Meeting outdoors in small groups and outdoor sport next month

[Mrstiggywinkle1]

Just read an article saying once schools have gone back on 8th March, that they will allow small groups to meet outdoors and outdoor sports to start up again.
Then an unlock from there, starting with outdoor dining/drinks in pubs and restaurants before indoor.
I’m personally hoping the domestic tourism industry opens up in late March or early April so my family can come here and visit from the north east, we are in the south west. Also have lots of friends who work in the local tourism industry here.

So things are looking up and I feel much more optimistic than I did 2 weeks ago.

What do you all think is going to happen when the furlough ends but social distancing etc. Is still in place. Butlins lost 1.2 a week in one of the weeks it tried to open.
How do you think the hospitality industry will survive? I’ll answer that question for you... it won’t.

I suspect by the time English schools go back, we'll be seeing the start of the inevitable rise in cases in Scotland and Wales, caused by their premature return to classrooms, so the English government will probably be forced to go very slowly.

Kamlesh Khunti talked a lot of sense @VikingsandDragons.

And Ed Conway have good indicators about where we're are compared to the end of the first Lockdown. Cheers.

[quote FizzyPepsi]@MNnicknameforCVthreads

www.kcl.ac.uk/news/study-identifies-those-most-risk-long-covid

2.3% (1 in 50) have symptoms after 12 weeks.[/quote]
Brilliant. This is much more like the figures I instinctively thought we were at.

Thanks for this, and also for pointing out that having a cough or being tired after 4 weeks is not “long Covid”.

I would prefer 2 households to be able to meet up outside rather than the rule of 6.

We can’t meet up with anyone as there’s too many of us.

Surely 8 people from 2 households meeting up is less risky than 6 people from 6 different households?

I wish they'd relax restrictions based on risk not politics. So some outdoor sports allowed. For something I do i don't need to be with anyone outside my household to take part, no shared equipment, it's 1.5 miles away so local but against the rules at the moment.

And as much as I think golf is a complete waste of time it seems ridiculous that kids could be in school but you can't play a round of golf.

@Toorapid my mom used to say that to me!

March birthday, we bought you home from hospital and there was snow on the ground. You never know what your birthday will bring weather wise! She also used to say that my birthday was the start of the lighter evenings proper. It's still light at 6pm on your birthday.

I miss her, and you bought it all flooding back. Thank you!

why hasn't anyone come up with an easy and cheap test we can all do at home 3 times a week to prove negative to having the covid, to allow people to go to work and school and pubs etc
Not at home but where I live you can have a free test every 15 days at the pharmacy, more frequently if you work in healthcare. A lot of people also use the app to track contacts.

@redsquirrelfan yes, things like golf should definitely be allowed. I think team sports for children before adult team sports though.

Isn’t the next review on 22nd February and they said they would give schools 2 weeks notice, which would 8th March.

@ineedaholidaynow

Isn’t the next review on 22nd February and they said they would give schools 2 weeks notice, which would 8th March.

Correct, we should know more 2 weeks on Monday.

I’ve been thinking about hairdressers etc. Obviously it is close contact but establishments tend to be pretty small. And have far less people in them at a time than restaurants etc. If everyone is masked (which they aren’t in restaurants) then in struggle to believe they are very high risk. But perhaps that’s just because I’m desperate for a haircut.
I do think outdoor organised sport will be one of the first thing. If my youngest can go back to his football I’ll be happy.

why hasn't anyone come up with an easy and cheap test we can all do at home 3 times a week to prove negative to having the covid, to allow people to go to work and school and pubs etc

How do you prove it though?

They said schools will open no earlier than 8th March and have even talked about phased return.

And they will not open anything else until 2 weeks after full school opening to see the effect on R number.

But then they often change their minds

@Sparklingbrook

Mmmm. Outdoor dining in March. I'll not be first in the queue.

Really? I would! Decent outdoor clothing on a dry day and it is fine. Lots of places bought gazebos, canopies and umbrellas last year to facilitate outdoor dining in bad weather. We had a fabulous meal outdoors at the end of October, the restaurant provided a canopy and a small wood burner for warmth it was great!

Yes really @Lexilooo I’m happy to wait until the need for outside heating has gone. As I said upthread I am obviously not as hardy as some of you and don’t really dine outside unless its summer dress and no cardi weather. I’ll wait.

@Turnedouttoes

I’m really hoping for outdoor sports. My DP is a tennis coach and it’s bizarre he’s allowed to carry out 121 lessons in a park but not on a tennis court which provides a lot more space for distancing!

Interestingly I saw people playing tennis on a court in my local park this afternoon. Not sure how they got access.