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Original poster

Will the new law on social gatherings make you reconsider your activities?

684 replies

Redolent · 08/09/2020 22:48

Yes or no?

OP posts:
Floralbean · 09/09/2020 11:13

As others have said, MONEY FOR THE TAXMAN is what it's all about.

Well of course, how else is the NHS, schools, welfare etc paid? Do people think that the outcomes of people being plunged into poverty because they have lost their jobs, or the further decline in services already on their arse isn't important?

NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite · 09/09/2020 11:17

@Friedbanana
Can I just ask a question- my sister’s family and my parents and grandma are all living in the same house (7 people including the children)- does this mean I’m no longer allowed to visit their house?
You can only visit in their household if there will be no more than 6 in total present within the household. Unfortunate but that will be the law from Monday.

What if 2 people stayed in another room?
The law refers to a maximum of 6 in a household.

wanderings · 09/09/2020 11:19

will no one in the group be worried about the fact that you're breaking the law?
It didn't worry Cummings, did it? But he thinks he's God.

ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia · 09/09/2020 11:22

@Floralbean

As others have said, MONEY FOR THE TAXMAN is what it's all about.

Well of course, how else is the NHS, schools, welfare etc paid? Do people think that the outcomes of people being plunged into poverty because they have lost their jobs, or the further decline in services already on their arse isn't important?

Exactly as bottom line - lives and livelihoods!

No free lunch, benefits, NHS, education etc etc as it all needs to be paid for by someone if not you. We need to strike the right balance to resuscitate the economy while trying to save lives so basically a very complex balancing act. Next generation will already be paying off today's national debt Covid borrowing expenditure on NHS medical emergency and furlough etc etc.

pommedeterre · 09/09/2020 11:25

I think 2 households was better. 6 is great if you only have 2 kids as you can still see grandparents. Feel like over 2 kids and it gets a bit weird even just to see grandparents which is crap if 6 adults from different households can still hang out together.

I will see grandparents and be 7 of us for sure. Apart from that keeping to 6 isn't much of an issue?

knittingaddict · 09/09/2020 11:26

Honestly that sounds like the letter of the law rather than spirit of the law fassbendersmistress. If it's one of those activity birthday parties then it's a stretch to call it an organised team sport if the people involved never play that sport together regularly ie aren't a team.

I guess that's what you get with emergency legislation.

VinylDetective · 09/09/2020 11:26

Looks as if my friend’s daughter’s wedding is fucked again. It was supposed to be in Puglia in October so was obviously cancelled. Then it was a registry office on the 18th of this month with 28 people. Now that’s gone too. I feel so sorry for them.

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 09/09/2020 11:27

@Friedbanana

Can I just ask a question- my sister’s family and my parents and grandma are all living in the same house (7 people including the children)- does this mean I’m no longer allowed to visit their house? What if 2 people stayed in another room? (Normally happens anyway as it’s not a huge house!) i’d just be visiting on my own. However we can’t be classed as a support bubble as I live with my partner.
You're best off waiting until the text of the new law is available, rather than paying any attention to people who think they can give a proper answer to this question now. Adam Wagner on twitter has been doing some really good explanations of new regulations when they're issued, so worth keeping an eye on his account.
Kljnmw3459 · 09/09/2020 11:29

I think it's going to be tricky to keep to 6 or less all the time. It should be 2 households, that would make so much more sense.

knittingaddict · 09/09/2020 11:30

So this means that I and 9 of my middle aged female friends can "organise" a football match and that's within the law? We could spend half an hour knocking a ball around, stop for a snack and that's ok? Sounds like a massive loophole.

NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite · 09/09/2020 11:34

@Xenia

None of this really affects me as I like my own company and work from home but it is very unfair on young people and I would much rather have many more deaths than have these laws in place.
Why is it unfair on young people? Many posters will be restricted because of the size of their families (which impacts on their parents/grandparents). We are all in this together.Grin

You would prefer these temporary laws not to exist and have many more deaths but that maybe only because you feel the virus won't affect you. You might feel differently if you caught the virus and were on a CPAP machine or ventilator in hospital feeling like you were suffocating for a few days.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 09/09/2020 11:34

'As others have said, MONEY FOR THE TAXMAN is what it's all about.

'Well of course, how else is the NHS, schools, welfare etc paid? Do people think that the outcomes of people being plunged into poverty because they have lost their jobs, or the further decline in services already on their arse isn't important?'

Yes people really struggle with prioritising don't they.

LemonTT · 09/09/2020 11:38

@knittingaddict

So this means that I and 9 of my middle aged female friends can "organise" a football match and that's within the law? We could spend half an hour knocking a ball around, stop for a snack and that's ok? Sounds like a massive loophole.
Only if you are determined to be awkward and make life difficult for yourself.

