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Original poster

First day out. Is there even a pandemic?!

56 replies

thatsnotmyrhino · 30/08/2020 11:00

I gave birth to my first baby in March.

I've been diagnosed with anxiety and I've found this pandemic really though.

I've been having some CBT to help me combat things.

Today was a big thing for me as we booked tickets to go to the zoo.

I figured being outside I'd feel safe .

I've not been to any big public places since the birth of my baby (I've been to parks etc) so I've been feeling like I really should get out.

We booked to arrive at 8am hoping it would be on the quieter side! I was wrong!!

It was so busy! ☹️

Signs everywhere staying social distancing.
Asking people to stick to the left on all walkways, one way systems in place.

No one paid any attention!!! A few people, myself included, stayed to the left on the walk ways and obeyed the one way system. But i don't know why we bothered as no one else did.

It was just like a normal day. Now I know I haven't been out much so maybe this is the norm now that people don't feel the need to distance. But I could only manage to stay an hour before we had to leave. 😔

Feeling so disappointed in myself.

OP posts:
Original poster
thatsnotmyrhino · 30/08/2020 14:27

@Lazypuppy
*
You picked a sunny bank holiday weekend before the schools go back as your first trip to a zoo?! It was always going to be very busy this weekend.*

I booked 8am on a Sunday morning.
I was only planning on saying a couple of hours (which we did) and I expected at that time on a morning for it to be quieter (not very quiet, just not as busy as it was)

You have to book a time slot so I assumed it would be limited to how many people they let in.

We actually managed to keep our distance but it did mean that we didn't actually stop to look at the animals as everyone was stood too close together.

We kept moving, walked all the way around and left.

OP posts:
RomComPhooey · 30/08/2020 14:35

@Judashascomeintosomemoney

We’ve been popping in to town occasionally over the last couple of months, going to farm shops, coffee places, that kind of thing. All been great and felt totally safe, lots of masks and social distancing, not too many people crowding streets etc. Until Friday. Went to our usual coffee place in the city, just to get a takeaway, and omg, queues for parking, streets rammed, people everywhere. No real opportunity to socially distance and though there were a lot of masks there were definitely a higher percentage without than I’ve seen recently. I also put it down to schools going back this coming week and lots of people thinking all bets are off now, might as well do whatever. Surprised at how shocked and uncomfortable I felt, I’m not a natural panicker or anxious person usually.
I went to our local shops yesterday and that was my experience too. I also think people are aware infection rates are (mostly) low just now, but there is an increased risk of local lockdown once the schools and university terms start and activities move indoors as the weather worsens, so are having a last hurrah. I will be wearing a mask on future shopping trips. I did not feel safe yesterday.
ExmoorPony · 30/08/2020 15:28

"Feeling safe", what the fuck is it with this expression.. ??Apparently the National Trust couldn't open their shop, to "keep us all safe".

FUCKING RIDICULOUS

Apolloanddaphne · 30/08/2020 15:34

I think your problem is that you haven't eased into getting out as things opened up. If you had you would have seen a very different picture. Things are certainly more back to normal now even from where they were a few weeks ago, never mind in March. The zoo on a Bank holiday weekend was always going to be busy, even with limited time slots in place.

RomComPhooey · 30/08/2020 15:36

Was that a pop at me? If so, I’m pretty laid back about COVID, have been out and about throughout (with sensible precautions) and will be sending my kids back to school next week. I’m also at increased risk of having complications with COVID due to my medical history and cases are rapidly increasing in my area. So no, I did not feel safe with people behaving like dickheads in the shops yesterday, with no distancing and no masks.

Understandingnotignorance · 30/08/2020 15:47

Thanks @ListeningQuietly and @BernardsarenotalwaysSaints for the link

steakhousesally · 30/08/2020 15:48

@RomComPhooey

Was that a pop at me? If so, I’m pretty laid back about COVID, have been out and about throughout (with sensible precautions) and will be sending my kids back to school next week. I’m also at increased risk of having complications with COVID due to my medical history and cases are rapidly increasing in my area. So no, I did not feel safe with people behaving like dickheads in the shops yesterday, with no distancing and no masks.
Why go shopping if you are high risk ?
SomewhereEast · 30/08/2020 17:42

@TheClaws

Pleasantville the cases would be down in OP's area because of social distancing measures, masks, etc. People keeping to these standards for the time being would be the only way to ensure the cases stay low (or go to zero).
Though I live a stone's throw from the Yorkshire Coast, where confirmed cases are still vanishingly rare despite the fact that social distancing ship very definitely sailed months ago in places like Bridlington, Scarborough & Whitby. And all those places have been rammed with holidaymakers from elsewhere too. My takeaway from this is that the risk of infection from outdoor crowds must insanely low, even when no one is distancing.
BillywilliamV · 30/08/2020 17:44

I tnink the point is that it should be safe for the high risk to go shopping, if everyone is wearing masks and social distancing.
How long do you expect them to stay locked up?

