People using 'bubbles' as a way of not social distancing

[lozjay]

I'm getting so angry with rule breakers who keep justifying seeing friends and family by claiming they are in their bubble , as I was aware the whole point is not to have so called 100 bubbles of people that's why we are in this shite mess does anyone relate to these kind of humans ? 🤯🤨

@lozjay

I walked past the park and all I see is parents chatting in massive groups all saying we are in a bubble and the point is that is making no sense. The kids are in the play parks still in mass groups so makes no difference them being out of school really , but someone then could argue the kids mental health is affected if they shut parks and can't play so you can't win no matter what rules you try to set someone will always counter it just like bubbles people who aren't in genuine need use this term of feeling low to get a bubble they aren't entitled to aren't we all fed up and low this is my point

I know this won't be a popular comment, but I don't think playgrounds should stay open. All that happens is kids get close to each other and mums end up congregating chatting. However, I say this as someone willing and fortunately able to drive a short distance to countryside which I'm happy to drag my toddler around. I know for many in inner cities in particular a playground is the only way of getting fresh air and kids letting off steam. I actually don't know how you reconcile the two, but the groups in playgrounds really are pissing me off.

Bubbles aren’t the problem though it’s people.
They just use bubbles as a way to justify breaking the rules - they’re breaking the rules of bubbles in doing so, so it’s unfair to say bubbles are the reason it’s spreading. They’re not. People looking for ways to break the rules is the reason it’s spreading.
If they stop bubbles people who genuinely need the support, myself included, will suffer hugely while the rule breakers will find another way to interpret the rules to their liking in order to do as they please.
Stopping bubbles won’t stop this.

@lozjay

I'm getting so angry with rule breakers who keep justifying seeing friends and family by claiming they are in their bubble , as I was aware the whole point is not to have so called 100 bubbles of people that's why we are in this shite mess does anyone relate to these kind of humans ? 🤯🤨

Why not just focus on what you’re doing?

I honestly can’t get my head around this obsession with criticising others. For starters OP, you have no idea of the set up for most people - if any, as many people don’t like to discuss their own circumstances. Even if they are trying to find loopholes or simply flouting the rules, have you really got nothing better to do than sit fuming about it? I know this sounds facetious but I’m actually genuinely interested? What with work and dinner and what’s on tv tonight...I can’t imagine a session going over what all my friends or acquaintances are doing, much less getting hot under the collar about it all.

@Lochroy I’m a bit glad I’m not the only miserable cow annoyed by it. I expected a flaming.

I desperately want to take my toddler to the park but walking her there takes a half hour and then it’s absolutely mobbed with mums who have deliberately met there socially and I just feel too unsafe to stay. It means theyl be there longer, they congregate and take up all the space and it’s a totally different ball game to someone popping in to have a run about and leaving. If that’s their social contact for the day, theyl be there bloody hours and it’s intimidating trying to social distance when you know they probably think you are a lunatic.

If you look at actual bubbles, they have a habit of joining up and popping, so perhaps the social ones are well-named. Just stay away from people. This will come down to survival of the most cautious in the end.

Wow support bubbles what a joke, the government wow they ruin your life then give a life line that can potentially kill you, I had a so called support bubble with a family member who is a single parent and it's was great for about two weeks, then all of a sudden we weren't enough and started going out visiting running errands for others, even helping people move house, she obviously saw no harm in it until I pointed out that there was no support bubble at my house anymore. I mean how stupid are people gathering in parks meeting up on corners of street chatting away like it's normal, nothing normal and untill people who flaunt the rules realise how dangerous this virus is please believe me I know, then they will never learn there actions have serious implications to this around them. I say a big NO to support bubbles.....

People are just ignoring or bending the rules. A support bubble should be to support vulnerable adults who live alone or with children under 18. They should not be an excuse for multiple adults to meet up in breach of the law. I hope we start seeing some fines issued for this now.

You may think you’ll take your chances or are “done with it” but that is why we now have this highly infectious mutation - because the virus has evolved. Mainly it evolved to spread more efficiently among the youngsters meeting in schools.

People are also exploiting the key worker places in schools. Or rather the government has changed the rules so that almost every parent in the country now counts as a key worker - so ensuring the crisis will go on and on.

I honestly can not believe the amount of people in this post who have said support bubbles are a joke or/and should be stopped. If you can do without one, FANTASTIC..... some of us CAN NOT and will be at serious risk of harming ourselves if we do not have support. What the actual fuck happened to BE KIND? Jesus....

@Energised just because the household you had as a support bubble didn’t follow the rules, you think everyone should be banned from having them? Jesus Christ. So it was fine when it was working for you, but now it’s not it’s all wrong and it’s the governments fault? Figures.

Im sorry, but ‘A big no to support bubbles’ is just silly.

Support bubbles are a genuine lifeline for some and are badly needed.

The issue is with people who don’t need them, using the term to cover whatever social interaction they fancy in a given day.

Your friend increasing YOUR risk by mixing elsewhere is exactly the problem. That’s NOT a bubble between you and her, because she’s not following the ‘bubble rules’ then is she? So Support Bubbles aren’t the issue, your friends behaviour is.

dh and I are in a bubble with my 89 year old mother. She needs this bubble for her shopping, medical appointments, support and company. Far from wanting to bubble with anybody else I have found that the longer this pandemic goes on the more anti social I get. I do most food shopping on line and, apart from walking the dog, and a small amount of retail shopping before Christmas, haven't been anywhere for months. Was in tier 3 for months so no inside pubs/restaurants ext then tier 4 before the full lock down so getting very lazy about keeping up contacts, even by phone or text. I think my mother is far more likely to let neighbours in and I am always telling her that this risks the people [dh and I] in her bubble. Of course it is easier for me because I also have dh around all the time but I wonder if the endless lockdown is having the same effect on other people. Spend far too much time on mumsnet

One problem with bubbles is you know where you have been but you don’t know what other people are up to. So you can’t be sure they haven’t been meeting lots of others.

