I'm not going to a restaurant again.

[ssd]

Me and dh just been out for dinner. Cheap and cheerful place, food not brilliant but half price so can't complain. Social distancing in place, took contact details at door, hand sanitiser at entrance and exit, paid contact less. Our table has plenty space around it.

Still felt too dodgy. Didn't enjoy it.
Won't be doing that again for a while.

It won't be just a while you're "happily living without them" - they'll be gone.

I appreciate that, but I can't do something I'm not comfortable with in order to single handedly save the restaurant trade.

I wonder if there is a difference between those who have, and are able to, break out of their lockdown bubble and those still in it. I have spoken to and know of a few people who are scared stiff of going out and getting back to some sort of normal. They're not shielding or high risk. I had a wobble a few weeks ago and went out for something to eat and it 'broke' the cycle of being at home and not going out much. I'm now eating out, back at the gym etc. I take all the necessary precautions.

I'm not in a lockdown bubble, I go out every day. One of my dc went back to school in June. I go to the supermarket. I go to other shops if I specifically need something. I go to playgrounds with the dc. I've been on a UK holiday, I meet friends and family outdoors and a selected few indoors. My dc are playing sports again.

But there are certain things I don't feel are worth the risk, however small that risk may be.

Up to you, I’m quite comfortable with it. Cases are low now and I refuse to live my life in fear.

@JinglingHellsBells

Been to a few local pubs for drinks, one inside.

My fear of food is kitchen hygiene - are masks being worn there? How clean are their hands when touching cutlery to bring to the table, is the crockery always really clean?

I know stomach acid should kill anything you eat but still a bit worried.

You do realise food hygiene and preventing transmission of serious illness through food handling has been a thing long before CV? I would never eat anywhere where I wasn’t comfortable with their standards, Covid or not.

You do realise food hygiene and preventing transmission of serious illness through food handling has been a thing long before CV? I would never eat anywhere where I wasn’t comfortable with their standards, Covid or not

This is very true. Risk of illness through food handling has always been an issue... norovirus, for example. I would never eat anywhere where I wasn’t confident that they followed hygiene standards pre Covid, and I won’t now.

Norovirus, campylobacter, salmonella. Many of which can be worse and have long term effects or risk of death as much as CV.

I won’t either. We did go out last week and ate outdoors but I’m not enticed to go indoors for 50% off atm. My dh wouldn’t be able to work if we got contacted through track & trace & that would be a big issue. It’s interesting as I see a lot of people going out pretty much as normal (within the new boundary’s) but I just don’t feel comfortable yet.

We’ve eaten out three times now (once before EOTHO and two since) and it has been a good experience. As with everything, it’s a balance of risks. It’s done our well-being the world of good and we have supported local independent restaurants in the process.

I think it's the sitting around for a long time in one place? I guess you cant relax either. maybe you'll get used to it like shopping?

@SengaStrawberry the long term effects are very different.

People can die or end up very seriously from food poisoning. You’re just as dead or disabled if it comes about via that or Covid. Poor kitchen hygiene when eating out has always been a serious risk to health, it baffles me that people now only seem to care about it in the context of Cv, even though there have been no confirmed cases of CV being transmitted through food.

@ssd

I'm ok with shopping for some weird reason!!

I'm the same.

I think it's because you're moving and feel like contact is sporadic as opposed to sitting there and wondering who's spreading virus to you for 1 hour or so.

I do think though sometimes it's irrational.

My town has had 2 confirmed cases in 18 days. Population of 120k.

And everyone seems to be very good at wearing masks and mostly pretty good also maintaining SD.

Stupid thing is I work in a school and worked the whole way through the peak. I was far less anxious about that

That's what puts me off going in restaurants.

It's the thought of sitting there for 1-2 hours and potentially someone coughing/sneezing nearby and feeling trapped in there.

I'm actually fine with shopping because I'm moving around. I'm desperate to take my dc swimming but they're not allowing children yet. Strangely I'd be ok with that, again because I can move around.