We were told we were at the limits. Boundaries were pushed. We have now got stricter limits. Why would the answer be to push again at the boundaries? Because the consequence is tighter restrictions.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 09/09/2020 11:39

'it is very unfair on young people and I would much rather have many more deaths than have these laws in place.'

Why though?? They arent draconian laws. Pubs and restaurants etc still open you just can't have 20 people round to your house for a party. Boo hoo!

UnderCaffeinated · 09/09/2020 11:39

@nameychange

Yep, we just this weekend put plans into place for DDs 18th after waiting and waiting and now these are not possible. We’d only planned a meal out but we’d be 7 people which isn’t allowed now. Seems unfair that 6 different households is fine but 7 people made up of 2 households isn’t.
This is the part I am finding difficult.

My best friend and I have 4 kids between us, one of hers and one of mine are in the same class at school, and our husbands work together in fairly close contact everyday, so our households are mixing anyway, but because all of us together is 8 people, we can't have tea at home together, but if say our husbands went to play golf (which they are allowed to do) the remaining six could mix, but once they return we can't?

Surely it should be two households can mix, rather than like a set number?

knittingaddict · 09/09/2020 11:45

Only if you are determined to be awkward and make life difficult for yourself.

We were told we were at the limits. Boundaries were pushed. We have now got stricter limits. Why would the answer be to push again at the boundaries? Because the consequence is tighter restrictions.

Don't worry, I'm following all the guidelines. To be honest ignore my posts for other reasons. My posts come from a position of frustration with the people who won't follow the laws/guidelines, rather than the numerous grey areas which have so many confused.

I do think it's good that laws are in line with guidelines now.

NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite · 09/09/2020 11:46

@VinylDetective

Looks as if my friend’s daughter’s wedding is fucked again. It was supposed to be in Puglia in October so was obviously cancelled. Then it was a registry office on the 18th of this month with 28 people.
I think you'll find it will be okay to go ahead. Weddings of up to 30 people are stated (in the press) to be exempt.

The Prime Minister wil be giving a press conference later today and a list of exemptions will be produced before Monday.

Jaxhog · 09/09/2020 11:49

Well, if everyone had followed the previous rules, the government wouldn't have had to do this. At least this should help schools stay open.

roarfeckingroarr · 09/09/2020 11:53

@Ranunculi

I am thrilled! Guidance was always 6 people but loads of selfish snowflakes were ignoring it and whinging “but the law says 30”. Now the law has been updated to match the guidance, hopefully putting a stop to the stupidity and selfishness.
You sound fun
TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun · 09/09/2020 11:54

We will follow it but it seems like another stupid knee jerk response. I'm feeling sad because I was looking forward to an in person antenatal class (the first "new baby" thing we would have gotten to do at all - no breastfeeding support group, no birth class at hospital). And I guess it will not happen. Yet we could all sit down in the same crowded pub or have kids all at school together sat side by side in classroom and apparently that's still fine!!

The things that seem to actually help the most - setting up recovery hotels for those in crowded accomodation going through covid so they don't infect their housemates, paying more for statutory sick pay so people can afford to be off work if they get it - are apparently beyond us as a country. Instead we just blame people for what they do in their time off.

No wonder lockdown apparently didn't help in some parts of England www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/05/covid-19-could-be-endemic-in-deprived-parts-of-england

Jaxhog · 09/09/2020 11:54

I think 2 households was better.

This might seem better, but too many people have 'interpreted' that to mean 2 households at a time, or one 'household' to be every member of a family. No, this is much simpler and absolute. Almost everyone can count to 6.

Snoringferret · 09/09/2020 11:54

I am not a fan of the government by any stretch of the imagination but I don't see how they can win.

If they don't let any gatherings at all happen people say 'but what about my uncles funeral?'
And if they let funerals happen people say 'I don't see how I can go to a funeral and not a birthday party, the risk is the same!'

I actually think this is quite a sensible approach, this could drag out for a year or more. This way life can still happen, you can still see your family, go to work, bury your dead, get married and the virus will spread, but to stop it getting out of control we will sacrifice big Sunday dinners and parties.

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 09/09/2020 11:55

@Jaxhog

Well, if everyone had followed the previous rules, the government wouldn't have had to do this. At least this should help schools stay open.
You have no idea if this is true and it's a nonsense claim. Transmission could still have taken place via people who work in roles where no SD is possible, those who are exempt from wearing masks and those who have had no choice but to do legal yet risky things such as crowd onto public transport.
Jaxhog · 09/09/2020 11:56

I'm feeling sad because I was looking forward to an in person antenatal class

I'm sure there is a compromise. But surely this is better than confining the vulnerable to another 5 months in total isolation?

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 09/09/2020 11:57

She also sounds woefully naive roarfeckingroarr.