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Original poster

Is anyone actually going to follow the rules from spring?

999 replies

Cloudsurfing · 08/02/2021 22:01

It will have been a year since being allowed to properly see friends and family. Even in summer last year you still had to social distance so seeing family was difficult, and some areas had tighter restrictions throughout. Everyone I know is going to see family and friends from spring, regardless of what restrictions there are. I am too. The government do know that most people won’t stick to it from then, right?

Is anyone on here actually going to not see family at that point? I know Mumsnet seems to be full of people who are happy to isolate for years if need be, but are you actually going to?

OP posts:
secretllama · 09/02/2021 14:10

@Springhere

How can you pick a random date and say you're going to stop following the rules then?! Hopefully things will be a lot better in the spring, but what if there's a rapidly spreading new variant that needs adapted vaccines? Would you go ahead and stop following the rules because you had already said you would?! This is really hard and we all want things to change but surely we need to respond to what is actually happening rather than setting our own arbitrary deadlines.
Because if you follow all the rules and that happens anyway, people will think well what's the point? That's just how some people think and there's not much you can do about it.
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/02/2021 14:14

Hopefully things will be a lot better in the spring, but what if there's a rapidly spreading new variant that needs adapted vaccines?

Then as said, we may have to just accept that we did our best

Given that there'll always be variants, we can't continue to trash everything while waiting for the next tweak ... and the next ... and the next, and while the alternative may not look pretty it could look a darned sight worse if there's nothing left with which to deal with it

RC000 · 09/02/2021 14:17

I can't believe so many people appear to be breaking rules/'all' their friends are? Perhaps I only know sensible people who aren't selfish/can see bigger picture?
Yes it's bloody hard but the end is in sight. Do you now know any doctors/nurses and know how awful it has been in hospitals? We all need to follow the guidelines until the nhs is able to treat non-covid stuff safely.

VinylDetective · 09/02/2021 14:18

things will never be quite the normal we knew before

Of course they will. The human race has faced far worse than this over the course of history. Normality will return.

Original poster
Cloudsurfing · 09/02/2021 14:27

@cansu

OP I hope then that you are fined. It is very irresponsible and selfish to wholesale announce that you are simply going to stop following the rules. I hope that you don't have children that you expect people to educate whilst you are mixing?
Wow you’re nice aren’t you! No I don’t have children at school. My baby is too young for school. She needs interaction with others and other babies so I am putting her first. You have no idea of mine or anyone else’s situation and some things are more important than covid.
OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/02/2021 14:29

Inevitably the people who say they are able to push on with it are having an easier time than the people who are at breaking point

Among the "as long as it takes" folk I know personally, I've found exactly the same; all are in very secure financial/employment/housing positions and have little empathy with how things can be outside of their world

Ironically, I'm fortunate enough to be in a very "safe" position myself - but some of us are capable of looking at the bigger picture

IcedPurple · 09/02/2021 14:32

Perhaps I only know sensible people who aren't selfish/can see bigger picture?

Or perhaps not all your friends are being entirely frank with you? You do sound quite judgemental, so I wouldn't blame them if that were the case.

480Widdio · 09/02/2021 14:37

No,I will not be following the rules from the beginning of March.

TheyKnewIWasTrouble · 09/02/2021 14:37

Yes, I'll follow the rules. Because it's the right thing to do and pretty much our only chance of seeing real normality. I see my life as no more valuable than those that are clinically vulnerable.

ConstanceMoss · 09/02/2021 14:37

I will continue to follow the rules that keep myself and my family as safe as possible.

I have seen first hand what family gatherings can do and I absolutely wouldn't want to risk it for my own family.

My sister in law mixed with her parents and other siblings on Christmas Day, which resulted in most of them becoming very ill with covid, her parents both being hospitalised and her father then died. The devastation and guilt to her family is horrific and the risk shouldn't be underestimated IMO.

BellaBella36 · 09/02/2021 14:40

Not specifically lockdown related. But whenever you feel cross or angry or upset about schools not running as usual, could you drop a line to your MP asking for the vaccination of teachers to be prioritised?

Original poster
Cloudsurfing · 09/02/2021 14:40

@user1467048527

Yes, I will continue to follow rules for now. I think the price paid is worth the reward it seems we’ll get. For now. But at some point, and even if things don’t massively improve as we hope, this has to end as it is not reasonable to expect a population to live half-lives for years. What is reasonable to put up with for a brief period as an emergency measure may not be reasonable for a year. What is reasonable to put up with in the face of a virus like Ebola may not be reasonable for COVID.

There seems to be no perspective from some posters.

If you agree that keeping people from living a normal life cannot be sustained indefinitely and over years, then it becomes a question of when, not if, those restrictions are lifted.

