How many people have you touched in the last 6 months?

[tactum]

Went for a walk with a friend the other day and accidentally brushed her arm going through a gate. It felt very odd. Thinking about it, apart from that I really don't think I've touched anyone else outside of my household since march.

Was then talking to another friend about it and she reckoned she'd touched about 20. Not job related, just socially. Wtf?!

So what's your number?? Feel like this is the covid version of the 'how many people have you slept with?' threads!! 🤣

My DP and one hug from behind with a mask on with my wheelchair bound elderly DM after self-isolating for 2 weeks before visiting in her garden earlier in the summer. Have been under extra restrictions for months and recently moved to tier 3 so can’t even do that now.

Lots. Another nurse.

My immediate family, DH and 3 DC’s. My hairdresser (for the first time when getting my hair cut yesterday), 1 friend who unexpectedly hugged me , which felt wrong and weird. 100+ patients (I’m an occupational therapist working on a hospital ward).

Four. No one outside my household come to think of it

1 hug

I’m not a huggy person, but when I do hug someone it really means something. That’s what I miss more than anything else.

GP, Pharmacist, Breast consultant, hold my nephew and niece, my parents, my kids, my husband, about 100 kids a day at school, my friends kids at the playground, my god son,

My kids and my little niece when I saw her in the summer. Couple of people for medical appontments.
Quite normal tbh.

My household - DH, DSS, DD1 and DD2.

My sister.

4 HCPs - I broke my toe on the first day of lockdown so had a nurse checking me over and bandaging me up, plus an x-Ray technician taking xrays and a Dr assessing them. Then I had a flu jab about two weeks ago.

My hairdresser (once).

I think that's it.

Outside my household, My dad and stem mum. My dad had to have a test. No symptoms but they isolated because of the work he does. When he got his negative result I immediately invited him to my house. We were shielding at the time. I just cried. Giving my dad a cuddle, I felt like a little girl again. It was beautiful. Tearing up thinking about it now. Even my dad got a tear.

I haven't seen my mum since February, she has a high risk job so we decided it was best to not risk seeing her. I couldn't see her and not give her a cuddle.

Oh and in the supermarket when a woman was clearly in a rush and decided social distancing didn't apply to her so she leant around me to get her item, completely bashing into me, I have perfected my 'move away' eyes and I also wrongly said to my partner 'if people get close enough for me to kick them then they are too close' she looked at me and moved. My DP has also perfected his 'my Crazy lady is hormonal, I apologise' eyes.

Two. DH and DD.
Oh, and the dentist.

Household members and a few medical professionals. I don’t tend to hug others or shake hands anyway so it’s really no different.

My DH and DD, my midwife has touched me, I also hugged my sister, my MIL, my parents after not seeing them for 6 months, and my friend when she told me she was pregnant (i completely forgot that time that i wasnt supposed to). My DDs little friend has come and sat on my lap a few times too (she is 2), and my friend handed me her 4 month old when she had to run after her toddler.

Probably about 10. Miraculously, all of us are still alive.

No-one. I'm single, live alone but once we weren't in complete lockdown I have been out and about, meeting family (distanced, outdoors and going for walks etc.), working (part-time) and going out shopping, garden centres, restaurants, National Trust gardens and so on.

In all of that, I haven't touched anyone at all. I don't touch or hug family, we're not supposed to. But them I'm not a 'huggy' person and quite welcome the excuse not to!!

Maybe there's something wrong with me but to be honest, I really haven't noticed it at all. Now I'm out and about doing things and going places I have plenty of social contact without getting all touchy-feely. Really can't understand the wails from grandparents who haven't hugged their grandchildren...I just think it's odd to measure socialising solely by touch. Weird!

9 - DH, DS, 5 nieces/nephews, hairdresser and the nurse who did my flue jab last week. I don't really like touching people (other than DH and ds) anyway so the lack of air kissing/handshaking/hugging is quite nice!

3, DH and two DC
Plus about five people have touched me with gloves on, while doing medical tests.
I’m not a toucher anyway really.

Oh and hairdresser.

1. DP, both DDs, 1 fainting student and 2 fighting students. Accidentally brushed my sister in August when we had a BBQ outside.

Ah yes I forgot flu Jan and blood test. Many of you seem to have been to the dentist - I can't book an appointment with mine unless it's a real emergency. Nothing routine happening at mine

My mum and dad, esp my dad who has dementia and doesnt do social distancing. And various medical professionals. Other than that, dh and kids only.

None, apart from the staff when I've been in to donate blood/platelets. I'm not a tactile person so I'm loving the social distancing stuff!

Five. DH and DC, friend who is in our bubble (who has anxiety & depression), MIL and FIL - with masks on, outdoors.

2 friends - once each
A baby and a toddler - a few times each
In-laws to-be (2 children and 3-5 adults, can't quite remember the exact number, a few times each)

I think that's it. There's my fiancé and ds but that's my household so doesn't count.

Five.
Partner. Dentist. Broke the rules to hug my brother, briefly, outdoors, and to play with my friends' eight-month-old. Accidentally forgot and hugged my dad.

I met a friend for a socially distanced walk not long ago and a catch up... She lost both parents reasonably recently and her youngest was off to uni and her beloved 20 Yr old cat passed away the same week, I impulsively hugged her and realised it was the only physical contact I'd had outside of my immediate family for many months and it felt weird. Made me a bit sad tbh.