Why can't people see that it is stupid to mix at Christmas?

[MagicSummer]

I know that the Government had to relax the rules for the 5-day period because so many people would have broken them anyway, but can people not see that mixing families, travelling and close contact is going to cause another spike in the New Year? It makes me so cross - why can't people just knuckle down and have a quiet Christmas this year without endangering the lives of their older relatives?

@Wishing14 I feel the same.
My nan died 3 weeks ago. I hadn't seen her in a long time as I was 'following the rules' it turns out she had stopped taking her medications, most likely because she couldn't see the point in living like this. On the phone she would often say there was no point dragging her life out and never seeing anyone (other than her regular carer) with no end in sight.

I will be visiting my family at Christmas although I have no more elderly relatives left to visit.

@Wishing14 that is so sad.

I will be seeing what's left of my extended family as we are adults and all know and accept the risk.

If you don't want to mix, don't.

We are going to see my mum and dad. We are a family with young kids. My husband works from home and apart from school and nursery we go no where. Plus we all had covid back in March.

When we go to my parents we intend to go for country walks and sit on the sofa and eat. We won't be mixing with a third household.

It's not like we're going there and then snogging every dog Walker who goes past the house

It’s not that people can’t see it.
It’s because Humans are social creatures. We need interaction with our ‘tribe’ (family )- it’s a basic human need
It’s actually quite cruel to deny us this even if it is for the greater good

People will just do whatever they think is right at Christmas A lot of people have just had enough.

I think you've misunderstood the rule I haven’t mentioned the rules- op is saying don’t mix as you will pass on corona to elderly relatives. My point is many of us don’t see it as a risk as we don’t have elderly relatives so feel comfortable mixing within the rules

We have all been isolating for months. We shall see each other at Xmas and then probably isolate again after. I can't see what harm it would do

I'm worried on several levels. That the increased mixing is going to put me at higher risk when I go to places like shops, that more people using public transport will increase my risk as I need to travel on public transport to get to work. That it'll increase DDs risk at school. We may be incredibly lucky and be asymptomatic or no serious complications, can't say the same for the 24 elderly people I work with.
We've managed to keep it out so far, by using PPE and good practice, having had staff test positive on the regular testing rounds. But I fear it's a matter of time before it makes its way in, through one of us, through an essential visitor like a doctor or nurse or repair person, or new admission. That's what is messing with my mental health a lot, the potential I have for taking it to a lot of vulnerable people, even though I'm careful myself, it doesn't matter how careful, or how much what I am doing when having to use public transport and shops is essential, with more people mixing, my risk goes up.
At the moment I'm struggling with the thought of it happening, I don't know how I'll react if it does actually happen.
Then there's the thought of nursing people with it, several people at once, and the likely outcomes of that. Not a pleasant future to look forward to.
I get the feeling of isolation, loneliness, poor mental health, I'm dealing with it myself. I'm doing what I can do to minimise my risk, but I can't control other people who will increase my risk. I know I'll carry the guilt though if I'm the one who starts the chain.

Because I'm working Christmas Day and the bank holiday Monday. My dad is 80 the week before Christmas, I live 200 miles away from my whole family and I haven't seen them for 6 months. I miss them. So we're going onBoxing day for 1 whole night

Having lost a family member to it already this year, the rest of the family are all having separate Christmases.

It’s just not worth the risk of someone else’s death or a prolonged illness. We can all meet up again once this is over.

I couldn’t live with myself if I passed it on to a relative and they ended up really poorly or worse. The thought of another relative being so poorly in hospital without visitors before they die is horrible.

People making comments about families being capable of making their own risk assessments please spare a thought for those who could be impacted further down the line. You might not care if you inadvertently pass it on to your sister/brother/mum, but unless you are all living in isolation for 2 weeks you risk spreading it beyond your family if someone has it without being aware.

@Rosehip10

why don't you enjoy your quiet Christmas OP and stop worrying about what others are doing?

It's a virus, what other people do affects us all!! In every way.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I agree OP. It’s not just about risking older relatives but taking the virus into work and schools after mixing and putting those that didn’t at risk.

