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Covid

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Original poster

Photos of friends on social media with their arms around family/friends

125 replies

ke002 · 12/08/2020 22:55

I don't believe I'm wrong in understanding that rules are still in place to practice social distancing with everyone outside your household/bubble.... So I feel so frustrated seeing friends/extended family (cousins, uncles) posting photos on social media with their arms around their family and friends, heads close together, etc. I'm not talking about with people they are in a bubble with. One friend posted photos of her family on holiday with both her parents-in-law plus her sister-in-law and her family and they're in photos all very close together.
My Mum asked me last week if we can start hugging and I really thought carefully about it and said no. She cried about it but I know it's the right decision but it's like a kick in the teeth seeing friends photos.
I worked on a Covid High Dependency Unit for the first 3 months and I truly feel broken by my experiences. I do not want to go back there.

OP posts:

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 13/08/2020 06:11

you need to keep apart at work,
wipe down shared areas
wash your hands.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 13/08/2020 06:27

To be honest I'm not seeing the point in me distancing any more. I am back at work in the manufacturing industry, we don't wear PPE and it's literally impossible to keep apart for the entire day although we try. I'm having to use family to help with childcare for DS and they're not distancing from him so I don't see giving them a quick hug as making any difference now.

Dotinthecity · 13/08/2020 06:32

Life’s too short. Give your Mum a hug.

latticechaos · 13/08/2020 06:54

I do feel that other people carrying on as normal is dragging it out more.

Yes, this. I'm constantly because particularly in England people simultaneously moan about wanting things to be normal then do things that mean it'll take longer to get there!

Life’s too short. Give your Mum a hug. Sorry but this made me laugh! I think you should especially do this now we know cases are starting to rise again, show your mum you love her by ignoring public health advice.

KatherineJaneway · 13/08/2020 07:02

It's clear that a lot of people are not understanding the guidance.

Or rather they are making their own risk assessments rather than following the guidance.

ginsparkles · 13/08/2020 07:11

@KatherineJaneway that is also true however I was more meaning that even in this thread there have been statements about what's allowed which aren't correct. Ie meeting 6 other people.

nutellafortea · 13/08/2020 07:12

But public health advice is so crazy, very relaxed in some countries and very strict in others. And even in strict places like Spain the rules can be so bizarre. It's ok to sit around a table with friends at a restaurant (no masks) but you can be fined for walking along an empty street without your mandatory mask. What is the point? The situation in Spain was driving me bonkers, so glad I left. Now I'm in the Netherlands where people are supposed to respect social distancing but in reality most people dont seem to care. I see my Dutch friend everyday, she us very affectionate and hugs and kisses me every time. She lives with her 90 year old mother and both are not concerned. Meanwhile friends in England are getting depressed about all these measures. I suspect these measures will cause so much damage to mental health.

ivfdreaming · 13/08/2020 07:12

@Dotinthecity

Life’s too short. Give your Mum a hug.

This

To be honest you sound like a covid martyr

I'm an adult and able to make my own risk assessments in life - if my parents aren't in contact with hordes of people then I'm going to hug them. Same as my friends.

whatswithtodaytoday · 13/08/2020 07:25

I don't understand why people find the guidance so difficult to follow, but if they do the other option is to just think for yourself. Think about how best to avoid spreading a very contagious disease.

So no, we're not hugging our mums. We're not going out for dinner with friends unless we can stay 1m + apart outside (clearly impossible on most restaurant tables). We're behaving like responsible adults and trying to decrease the risk to ourselves and those around us as much as possible. Yes, it's boring and yes, I miss hugging my mum. It's shit. But I'd feel a lot worse if she caught it off me.

KatherineJaneway · 13/08/2020 07:34

[quote ginsparkles]@KatherineJaneway that is also true however I was more meaning that even in this thread there have been statements about what's allowed which aren't correct. Ie meeting 6 other people. [/quote]
@ginsparkles

To be honest I don't know the current rules off the top of my head. I have another household I bubble with and I see people occasionally to eat out and that's it.

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 13/08/2020 07:36

agree,
it is not being a martyr to want to protect your mum, or anyone, from covid, which you could have without symptoms

JoeCalFuckingZaghe · 13/08/2020 07:55

Looking at the replies on here, it's clear the rules are not published clearly or frequently enough to have an impact. Even businesses which are supposed to be abiding by these guidelines aren't. Some friends wanted to meet for food earlier this week, but they wouldn't sit outside so I didn't go (one of the reasons anyway). At least 4 of them met all from different households and Pho didn't question them about their households and they sat inside no issues. The rules are clear about this but profit > safety right.

ginsparkles · 13/08/2020 08:02

@KatherineJaneway in fairness I only really know them because on here, this topic comes up a lot so I have a quick check on the government website to check I haven't missed things changing!

