Everything is so normal! Well in my city it seems to be

[Christmaspud20]

I've nc for this. Because I'm going to say where I am.
I live in Southampton and honeslty apart from masks, odd shops starting to squirt sanitiser on our hands it all feels normal.
Fair amount of traffic. (expected school run times etc)
Parks are rammed.
Shops are busy, no distancing

I went to home bargains today and it was packed, Literally couldn't move.
And yes I was doing the same as everyone else. I'm not complaining I'm just saying how it felt normal.

Apart from one person on my fb who shares covid info everyday and is very by the rule. Everyone else seems to be still seeing people in groups, in and outdoors. Photos in pubs when they were open in huggy groups. Etc

I'm not perfect, I've gone out for non essentials for Xmas because I don't want to be I that manic rush in Dec.

I just feel its pretty normal if it wasn't for following the news I could actually belive there wasn't a pandemic.

Is this the same elsewhere?

It depends on your lifestyle in part. My days consist of school run, trips to the playground, some shifts in the office (emergency service), popping to tesco. I can still take my preschooler for a walk with his little friend and her mum so I've got company. Going out to the pub etc hasn't been on my radar in a long while with small kids and no babysitter. OTOH I have a good friend who is single, no kids, works long hours and absolutely lives for travel, socialising, meals out, the gym, the cinema. Lockdown is very very hard for her.

@SuperbGorgonzola my parents are shopping together and will look average and definitely not frail. My mum has early onset dementia and can't be left alone, it's really hard to tell with people. He has to shop with her

Things seem more normal here than the spring. Much more traffic and people out and about.

I went to a large Boots store yesterday and it was still limited numbers, compulsory masks, hand sanitiser. Maybe those things have become 'normal' now and we don't notice them?

But if things were normal, I would be meeting friends for Divali at the weekend, going swimming, my children would have their sports activities and maybe a sleepover. We would likely visit a cafe or museum.

Maybe what we perceive to be normal has changed?

When I first saw your post, I was agreeing and thinking it feels pretty normal around here, but actually it's because I'm used to it. People are wearing masks even when they don't have to (like school pickup), and are keeping their distance in shops. When we're out walking/doing the school run, we're all respectful of personal space and give each other a wide berth. I live in a village and haven't ventured out to bigger shops in a long time though, so maybe that would be different.

It all feels so normal now that when an older woman came up close to me to ask about and coo over my baby this morning, it was so unusual that I physically recoiled without thinking, and then felt really bad afterwards 🙈

I have to drive past the town centre car park to get to school for pick. Traffic I less than half if last week. Last Wednesday i was actually late due to sheer volume if traffic.
I had to go into town yesterday (to the bank) and the sight of the temporary closed shops/restaurants/pubs mixed with those that have permanently closed was quite depressing.

And if things were normal, I'd be enjoying baby groups and visits from my dad, MIL and friends while on mat leave, not doing exactly the same thing at home every.single.day. I'm so bored!!

@QueenPaws I knew someone would reply like this. Had it been one or two then I would have assumed a hidden disability, but there were more older people shopping in pairs than alone. So yes, I do think some of them were just out for a potter.

I live in the se. There are a few of us on the road who are abiding by the rules, working from home, no visitors, only going out once per week to the shop. Most of the road is carrying on as normal though. No masks, household mixing, regular visitors coming/going. DH went to the shop a few days ago and said it was packed and all the parks were packed on the way to the shop, traffic was normal, non-grocery type shops had full car parks as DH drove past.
It's frustrating because DH and I didn't want another lockdown because it is affecting our work. My elderly neighbour was screaming for a lockdown, but yet isn't observing it

@SuperbGorgonzola I do think a lot aren't seeing this as a lockdown. My neighbour has had family visiting every day (my desk faces the road, I see everything!) and the roads being as busy seems everyone is in work and not WFH

I went to home bargains today and it was packed, Literally couldn't move.

It's everyone's responsibility to adhere to social distancing. Why are all these people going into packed shops?

Why is Home Bargains open - it’s not an essential food shop?

Attitudes are normal yes, that's logical, given there's absolutely no different in risk to ourselves than there was 2 to 3 weeks ago (if the lockdown was effective, it would be less!). Attitudes only changed in April because of the fear agenda pressed by the government/media.

