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?

@PostItJoyWeek

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?

Or

D) this is an unprecedented situation, everyone is clueless about handling it, I think I need to prioritise myself and my loved ones because no other fucker will, at the end of the day

do it op i followed all the rules from march but no more

im not saying im going to go rund seeing loads of people but my family yes

If I was single / living alone etc there is NO WAY I'd comply either., I don't blame you at all!!

@footballfootball

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

Are my posts invisible? Due to a quirk of geography which will be the case for many, my bubble has been discontinued in Wales. I live in a county boundary. My bubble is in the next door county. I can not meet my daughter EVEN OUTSIDE. This is already happening.

Even when we didn't have bubbles, I went for walks in the same isolated area that, surprise surprise, my daughter and her partner walked in. We kept more than 2m away from each other but at least we could talk and actually be in each others' presence.

In the unlikely event that bubbles are withdrawn again, I suggest that you and your friend wrap up warm and 'accidentally' bump into each other when you go for a walk.

Do what you like, the rules make no sense.

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.

Actually you could. It was against guidance but not against the law. It also was never publicised so I don't think many people would have known. You'd have had to read the legislation.

Equally a lot of fines were erroneously handed out for things that weren't breaking the law so it was a really strange time of knowing what the law said, but not knowing if the local copper knew what the law said.

Living alone too OP, and I sympathise.

If you’re in England I don’t think support bubbles are going to go, pretty sure the intention is to keep them so don’t worry about that. They were introduced during the last lockdown as a bit of a ‘lesson learnt’ and I doubt they’ll touch them.

@cardibach I’m so sorry for your situation, that’s incredibly tough. Hopefully the border situation with wales might change if England gets the virus under control. This measure wasn’t done to attack support bubbles, just a terrible side effect. If the OP is in an England-England support bubble this won’t be the situation

I'm in a single household in Scotland, moved at the start of the year for work and didn't have time to get to know anybody here before lockdown hit. My family and friends are all a couple of hours south in England. With the restrictions around travel it feels like this option is quickly being taken away

The Govt will not remove support bubbles precisely because they have realised that those living alone are at risk of poor mental health and loneliness. Some MPs will have a parent who lives alone or a son of daughter who has moved out and lives alone. They are not uncaring. They will never remove that OP so please don't worry.

They are also considering classing visitors of care homes as key workers so they can be tested, enabling them to visit their relatives. The Govt wouldn't think of doing that if they didn't care about people.

We will never go back to the lockdown of the past. Things have moved on. I think, if anything, we will have wider use of masks.

It would be barbaric to ask those living alone to not mix with anyone over the winter months. I am in a somewhat similar boat OP and like you, I won't do it. I am happy to be very careful when I see others but the first lockdown had a dreadful impact on me.

The first lockdown was rushed and lots of things and people were overlooked. When the impact on people living alone was realised support bubbles were introduced and there is talk of them being removed, even in the event of another lockdown. So yes, you can follow the rules because the rules already have allowances for your situation.

Where is there any talk of support bubbles being removed? (If you mean on MN that doesn't count).

It's all well and good saying that one household can mix with one other, but when your house contains 2 or more adults who have completely different friends there's a problem.
One resident's "bubble" choice is another resident's isolated misery.

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

It would be barbaric to ask those living alone to not mix with anyone over the winter months. I am in a somewhat similar boat OP and like you, I won't do it. I am happy to be very careful when I see others but the first lockdown had a dreadful impact on me.

fwiw I agree with it being barbaric and utterly unfeeling and it was a big problem I had during the first lockdown, I went to a very dark place being so isolated. But these restrictions ARE currently in place in Wales so I'm not entirely sure OP's concerns are unfounded The Welsh government clearly are justifying it somehow...

@cardibach doesn't mean that she and her bubble (daughter?) are on different sides of the English/Welsh border. They live in different Welsh counties and travel out of county is forbidden.

There's no sign of restrictions on travel in England at present, but it could happen. Think the Scottish "lockdown" area has a travel restriction as guidance (?)

@Youandmeareluckytobeus

Where is there any talk of support bubbles being removed? (If you mean on MN that doesn't count).

Sorry I meant there is no talk (missed a word).

When the state can, by law, tell you who. An enter your house and when, you know it’s gone far, far too far.

I don’t care if there is some element of spread. It’s too damaging. And it’s too much of an infringement. I believe legal
Action has been taken in some European countries to this end.

I am in scotland and whilst I am not generally seeing people not meeting up, I am letting lonely family and friends enter my house. Some of them are suicidal. This is an utter outrage.

If only there were some Interconnected Network that allowed us to communicate with each other remotely. Why, we could even use it to send and receive sound and video. Surely, some clever clogs will think of a way to make it happen one day, but perhaps not in my lifetime.

Honestly? Do you live alone? Over the internet is not the same. AT ALL. I at least had my seven year old for company, but it was incredibly hard never seeing or speaking to another adult in real life. And that was despite speaking to other adults online every day for work and just for chat.

@12309845653ghydrvj

Living alone too OP, and I sympathise.

If you’re in England I don’t think support bubbles are going to go, pretty sure the intention is to keep them so don’t worry about that. They were introduced during the last lockdown as a bit of a ‘lesson learnt’ and I doubt they’ll touch them.

@cardibach I’m so sorry for your situation, that’s incredibly tough. Hopefully the border situation with wales might change if England gets the virus under control. This measure wasn’t done to attack support bubbles, just a terrible side effect. If the OP is in an England-England support bubble this won’t be the situation

It’s nothing to do with the border situation with England. Both my daughter and I live I. Wales, but in different counties. Our lockdown stops movement out of a locked down county. She lives about 10 miles away, I’m right in the county boundary and I can’t meet her because neither of us are allowed to leave our own counties. Bubbles must be within county.

My reply was for @Gronky I hope that bubbles continue but if they don’t I’ll be breaking the rules. I’m not spending winter without any other adults in my life. I find winter tough enough.

@Gronky

If only there were some Interconnected Network that allowed us to communicate with each other remotely. Why, we could even use it to send and receive sound and video. Surely, some clever clogs will think of a way to make it happen one day, but perhaps not in my lifetime.

How insensitive can you be? Video call is not in any way the same as actually meeting.

Do you live alone? Over the internet is not the same. AT ALL.

Yes. I don't know if it's others being younger, wealthier or having short memories but, when I was growing up, my family was spread out all over the world. An international phone call was a Christmas present and a flight was essentially unattainable except for weddings.