I'm not criticising anyone else for going to restaurants, it's just not for me right now. It's also nothing to do with the food as we've had takeaways throughout the lockdown and they've been enjoyable.

Chaotic45 Well this was relayed to me by a friend who knows someone working as a Nurse in Poole Hospital .However there are 834 people in the Dorset area infected with the illness ATM.So not entirely sure if the first figure is totally accurate or not really.

Well when you go in a toilet you've no choice but to touch the handle on the door. And if you touch the hand gel pump then squirt on some gel, surely rubbing it on your hands gets rid of and germs there might have been on the pump?
Bit I might be talking nonsense.
I agree it's all loopy.

We've eaten out as a family several times and really enjoyed it. We sit outside where possible but have been inside too and it felt fine (we would just leave if it didn't). My one big concern is track and trace. Lots of places are asking customers to check in online and there's no way of checking if they actually do this. Taking details at the door is a far better option.

The way I see it is you can have pubs, eating out, shopping, etc etc OR you can let kids have a small chance of a proper year of education.
Cases in the UK are way too high and schools haven’t even reopened. It is fantasy land right now. Oh for a strong leader right now instead of Haha It’s Boris.

I have suffered with crippling anxiety since my DD died, i have other issues due to y childhood but this triggered it. I was someone who used to travel the world alone, climb mountains and argue on behalf of thousands of people when a trade union regional representative.

I had to learn to cope being near people because that was one of my issues I literally can’t tolerate being near others at all due to the thought of germs. So I have lived like this for around five years. I open loo doors with elbows or use a tissue and dispose. I ask for a table that is against a wall so no one can walk behind me, preferably in a corner. I never eat with my fingers when out and use a wipe to clean cutlery before. I can’t drink from a receptacle where they pass it to you having touched the rim to put it down, which is awful practice anyway. I only eat hot food, no salads and I have not been able to eat in places where they prep food in front of you.

There are ways to eat out more carefully we used to eat out twice a week but with the current pandemic there is no way I can.

Unless you are in Manchester, Bradford, Aberdeen or Leceister you need to address your perception of this risk. Go and find out how many hospitalisations and how many deaths there have been in your area in the last three weeks. I bet you it's less than you think.

This is a little naive really. My local city isn't in lockdown but I am aware that the R value is teetering on the brink although it isn't yet public knowledge.

Cam77 I also agree with this.

I don't think we are going to be able to do it all.

@Cam77

The way I see it is you can have pubs, eating out, shopping, etc etc OR you can let kids have a small chance of a proper year of education. Cases in the UK are way too high and schools haven’t even reopened. It is fantasy land right now. Oh for a strong leader right now instead of Haha It’s Boris.

Closing down pubs and restaurants won’t make little difference to schools going back as many will simply meet up in private homes where transmission is high anyway.

There will be no where the same numbers going to pubs and for meals as the number of children in classrooms. With no SD or PPE either.

We've eaten out about a dozen times, in independent restaurants. All been great. Restaurants were full and a good vibe.

I can't get my head around the idea we view other people now to be 'dirty' and 'infected'. if that isn't a clear way to make people turn on each other, I don't know what is. this is not healthy for our society.

https://apple.news/AufhqWiTHRqScd5IAq5IO1A

This is what makes it dangerous.

I understand ole TT if placed really are putting safety in place. I've eaten in my local village pub.

It it doesn't matter what pubs and restaurants do if people behave like this. And I actually feel sorry for the businesses who suffer. IMO it's not actual Covid that's affecting them directly - it's the people knowingly taking it into the pubs

@cyclemania

I can't get my head around the idea we view other people now to be 'dirty' and 'infected'. if that isn't a clear way to make people turn on each other, I don't know what is. this is not healthy for our society.

Awful isn’t it? I’m not put off going places due to the fear of catching covid. I’m not put off by sanitising hands, track and trace, social distancing measures etc. I’m put off due to people looking at me and my family like we’re filthy disease vectors.

We won't be eating out, but that's just an accessibility issue. Which hasn't changed since Covid.