Would you not see your friends and family?

[SqidgeBum]

BJ seems to be floating the idea of a 2 week national restriction on socialising in October. Essential work would stay open, but people will be told not to socialise with any other household. Sky news reported

"Proposals being worked up for such a "circuit break" could see essential travel to schools and workplaces continuing, but restaurants and bars would shut - or perhaps run on restricted hours - and different households would be asked not to mix."

Where I live, there are about 10 cases a week, and we havent had a death since august 23rd. I know that's not the case around the whole country, so I am asking would you comply with the government bringing in restrictions that mean you go to work, but you cannot see another household? They are proposing this would last for 2 weeks minimum.

Do you think it will help as we head into winter, or is it just another finger plaster over a gaping wound?

Personally I'm happy to pause my social life for however long it takes to get things under control if it means saving lives.

@x2boys I do take your point although I try not to read the comments in the Bolton Evening News - they are all fools.

[quote Littlemiss74]@Anna713 why do you think it’s not working in Bolton? Are people just not abiding to the rules?[/quote]
Infections kept rising in March after lockdown. It takes time for measures to work.

@SqidgeBum

My thinking was that you can actually keep the majority at home. If we preplanned for this appropriately with government funding and supplies then we wouldn’t need things like shops to be open those weeks. If we had done it in the school holidays teachers can stay home.

Obviously some utility workers, medics, fire, police, carers would be needed, but if prearranged the majority of delivery drivers, transport workers etc, would not be. Most things can actually operate with a skeleton work force if needed and properly planned for in advance.

It would have been a huge amount of work to organise and of course expensive, but then the alternative has been both of those too.

The main draw back would be that our population wouldn’t be happy with this level of control. So it can work in places like China, but might not here.

Also we would have to be very very strict about quarantine etc. or else as you say, it would eventually start up again.

I’m not denying it would have been an awful 2 weeks (and I suspect there would be suicides and domestic violence deaths which would be an absolute tragedy). But I feel like the solution we seem to have chosen doesn’t seem a great option either (bankrupting the country, cancelling exams, prolonged harm to the development and education of many children etc.).

I am glad I am not the one who has to make these decisions. All the options have pretty terrible consequences.

Very true @Anna713

I would see people not often and would distance if the need arise. But it's been a very small circle we have been mixing with.

But would reduce the minimal contact we have now a bit.

I would comply - the reason behind it is probably to lower the Covid rate of progress in order to prepare the NHS for the demands of winter when services are inevitably under pressure with illnesses other than Covid. The NHS fears being overwhelmed, quite rightly and also needs to get back to normal with BAU re operations etc.

So yes, it would be a sensible plan and only for a couple of weeks.

Just to be on the safe side, let’s ban any socialising for the next decade.

I’d do it for two weeks, maybe a month max to give it a go and see if it helps. Any more than that no. Not good for mental health, the economy, other healthcare etc. If that doesn’t work then people will just have to live with rising cases and get on with life until there is a vaccine. Up to everyone what they do, if vulnerable and worried they can stay in if they wish until a vaccine.

Not a chance.

Two weeks without seeing family isn't that unusual for us in normal times tbh. We live locally to mine but we're all busy with work and school so we often don't see each other for weeks.

DH and I don't really have any friends, so not bothered about that at all.

I'd be annoyed if DD had to stop going to nursery, it's important for her to have the interaction and education. I'm hoping they won't close nurseries though as they're essential for working parents.

I don’t understand those of you saying you wouldn’t comply. I just don’t get it.

Yes, you’re fed up. Yes, you’ve lost faith in the government. Me too (and I never had much faith in the first place).

Lockdown and home schooling nearly broke me, and that’s with a supportive husband and boss. It also nearly broke my 7 year-old only child. My husband hasn’t seen his mum, who is in her seventies and lives in Lancashire (we are in the south), since last Christmas. But we will follow any rules that are introduced. Because we can see it’s for the greater good and it’s not just about us.

So I will do anything, and follow any rules, if they help to keep schools open. If some of you don’t want to do that, then quite frankly I fear for us all, and our children, and their education.

@mrsknottschicken

I don’t understand those of you saying you wouldn’t comply. I just don’t get it.

Yes, you’re fed up. Yes, you’ve lost faith in the government. Me too (and I never had much faith in the first place).