What you can actually do is obviously completely different. If you think you can fit all of the people that would have been at non essential shops, restaurants, pubs, gyms, leisure venues etc into B&m instead then you're very obviously wrong. I haven't been to any shops as its obvious they'll be manic, nothing to do with risk just don't like queueing for shops.

@Parker231

Why is Home Bargains open - it’s not an essential food shop?

Yours might be one of the smaller ones. Certainly all the Home Bargains in my area stock a decent range of food and can often be cheaper than the same products in the bigger supermarkets.

Well most people are having to go to work and are shopping at the shops that are allowed to stay open. If that covers what you typically do anyway then life won't seem much different.

However, if you are someone that works in hospitality, goes on holiday, goes for a swim, has their hair cut, joins a friend in a cafe for a drink, goes out to a restaurant or has a big family get together the list goes on then life really isn't normal. Essentially they have stopped all the things that make life worth living and now it's just work, limited shop, home and repeat.

@Parker231

Why is Home Bargains open - it’s not an essential food shop?

The definition of 'essential' is bloody ridiculous!!

I get the home bargains/range etc don't want to close & lose sales to the supermarkets, but it's lockdown lite.
I can't see how it's going to bring the numbers down anywhere near enough. Should have done it earlier & harder.

January is going to be seriously grim for cases/deaths 😪

I don't care what shops are open, but for goodness sake, unless it's an emergency, if a shop is busy don't go inside. Where is the common sense?

I can't see how it's going to bring the numbers down anywhere near enough. Should have done it earlier & harder.

The half arsed measures won't do anything and ensure we go into Christmas with figures either similar to now, or worse.

Then when everyone meets up with all their families over Christmas and new year, it'll go through the roof in Jan-Feb.

@Tittie

And if things were normal, I'd be enjoying baby groups and visits from my dad, MIL and friends while on mat leave, not doing exactly the same thing at home every.single.day. I'm so bored!!

Same here. I'm on maternity and my baby groups have been cancelled. My days are now drop kids off at school, potter round the house with the baby or maybe go for ANOTHER walk, then pick the kids up again. I'm so bored and miss my parents. People are at the shops and parks OP because there is nowhere else to go. That is far from "normal"

Why is Home Bargains open - it’s not an essential food shop?

Home bargains sells food, toiletries, sanitary products, medicine, nappies, baby milk, pet supplies, DIY stuff, batteries, light bulbs etc etc. All pretty essential I would say.

@Inkpaperstars

I was in central London yesterday for an appointment and it was much quieter...bridges that are normally teeming pretty much deserted. Maybe that is because a lot of the people there are normally tourists and they just aren't there.

I work in London - its like a ghost town. There were less than 10 people on an 8 carriage train when I got out yesterday. Today I am wfh and had to get some medication for DD, and our town was a lot quieter than normal.

@User158340

I can't see how it's going to bring the numbers down anywhere near enough. Should have done it earlier & harder.

The half arsed measures won't do anything and ensure we go into Christmas with figures either similar to now, or worse.

Then when everyone meets up with all their families over Christmas and new year, it'll go through the roof in Jan-Feb.

Even worse if idiot Rishi brings back the eat out scheme for December! I can't believe it's even being considered.

Even worse if idiot Rishi brings back the eat out scheme for December! I can't believe it's even being considered.

He should at least rename it to 'Eat out to get the virus'.

'normal'

Honestly, in the kindest possible way, what a load of shite. There is nothing normal about shops/bars/restaurants being closed. And nothing normal about having to wear masks everywhere in everywhere that is open

I’m envisaging a really strict lockdown, (limited supermarkets open, all over shops totally closed) between the end of this lockdown and Christmas with the threat that if people don’t stay at home, restrictions will remain in place over Christmas and NY.

@User158340

I can't see how it's going to bring the numbers down anywhere near enough. Should have done it earlier & harder.

The half arsed measures won't do anything and ensure we go into Christmas with figures either similar to now, or worse.

Then when everyone meets up with all their families over Christmas and new year, it'll go through the roof in Jan-Feb.

Indeed, and lead to another lockdown in March/April which will completely ruin the hospitality/tourist trade for Easter.