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Original poster

Social distancing to last all year

502 replies

Santastealer · 31/01/2021 08:23

The media this morning are reporting on a report given to government saying social distancing will need to be in place all year and rules remain until December.

But what then? What do they expect to be different by September?

Last August I was able to go on holiday with my family as a group of 8, are thy suggesting this year this won’t be possible? If not why was it ok last year when we didn’t have vaccines but this year it’s not ok when we do?

I’m thoroughly fed up of not being able to see my family and I need to feel an end point is in sight.

OP posts:
DumplingsAndStew · 31/01/2021 10:06

All of this "not allowed to see friends and family for a year" is highly dramatic. Yes, there are some rules and restrictions, but there's nothing stopping you seeing friends and family.

Radio4Rocks · 31/01/2021 10:06

They know more about the virus and how it works. To be fair it was Johnson who pushed for relaxation, the scientists were dubious.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 31/01/2021 10:09

Wierdloverwilde,

Yeah l read that post with some degree of ..... bemusement?

The Tories are the party of the economy. They will have us out of lockdown ASAP!

GoldenOmber · 31/01/2021 10:09

Is it really that difficult to stay home with books, phone, internet, tv, yoga mat, perhaps a garden?

Yes, most people don’t think a yoga mat is a substitute for friends and family.

If you look at the modelling graphs in the Telegraph article, they have one scenario where it’s lockdown until May and then rule-of-six until next year some time, with close to 0 deaths a day for that entire period. People are not going to do that and I doubt the government would even bother asking them to.

WeirdLoverWilde · 31/01/2021 10:10

Is it really that difficult to stay home with books, phone, internet, tv, yoga mat, perhaps a garden

Lots of people don't have any outside space. I live in a small fourth floor flat with two other adults. We have one main room in which DH is currently wfh long hours - I'd love to see his face if I got a yoga mat out while he was in meetings.

Happily none of us has to stay home anyway, because we can exercise outdoors.

Bollss · 31/01/2021 10:10

Is it really that difficult to stay home with books, phone, internet, tv, yoga mat, perhaps a garden?

Yes, it is. All I want is to see family. It's very hard to not see family for 2 years. It's bizarre to suggest otherwise

WeirdLoverWilde · 31/01/2021 10:13

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Wierdloverwilde,

Yeah l read that post with some degree of ..... bemusement?

The Tories are the party of the economy. They will have us out of lockdown ASAP!

Of course they will. That's why they orchestrated the shitshow that was EOTHO and why last summer we were all encouraged by Johnson himself to go out and spend money to boost the economy.
Bollss · 31/01/2021 10:13

@DumplingsAndStew

All of this "not allowed to see friends and family for a year" is highly dramatic. Yes, there are some rules and restrictions, but there's nothing stopping you seeing friends and family.
Er, Yes there is?

Currently you're allowed to meet one other adult outside and if you do you're at risk of being arrested.

We had about 2 weeks in summer with the rule of 6. For most of the rest of the time we weren't even allowed people in our garden.

That leaves you being able to meet in a 6 in public places which for a lot of people 6 isn't many if you're a family of 4 or 5 anyway, and if you've small kids a couple of hours pass and you need to go home, especially when public toilets and the like are closed.

People are minimising this so much it's ridiculous.

southeastdweller · 31/01/2021 10:13

Is it really that difficult to stay home with books, phone, internet, tv, yoga mat, perhaps a garden?

Open your eyes and get educated about what’s going on in this country. You sound very ignorant.

FourTeaFallOut · 31/01/2021 10:13

Is it really that difficult to stay home with books, phone, internet, tv, yoga mat, perhaps a garden

This is so unkind. I'm not anti-lockdown but this kind of dismissal of those who are struggling is something else. We are a social animal, we don't do well when we are isolated. We know loneliness kills more than obesity, so maybe dial it down a bit.

DumplingsAndStew · 31/01/2021 10:15

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Currently you're allowed to meet one other adult outside

So how is that stopping you meeting a friend or family member?

Like I said, you might be restricted in being able to do exactly what you want, how you want to do it, but you just said yourself... you can meet outdoors with one other person.

Mousehole10 · 31/01/2021 10:17

@DumplingsAndStew

All of this "not allowed to see friends and family for a year" is highly dramatic. Yes, there are some rules and restrictions, but there's nothing stopping you seeing friends and family.
Yes there is, it’s currently illegal to see family and friends inside their house, and more than one person outside and when it’s not for exercise. Not everyone lives within walking distance of their family. It’s illegal to see my family at the moment and has been for some time. That is wrong and I will not be complying by March.
Bollss · 31/01/2021 10:17

[quote DumplingsAndStew]@TrustTheGeneGenie

Currently you're allowed to meet one other adult outside

So how is that stopping you meeting a friend or family member?

Like I said, you might be restricted in being able to do exactly what you want, how you want to do it, but you just said yourself... you can meet outdoors with one other person.[/quote]
Because if you live far away from family that's near on impossible? And again you'll be at risk of being arrested.