That’s why mocking people who say enough is enough by saying the virus is still out their regardless of how happy they are about it is ridiculous. Quite clearly enough must be enough at some point. Yes, even if there are still deaths and grieving.

Also agree that minimising how people feel in lockdown is actually very cruel.

This is how I feel. I don’t think it’s reasonable to keep people from seeing friends and family long term. A couple of months at absolute emergency point is fair enough, and I have stuck to it so far, but there come a time when it’s not right anymore and I’m not prepared to do it. It’s not fair to ask those who are low risk to do this for so long. The government will have to put different plans in place.
OP posts:
ConstanceMoss · 09/02/2021 14:48

If you break the rules and have your family over, how will you all feel if you contract covid or if one of you becomes seriously ill or dies from it?
I couldn't care less if you want to break the rules, but I would suggest you think twice before you do, as the guilt of knowing a death could have been prevented is with you forever.

TheKeatingFive · 09/02/2021 14:50

People are being told they are ‘selfish’ for wanting to see close friends and family, some of whom are old and don’t have infinite time left, after abiding by restrictions for the guts of a year.

Can posters not see how nuts that is?

TheKeatingFive · 09/02/2021 14:52

If you break the rules and have your family over, how will you all feel if you contract covid or if one of you becomes seriously ill or dies from it?

I suspect most are waiting until the vulnerable in their family are vaccinated and after that, we can’t de-risk the situation for ever.

Lollipop1234 · 09/02/2021 14:55

@ConstanceMoss

I will continue to follow the rules that keep myself and my family as safe as possible.

I have seen first hand what family gatherings can do and I absolutely wouldn't want to risk it for my own family.

My sister in law mixed with her parents and other siblings on Christmas Day, which resulted in most of them becoming very ill with covid, her parents both being hospitalised and her father then died. The devastation and guilt to her family is horrific and the risk shouldn't be underestimated IMO.

Very sad...

There must be so many families in a similar position. I bet they regret it so much now.

roarfeckingroarr · 09/02/2021 14:56

Not a chance

rose69 · 09/02/2021 14:56

Huge increase in deaths after Christmas when people saw friends and families. I'm not a Tory. It the government put in these rules for a reason, to save peoples lives. My job means I hear about family members grieving lost ones on a frequent basis. Or people seriously ill. Break the rules and risk the shit down being in place for longer.

LucilleTheVampireBat · 09/02/2021 14:57

Perhaps I only know sensible people who aren't selfish/can see bigger picture

I find this sort of attitude really funny. Someone on here said something very similar to me a few weeks ago, about the "circles I must move in"!

I've said it before, I will say it again - everybody I know is saying enough is enough and that they aren't doing this anymore. I've worked throughout, not a day working from home and in this time I've heard from my colleagues (who are varying ages and from all different walks of life and different backgrounds) and from clients who couldn't individually be more different - they all say the same thing. It is only here (and vocal screamy types on facebook) that I see this "as long as it takes, for the greater good" mentality.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 09/02/2021 14:58

'But whenever you feel cross or angry or upset about schools not running as usual, could you drop a line to your MP asking for the vaccination of teachers to be prioritised?'

I'd rather trust the JCVI's priority lists tbh. If a teacher is cev they will have it anyway.

ConstanceMoss · 09/02/2021 14:58

I am aware of that. I really want to see my family once they are vaccinated, but I will still social distance as I wouldn't feel entirely safe doing anything less...

I think my view is definitely tainted by what has happened or by sister in law... they decide to risk it and get together for Christmas Day - everyone was well, they had a great time - but by new year most of them were ill and her father was heading to hospital. No one could visit him until it was too late. It's a really tragic story and I expect it's one many families have faced. By all means, have your family get togethers, but be ready to live with whatever consequences may unfold.

ConstanceMoss · 09/02/2021 14:59

There must be so many families in a similar position. I bet they regret it so much now.

100% Sad

Bluesheep8 · 09/02/2021 15:01

My sister in law mixed with her parents and other siblings on Christmas Day, which resulted in most of them becoming very ill with covid, her parents both being hospitalised and her father then died. The devastation and guilt to her family is horrific and the risk shouldn't be underestimated IMO.

Everyone saying they're not going to follow the rules needs to stop going on about how "it's different for them because of x y and z" and read the above.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/02/2021 15:06

I suspect most are waiting until the vulnerable in their family are vaccinated and after that, we can’t de-risk the situation for ever

Exactly

As said, if the vaccines work that's wonderful, but if they don't make enough difference and we're no further forward we'll just have to get on with it - unless people really are prepared to hide away for ever from a virus which is going nowhere

rose69 · 09/02/2021 15:06

Yikes apologies for random swearing. Shut down. Don't support the government in much but in this I do. The shut down has saved lives and we need to decrease the chance of yet more variants.

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