'the ban includes partners who live elsewhere'

[Muranoandizumi]

Those of you who don't live with your partner and can't form a bubble, will you be seeing them as normal ? Do they expect us to only meet our partner outside and socially distanced for potentially months ?

Actually, seeing Ecosse other posts I do think that’s a genuine error.

I'm not in this situation but if I was then I wouldn't stick to it. It's not realistic at all. And of course it's not going to be just for 4 weeks.

When people think rules are arbitrary, unfair and unsustainable, they won't comply. That is human nature. Which I presume the government are well aware of. We assume people will do 80 in a 70. We assume people will recycle imperfectly, we assume people will meet each other more than the rules strictly say they can. The model has this built in.

We are just trying to limp through winter and limit the strain on the hospitals and hoping for a vaccine in the next few months. We're not trying to stamp out the virus.

If I was in a house share, I'd be seeing my partner.

Nope. I'll still be seeing my fella. He lives alone and works from home so the risk is minimal.

Bubbles for single people only isn’t right either

Amen.

Bubbles aren't for "single people", they are for one single adult household.

I really don't understand the view that bubbles are for the privileged?

I bubbled with my mum who is three hours away. In the first lockdown that meant I could not see my then dp (which may have contributed to our break up).

I actually had to go to mum's before bubbles became a thing but I did that under the "assisting a vulnerable person" as my dad was dying.

But anyway, there are clearly many types of situation where it's just rubbish. I personally won't be breaking the rules though.

VanGogh, sorry, single household.

I don’t understand the idea of bubbles as privilege. Discrimination in a way, yes. The first lockdown was so long, I imagine you’d be sick to death of others in the household.

@AcornAutumn

VanGogh, sorry, single household.

I don’t understand the idea of bubbles as privilege. Discrimination in a way, yes. The first lockdown was so long, I imagine you’d be sick to death of others in the household.

Yeah, I was pretty glad I live alone! I stayed with my mum for seven weeks and lost interest in that after about two, so it got pretty scratchy towards the end.

I've been back a few times and for shorter periods it's been OK.

Since she's so far away I can't pop round, really have to stay at least one but probably two nights minimum to make it worthwhile.

@Ecosse

What part of ‘Stay at home’ don’t people get. You are only allowed to leave your home if you are a key worker, to exercise once per day for up to 1 hour and food shopping once a week.

Other than that, you should be indoors. You cannot meet anyone who does not live in your household indoors or outdoors.

Where in the guidelines does it mention thee times and durations?

1 hour of exercise?
shopping once a week?

WHERE does it actually say that?
It didn't say it in March, so I doubt it says it this time either.

In fact the exercise bit this time even says exercise and recreation, so not just exercise ay more.

@JaceLancs

I won’t be able to see DD though which sucks as she supplies help to me! Who helps the carers? It’s always been the same though - we are so often ignored

If she provides help to you it falls within the care exemption so you can see her.

You are only allowed to leave your home if you are a key worker, to exercise once per day for up to 1 hour and food shopping once a week

This may be the rule in Wales (is it?) but it's not the rule in England, exercise and recreation outside will be unlimited, but only with your household/bubble or one other person.

I can’t see many people complying this time anyway in general. Look at these raves. They are going to continue. Young people won’t tolerate this again

I think the younger generation are having a really raw deal through this. But raves. Really? Can they really not cope without them? Pathetic.

I’m sure the rules about support bubbles say that they aren’t allowed to stay over night.
Did I read that right?

Can’t see how it bloody makes a difference if they’ve been in your house all day?!

@FidgetWonkham

I’m sure the rules about support bubbles say that they aren’t allowed to stay over night. Did I read that right?

Can’t see how it bloody makes a difference if they’ve been in your house all day?!

You can stay overnight

Can I just add an anecdotal tale here?