Also meeting outdoors with one other person is not enough. Especially if you've kids too old to not be exempt and too young to be able to go out alone. They literally can't meet anyone. Is that okay?

AnxiousAlpaca · 31/01/2021 10:18

@PerveenMistry Spoken from a massive place of privilege.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 31/01/2021 10:19

I’ll keep doing what I’m advised to do until it’s gone.

We’re all struggling hugely. All of us. But l don’t think the entire world is in lockdown, or needs to stay in lock down for the fun of it.

ElectraBlue · 31/01/2021 10:20

No it won't. Because people have had enough of this. Once the vaccine roll out has reached the majority of the vulnerable and the elderly by Spring, things have to end. People will start mixing anyway.

To suggest we give government an endless right to prevent us from seeing friends, families, finding a partner if we are single, having sex or simply hugging/kissing someone is absolute rubbish. We are on this earth to live, not to exist like animal in cages.

User133847 · 31/01/2021 10:20

@Fuckinlonely

All the doom-mongerers are on this thread! Hang in there op, sanity will return with the warmer weather I hope! The people on this thread are very welcome to lock themselves away till 2024 but noone else will xx
It was always going to be worse in winter. It'll hopefully burn out a bit in Europe through the summer (if mass travel is avoided this time and there's not going to be mass gatherings anyway).

But then winter will come again.

frozendaisy · 31/01/2021 10:22

I read the telegraph article, it didn't say social distancing WILL be in place all year.

It said some restrictions may need to be in place depending on the data of transmission with a vaccinated population.

It seemed to advise first not to lift present lockdown measures too quickly and cautioned, until more data was acquired, of saying large gatherings would be possible by the end of the year.

I find it's best to read direct quotes in sensationalist articles, particular ones that have "may" or "could" "should" in the headlines. Newsgroups use these words for clickbait without the threat of a law suit because they don't offer any definite information.

So yes, maybe some restrictions will be in place by the end of the year.

How I read it is "no panto?" :-( again maybe, boo!

herecomesthsun · 31/01/2021 10:22

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/must-not-pin-hopes-covid-vaccines-alone/ There are some graphs of projected spikes on here

Mousehole10 · 31/01/2021 10:23

[quote DumplingsAndStew]@TrustTheGeneGenie

Currently you're allowed to meet one other adult outside

So how is that stopping you meeting a friend or family member?

Like I said, you might be restricted in being able to do exactly what you want, how you want to do it, but you just said yourself... you can meet outdoors with one other person.[/quote]
What if family is further away than your local area?

RuggeryBuggery · 31/01/2021 10:23

Maybe being over optimistic but I’m really hopeful it will recede in the late spring and summer months like it did last year.
We grabbed the opportunity and went for a last minute very simple holiday to france in July last year just before cases started rising. Am very glad we did and will be up for doing something last minute again and taking the opportunity if travel restrictions are relaxed

RichardMarxisinnocent · 31/01/2021 10:23

@DumplingsAndStew

All of this "not allowed to see friends and family for a year" is highly dramatic. Yes, there are some rules and restrictions, but there's nothing stopping you seeing friends and family.
Yes there is. In lockdown I can't see most of my friends or any of my family because they live too far away for me to be able to meet them just for a walk. Same with the rule of 6 outside in tier 2. Even if allowed to mix inside in tier 1, seeing them is difficult if not impossible - some don't live in England so mixing them not allowed at all, and for others the practicalties of having to distance indoors, no car sharing, avoid using the same toilets etc make it harder (and more expensive) than in normal times.
RuggeryBuggery · 31/01/2021 10:23

Not flying btw - driving. Somehow that feels less high risk

Taciturn · 31/01/2021 10:24

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Social distancing went out the window when masks came into effect anyway.

Did l miss something? I don’t recall this.

There was that guy from Bolton who didn’t isolate when he came back from holiday last year who was responsible for a huge spike in his home area.

I’m not being gloomy, I’m just repeating what people with more knowledge than me are saying.

I’d bloody love to go abroad, but no one wants a new strain, so l just don’t see it happening. 4 months is the start of the holiday season l guess? Is it all going to have gone by then?

Yes, you did. Many people seem to think that wearing a mask protects them and they consequently think they are invincible and don't distance: it doesn't. The rationale behind mask wearing is that it stops you spreading anything you have and the science on this is inconclusive.

There is a correlation in many parts of the world between mandatory mask wearing and rising cases.

ineedaholidaynow · 31/01/2021 10:26

But unless the only people you are mixing with stay in their homes at all other times, you are risking other people’s lives. I assume quite a few people who are ill/dying from COVID at the moment is down to the fact that people thought it would be a good idea to mix at Christmas (and they may not have been the ones mixing but are collateral damage).

All the vulnerable population in this country won’t be fully vaccinated by March, especially if the Government carry on with the 12 week delay between doses.