People saying ‘we’ve had a year of this’ - what did you do last summer?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

I keep seeing people saying things like “my child hasn’t played with anyone else in a year” or “I’ve not seen any friends in a year”. I know some people have been shielding or live in areas that have had tougher restrictions for longer...but if not, what were you doing last summer?

I think I’ve been fairly cautious but we still managed holidays/trips away in the UK, lots of (socially distanced) meet ups with friends and family and my children saw lots of their friends. We’ve been to museums, meals out, swimming etc. Other than children not social distancing with each other I don’t we broke any rules. It certainly wasn’t a normal summer but in comparison with the current (really miserable) lockdown things were pretty decent.

Lots of people I know were regularly in bars, making cinema trips, foreign holidays and taking the children soft play (i drew the line well before it got to soft play myself!)

Are people forgetting what actually happened or did some people remain in voluntary lockdown all year?

But cases were very low in the summer. People getting out and about over the summer did not increase the risk to others. The martyrdom on this thread is astounding.

I would agree if we were talking about meeting up over xmas - cases were rising at that time and the risk was increasing, but all the people that sacrificed any scrap of enjoyment all year for fear of infection in the warmer summer months (CEV and their families not included obvs) have done themselves a disservice.

Like another poster I absolutely stand by my decisions to enjoy myself within the guidelines and to take my children on holidays this year.

Cases started rising from mid July here, they were already rising on mainland europe in July.
Forgien travel undoubtedly contributed to the sustained increase seen from September onwards. This was certainly amplified by the Universities and schools going back, but lets not pretend there weren't warning signs in late July.

and eat out to help out was a reckless disreguard for public health. I don't blame individuals for doing what they were told was allowed, I do blame the goverment. Was it safe ? On a an individual level almost certainly, on a societal almost certainly not.

I refuse to feel guilty for doing things we were permitted to do during the summer. Normal things, like going to a bar, restaurant or museum. To suggest people doing normal things that were allowed contributed to where we are now is unreasonable. At no point did I break rules, not socially distance or be aware of hygiene. I'm sure thousands of others were the same.
You don't have to feel guilty.
Common sense would say that given we are still in lockdown almost a year later it probably wasn't a wise idea for the rules to be relaxed. As ever there is a difference between what we can do and what we should do.

I appreciate that some people had greater restrictions or had to shield. But for anyone who didn't, it was your choice not to enjoy the limited freedoms that we had during the summer when transmission rates were low
And here we have it, everyone who didn't spend the summer off here there and everywhere, and everyone who didn't travel around the country mixing households the second it was allowed obviously just decided they wanted a rubbish summer.

Shall we have another year of on off on off restrictions where every few months people travel all over and mix households only to tell those of us who want this over 'but the rules let me and I won't accept my actions played a part'

I refuse to feel guilty for doing things we were permitted to do during the summer.

I said upthread it was no fault of those individuals who followed the rules that following the rules contributed to a rise in cases, but fact of the matter is things that were 'allowed' did cause cases to rise.

EOTHO in particular drove a lot of infections, research says up to a sixth of new cases were linked to that alone.

Foreign holidays also imported new cases.

These are facts.

I notice Sunak doesn't learn from experience, he wants to repeat this mistake now...

Last summer was fairly normal for us here in Spain. DD had riding lessons, we went to the beach, we spent the summer at DP's parents, who have a villa with a pool and saw two sets of friends who visited from England. The cases in my area were very low then and continued to be low for the autumn. They exploded during December and January and now we have lockdown measures without house confinement and can't do much. No idea what this summer will be like. Hopefully better than now.

Worked from home
Went for a weeks holiday in the U.K. in my own caravan
Went to the gym for socially distanced classes before they were moved outside.
Met friends for lunch/coffee .
Haven’t been in anyone’s house for over a year.
Haven’t been in a shop apart from the corner shop and the farm shop for a year.

Been to a supermarket a handful of times but generally get online slot.

So it’s been very different, even when things were more relaxed last summer.

Good for you.
We Didn’t go on holiday. Worked hard.
Had a year of not seeing my family who live at other end of country. Had enough now and just want to see my family so badly.

DS finished chemotherapy last March and was very vulnerable so we stayed at home. DH and I have both carried on working, I haven't been in a pub or eaten out since January 2020. We did meet my brother and family and did see our parents, but for us this does feel like it has gone on for a very long time.

Honestly laughing at people saying they have made sure their young children have socially distanced from others for a year. If they went back to school in September they were not socially distanced.

