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Original poster

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

596 replies

Bubbinsmakesthree · 02/02/2021 22:09

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?

OP posts:
Dowser · 05/02/2021 12:23

I meant to add, yet we were put into tier3 then 4.

LolaSmiles · 05/02/2021 12:32

EvilPea
I think there's a 3rd view:
I want this shitshow to be over as soon as possible and because a sizable proportion of the
British public are incapable of deploying an ounce of common sense or realising that government strategy has never been driven by a desire to manage cases effectively, I don't want to risk my health/my family's health, or be the annoying sort of person who mixes and socialises all summer and then moans when we are still in this situation 6 months later.

But Boris knows he can do what he likes and as long as he dangles a nice little carrot and says people can have a period of no/limited restrictions then a good chunk of the population will be off his case and think he's a good guy.

Delatron · 05/02/2021 12:39

But I don’t think everyone staying in over summer would have prevented a second wave so it’s misjudged martyrdom.
Unless we did a New Zealand which was not possible.

Another view is that these continued lockdowns have actually prolonged this pandemic. We needed to prolong it so the NHS could cope but don’t for a minute think that if most people stayed at home over summer that we wouldn’t be in exactly the same situation as we are now.

Do it for your personal safety but don’t think it has any impact on the pandemic at a national level. Sorry. Likewise people going on holiday and out to the pub equally haven’t impacted the path of this pandemic. Pandemics follow a very similar path... whatever the government does.

They just need the NHS to cope.

Liveitalittle · 05/02/2021 13:06

@LolaSmiles I don’t really understand what you mean ?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 05/02/2021 13:07

@Delatron

People have just forgotten haven’t they? In the south we were allowed 6 people inside a house (socially distanced) right through until the tiers in October.
True, but that was only possible if your home is large enough to allow for social distancing.
JackieWeaversZoomAc · 05/02/2021 13:10

We went camping for a week end of July and thank goodness we did.

It was a bit nerve wracking with shared showers and loos etc but all pretty well organised and it worked out well.

I'm very thankful we had that week away - I was hoping to be camping in France! Maybe this summer? (not holding my breath)

helloblossom · 05/02/2021 13:18

Well we worked all summer trying to salvage a business that was massively impacted by lockdown. Our children had the worst summer ever as we couldn't afford summer camps or any other childcare so they had to entertain themselves at home the whole time. So as far as they are concerned they've definitely had a whole year of this.

Dowser · 05/02/2021 13:36

@Delatron

But I don’t think everyone staying in over summer would have prevented a second wave so it’s misjudged martyrdom. Unless we did a New Zealand which was not possible.

Another view is that these continued lockdowns have actually prolonged this pandemic. We needed to prolong it so the NHS could cope but don’t for a minute think that if most people stayed at home over summer that we wouldn’t be in exactly the same situation as we are now.

Do it for your personal safety but don’t think it has any impact on the pandemic at a national level. Sorry. Likewise people going on holiday and out to the pub equally haven’t impacted the path of this pandemic. Pandemics follow a very similar path... whatever the government does.

They just need the NHS to cope.

Exactly And in the nhs exercise of 2016 they saw we were woefully unprepared for a pandemic of this nature but still continued to cut corners and underfund it.

They chucked the tax paying public under a bus and we and our children and grandchildren will be paying for it for a lifetime.

Don’t forget we only paid off the debt we owed the USA for world war 2 in about the last decade or so...let’s say at least 70 years later and I bet this debt is going to overshadow that one.

Merrymermaid7 · 05/02/2021 13:55

Of course I haven't told my clients what to do, that would be so unprofessional. I have encouraged them to maintain social contact safely as I know how important this is for them. It is awful that I have been unable to meet the face to face as many of them do not have the technology to be supported with virtual contact. Unfortunately many of my clients have been too scared to go out, particularly in summer when we had more freedom. I have tried to find a buddy for all of them so they have somebody to go for a walk with etc. The point i was trying to make was that they are fearful of going out because they believe that other people carrying on as if nothing was happening frightens them, some won't even go to the shop because of this. It is a genuine concern that some of the people I help feel they will find it difficult to leave their house again because of their anxiety

tarapinn · 05/02/2021 14:12

I run a couple of holiday cottages. They were fully booked from July 4th all summer. People obeying the rules but having fun. That, plus the £10k government handout, made it our best summer yet!!

We did theme parks, bbq's, trip to Cornwall, pubs and ate out last summer 🤷‍♂️ All 'allowed'

user2021 · 05/02/2021 14:16

We were waiting around all summer for DH to have an operation that was cancelled twice due to the impact the first lockdown had on hospital surgeries and operations. He managed to get his op first week September with only a few days notice. We couldn't have risked going anywhere over the summer in case being called in to the hospital.

But good for you OPHmm

firsttimeoptimist · 05/02/2021 14:30

We bubbled with one other family to allow our children company but our "normal" summer of seeing/visiting family from abroad was totally out as we have one CV family member. School opened in September but then closed...then opened....then closed. I left my job before the summer due to childcare needs, So yes this has been a totally different year. We have made the best of it but I gave not visited a supermarket since February!

BillMasen · 05/02/2021 14:44

@firsttimeoptimist

We bubbled with one other family to allow our children company but our "normal" summer of seeing/visiting family from abroad was totally out as we have one CV family member. School opened in September but then closed...then opened....then closed. I left my job before the summer due to childcare needs, So yes this has been a totally different year. We have made the best of it but I gave not visited a supermarket since February!
I thought you could only bubble if one party lived alone (or a single parent)
Liveitalittle · 05/02/2021 15:46

@BillMasen does it bother you?

Greenevalley · 05/02/2021 15:54

@tarapinn I think you'll do well again this summer.
If I had money to invest it would be in a holiday home.

pollymere · 05/02/2021 16:51

I did go camping but otherwise met with no other households. I did finally get to go shopping as I stopped shielding.

SuperCaliFragalistic · 05/02/2021 17:15

And where in that comment does it say that either family is not a single parent family. Why presume it's a breach?

SuperCaliFragalistic · 05/02/2021 17:16

That was to @BillMasen

JustNotFunAnymore · 05/02/2021 17:24

@Hellscape

Here in the North West we had about 3 weeks of being able to mix in households...then back to restrictions again.
This and worked a lot
DesdemonaDryEyes · 05/02/2021 17:28

Wow @tarapinn

Glad to hear someone has benefited from
COVID

BillMasen · 05/02/2021 17:30

I was simply wondering as the comment was ambiguous.

Does it bother me? A bit as I’ve had shielding kids and a part of me wishes people wouldn’t bend or break the rules. I’m not getting worked up over it though

Hagotcha80 · 05/02/2021 17:50

@DesdemonaDryEyes

Wow *@tarapinn*

Glad to hear someone has benefited from
COVID

Grin

Really? This is a surprise to you that some businesses have prospered as a result of the situation?

And surely that’s a good thing.
Or are you of the mind set that everyone should suffer

DesdemonaDryEyes · 05/02/2021 17:54

Not at all. Just surprised that they took the government money when it clearly wasn’t needed.

tarapinn · 05/02/2021 18:01

How do you know it wasn't needed? What about all the time we had to be closed when normally we would be getting income?

Hagotcha80 · 05/02/2021 18:03

@DesdemonaDryEyes

Not at all. Just surprised that they took the government money when it clearly wasn’t needed.
Oh don’t be daft

Small business
Vulnerable
Good summer
Who knew what lay ahead (and indeed has happened!)

And yet you think that the front should have been declined.

You’re not a small business owner or indeed any kind of business owner are you?! Grin

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