My local council...... is this slightly OTT?

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19016790.people-will-die---bcp-puts-strong-covid-message/

Just to make it clear, I am absolutely in favour of doing everything possible to reduce and manage the spread of Covid, but given that almost every other person I know is suffering huge mental stress due to the current lockdown, and even though I am fairly resilient I'm also feeling the strain, I'm quite nonplussed by the campaign in our area. And judging by the reader vote people are in favour of it.

Surely by now the majority of people are all too well aware of the seriousness of the situation, and the vaccine is supposed to be the light at the end of the tunnel?

I guess I'm more in favour of carrots than sticks, but maybe I'm in the minority. This just feels a little hysterical.....

my local police force have decided that 'local' means no further than your 'local pub'.

I don't think a single person at this police force has ever read the Guidance. I am fairly sure neither the Guidance or law specify you can't go further than your local pub.

Very sad waste of police resources to be policing how far people travel/exercise in the open air.

@Punxsutawney

The postcards are a BCP campaign, I think? I don't think they have be sent out nationally.

The articles says:

"We along with all councils, have been using artwork and other content provided by the govt throughout the pandemic.

"This particular one was released on January 11 as part of the current Government campaign.

Definitely a strong message.

And I don't like it.

I have to go out - daily. To work in a special school. Government has said they must stay open. So what? I'm killing people by following government directions because I must go out?

I have to go to a petrol station because I drive. Supermarket because I must eat. The only other things I do are work and walk and I have rural lands 10 minutes from my front door.

Most people need to go out. Making them feel guilty doesn't help when people's MH is already struggling through this.

I'm well aware every interaction I have is a risk of transmission. I do as least as I can.

The point is, it's wrong. People won't die if I go out.

People might die if eg I were a teacher or nurse, caught covid from one of my germy pupils or patients, and then visited my aging parent or grandparent and gave it to them.

But I don't have a high risk occupation and I don't visit people who are vulnerable.

And even if the 15 minutes thing is down to 15 seconds with this variant (unlikely), I still can't pass it on outside as I am only within "range" for about 2 seconds. I don't see anyone inside.

The problem is creating a legislation and Guidance that allows certain things, but in reality making people scared to do those things, either scared of a fine for doing something allowed or scared to even take exercise because they might catch the virus.

It would be better for mental health to ensure the the law and Guidance correspond to what is actually required of people. So if we are actually not to take exercise outside, then change the law and Guidance. Same with support bubbles. Same with travelling short distance for exercise. All things that are allowed but people are fearful of a fine for actually doing these things or fearful of catching covid doing things we are told are safe (exercising outside).

@hopeinavial

my local police force have decided that 'local' means no further than your 'local pub'.

I don't think a single person at this police force has ever read the Guidance. I am fairly sure neither the Guidance or law specify you can't go further than your local pub.

Very sad waste of police resources to be policing how far people travel/exercise in the open air.

Well they can't police that because that's not what the law says, and that's all anyone needs to tell them.

It really is time the police stopped this nonsense, and helped supermarkets police groups and mask deniers (and pavement parkers who make social distancing very hard or dangerous if you have to step into the road) instead.

@puffinkoala

The point is, it's wrong. People won't die if I go out.

People might die if eg I were a teacher or nurse, caught covid from one of my germy pupils or patients, and then visited my aging parent or grandparent and gave it to them.

But I don't have a high risk occupation and I don't visit people who are vulnerable.

And even if the 15 minutes thing is down to 15 seconds with this variant (unlikely), I still can't pass it on outside as I am only within "range" for about 2 seconds. I don't see anyone inside.

Yes, over 600 NHS staff dead from catching Covid-19 at work. But the government's and police's focus is on how far 'local' is, to the extent that people are fearful to leave their houses, even though under the Guidance and law many things are actually still allowed.

It looks like they’re trying desperate measures now to get the message through to the people who have been ignoring advice to stay home this lockdown.

Those that could work from home/not meet up with mates/host play dates etc.

To be honest, I wish my son’s boss would get the message!
He’s in London and insisting DS and his colleagues go to work even though it’s an art gallery and they’re unlikely to hold any exhibitions this side of Easter/summer and there’s no cleaning staff in, so DS is having to take in wipes and wipe down any surfaces he touches as a matter of routine.

Tbh it's all starting to do my head in. My 81 year old DF, extremely vulnerable is cock a hoop because he's had his first vaccine and is looking forward to some sort of normality resuming. My SM is younger so not in the same cohort. The vaccine has not yet been assessed with regard to transmission so normality is still some way off. I delivered Christmas presents by basically lobbing them through the front door from their garden. I haven't seen them since. We isolated over Christmas with a positive case in the house which we were notified of at 10.30 PM on Christmas day. Sufferer had mild symptoms and has made a full recovery, no one else, not even their DP had as much as a sniffle, but of course one can be asymptomatic, so we observed the rules. Just as our ten days were up we cycled through Tier 4 into lockdown. I can kiss my independent non essential business goodbye as even attempts to go online have borne poor results. DP is also non essential but employed so on furlough. We may scrape through this with government assistance and I know we are better off than many and am grateful. I cannot imagine how hard it is for the low paid , key workers and parents. Luckily my Dad a d SM are sorted for online shopping and have good neighbours on hand, it pains me to say it but I'm glad my Mum passed in April from her terminal cancer, which I nursed her through at home. The district nurses were great but if it had dragged on for more than the month it lasted for, with her Macmillan support in complete disarray, I dread to think how it would have panned out - I had to fight with GPs receptionists for things enough as it was. I t took six months to get her asbes back, and shes on my shelf with a picture of her. I can't do her a wake until God knows when, and she's probably goggling at the way things are now from wherever she is.