I imagine there will be a lot of moaning about another lockdown, school closures etc after by many that did mix.

I wish the government had said no mixing and granted a bank holiday after the vaccine rollout.

I don't think I've read a single post of yours that I disagree with!! I think I'll just follow you around saying 'what she said' 👍🏻

Ffs not everything is about covid some of these people are lonely /depressed it is worse than covid it makes me angry that op only thinking of the one thing

@Krampusnacht

Because older relatives are people too, they have their own thoughts and many are willing and able to make their own risk assessment.

You do you. Let everyone else decide for themselves.

But they're not 'deciding for themselves' they're increasing the risk for everyone.

We should have Nicola Sturgeon being broadcast as a public service announcement!

Witches there's your new user name!

Because social interaction is a basic human need, people have had a shitty year, and are fed up with being called ‘stupid’ by sanctimonious twats for wanting to visit the people they love?

Lockdown is an entirely unnatural state for human beings. Compliance was never going to last all year; the government knew that.

@user1497207191 we can only say 'but what about...' for so long. Eventually with or without a vaccine we WILL have to start making our own decisions over what we personally are prepared to risk.

I cannot and will not be held accountable for every life in the country any more. It's time to put my own family first again. I'm sorry if that bothers you but acting like covid is the only killer out there HAS to stop.

[quote FreshFreesias]@Chessie678 I don’t understand why you don’t just meet up with your sister. Why let Boris Johnston or useful idiot Hancock have such control over your life?
Wear PPE or something if that makes you feel better.
More people are dying from suicide than Covid and yet you are all encouraging this fiasco.
I’m coming off mumsnet now as it’s like Stepford Wives. People are just brainwashed.[/quote]
What bollocks. There are on average 18 deaths per day in UK from suicide.

We’re in tier 3 we won’t be mixing.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants see my last post. This cannot go in forever. I know no one who's died of covid, and the whole family has had it including elderly relatives aged 80+. I do, however, know a young man who committed suicide and another who recently attempted it solely because of his lockdown has affected their businesses. I'm not prepared to sit around while young, healthy people are leaving behind their partners and DC because their lives have been turned upside down by a virus that kills only a tiny percentage of the population.

Because my MIL is determined not to spend Christmas on her own. I don’t blame her to be honest. At the age of 75 who knows how many years she will have left. However it does worry me. We have children at school and work. Not my choice.

Here we go again !!! The Covid Police are back lol Mind your own business and leave people alone.

@notmyusualnametoday

Because people who don't want to mix are not being forced to and can therefore stick to isolating themselves but for the vast majority of people that want to and will mix regardless they are able to. I suggest you have a look at the thread regarding suicides amongst young people and try thinking of life as a whole rather than this one specific disease which for almost everyone is entirely harmless.

which for almost everyone is entirely harmles

Tell that to the families of the 60,000 that have died already or the 15,000 currently in hospital.

People need to stop judging others. Everyone should do what they feel is right for their families.

Not everyone is in the same situation.

We as a family have decided to spend Christmas with our extended family. Our choice.

I agree it's unwise.
But for some people, it's worth the risk.
I won't judge those following the rules and sticking to the bubbles. I will judge those who go out and do a tour of their whole extended family across the five days. They are the ones who are going to cause the problems.

People will do as they please without a care for anyone else, not even the elderly relatives they could potentially be infecting. Hence the five day break for mixing over Christmas (but no amnesty on Eid or Diwali ).

I am sorry for people with poorly relatives as it must be a horrible position to be in but we should be considering the bigger picture. The actions of a few people who think they don't have to stick to guidelines because they have 'reasons' they are special will go some way to consigning us all to another lockdown in January. Hopefully, they won't be the ones bleating about how unfair that is.

I will be at home with DP (he lives alone, I am a single parent) on Christmas Day, DC will be at their Dads then back home for Boxing Day. We won't see anyone until school restarts on 4th January. Its ONE Christmas that won't be as expected.