Lockdown and home schooling nearly broke me, and that’s with a supportive husband and boss. It also nearly broke my 7 year-old only child. My husband hasn’t seen his mum, who is in her seventies and lives in Lancashire (we are in the south), since last Christmas. But we will follow any rules that are introduced. Because we can see it’s for the greater good and it’s not just about us.

So I will do anything, and follow any rules, if they help to keep schools open. If some of you don’t want to do that, then quite frankly I fear for us all, and our children, and their education.

I am in a similar boat to your DH where my family live abroad so I dont see them anyway. But do you think people not seeing family and friends for 2 weeks will actually do a lot of good, considering everyone will still be at work, in schools, in nurseries?

I dont. I think it will barely make any difference at all. That's my issue with it. It seems like a token gesture tbh, one which, in the scale of a contagious virus, is pointless.

However, considering a full lockdown didnt fix things last time as we are here again, I dont know what will work. I am starting to think nothing will work, and this is life now, choosing to accept the inevitable deaths, or sitting in our sitting rooms on full lockdown forever.

Joyous.

No I wouldn't. DG has to go away for 2 months with work which means I am about to become dependant on family for childcare, unless Boris and his gang are going to stump up for additional childcare costs, then no. I can't afford to take more time off work.

I'd happily accept a proper lockdown with schools and businesses closed. I'd even accept a really tough lockdown with perhaps one weekly shop allowed. What I refuse to accept is a rule which at best is illogical and at worst another insult to the poorest in society. If it is safe to shoot grouse, queue up for school, eat in a restaurant then it is safe to sit 2m apart in my back garden or indeed at a closer distance in my front room (given 6 people could meet up in a restaurant and sit perhaps 70cm apart). Why should those who can't afford to eat out be penalised?

No I wouldn't. I dont see what will magically make this lock down work without a rise in cases when it's over.

If the government can convince me theres an end plan other than living my life in rolling lockdowns then ill comply. Until then I'll continue seeing my family.

I'm not saying I know what the answer is. But this temporary delay in cases (because until a vaccine, that's all it is, a delay) at the cost of everything else isn't it.

For the PP who said it is the survival of the fittest, but that they would still see family for their mental health, then they don't actually fit in the fittest category! And maybe they should be throwing themselves under the metaphorical bus like they are expecting all the other vulnerable people to do.

@secretllama

No I wouldn't. I dont see what will magically make this lock down work without a rise in cases when it's over.

If the government can convince me theres an end plan other than living my life in rolling lockdowns then ill comply. Until then I'll continue seeing my family.

I'm not saying I know what the answer is. But this temporary delay in cases (because until a vaccine, that's all it is, a delay) at the cost of everything else isn't it.

I agree, we need another plan. Continuous lockdowns won’t work they just suppress the virus. However whilst the government are going with this strategy we all need to comply with a short lockdown otherwise there will be longer and harsher lockdowns over winter which people will have no choice but to comply with. Please can everyone follow the rules so we can actually have a Christmas!

I would comply, but I think a 2 week lock down is a waste of time. People already infected would pass it to family members during the lockdown, who would still be infectious when the lockdown ended. It needs to be a longer period of time if it's going to have any impact.

Not necessary, I'm pretty well-read about covid-19 and I'll make my own decisions based on what I think is a reasonable risk for me and others, but then I am in a low numbers area. I've worked and paid taxes for 30 years other than 6 months after DD was born but the Govt have decided not to support me financially, so the "we're all in this together" doesn't work for me, I need to look after my own mental health,

BoJo has been unsuccessful in managing Covid in England.
The problem areas in England should not mean those of us in the NEof Scotland should be on restrictions.

I need mine for childcare so no. Local nursery & childminders are chokka. My eldest attends 3 days a week & it costs a bomb, even if I could get an extra couple days, I couldn’t really afford it. I have no choice but to use family or I’d lose my job. Until BoJo & Co can offer me an alternative what else can I do?!

I don’t go anywhere anyway. Be like a normal few weeks. Dh works thought out providing essential items to hospitals and such. Children would be either home or at school. I’d be running the house and land as is the norm. We have enough computers if needed to home school all the children at the same time. I was planning on ordering all presents online anyway so yeah I’m good.

No I won't comply. I will see my friends and family as normal.

I dont know one person who has had it. I won't comply with it. I dont think many people will.