Central Scotland - more of a rant really.

[sweetkitty]

So we’ve had restrictions that have been stricter than tier 3 for the past week or so but you wouldn’t know it. No pubs or restaurants have been open in the central belt and Nicola told us to stay home unless we had a holiday booked.

But it’s October holidays so my Facebook is full of people on holiday, all over the UK. Loads of people have left the central belt and went all over the country. People I know booked last minute things to get away. The latest craze seems to be mountain climbing (I’ll admit I’m jealous of that one as my health means I can’t do it) but 100s of people out every weekend climbing hills apparently they are really busy.

So tomorrow all the schools go back and all these children who have been all over the place all get to mix again.

I guess my rant is what was the point of the 16 day restrictions? Shutting the pubs and restaurants just harmed those businesses in the central belt as a lot of people just travelled outside the area.

Yep, lots of people on my fb are away 'making memories' too

I wonder how the Highlanders or people in the Borders feel? Are they happy with the influx of tourists bringing money to the area or are they worried about spreading Covid?

A friend has been posting from her caravan on an island, the island was covid free and she’s came from an area of high covid. Is it being over cautious or should she have stayed at home, she doesn’t technically need to go to her caravan?

That's bad enough but DS3 tells me that there are at least three people on his SM feeds that are in New York with they families for half term. They all attend a lical private school who take all pupils temperature in the morning but that's no sustitutions for self isolating (I'm assuming they are planning to send the kids back to school).
I am at the border of the restricted area and must admit I went for a walk in the woods a short drive over the line, but did not go to any pubs or cafes

Do the people travelling to New York have US passports? They wouldn't be permitted entry to the US without one, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

If you're sure you're being told the truth, then you should notify the school.

I thought that too that travel to the US was not allowed as the borders were closed.

My dd works in rural stirling says she hasnever seen the country side so busy and mountain rescue has been like a taxi service I've also had my fb full of smiling families on a holiday enjoying the fresh air apparently its fresher in Fort William than anywhere else. I just wonder what is the bloody point just let us all catch it and it will be survival of the fitest because no bugger seems to care.

To be frank people have put their lives on hold for 6 months and many are just not prepared to do it any longer.

We’ve been out and about for forest walks and hill walks - why not? Yes it’s relatively “busy” for footpaths but we can easily 2m distance and it takes ten seconds at most to pass someone. Not at all comparable to being inside a restaurant or bar breathing the same air as another family for an hour.
Should we all stay in our houses just because pubs and restaurants are closed?

@Wbeezer

That's bad enough but DS3 tells me that there are at least three people on his SM feeds that are in New York with they families for half term. They all attend a lical private school who take all pupils temperature in the morning but that's no sustitutions for self isolating (I'm assuming they are planning to send the kids back to school). I am at the border of the restricted area and must admit I went for a walk in the woods a short drive over the line, but did not go to any pubs or cafes

That sounds very unlikely.

They'd all have to have US passports.

And NY is being very aggressive about new arrivals having to quarantine.

I get that, but I really think it is sensible to just follow local restrictions nobody is enjoying this.

Yes I am in S/E Scotland Central belt and totally fed up of people bending the rules! I know 3 families (unrelated) from central belt holidaying to Arran this coming week! Pretty sure they will have to get on public transport to get there! My sibling also thought it was OK to travel from England (before tier system introduced) and visit us in a local cafe. Strictly ok but felt wrong as surely we should all be staying at home and meeting outdoors where possible just now?

@rockingaroundthemulberrybush

Why on earth should we ‘all be staying at home’? There will be no economy at all left if everyone did that.

Yabu, Scottish government advice was not to cancel October break plans if you already had something planned - so it's not against the rules. And if people are outside on mountains, it's not really high risk for transmission, is it?

@Wbeezer

That's bad enough but DS3 tells me that there are at least three people on his SM feeds that are in New York with they families for half term. They all attend a lical private school who take all pupils temperature in the morning but that's no sustitutions for self isolating (I'm assuming they are planning to send the kids back to school). I am at the border of the restricted area and must admit I went for a walk in the woods a short drive over the line, but did not go to any pubs or cafes

I’d really like to know if this is true? I am in the US and unable to have family to visit as you need to be a US citizen or a legal permanent resident to enter currently? Does your son know how these people managed to get in?

