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Original poster

Would you not see your friends and family?

155 replies

SqidgeBum · 18/09/2020 12:05

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?

OP posts:
Ranunculi · 19/09/2020 08:14

The ones being selfish are the owners of pubs and restaurants etc. When only a limited amount of activities can be permitted, it’s unreasonable to put pubs ahead of families. I don’t want to come to your stupid pub. I don’t care if you close down. I want to see my family.

SnuggyBuggy · 19/09/2020 08:17

I'd do 2 weeks but if it went on longer then no, I'd go straight back to meeting friends outdoors and occasional family visits. I don't even care about the fines, it's not like we've got anything better to do with our money.

MandyGalbandi · 19/09/2020 08:20

Yes. I was supposed to be visiting my parents in the north east today and I'm not going.

mummyh2016 · 19/09/2020 08:40

I've only just returned to work after being furloughed for 6 months. If we go into a full lockdown and the schools are closed I will have to see family for childcare reasons. I'm not willing to put myself back in the position I did back in March. Whilst I'm wfh I can't look after my DD at the same time.

CKBJ · 19/09/2020 08:46

I think people,many who complied in March, will be more likely to question it this time. I certainly will-fully complied in March lockdown and have been “sensible” during unlocking. My questions would be:

  1. Is it actually in law or are they guidelines? And with the government likely to break international law breaking a “small” Covid rule mayn’t seem bad to an individual.
  1. Is two weeks really only going to be 2weeks?
  1. How is anything going to change when we “unlock”? How will the government do things differently to prevent another one? Or is it a case of rinse and repeat until a vaccine/treatment?
  1. Assuming schools remain open as normal,how to get reluctant pupils to attend when they argue they can see their friends/family in school but not outside?
  1. Does my situation allow me to stretch the guidelines for childcare/mental health reasons etc rather than struggle on?
Stinkyguineapig · 19/09/2020 09:31

The ones being selfish are the owners of pubs and restaurants etc. When only a limited amount of activities can be permitted, it’s unreasonable to put pubs ahead of families. I don’t want to come to your stupid pub. I don’t care if you close down. I want to see my family.

It's not unreasonable of them to need to make a living?
Fine. Close all pubs, gyms, restaurants, softplays etc....their owners and employees will be fine to live off fresh air for 6 months!!Confused

Venicelover · 19/09/2020 11:39

@Anna713

I can only speak about my own experience but from what I see, most people in Bolton are following the rules. Certainly my friends, family and neighbours are. We are not all stupid in Bolton you know. There is nowhere to go anyway as all the pubs and restaurants are shut. The town centre, on the rare occasions I've ventured there, is like a ghost town. The vast majority of people are wearing masks and keeping their distance. Of course you are always going to get some people who break the rules, and as I said, I can only speak about what I see for myself. I have absolutely no idea what the answer is but like everybody else I am finding it really difficult. It is especially hard to stick to the rules when it doesn't seem to be helping.
I have a friend who works in Bolton at the adult college and she said it is mayhem. No masks or social distancing and large class sizes.
LindaEllen · 19/09/2020 12:20

My town are going into local lockdown on Tuesday so this is what our lives will be like.

I am gutted.

My family were going to come round to sit in the garden this weekend as it might be the last chance we get for a while, but I've come down with a horrible stinking cold that I don't want to risk passing to my parents - as I have a cough (it's not covid, I had that in April) and if they get a cough they'd have to take time off work to be tested, which they can't afford to do :(.

Notcoolmum · 19/09/2020 20:14

It's unlikely I will comply. The inconsistencies are so hard to handle. My BF has to work and travel on public transport. My children are in school/college. My friends work in schools in classes of 30.

I will be careful. Wear my mask. Sanitise. Socially distance. But I don't think I could bear not seeing my closest friends and family for longer than 2 weeks.

RhubarbJellyFizz · 19/09/2020 20:16

Two weeks of not seeing family is nothing, a family member dying due to people being selfish is a lifetime of struggling with mental health issues. I know, as lost family due to C19 - perhaps due to people putting themselves first. Either way, I would not want other families to lose loved ones - so would comply.

megletthesecond · 19/09/2020 20:18

I don't live near mine so it won't make any difference.

duckme · 19/09/2020 20:27

@NewStart2020MyArse
I wholeheartedly agree with you.
I honestly don't think I could take another prolonged lockdown. Perhaps if they said it would be for two weeks and two weeks only, I could, but then again, i don't believe a word BoJo says anymore.
My husband and I were talking about this in the car this morning and I honestly felt my heart begin to race and I got really emotional at the thought of going through it all again.
I am happy to forgo a couple of weeks of socialising with friends, but I won't be giving up seeing my family again.

