People will not comply if the restrictions are only social

[NoSleepInTheHeat]

I really believe that if the restrictions are only social (no more than 6 people, no mixing of households inside,...) people won't comply.

If you are being told to take a packed train or tube to go to work and there mix with your colleagues, will you really not see friends or family at the weekend?

If you see people going to the pub down the road every evening, will you really refrain from inviting a couple over to yours for dinner?
Basically, if you can afford to pay you can socialize, otherwise you can't.

YOU may think you're suffering with stress and 'mental health' problems, but spare a thought for those of us who have to totally isolate.

I'm sorry, I don't have the bandwidth to give a shit any more. This year has ruined us financially, destroyed our life plans and trashed my mental health, and there has been zero sympathy, zero push from the general public to fund the worst-affected industries, just endless, endless demands to do more, sacrifice more.
I don't give a fuck any more, I'm out of fucks, I'm done.

Perhaps everyone will be happy then when they close the schools again and we go into a harder lockdown? Will this make it all much easier for people to understand then? Somehow I think not.
Surely they are doing the right thing in trying to keep open the economy that pays for everything including educating children and the NHS. Yes your children may be seeing their own bubble within the school day in a more limited way than playing together outside of school with that same bubble. But they quite simply have to try and stop people interacting as much as they currently are so they then have to apply some brakes in other areas. It may for some make no sense at all, but you know there are quite a lot of others who can actually understand what they are trying to do. Free up essential things like education, services the economy and limit interaction elsewhere. Good god why is it so hard to understand? It's not forever. You aren't all being told that you can only socialise within a number of 6 etc. etc for the rest of your lives. If there are further restrictions it would be helpful if people adhered to them to get us all through this. Frankly I'm disappointed with the endless selfish nature of people and their "it's not going to apply to me" attitude that you see on here. Nobody likes this situation, we all want it to be over, we are all experiencing difficulties with this, some more than most.

@IloveJKRowling

But all it would take to make the schools safer is some money, not that much, compared to how much they've wasted.

That's the problem. The unwillingness to fund schools - ideological not science based.

It really is. And that's the fault of nobody but the people in charge of the money: the government.

@NoSleepInTheHeat

The schools in my opinion are similar to going to work, we need them in operation, it is not really a choice, children have the right to an education more than adults having the right to go shopping, eat out, go on holiday.

it's carefully balanced so the only thing that the government can really restrict is things which don't impact the economy ie mixing in homes and outdoor spaces
I understand the economical argument. But still it disproportionately affects people who don't have money to pay whenever they want to see friends/family. Or people whose idea of fun is not drinking at the pub but meeting 'quietly' at home.

At least I'm glad that we seem to be heading back to 'WFH if you can' which is common sense really.

It does disproportionately affect those people, including me I expect with a toddler at home and another DC due very shortly. I'll probably have to do labour or a c section alone. My DH thankfully still has a job and will likely be working long hours without any paternity and we may not be allowed any family help. But I do understand it and it's not illogical as a pp said.

In other ways we are personally very lucky. Restrictions affect others disproportionately in different ways - those who are in the hospitality industry for example, those who are vulnerable and isolated, those who are having to work even longer shifts in the NHS dealing with it all.

No change to mixing households and rule of 6

Although possible rules will apply for next 6 months

I've been writing to head teachers and MPs since June. Not everyone is surprised. Sad, disappointed, feel like teachers and TAs and vulnerable kids and parents are being thrown under a bus, yes - but surprised, no, sadly.
That's because you've been talking to people in schools and listening.
Most people didn't bother to listen to teachers, heads, unions, science experts pointing out that business as usual was not the same as many of the counties cited as being great getting schools back.

Welcome to Britain in 2020: where average Joe and Karen from Facebook seem to think they don't need no experts.

@Cutthetoastupwrong it was announced yesterday that grandparents can help with informal childcare so your family should be able to help you out when the new baby arrives

@Concerned7777 you're right, I did spot that, just wondering I suppose if it will change by then

I'm prepared for if it does, so it will be a pleasant surprise if they can at least look after DD just while the birth is happening. After that I think we'll be ok unless complications or c section which I'm dreading