But none of the things mentioned in the op are actually against the rules?

Where I am there has been no mixing of household since 1st September then followed the other week by pubs and restaurants closing. The numbers are still rising and despite all these restrictions they will continue to rise.

Why? Because the gov won't admit that the spread is mainly happening in schools, colleges and unis. Not people climbing hills etc

My DH has just returned to the US, we are visa holders and he normally works there. He had to get a letter from the US embassy in London stating his return was in the US National interest to get back. ESTAs are suspended. Only citizens and green card holders can enter the US freely. A friend traveled to New York from Heathrow a few days ago. Many people were being refused boarding because they didn’t have the correct documentation. So it’s unlikely that many British people are on holiday there. It’s a 14 day quarantine on arrival too, just to add that to the mix.

I have a break planned, still going on it as Nicola said I could. I follow all the rules and put myself at a degree of risk through working for the past ten weeks. I have cancelled three leaving-the-country holidays so far. I am not cancelling a via minor break in a different part of the central belt.
(If it was against the rules I would, but it isn't so I won't).

My PILs are in the highlands and their tiny but scenic village has been overrun since the schools went off. Apart from anything else it doesn't have the infrastructure to cope with the number of tourists and campervans.
They're fed up that we can't come up and they can't come to visit us but loads of people are coming from the central belt.

Nicola said unless you had a holiday planned stay in your health board area and don’t travel on public transport unless you had to for work etc. Leaving the Central belt to traipse up monroes every weekend is not staying in your health board area nor is going to Arran or York on holiday cos you fancied a break.

Completely understand everyone is totally fed up now @Ecosse and it’s easier to distance when your out and about

The bit I can’t understand is ScotGov have put all these restrictions in place yet tomorrow all the schools are going back, in some cases over 1000 young people in one building yet they are hoping 16 days of shutting pubs etc will work

I just don’t know anymore, I suppose we will see once the figures come out after the time lag

@Ecosse

To be frank people have put their lives on hold for 6 months and many are just not prepared to do it any longer.

Which makes them selfish arses. EVERYONE is fed up with it ! Sadly a virus has never yet been bought under control because people are 'bored'. Can they not work out simple logic that their behaviour just makes it all worse..?

You are never going to 'cure it' . However it's everyone's responsibility to keep the chances of spreading it down so that in the next few cold months with the normal spike in Flu and other cold weather respiratory conditions, there are enough beds and staff to treat EVERYONE with whatever illness they present with. Instead of every bed chocked full of Covid cases because someone prioritised their need to go on holiday.

Classed as Central Belt and our holidays start tomorrow.
Doesn’t affect the point you are making OP, but half term holidays all over the place so not everyone back tomorrow.

Yes, ours start tomorrow too.

Bailey - but pre-booked holidays are allowed. I follow the rules and am still going on holiday in Scotland, because NS specifically stated it was ok not to cancel October break plans.

I live in Grampian. If ppl have taken Covid from the central belt to here I'll be furious. The rules were only essential travel.

We had a 3 week lockdown with a 5 mile travel restriction. You could only travel for work or health care.

Now i dont believe 100% obeyed but we got rid of our outbreak and didn't spread it.

Firstly N.S should have locked down Glasgow earlier. Her lack of action allowed the spread. Seems ppl in the central belt get better treatment.

But for all those in the central belt moving round the country why do you think you're needs outweigh others health and safety.
Our numbers are lower as ppl followed the rules. We shouldn't even be part of the circuit break , it should be central belt only.

The 5 mile limit was only advisory in Grampian @Torvean32.

Travel restrictions based on totally arbitrary health board boundaries are bonkers anyway so I would fully support anyone not following them.

We cannot lock everyone in their houses indefinitely as some seem to want. If people want to go hillwalking outdoors, good for them. It’s an incredibly low risk activity in terms of transmission.