I won't do it.

[BeanieB2020]

I will NOT comply with any lockdown rule that requires me, a single person living alone, to not see the one friend I socialize with, in my house or hers. I don't think I'm alone in this, am I?

I'm concerned the rules are going to go that way, and I'm just not doing it. I don't go anywhere, I get everything delivered, my friend is the only person I see, she is the same way and we both work from home with no kids.

And no, virtual meetings are not good enough. I need in person connection and there is no way I am going to put up with being alone for months again. Been there, done it, got the depression, never again.

There has to be exceptions made for any rule to allow single people living alone to continue seeing their friends--even if it's just one friend/household. This needs to be a part of every lockdown rule. It's not enough to say exceptions for "compassionate" reasons, it needs to be made clear that single people won't be left alone again no matter what. Indefinite Isolation is cruel, even in a pandemic. Mental health matters. I WANT to follow the rules, but if you isolate me, I CAN'T follow them. It's too much.

Anyone else agree?

I think you are allowed to do that even under the strictest restrictions though, aren’t you? I am in the central belt in Scotland and we are allowed to maintain support bubbles even though socialising indoors is otherwise out.

Well,as there is no rule that requires a single person's support bubble to end, even in tier 3' I'm not quite sure why you are so concerned.

Has someone been peddling misinformation at you?

Yes we can now. But we couldn't in the first lockdown and it looks like lockdowns are getting really restrictive again. My worry is that this will be taken from us again for an extended period of time. In the first lockdown it was like people forgot single people existed and didn't even consider how isolating in a house alone would affect us.

Make your own risk assessment. The rules are bonkers.

My 3 DC are in two different schools and four different sports clubs. Each one obeys the rules. Ninety year old FIL is in a support bubble with us. Rules obeyed. Clearly the rules are stupid because the number of links there are huge. Make your own choices. The rules won't necessarily make you safer. Breaking them won't necessarily make anyone else less safe.

Remember, if you do get covid, it's fine to get an intercity train across the country. Twice.

All of tiers one, two and three permit this, so I think you might as well hold off worrying til it actually happens. I think it's highly unlikely.

@Furrybootsyecomfy

I think you are allowed to do that even under the strictest restrictions though, aren’t you? I am in the central belt in Scotland and we are allowed to maintain support bubbles even though socialising indoors is otherwise out.

Nope. I’m in Wales 8n a lockdown area and because my bubble (my daughter) lives in the neighbouring county I’m. It allowed to see her. Not even outside. I’m allowed to work with 2000 of other people’s offspring, about 2/3 of whom come from her county, but not to see her. It’s shit.

@DirtyBlonde no, I know that, but that wasn't the case the first time around. Wasn't allowed to see anyone for months. It was awful and I'm concerned bubbles will end because we already didn't have bubbles in the first lockdown.

don't you have a support bubble? That counts as your household
:)

If you live alone you can 'bubble' even with the highest level of restrictions. I don't live with my partner, we didn't see each other for 3 months in lockdown #1. No government will impose that on me again.

OP you are in a bubble with your friend as you live alone.

The problem comes for people who live with other people but not their partner and their partner doesn't live alone.

I understand your concerns, in the first lockdown we were left to rot. Mental health charities and professionals need to be getting assurances on this now, not when the government make another u turn.

Do what is best for you.

Okay

You haven't said where you live but why didnt you just bump into her in the street and chat while out for your exercise?

I only went out once a day but talked to more people on those walks than I'd usually do in weeks.

Even though I agree with the rules on the whole I have no issue with 2m distant chatting in the open air, loads of people round me were doing it for months.

I don’t think anyone is reading any posts before posting. OP has said she isn’t referring to current rules but what she predicts coming down the line. I have pointed out that support bubbles can be prevented even under current rules in Wales. So all this ‘don’t worry your support bubble is your household’ shit isn’t really helping.

But now they have allowed a bubble and you can choose to be in a bubble with that friend. They realised it was unreasonable previously which is why it is now allowed. So you don't need to worry at present

@lifesalongsong

You haven't said where you live but why didnt you just bump into her in the street and chat while out for your exercise?

I only went out once a day but talked to more people on those walks than I'd usually do in weeks.

Even though I agree with the rules on the whole I have no issue with 2m distant chatting in the open air, loads of people round me were doing it for months.

I bet you don’t live alone. It’s not casual chats that are the problem. It’s genuine, deep human interaction.

Do what you need to do.

I’m no conspiracy theorist but this has gone beyond a joke now.

If the rules change you would be supposed to comply. I cannot see them preventing bubbles for SP households now with the massive amount of evidence in favour

@Sooverthemill

But now they have allowed a bubble and you can choose to be in a bubble with that friend. They realised it was unreasonable previously which is why it is now allowed. So you don't need to worry at present

Unless you are in Wales. My support bubble has been disabled. It isn’t a stretch to think it is imminent elsewhere.

@Sooverthemill

If the rules change you would be supposed to comply. I cannot see them preventing bubbles for SP households now with the massive amount of evidence in favour

Jesus. They have. In. Wales. If. Your. Person. Is. In. A. Different. County. I’m on the boundary. She’s no distance away. I can’t see her.

All the tiers allow a support bubble now. I don't think it will change even with the most serious lockdown. I think they learnt a lesson from the first lockdown about people's mental health

What's your personality like on rule breaking? In general, does rule breaking give you
A) a happy buzz, or
B) a neutral meh feeling, or
C) a twitch of nervous angst?

At the moment there's no talk of ending support bubbles but you (and she) can only be in one. Is there also the possibility you could temporarily live together if restrictions are tightened further

@Qwertywerty3

Even under the previous lockdown you could still go for a walk outside with someone couldn’t you?

No in the previous lockdown you could not meet anyone outside your household, even outside. Don’t you remember that weird six week period where the roads were eerily quiet and we were only allowed to shop a minimum number of times etc.