OhCaptain · 19/09/2020 20:40

I don’t like in Britain and from being on here and seeing stuff on the news and social media, it seems that you lot are being a lot more selfish about this than other countries.

My husband is English and we’ve talked about how selfish and uncaring a majority of brits seem to be about it.

It’s quite shocking really!

TheSunIsStillShining · 19/09/2020 21:31

I cannot get my head around what the difference is between going to work and seeing ppl from many households and specifically choosing 1 to mingle with. Even potentially distanced/outdoor maybe....
This gov is nuts. and i am being a lady

Badbanana · 19/09/2020 21:40

Absolutely will not be listening to any restrictions as long as dc are still going to school.

So they can mix with 60 dc all day but if we go round another mums house for coffee then doom, doom?!

Every parent knows that anything one of our dc get, we will ALL get! It makes no sense whatsoever, and in my supposedly ‘locked down’ area it is just being ignored.

Racoonworld · 19/09/2020 22:01

@TheSunIsStillShining

I cannot get my head around what the difference is between going to work and seeing ppl from many households and specifically choosing 1 to mingle with. Even potentially distanced/outdoor maybe.... This gov is nuts. and i am being a lady
It’s to limit contacts and exposure. Going to work is essential, seeing people for socials is not. It all adds to your exposure so limiting one is better than nothing. If everyone did this then the populations contacts would be greatly reduced even though people are still going to work and school.
ssd · 19/09/2020 22:02

Id do it

OhCaptain · 19/09/2020 22:04

School is essential. Going to a mum’s house for coffee isn’t.

Dowser · 19/09/2020 22:04

I didn’t lock down before and I won’t be locking down now.
It didn’t make sense to keep us locked down after flattening the curve and it makes less sense now.
Honestly , it just feels like a load of cobblers.

Badbanana · 19/09/2020 22:09

School is essential. Going to a mum’s house for coffee isn’t.

I’m just not doing it any more, either I’m vulnerable or I’m not. If coronavirus is going to get me, it will be caught from school. So ‘essential’ or not doesn’t make a difference.

I know people roll their eyes when other mention ‘Cummings’ as a reason but, why the hell not? The government essentially said we can all make our own decisions of risk.

I’ve made mine. While schools are open I won’t be changing my behaviour at all. Given my are is supposedly in ‘lockdown’, it looks like no one else will be either. Everyone socialising and gathering way above six.

Figgygal · 19/09/2020 22:11

I’ve not seen my parents or friends at other end of country since January regular video chats made it possible. It’s not ideal but not risking travelling that distance as usually fly and can’t socialise when get there anyway

Friends here we’ve seen very little and whilst social distancing

Can go 2 weeks without seeing people anyway outside of school runs and the kids sport activities so don’t think It’d be a massive sacrifice

OhCaptain · 19/09/2020 22:16

@Badbanana

School is essential. Going to a mum’s house for coffee isn’t.

I’m just not doing it any more, either I’m vulnerable or I’m not. If coronavirus is going to get me, it will be caught from school. So ‘essential’ or not doesn’t make a difference.

I know people roll their eyes when other mention ‘Cummings’ as a reason but, why the hell not? The government essentially said we can all make our own decisions of risk.

I’ve made mine. While schools are open I won’t be changing my behaviour at all. Given my are is supposedly in ‘lockdown’, it looks like no one else will be either. Everyone socialising and gathering way above six.

Let’s hope you don’t kill off a few vulnerable people then.

Though it doesn’t sound like you’d much care.

myrtilles · 19/09/2020 22:17

I would like to see my mother who lives a few hours away at half term and people should not have to cancel holidays again. I think week after half term should be remote learning for secondary schools meaning all will have had a 2 week break from physical school slowing down infection and would also mean people would be a week post holiday sending kids back as otherwise some will not observe quarantine. Quarantine should be reduced to a week and people should pay for private airport tests before boarding flights and on their return.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 19/09/2020 22:27

I'm in Bolton, I've seen no mayhem.
I'd say 3/4 of people near me are complying. I was in asda on Manchester Road this morning, it was pretty quiet, most in masks a few not.

In my experience the people not complying are either old and have decided they'd rather live now and if their time is up so be it or older teens who think they're invincible and are selfish.
There's a few of the tin foil hat brigade but there's no arguing with stupid is there.
I'm complying but it's draining now, we're all sad and fed up. I've not seen my adult child since Xmas, I miss my friends but I'm trying to do the right thing because I've known a lot of people now who've had it, not all have made it..

Dowser · 19/09/2020 22:28

Going to school is essential.
Going to work is essential, whatever Industry your employed in, yes even the hospitality industry. And going to mums house for a coffee is even more essential.

What’s been done to the elderly, the vulnerable and the disabled has been inhumane.
Put your mum and dad at the top of the list ...they need that contact and so do you.