This campaign is just like adding insult to injury for all those who have been doing their best, and as others have pointed out, ot is hyperbolic and factually incorrect. I am thoroughly dissapointed.

Can someone place it outside 10 Downing Street and wherever Dominic Cummings now resides?

@VintageStitchers please report your son's boss to the police or local council.

It really is time the police stopped this nonsense, and helped supermarkets police groups and mask deniers (and pavement parkers who make social distancing very hard or dangerous if you have to step into the road) instead.

They are policing it - today they had parked their ANPR vehicle on the road out of town and I look forward to challenging my fixed penalty notice I will inevitably receive by post for visiting my support bubble. Total waste of time - none of these fines will be enforceable and the public's relationship with the police will be further eroded.

Also part of the bh crew. I work in one of the big shopping parks supermarkets and can assure you that every man and his dog literally dogs are shopping together in groups despite there having been advertising and news stories about it and getting irate about it when now us and other supermarkets have gotten stricter about it.
You are putting us and other members of the public at risk unecessarily. Leave your husbands and partners at home that just stand in the way.

Unless everyone is tested every day we will never know the true picture of this virus. If right back at the beginning they had tested everyone with symptoms, not just the hospitalised we might have stood a chance, but no, too complicated.

All it will do is terrify the already anxious.

For me it is just noise as it's incorrect and trying to install fear. If they want people to listen then they need to stop treating us like children.

my radio was on an i-o-w station today and the local news said Bournemouth was trying to introduce a 3 metre rule!!
agree this is a blaming scare tactic but hey they've only had 10 months to get the NHS in better shape bless em

@puffinkoala

The point is, it's wrong. People won't die if I go out.

People might die if eg I were a teacher or nurse, caught covid from one of my germy pupils or patients, and then visited my aging parent or grandparent and gave it to them.

But I don't have a high risk occupation and I don't visit people who are vulnerable.

And even if the 15 minutes thing is down to 15 seconds with this variant (unlikely), I still can't pass it on outside as I am only within "range" for about 2 seconds. I don't see anyone inside.

Which is why the actual thing, when not strategically edited for newspaper clicks, says If you go out/You can spread it/People will die.

It's pretty crap wording, in my opinion - but it isn't the truncated If you go out, people will die that's being taken as fact.

@Stovetopespresso

my radio was on an i-o-w station today and the local news said Bournemouth was trying to introduce a 3 metre rule!! agree this is a blaming scare tactic but hey they've only had 10 months to get the NHS in better shape bless em

Wouldn't have minded a three metre rule in force on Boscombe High Street when I used to visit a boyfriend there, to be honest.

@Stovetopespresso

my radio was on an i-o-w station today and the local news said Bournemouth was trying to introduce a 3 metre rule!! agree this is a blaming scare tactic but hey they've only had 10 months to get the NHS in better shape bless em

This is interesting.

I was only wondering last week whether our 2m rule would be considered enough with increased transmission of the new variant.

At the start lots wanted to cut to 1m (common elsewhere) and 2m was probably helpful with the new variant.

it's worked in that we are all talking about it though....

Knee-jerk, ill-considered shit.

@2020BogOff

All it will do is terrify the already anxious.

For me it is just noise as it's incorrect and trying to install fear. If they want people to listen then they need to stop treating us like children.

Agree more sensible, adult messaging would help.

It isn't the fucking Brexit campaign any more!

That's ridiculous. I just took my 3 boys to the park for a kickabout. We kept our distance and didnt go in the play area. Is that not allowed?!?

We have those adverts in London too, they are government adverts. I had just assumed they were all over the country.

I'm glad that others are finding the message OTT. I go out to take my DD to nursery or on walks, and when I'm out I mostly see people outside for all the reasons allowed - going to work, exercise, food shopping, taking dc to school, for medical reasons. None of them can change their behaviour or avoid trips out.

Yes there has been press coverage of dodgy local events like raves and large social gatherings but I don't see people doing that as it's all hidden away, and I suspect those people won't pay attention to that kind of message anyway. Many peopl simply don't care about others outside of their own immediate family/circle (who will often all be young/healthy). I think the government and society overestimates how altruistic the general public is.

This is at my bus stop (not in Bournemouth). I stand next to it while I wait for the bus to take me to work as a nurse. It doesn't help my anxiety or guilt that I am putting my family at increased risk by leaving the house, getting a bus and mixing with lots of people much closer than 2m for a 13hr shift.

...oh shiiit....the new strain ...(looks anxiously at clock for the booze-allowed hour). I mean they must be thinking something's really up if they're doing this? or is it just a power trip?