Have people forgotten distancing?

[chestergirl39]

I feel that people have stopped doing this, when it is one of the best ways of avoiding the virus. I’m basing my opinion on people’s Facebook posts, full of groups hugging and huddled together, and the way people are behaving at work. Even people who have returned from shielding don’t seem to keep their distance, and it feels rude to mention it. You’d think that they especially would want to protect themselves, but it appears not. Has anyone else noticed the same? Personally I’m not a tactile person, so I like distancing!

The pubs are open and kids have gone back to school

People mistakenly think it’s all over

Yes, behaviour in regards to distancing has definitely changed

I've not been doing the things you've mentioned but I definitely think that as I went back to work, been out for dinners and the schools have gone back that I subconsciously feel like I'm back to "normal" because things are as they were for me pre March (aside from mask wearing).

I don't get it either. Even people I thought of as quite sensible.are congregating in groups on.the school run and hugging each other in.photos. Is very worrying as will mean this is going to go on and on.

Yes, completely. It annoys the fuck out of me. But maintaining space is in direct conflict with getting people back out on to town centres to spend money - it's impossible to maintain distance with too many people, it can't physically be done 🤷🏻‍♀️. It's why I avoid town on a Friday and Saturday and shop only on Mondays - Thursdays.

Yup

It's a bit different outdoors where the virus is less virulent, but you still shouldn't be hugging people.

Indoors, you shouldn't be within a meter of anyone outside your household/small bubble.

People are social animals. Distancing among people you know was never going to work for very long.

However careful you are, there’s always someone who’s not. I recently went to ikea, first time since lockdown as the queues have been putting me off for ages. I was standing in the queue that was guided by a tape cordon. I was on my phone, txting dcs who were at home, when suddenly I felt a child next to me. I turned round and saw it was a child who had been standing on the other side of the tape to me. I moved away suddenly, and although it felt awful to have that reaction to a child, I was more in disbelief at the parent who just stood there smiling.

I don’t much distance.. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel the risk outdoors is extremely low. If I’m out with friends, we sit around a table having lunch & stand next to each other nattering.

Indoors, I do try a bit harder but depends on the situation. When I stayed with my in-laws for 10 days, distancing would be utterly pointless as we were living in the same house for an extended period, cooking for each other, sharing bathrooms & a not huge living room etc! If we had it, we’d spread it regardless! But when I went to a friends for dinner last night for example, we did keep 2-ish metres apart. It was a visit of a couple hours so I felt I could lower our risk.

I also hugged my family after a funeral this week. Life’s too short when your loved ones are crying.

Honestly people will forget because human contact isn't something nice to have, its essential to people and we have evolved to become highly social animals over millions of years, which cant be reversed with a few months social distancing.

No, not here. School run, parents stay in their cars or keep apart in the waiting area. Masks are worn.

I visited my sister in August having not seen her all year. We didn't even hug. I haven't see the rest of my family since Xmas - too far away. My friends have only visited for coffee in the garden since March.

Thank god for my ds or I wouldn't have hugged another human being for six months

Many seem to think the rule of six means no distancing within the group.

Judging by FB, local behaviour etc many just aren’t bothering with it. Mask wearing seems thin on the ground too from complaints I’ve seen.

I feel that mask wearing has been better than I’d have expected in our area. I do completely agree that people feel they don’t have to distance in groups of 6, and obviously aren’t wearing masks when out with friends in bars/restaurants/gardens etc. I think this is probably why the government seems so keen to focus on social gatherings within homes and gardens. Well that and the fact it doesn’t help the economy.

Social distancing is more natural to some of us than to others, although humans are generally a sociable species.

I don't like socialising and prefer my own company, so I am a fairly natural social distancer.

Others who love to go out and party obviously find it much more difficult.

I can't say I pay much attention to others around me if I am out at the shops. Nor do I worry too much if they are briefly closer than the prescribed 2 metres (or 1).

I don't go up to people. I don't want to. But I really can't be arsed to worry about it constantly.

Its almost as if humans aren't meant to be socially distant 🤦‍♀️ ... I cant believe people are shocked at this, that people will naturally want to be close to their friends and families again after months apart.

I think some people think wearing a mask makes them immune. Since compulsory mask wearing has come in people are socially distancing less. Eg. I was trying on a pair of trainers and five people came and stood right next to me and I couldn't move away quickly as I was half way through trying on the shoes!

I have also noticed that if you are talking to someone and both of you are in masks people come fairly close in order to hear as mask wearing muffles ones voice.
I'm not anti mask (other than finding them uncomfortable) but wondering how effective masks are at reducing the spread if people then don't socially distance as well.