Same as you OP. We followed the rules but managed to have a halfway normal summer. So we did get a break in between lockdowns. I know everyone didn't, but a lot of people did.

So many people saying foreign holidays were an issue. We had 2 holidays cancelled because the FDCO advised against all but essential travel (booked before the pandemic). We went for a week to another European country which had a small number of cases. Before we went we had to have PCR tests. While there infection control measures were greater than here, with temperature checks at every venue and masks worn at all public indoor venues.

People going on holiday abroad may have contributed. But the virus was already here and we had a higher infection rate than many other countries.

I used my judgement and did very little in the summer apart from spend time in the garden as it was clear what would happen.

wow lucky you! I have followed the rules so yes this has been going on for a year for us! we didn't go on holiday and my kids have not had their friends in the house since it was last allowed... we have met people outdoors and followed the rules so it has been pretty crap. And posts like this are exactly why restrictions are ongoing!

So many people saying foreign holidays were an issue. We had 2 holidays cancelled because the FDCO advised against all but essential travel (booked before the pandemic). We went for a week to another European country which had a small number of cases. Before we went we had to have PCR tests. While there infection control measures were greater than here, with temperature checks at every venue and masks worn at all public indoor venues.

People going on holiday abroad may have contributed. But the virus was already here and we had a higher infection rate than many other countries.

In the first and second waves, the infection was seeded from Europe particularly Spain.
The third wave, the Kent varrient that is on us.

I think it’s pretty appalling to stop kids and teenagers meeting up when it was within the rules. If your sense of perspective is that screwed that you sit in your house and barely go out, even in summer when cases were low and we were allowed then that’s your prerogative . But to stop children socialising and playing outdoors with their friends is awful. If teenagers felt scared to do so then that fear (disproportional) has come from somewhere.

The impact of having no social contact and fun for a year is far does far more harm than this virus would to them.

Viruses are seasonal. It was always going to follow this pattern. People sitting on a busy beach in August did not cause the second wave.

How did anyone go to the cinema or go swimming? Our pools and cinemas all stayed closed. OP - you are a massive rule breaker. Holidays were never actually allowed. If you remember the public were told to stay away from beaches. We’re in the position we are now (I’ve had no wages since October) because of arrogant, selfish fools like you.

@bexer56 what are you actually going on about?

There are no medals being awarded for staying in your house the longest end ensuring the kids are as lonely as possible, well maybe a social media medal!!!

I guess it depends where in the country you were? Outdoor pools were open here and the lake. I think the pool at the guys was. Swimming lessons were happening just changing rooms closed. That was enough for us. Cinemas were open here. I don’t think we went but I can’t remember. Know people who did. They did say they had the place to themselves.

Pinkstripeycat I don't know where you live but where I am holidays were allowed. The government created travel corridors with some other countries, and UK holidays were permitted. My local cinema was open but I chose not to go as watching a film wearing a mask didn't appeal. I went swimming at my local pool - times and slots had to be booked in advance and it was well controlled to ensure social distancing. I'm in London.

I know different parts of the UK had different restrictions but I also think there are people making up rules in their own heads that just didn't exist.

When restrictions lift this time, will all those who didn’t do anything last summer continue to not go out? When will you deam it’s safe?

Cases will be much higher for the rest of the spring than they were in summer (due to the seasonal nature of viruses). So by your thinking you’ll be staying in until August I guess? But then Covid will still be around and children won’t be vaccinated. What’s your long term plan here?

@pinkstripeycat holidays were allowed? We went to Menorca. Had a great time.

All hotels in U.K. were open in the summer. Maybe not Leicester.

Holidays were never actually allowed

All those people hijacking planes never once got a mention!

@Delatron

When restrictions lift this time, will all those who didn’t do anything last summer continue to not go out? When will you deam it’s safe?

Cases will be much higher for the rest of the spring than they were in summer (due to the seasonal nature of viruses). So by your thinking you’ll be staying in until August I guess? But then Covid will still be around and children won’t be vaccinated. What’s your long term plan here?

Last summer no one had been vaccinated, shielding had only just neen paused and for many who had been shielding, their Drs told them to remain extremely cautious. For us, personally, we will deem it safer, and loosen up a bit as more and more people are vaccinated, cases, deaths and hospitalisation drop. We will plan when we're nearer the time and van see what the picture looks like....but yes, for us it will be a worry until ds can be vaccinated as he is medically vulnerable. Unfortunately as that looks a long way off we are going to have to rely on community rates of infection falling, others being vaccinated and keeping our fingers crossed.