DH has just had all work called off. His company is almost essential work - communications infrastructure, repair etc. One of his workmates has had a positive test. Nobody else in the company has ever had a positive test, hardly anybody in the county has, hospital had 0 cases for quite a while. Up until yesterday we neither of us knew anyone who had covid.

This colleague has been travelling to a seaside resort to see his girlfriend, 125 miles away from where he lives. That seaside town has a slightly higher infecion rate than home. He has been doing this all through the original lockdown and carried on doing so when the company brought everyone back in off furlough, got a lot of work back on track.

So.. he has a positive test. Everyone on the company has had to fill in a questionnaire on how much time they have spent with him in the last week. Four of them have been sent home. They can't get an NHS test as they are not showing symptoms, so they will have to get a private test before they can come back to work. Those 4 people are the site workers, the men who build the stuff the company makes its money from. DH and 2 others are now having to do the work of 3 teams. The company will probably not meet its deadlines, will lose jobs, may well get a financial penalty for some of the railway work it won't get done on time. The company may have to bring in redundancies and the idiot who caused this won't be in the firing line!

And that's before you get to the health issues - 2 wives have cancer, I have an immune issue, others may have other issues, I don't know!

Perspective is required... everyone has issues, everyone a tale to tell.

Curious has the guy with a positive test got any symptoms?

"They can't get an NHS test as they are not showing symptoms, so they will have to get a private test before they can come back to work."

They should be staying at home for 14 days regardless. A negative test doesn't mean you aren't developing CV.

@AcornAutumn yes, symptomatic, that's why he took the test.

@Lougle they are, as are a couple of others it turns out. But the boss, who is a tad fanatical about the H+S of all staff, won't let them back without a negative test at the end of their 2 weeks!

Apologies for not making my post even longer and including such details in the first place

Why do people think support bubbles shouldn’t just be for single adult households?

The purpose of a support bubble is to help with the crippling loneliness of being alone for weeks on end and having no adult contact, which was extremely difficult for many people living alone first time round.

If everyone can have a bubble surely that defeats the point of them?

They can't get an NHS test as they are not showing symptoms, so they will have to get a private test before they can come back to work

It is irrelevant whether they can get a test or not, probate or NHS.
They still can't return to work.

They must now self isolate for 14 days since they last had contact with the positive case.

Presumably those 4 men had had prolonged (more than 15 minutes) close contact (2m, or 1m+) with the positive case too.

Are they not supposed to be staying further apart or is their business not able to operate with social distancing, masks, etc?

Yes @Aragog! I know that, which is why I didn't put all the detail in... I assumed

And yes, oddly enough, the management are fully aware too, hence the workplace questionnaire that was sent out speicifically to elicit such information.

They build and install stuff, side of motorways, railways etc. They are the men who stand on the side of a motorway doing bugger all whilst the traffic queues get ever longer.

They have been travelling in separate vehicles for months now, but some of the work does require them to work side by side, fully masked etc, but in closer than social distancing contact.

The management have been pretty strict and are taking no chances., are reading the rules in the strictest possible way!

The only one of them who has acted outside the realms of reasonableness is the twonk with the long distance girlfriend! He may well find himself well ostracised when they all get back into work! Some of them are really not happy with him!

I’m all for rules but if live in a HMO but never see anyone bar sharing bathroom or kitchen it’s no different to being at work. If it’s a proper flat-share where you spent time chatting and hanging out in communal areas then it’s some sort of support. Other wise surely you live alone for all logical purposes. As other OP this just hurts those less income and must share houses with strangers they don’t see. Support bubbles and partners are for those who need socially contact.

[quote CuriousaboutSamphire]@AcornAutumn yes, symptomatic, that's why he took the test.

@Lougle they are, as are a couple of others it turns out. But the boss, who is a tad fanatical about the H+S of all staff, won't let them back without a negative test at the end of their 2 weeks!

Apologies for not making my post even longer and including such details in the first place [/quote]
No problem. Thanks for clarifying.