Next announcement from Boris

[whoamitojudge]

Does anyone know when it is?
With all this new talk of this current lockdown not being enough I just wondered if maybe he’d step up and say something

I'd oppose ANY further restrictions, at least until the current lot have had chance to work. Latest rules have only been in place since Monday, and Christmas mixing was a recent event. My heart sinks that so many people seem to blindly call for "more", without knowing if it's even beneficial. Masks outside/playgrounds closed/support bubbles gone will only sever any remaining morale and compliance will go down.

Well I dont think I could cope if they ban support bubbles. The first lockdown was unbearable. I am amazed I am still functioning normally. I do wonder if people who say they should be banned are in one or need one. Because if you did need one you would not be suggesting they stopped.

Try juggling special need violent kids whom you live with in a flat with no outside space, enforced home schooling and wfh all sharing one computer with the SN teen needing 1:1 for all learning, ill elderly parents who call you 50 times a day, an abusive exh who kept calling or being abusive at drop off and collection, without a support bubble. (Which I had in lockdown 1). Then you might change your mind.

i hope he closes hardware stores so that some of the MNers can't get hold of hammers and nails to shut us all in.

@WombatChocolate

"Surely there must be a point at which it is necessary? If the virus is so widespread, wouldn’t most old and vulnerable people who live alone prefer to hold onto life than contact?"

The problem is some support bubbles for elderly people ARE about them holding onto life. My nana is 76 and has vascular dementia, depression, and currently doesn't do much (anything, really) for herself. At the beginning of the first lockdown we were just dropping off groceries for her, but later found out she (and the carers who go in three times a day) hadn't been putting them away and they were just going off on her kitchen floor. We were also keeping an eye on her food intake as her carers weren't always making her proper meals. She has anorexia on top of everything else, and was admitted to hospital at the end of 2019 for it.

We now go in, put groceries away, tidy her house, hoover, clean bathroom, encourage her to get dressed and washed, make sure she eats something and check the book the carers fill out. I can assure you there would be a good chance of her dying if we didn't go in. So if support bubbles ended, it would the first time since the pandemic began that I would break the rules/guidance to make sure she didn't. Not all bubbles are just about socialization, although I defend entirely that purpose for people who are on their own.

Presumably if they were to stop support bubbles a lot of people would move in and become a single household? I know thay wouldn't work for many people but it would work for a lot of families, including some I know.

Ghost, surely you would be providing care to someone who needs it. That was never prevented in the first lockdown and you didn't need to be part of a bubble.

@StealthPolarBear

Presumably if they were to stop support bubbles a lot of people would move in and become a single household? I know thay wouldn't work for many people but it would work for a lot of families, including some I know.

Judging by the reactions in this thread at the suggestion that support bubbles be stopped, a lot of people would break the rules and still see their bubble anyway.... and I count myself amongst them.

@whoamIamIalright

Everyday on MN I read something that makes me wonder wtf is wrong with people. Stop support bubbles, no businesses should be allowed to open, you should have to apply for permission to open your own front door, how dare you have any fun don’t you know there’s a pandemic on! Some people won’t be happy until we are welded into our houses. Wuhan got it right didn’t they?!

The virus doesn’t worry me, I know it’s scary but all our ancestors must have survived all other pandemics or else we wouldn’t be here wasting our time would we?

It’s people’s attitudes that are really scaring me, not sure the vaccine is going to change the awful sanctimonious people who feel they have the right to pass comment on every aspect of someone’s else’s life. People have got to a right to live not just sit around waiting for impending death. But some people won’t be happy until we are as fucking anxious as they are.

Best post of week, this is exactly how I feel

Close any business that isn't on an established list who refuses to allow their staff to wfh just because they want them
under their beady eye.

Stop the football/cricket/rugby etc - they've already proven the can't be trusted not to break bubbles & not party.

Reduce the numbers in schools - much stricter about who can attend.

Stop the under 1 bubble - unless someone can explain why one of the other bubbles isn't sufficient.

Crack down on the 'childcare' bubble. It's NOT designed for allowing a 'family bubble with grandparents & parents etc. Hand the children over & leave.

Ask people to realky think hard about support bubbles (because you can doesn't mean you should!! Do it if you HAVE to, but not just because you can). & to stick to the one bubble rule, if you do it.

Remind people to shop as infrequently as possible, not every day for bits & pieces.

More compulsory mask wearing. A friend works in a petrol station they don't have to wear masks behind the plastic screen. Funnily enough the virus can go under/over/around it AND there are several staff members all behind there. 🙄🙄

Knock some sense into parents standing around at the park gasbagging to each other.

But schools-thats the biggest one.
Followed by hospital. There's an unacceptable level of transmissions while in there. Not sure where it's going wrong, but they need to find out & put SS uch money into it as is needed & get ALL staff vaccinated ASAP

There can be a very fine line between providing 'care' and just being a support to vulerable people.

Someone who manages 99% of the time alone might need someone else to change a lightbulb or fetch shopping in because they are worried about falling on ice.
These vulnerable person need someone looking out for them or they can easily become prey for unscrupulous individuals.

