Are we heading back to being at home all day again?

[lesbihonest]

I’ve just started getting hospital appointments again; GP appointment for the first time since February and due a haircut on Monday ... we also popped out to a cafe for first time two weeks ago and really enjoyed ourselves . Slowly travelling slightly further afield (ie no further than 30 miles) . Still haven’t seen any friends, and only three relatives ... we do live in an area with v low cases and feels quite safe ...

I can’t bear the thought of everything around us closing back down though for another four months as before - surely not? I really can’t manage another six months in the same three mile square with only one outdoor walk allowed each day . Desperately trying to find something on TV/media to reassure me that won’t be happening !

There were never "one walk per day" rules?

There was in Scotland

There were in England too I'm sure.

Have you been shielding? Sounds very restricted! I am clinically vulnerable and have done loads more than that.

@Rosehip10

There were never "one walk per day" rules?

🙄 Let me guess, there were no rules to socially distance either?

It was definitely only once a day for exercise. When they relaxed that it was incredible.

in mid May BJ & Gove made a big song & dance about us being allowed out again for exercise more than once a day, as a relaxing of lockdown. Except one exercise-outing/day was never written in legislation. So it turns out I was a daily Lockdown Deviant before mid-May. Been easy to be a good girl since, though.

The lockdown rules for many months were going out as key workers, for food, medical care and to exercise once a day. If you sat on a Bench some areas were asking you to move on as weren’t supposed to be out enjoying or relaxing.

I agree with you OP with winter coming even going to sit in a bare park will have no appeal.

Possibly which is why I made the most of summer, out and about.

Enjoyed it whilst I could.

I think it will be different to last time OP. Everything you have described would still be possible under the proposed “circuit break”.

It was one walk per day did you lockdown on mars?

@babyllamazen the law is the law, not what some random on mn think the law should be. The amount of stuff the cps had to throw out as the police "misunderstood" in the lock down was high.

@Rosehip10 - There was definitely an only one walk a day rule in England. My poor dog would back me up on that one!

@Lesbihonest - unfortunately I think it looks like it is highly likely. If everyone had just behaved sensibly (like yourself) then we possibly wouldn't be facing another lockdown, but people are acting like everything is back to 'normal' and it makes me so mad. It is like being back at school where the well behaved kids get punished for the behaviour of the badly behaved ones. The whole thing has proved to me just how unbelievably selfish the majority of people in this world are.

I genuinely understand people's frustration with being trapped inside etc but at the end of the day if it saves lives surely it is worth it. And before all the people start with "it's all lies to control us" or "it's only like the flu".....I work in a hospital, I have seen it and I can absolutely assure you, it is not lies and it is most definitely not like the flu!

The law (actual legislation, not what any old twat spoke about on TV tories making it up as they went along) said that you weren't allowed to leave the house without a valid reason, and valid reasons included exercise, shopping, caring for a vulnerable person etc

All the stuff about only buying essentials, going out once for an hour were guidelines made up on the spot by ministers when asked questions.

They were not LAW

Law and guidelines are different things

One is a suggestion for what they think is sensible. The other is something which if you break you can be fined, go to prison etc.

Can anyone guess which is which?

It was once a day for exercise and within walking distance, driving somewhere else to walk was very frowned upon if not strictly prohibited. No playgrounds open.

I don't know and I accept whatever is necessary but I am absolutely dreading it. Due DC2, will have very limited support as DH really needs to work, toddler DC1 has an op in new year and will be recovering for a while then so I'd really like to keep taking her out and about before then. She did manage well before though

I agree though that the above were "rules"/guidance and not fully covered in legislation

@NarcissistsEyebrows - Dominic, is that you?

@Rosehip10 Was that even necessary - surely you understand the general point of this post without picking at the details

I think work will be the same, so more of us going out than before which mentally is positive. Shops, cafes, pubs will remain open with tight restrictions but means we can get out with our families/spend money. It'll be social interaction that gets restricted as it's the main thing causing numbers to go up and only partly supports the economy.

Starfighter about as far from him as is possible, though we migjt be united in our disdain for most of the Tory party.

I just think it's worth nothing that very few people bother reading the actual legislation, they just read third, fourth, twentieth hand interpretations of it, and repeat what they overheard in a shop.

The LAW said you can only leave your house for a valid reason. It then gave examples of valid reasons. It did NOT say you can have one hour of exercise a day.

I think it was Gove or someone who said that on TV as an example of what might be sensible as your exercise quota for the day. They said this to stop every person deciding going out for a 10 hour long walk every day was reasonable, and they were right to. But nothing illegal or 'against the rules' in taking your dog for 30 mins before breakfast, then an hour on your bike at lunch, then a nice evening stroll, then a 10 min dog walk before bed. All legal.

However loitering at your neighbour's front gate for 7 hours chatting with cups of tea under the guise of 'a walk' was clearly against the rules. As was driving to Barnard Castle to check your eyesight while infected with covid - I think that was breaking at least 3 laws at once!

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

It was one walk per day did you lockdown on mars?

I think it was once a day for exercise, with no time limit. And you could, in addition, go out for food, essential appointments and work.

No one was policing the once a day for exercise thing, so in practice you could have gone out as many times as you wanted.

Agree with@NarcissistsEyebrows. People misinterpreted the guidelines/rules. I did and I curse myself for listening to Mumsnet. I was using my one dog walk as exercise for myself and children for ages when I didn’t need to. I could have just gone out for a run later in the day.

So many people thought it was max ‘one hour’ again not in the legislation.

It was advised (guidence) to exercise once per day, but not an offence if you did go out more than once.
Same with driving to exercise. The main purpose was to prevent people driving significant distances, crowding beauty spots and risking difficult rescue situations in remote areas. Driving a proportionate distance for reasons such as a safer environment or for disability/ SN needs were permissible.
That was relaxed 4 months back in May anyway.

But yes, the more restrictions that pile on just as many people are getting a taste of something with a veneer of normality and routine, the more shit it is.

The gorgeous spring weather and optomism of summer approaching did a lit to keep me clinging on to sanity. Dull days take their toll. The more social restrictions piled on as autumn develops and the higher the mental health toll will be. Some physcically healthy lives will be lost to suicide. Inquests haven't got as far as lockdown in March yet for the true cost to be counted

@NarcissistsEyebrows Yes you are quite right 👍

No not exactly. I think we will go to work and the schools will be open. But we won't be allowed to socialise.

At the time of lockdown I was struggling with MH a lot, and on the spectrum so would take anything said really literally and try to follow it as closely as possible .we were definitely told one walk a day in local village only - no car so we couldn’t get anywhere .. which yes has made for hellish six months . It’s just fear, I didn’t want to a mistake at any point and be the one to kill my family by taking a virus home . At that point I was believing every word and assuming my garden gate was clarted in it ...

I’m not ECV no, but do worry as I’m overweight - although have lost 50lb, and a lot fitter than I was in March .

I just don’t want another six months of being stuck at home, never seeing another soul, all healthcare being stopped again - I got a life changing diagnosis start of this, I’m also a carer and I’ve not been able to get any help with that at all - GP surgery still only doing urgent and all other appointments and services were cancelled . One phone call from someone to check we had food and medications back in April .

I’m just desperste to keep even to this lower level of stuff, eg being able to use the shops, bus and get my hair done every few weeks, I can’t bear the thought of the rest of this year and into next doing nothing all day every day . At home constantly . And no help, or support with anything , no company and no change of scenery .