I have a support bubble with my mum, other than that we have one family we see inside, and we will occasionally meet friends (one other household at a time) for a walk. I think the 2m is really hard to maintain, which is why so far we haven't been for food with anyone outside our bubble.

jblue2018 · 13/08/2020 08:02

I find the rules quite confusing and open to interpretation. Especially where childcare is concerned - for example my parents looks after my daughter (which is allowed) so don’t social distance from her, she’s a baby. So what’s the point in me socially distancing from them? Also - we have stayed overnight at in laws house (allowed). As we were using same toilet etc - is there any point in keeping a 2 metre distance? We did keep to 1 metre apart from a hug when we arrived as this is just normal personal space. Similarly I find the restaurant thing quite odd. You can only meet one household inside a house, but if you book a restaurant inside it’s up to 6 households? I went for dinner with 8 girlfriends and this was fine. So why can’t I do it at my house?

I know some people will think I’m being pedantic but I really think a lot of people are genuinely muddled!

AlecTrevelyan006 · 13/08/2020 08:03

It’s pretty easy to stay 1 metre apart from someone - it’s basically an arms length

burnoutbabe · 13/08/2020 08:16

I did hug my parents when visiting them. My partner did not, and parents and I wore masks as we hugged. Only did it at start and end of visit.
A slight risk but one I was prepared to take. We have all pretty much been inside for last 4 months.

tinierclanger · 13/08/2020 08:19

@jblue2018 you’re not meant to be meeting more than one other household inside, that includes in restaurants and pubs. 6 households is outside only,

secretllama · 13/08/2020 08:23

Let people do what they want. Maybe some people are prepared to go years without hugging/arent huggers anyway but many people aren't and social distancing is not a natural way to behave. Shock horror, people want to be close to their friends and family

When its been made quite clear over the past few months that there is no long term plan to managing this virus, apparently even when it's 2 cases per 100,000 weve still to live this crappy distant half life, people will make a choice that they just aren't willing to live like that. People just need to look after themselves and do what they feel is right.

mintich · 13/08/2020 08:25

All the rules are online so if you are confused, look them up!
People seem to think because they are back at work seeing people that means they can just see everyone.

ginsparkles · 13/08/2020 08:31

@AlecTrevelyan006 except you are supposed to be 2meters away from people who aren't in your household. It's 2m where possible, 1m + where it's not possible to do 2m. 1m+ means with mitigation, so masks/screens.

jblue2018 · 13/08/2020 08:41

@tinierclanger really?! I’ve been to eat a few times with different households and in cafes too. I didn’t realise - neither did they! And there’s always been other groups of 6+ adults who are most likely not from the same household.

Bananabread8 · 13/08/2020 09:01

[quote Tuemay]@Bananabread8 for us , it is about protecting our older parents and loved ones.

We are doing our bit. Its horrible but we can wait if it means this goes away quicker.

I do feel that other people carrying on as normal is dragging it out more.

Obviously we have to get a vaccine too but we all socially distanced then maybe cases would go down.[/quote]
I don’t think anyone is carrying on as normal as such it’s not possible. I’m not against SD... I do feel you have over looked my post and dismissed a couple of key points.

MUM2019MARVEL · 13/08/2020 09:05

Your absolutely right to be a bit miffed..I myself am so severely pissed off it's unreal, no-one is listening to any advice and then we go through this cycle of lockdown all over again. My partner baby and I haven't "bubbled" with anyone through recognition that almost every family member and friends have not socially distanced (they have had random friends round and had very up close contact/cuddling) in the first place so therefore were not safe. My own mother buggered off to Blackpool a few weeks back and posted stupid pictures all over social media. Then had the cheek to ask to see my son with a heart condition, and when I said no you've been doing a,b and c, she the did the woe is me speech "no we've followed the rules allowed by the government, it's not fair I don't see him when we follow rules and everyone else are doing as they wish". The bloody cheek and ignorance is astounding.

Hbs21 · 13/08/2020 09:14

I personally think the guidelines are pretty clear. Bubbles are for schools or single adult/single parent households. Everyone else should social distance unless with their household. I am also sick of seeing people on social media acting like covid has just disappeared. I'm almost jealous of those who don't seem to have any anxiety about hugging loved ones when personally the thought of infecting them if I'm asymptomatic terrifies me. I had a baby 4 months ago who no one has properly met and I would love nothing than to decide that my own risk assessment is enough to disregard the guidelines but I can't stand the thought of my child getting ill or me and my husband being too ill to look after the baby and having to risk exposure to other family members for them to look after him.

Tuemay · 13/08/2020 09:16

@bananabread8

Sorry, I tagged the wrong person.

Meant to tag the one beneath you.

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