It’s people’s attitudes that are really scaring me, not sure the vaccine is going to change the awful sanctimonious people who feel they have the right to pass comment on every aspect of someone’s else’s life. People have got to a right to live not just sit around waiting for impending death. But some people won’t be happy until we are as fucking anxious as they are

So you're scared by people being anxious.

@StealthPolarBear

Ghost, surely you would be providing care to someone who needs it. That was never prevented in the first lockdown and you didn't need to be part of a bubble.

I think you're right, but we (DH and I) were never really sure as we're not 'official' carers for her if that makes sense (as she also had other carers but they weren't doing their full job at the time), and are only able to go once a week, plus we have to bring 3yr old DS with us so it just seemed sensible to at least consider ourselves a bubble. Err on the side of caution with all the clarity the government gives out!

Isolating people from their support bubbles would be as cruel as isolating children from their peers.

Oh wait....

Another one here who would ignore any scrapping of support bubbles.

I live alone and have been WFH since mid March, with no sign of returning to the office. The amount of time spent by myself is unhealthy. My support bubble has been my lifeline and I couldn't lose it.

You cannot understand how that feels unless you live alone.

I've just had to give up my support bubble as the new variant has meant it is too risky for me to mix with my keyworker friend as I am ECV. She is also a lone parent but her kids are still going to school, my son is at home. It is awful and I feel very isolated and for how long? 🙁

@Rawrsome13

Anyone advocating for school/nursery places being limited to 2 critical worker parents is really not taking into account that in many families with only 1 critical worker, it is likely that person who would be forced to take unpaid leave in the event of school/childcare closing.

I work in intensive care but by husband is an accountant. If one of us had to take unpaid leave to look after our baby then it would very definitely be me as we wouldn't be able to afford our mortgage without his salary. I know a lot of other London based NHS staff in the same position.

We are the same, if we lose our school place it'll be DH the critical worker who stops work to look after the kids - there's some awful selfish people around

@namechangetoxyz

i hope he closes hardware stores so that some of the MNers can't get hold of hammers and nails to shut us all in.

Some intersecting points raised. I have been told that I cannot wfh. Thinking about one of the offices I have to work in there is very little ventilation. At one point it was unbearably hot and I have to see clients in there. At the other extreme it is so cold that no, I do not and will not have the window open. I'm not prepared to freeze for anybody. It's not so bad in some of the other offices and I always have the window open even when clients comment how cold it is.

@echt

It’s people’s attitudes that are really scaring me, not sure the vaccine is going to change the awful sanctimonious people who feel they have the right to pass comment on every aspect of someone’s else’s life. People have got to a right to live not just sit around waiting for impending death. But some people won’t be happy until we are as fucking anxious as they are

So you're scared by people being anxious.

People being anxious not scary.

People thinking their anxiety trumps facts and common sense is scary.

Some of these posters are frightening and should probably move to China or north Korea. There lack of compassion means they will fit in great with those government styles.

@TheFormidableMrsC

I've just had to give up my support bubble as the new variant has meant it is too risky for me to mix with my keyworker friend as I am ECV. She is also a lone parent but her kids are still going to school, my son is at home. It is awful and I feel very isolated and for how long? 🙁

I think they could do with looking at bubbles and outdoor exercise.

My FIL is on his own and part of our bubble which is great for us all. What he also does is meet up with people regularly to go out for walks. He can walk with 4 different people a week plus see us twice a week. A friend of his who he sees regularly is also walking with other 'networks' and caught it off someone they had walked with, I know transmission isn't as likely outdoors but it is happening. Sometimes he's walking alongside people for 2/3 hours having a lovely natter.

He's not breaking any rules by meeting one person for exercise but if he's walking in a network of 4 people who are also walking with X of other people per week you can see the issue. Going out for a walk is becoming the new going out for a drink.

Haven't seen your mum for a while? No bother just meet her at the park for a walk, then your dad the next day and your sister the next and on it goes. People are doing it.

We talked about it today and hes decided to cut down on his meet ups given the new strain. People seem to think that if the government says it is legal then it must be safe.

A neighbour of mine was telling me what a busy weekend she has. She had planned outdoor meet up with friend today after doing a quick shop for some bits and pieces, then evening at different friend’s (the two families have bubbled as one single parent) then another catch up outdoor tomorrow. Her child is entitled to a place at school so been there all week and back to school Monday. Technically she’s not breaking any rules! How can that be right? I haven’t been out or seen anyone outside my household since new year and I won’t until February... if not longer! My children only see me and DH.
The rules can be tightened but people will find a way around them. I don’t want to see an end to support bubbles so what’s the answer? Something will have to give?

Harder restrictions must be coming. These aren't working.

No, they need to enforce the current restrictions more, not add new ones - should ban group sports in the parks, people shopping in family groups at supermarkets.

Also the very high rate is a fallout of December and Xmas mixing, schools etc, the new restrictions haven't had a chance to work yet.

Thanks ghosts, I see what you mean. I think the main thing is your dd I suppose.
To all those people on this thread who say they'd break the rules if support bubbles were scrapped, I don't blame you. Let's hope that's not what's coming, I personally think it would be a step too far.