SomewhereEast · 30/08/2020 17:45

@ExmoorPony

"Feeling safe", what the fuck is it with this expression.. ??Apparently the National Trust couldn't open their shop, to "keep us all safe".

FUCKING RIDICULOUS

That phrase gives me The Rage too. If they're concerned about their own staff, thats fine, but I'm a grown fucking adult & can make my own risk assessment thanks. Its so infantilising.
Useruseruserusee · 30/08/2020 17:47

I’m not high risk but I will happily wear a mask and social distance if that allows higher risk members of the community to come out and about. We shouldn’t be telling them to stay at home just because we as a society are bored of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus. In my opinion that’s really selfish.

loulouljh · 30/08/2020 17:59

I hate this "safe" obsession too..it is just madness. People wanting reassurances that everything is safe. It isn't. It never has been nor never will be. People need to be adults and accept an element of risk.

ListeningQuietly · 30/08/2020 18:02

I tnink the point is that it should be safe for the high risk to go shopping
Safe compared to what ?
Peak flu season ?

HeresMe · 30/08/2020 18:06

The safe thing is bizzare, it's never safe to leave house , you could get hit by a car , trip on pavement, catch cold.

Risk asess your situation don't expect everyone to do it for you.

Highlytrainedflunky · 30/08/2020 19:03

OP it was busy because you were there. Every one thought the same as you. Bit daft to buy tickets to an attraction site when you’ve got anxiety about going out. When is a zoo ever empty Confused

sunseekin · 30/08/2020 19:10

@thatsnotmyrhino

I gave birth to my first baby in March.

I've been diagnosed with anxiety and I've found this pandemic really though.

I've been having some CBT to help me combat things.

Today was a big thing for me as we booked tickets to go to the zoo.

I figured being outside I'd feel safe .

I've not been to any big public places since the birth of my baby (I've been to parks etc) so I've been feeling like I really should get out.

We booked to arrive at 8am hoping it would be on the quieter side! I was wrong!!

It was so busy! ☹️

Signs everywhere staying social distancing.
Asking people to stick to the left on all walkways, one way systems in place.

No one paid any attention!!! A few people, myself included, stayed to the left on the walk ways and obeyed the one way system. But i don't know why we bothered as no one else did.

It was just like a normal day. Now I know I haven't been out much so maybe this is the norm now that people don't feel the need to distance. But I could only manage to stay an hour before we had to leave. 😔

Feeling so disappointed in myself.

We did an outdoors day trip a few days ago to somewhere we’d never been before, overheard someone say “it’s never this busy normally” to their friend. Like others said probably countdown to school made it busier, well done and don’t be discouraged, I think outdoors the way to go.
Original poster
thatsnotmyrhino · 30/08/2020 19:53

@Highlytrainedflunky

OP it was busy because you were there. Every one thought the same as you. Bit daft to buy tickets to an attraction site when you’ve got anxiety about going out. When is a zoo ever empty Confused
@Highlytrainedflunky

I guess the alternative is to just stay in and not face my fears.. Hmm

OP posts:
Noextremes2017 · 30/08/2020 20:21

If I was going out for the first time I really don’t think I would have gone to a zoo on a Bank Holiday weekend.

Noextremes2017 · 30/08/2020 20:23

To clarify that OP - yes people have been out and about for months and clearly many are more confident than you. So my advice would be to start somewhere you know will be quiet and build up confidence in steps.

Original poster
thatsnotmyrhino · 30/08/2020 21:10

@Noextremes2017

If I was going out for the first time I really don’t think I would have gone to a zoo on a Bank Holiday weekend.
Yeah I obviously didn't think it through very well.

I was just thinking of an outdoor place that we could take the baby.

I've been on plenty of walks and I wanted to try something different.

As I said we booked 8am expecting to get a few quiet hours.

OP posts:
Keepdistance · 30/08/2020 22:20

I could have written this about a zoo last weekend. We are members and it was insanely busy!
We also left within an hour. Tbh i felt quite conned as booking tickets they are meant to be limiting numbers. The problem likely that people can stay as long as they like.

Maybe the NT dont want to have to shut if someone catches it in the shop. Plus all the older volunteers.

MayFayre · 30/08/2020 23:20

We went to a zoo today. We (perhaps naively) thought that because places were apparently limited and tickets had to be prebooked and social distancing measures were supposedly in place then it would be alright. It was awful, and a bit of an eye opener. I realise now that I must live in some sort of bubble. Where I am, most people are following the guidelines. At the zoo, aside from the queues to go in, there was no social distancing at all, and very few people seemed to be even attempting to stay 1m let alone 2m from others. Lots of huge groups too.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/08/2020 23:25

Is it people breaking rules or catching covid that worries you most? You would have been at very low risk today, but I get that it would have felt overwhelming for a first trip out.

Keepdistance · 30/08/2020 23:48

It seems that people get too close to kids.
Tbh if i did nt have kids i would just stick a mask on so i didnt have to worrry so much about people getting so close

ExmoorPony · 31/08/2020 08:27

What's with the "it was so busy, it was horrible"??? That is normal life, can you remember? Ffs

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