@TorringtonDean

People are just ignoring or bending the rules. A support bubble should be to support vulnerable adults who live alone or with children under 18. They should not be an excuse for multiple adults to meet up in breach of the law. I hope we start seeing some fines issued for this now.

You may think you’ll take your chances or are “done with it” but that is why we now have this highly infectious mutation - because the virus has evolved. Mainly it evolved to spread more efficiently among the youngsters meeting in schools.

People are also exploiting the key worker places in schools. Or rather the government has changed the rules so that almost every parent in the country now counts as a key worker - so ensuring the crisis will go on and on.

That is not the reason it evolved. I wonder how patient you will be in a year’s time. These restrictions aren’t going anywhere. The virus isn’t going anywhere. You may well be happy locked up for that amount of time - in which case, good for you. Others - the majority - will not be and shouldn’t have to accept it. Look after yourself and give yourself a day off policing everyone else.

@TorringtonDean

One problem with bubbles is you know where you have been but you don’t know what other people are up to. So you can’t be sure they haven’t been meeting lots of others.

I am in a bubble with my mum. I do feck all socialising but she has her own company and visits customer sights all the time. Has been fine so far. Not much I can do about it... without my mum, I would see no one at all. I would rather take the risk.

@Whatnowwhat I’m not policing anyone, I am just expressing my opinion here. But actually I have had two close friends fall very ill with Covid in the last week. I didn’t challenge them when they told me it was all about “control” and they were not not following the rules. Now I wish I had said something to them. Oh, but then I would have been the Covid police.

Please don’t suggest support bubbles shouldn’t exist.... I’m a single parent, my support bubble is my mum who also lives alone. She helps me out a bit with childcare too. Without her I’d go completely insane.

some people who aren’t eligible to be in a support bubble maybe don’t fully understand how much of a lifeline they are.

[quote TorringtonDean]@Whatnowwhat I’m not policing anyone, I am just expressing my opinion here. But actually I have had two close friends fall very ill with Covid in the last week. I didn’t challenge them when they told me it was all about “control” and they were not not following the rules. Now I wish I had said something to them. Oh, but then I would have been the Covid police.[/quote]
If they think it’s about control then that’s up to them. I am sure you are right in your approach and beliefs but the state people get themselves into with all this is crazy. Just look after yourself. What others do is up to them.

One of my friends has always struggled with her MH. Then her husband died in the summer. She's now a single parent and bubbled with her sister's family, who can give both practical/childcare support and be there while she grieves. I'm so glad she's allowed that.

Some people who feel like they can't cope being on their own have a bubble right but what if that's everyone in the uk then what is the point in social distancing if everyone has a bubble

Not everyone in the UK is entitled to a bubble. I agree that people shouldn't be forming ad hoc "park bubbles" etc.

Even if everyone did have a bubble (I think in Belgium every person is allowed one 'close contact' outside their household who they don't have to social distance from), having one person/household you don't social distance from is better than not social distancing from anyone.

I think this is the most ridiculous thread I've seen so far and that's saying something.

I don't get out much this cold weather, apart from care visits to mum. I'm glad to hear people are meeting in parks etc. I'm another one who nearly topped myself when bubbles weren't allowed, it was a close thing.

I'm assuming these posters ran vigorous campaigns against shows like Strictly Come Dancing, if they feel so strongly about all this - that no one should go near anyone else without whatever your list of mandated acceptable reasons is.

A bubble between one vulnerable person and a household who can support them - with everyone otherwise not mixing with others and working from home obviously is no danger. But a bubble where people are still meeting others obviously increases the risk - every contact is a danger. Mums gathering in parks are clearly just flouting and the bubble doesn’t come in to it.

Yes I agree and people that are genuine, there in the firing line as they have done nothing, but understand the rules. I'm afraid there can't be many of those genuine people out there, so you have a support bubble maybe your one of those cautious people that don't what to put ur self out there and now said friend in support bubble sees u no probs genuine, now she's left your home but in her or his mind they go have a support bubble, somewhere else and so on and so, people will take that as how it works I'm not stupid for saying No to support bubbles, to be honest most people will flaunt the rules and say oh support bubble this is why we have the parks situations and so on, maybe it's just me but I really think no one should be meeting anyone anywhere outside there house hold untill this lock downs done, that's genuine or otherwise people have a duty of care to those around them to stay away, and keep safe and not over well the nhs, our survival does depend on it, or we can all go and sit in park and have a good old fashioned chin wag were it's nice and safe and get it over with.

Just stupid

Support bubbles exist for valid reasons that go beyond a chat in the park . Plus if your support bubble lives several hours away (as mine does) or is elderly/ disabled, meeting in the park is hardly going to be suitable.

@TorringtonDean

One problem with bubbles is you know where you have been but you don’t know what other people are up to. So you can’t be sure they haven’t been meeting lots of others.

Well that’s not a bubble then. The whole point of the bubble is to combine two households into one for support. You can’t be in more than one bubble, so if you are in a bubble with someone then you can’t be meeting up with others.

I think many on this thread seem to misunderstand what a bubble is and what the rules are.

There isn’t any risk from true bubbles as they are not creating chains of contact. They are closed groups of contact, hence the name.

I'm afraid there can't be many of those genuine people out there

There's approximately 1.8million single parents in the UK. That's not what I would class as "not many". That's before we get to other groups who are allowed a support bubble.