where anyone can say any old shit & pretend it's real.

Seems to be the case nowadays to be honest. ‘You most only exercise for one hour a day’ ‘You must not eat crisps on a bench’ ‘It is illegal to be less than 2m from someone’

I mean, just consider it for a moment. How on earth would the police enforce a law around social distancing?

Yeah exactly @Drivingdownthe101 it wouldn’t be enforceable

The thing that bothers me is when people don't socially distance FROM ME. I am being very careful. I am trying to always leave lots of space, even if I have to wait to do so.

Lots of people just aren't bothering - even when I quite obviously am trying very hard to social distance myself.

It's up to everyone to do what they want with their own family and friends, and make their own risk assessments but I do thing it's very, very wrong to intentionally walk close to and push past someone who is trying to social distance and may live with someone who is highly vulnerable. The same applies to anyone who is elderly.

The other day I was standing outside my daughter's school, more than 2m from the next parent waiting for their child to come out. A parent just came and stood between us (walking too close as he did so). I think that's just rude. There were plenty of other places they could have stopped. I immediately moved away but it is selfish, rude and unnecessary and it's taking risks with other people's health without knowing why they might need to be very strictly trying to minimise risk.

unless we live in a post-truth world where anyone can say any old shit & pretend it's real

Yes but in this case the OP could have been kindly corrected, and then we could have gone back to discussing social distancing etc. Instead several people seem to be so annoyed by her mistake - whether it’s law or guidance the gist of what he/she is saying remains the same.

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

Exercise, weight, avoiding cars for local trips etc. have been government guidelines for decades, people ignoring them have killed many, many more than COVID, and have caused the NHS to ration other things. You're being hugely simplistic if you think government guidelines for the general work in the specific. Just like there are reasons, some of them good, why people don't exercise and don't eat healthily, there are reasons why people aren't social distancing as much as you think they should.

As to responsibility to keeping everyone "safe", many of the people currently in fear of covid are doing more to harm themselves than the risk from covid at the moment. The elderly risking dementia because they've left their existing support networks and now don't have conversation with anyone, the younger person doing no exercise, at the moment the risks are higher from that than from covid. They weren't in march when we started lockdown of course, then there was a good chance you'd meet someone with the virus in many places in the country, so a short interlude wouldn't have risked dementia or diabetes.

socially distancing goes totally against human nature, there’s only so long people will put up with it. I don’t tell my little ones to socially distance, I think the long term impact will be immense if we do.

@sirfredfredgeorge Exactly. They can't say 'do what you want' so have to come up with some kind of guideline.

Even in indoor workplaces the guidelines say if you can't socially distance you can't, wash your hands and take other measures etc

Outdoors, there's been one confirmed case in the whole world of outdoor transmission and that was a close quarters conversation so yes, people should distance where they can and be polite but no need for people to get anxious or stroppy if someone passes by at less than 2 metres.

I think it’s shown me a side of some friends/colleagues/family I hadn’t realised was there. The guidance is to keep everyone safe and it won’t be forever.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I think it’s shown me a side of some friends/colleagues/family I hadn’t realised was there. The guidance is to keep everyone safe and it won’t be forever.

A side where they crave normal, human contact?

Yes, you’re clearly the only person in this country of 65m people who’s remembered and is complying with the rules. Well done! I’m sure your medal is in the post.

I’m so sick of these “no one else is doing it right except me” threads. How many months have they gone on for now?

Also numbers were always going to go up when things were released from lockdown. What’s your answer, stay in lockdown forever?

@SengaStrawberry

[quote Drivingdownthe101]@SengaStrawberry[/quote]
Certainly feels like it!

The guidance is to keep everyone safe and it won’t be forever.

In March, it was going to be a short term measure to 'flatten the curve'.

It's now July, and we're about to have to start wearing masks.

And Boris hopes we might be able to have a normal Christmas.

Excuse me if I have fuck all faith left in 'it won't be forever'.

@SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito

The guidance is to keep everyone safe and it won’t be forever.

In March, it was going to be a short term measure to 'flatten the curve'.

It's now July, and we're about to have to start wearing masks.

And Boris hopes we might be able to have a normal Christmas.

Excuse me if I have fuck all faith left in 'it won't be forever'.

Exactly. And he said at the start of lockdown we’d “send Coronavirus packing” in 12 weeks. Full of shit as always.

Yep, people I knew that were extremely vocal on social media in the early days of lockdown with their "just stay home!" posts have all gone on holiday camping together, with about 6 families.

All their pics show them huddling together having drinks, round the campfire, kids in and out of each other's tents, sharing the bbq etc, acting like all is just back to normal.

Honestly, what was the point of the last 4 months if people can't be bothered to try and keep their distance. Yes I could hug my parents and stick it all over Facebook, but could I live with myself if they kicked the bucket in a few weeks time because I unwittingly gave Covid to them? It's really not a hard concept and anyone who says otherwise are just being selfish and need to read up on what's going on in Florida or Texas.
OP is talking the most common sense I've heard all day

Plenty of us are complying with the rules. We don’t see the need to show off about it as if we’re the only one and berate other people.