Is anyone actually going to follow the rules from spring?

[Cloudsurfing]

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?

Those who are painting ITU nurses as virtuous rule followers - believe me the ones I know aren't. I know of at least two parties over the summer packed with ITU colleagues, all of whom had either had it (one had been in ITU themselves) or nursed loads of Covid patients, drinking and tik toking away and generally not social distancing in the least!

Absolutely I will. I know people who work in hospitals and friends and family that have died pointlessly from CoVid. I have stuck with it this far and I personally could not live with myself if I purposefully put other's lives at risk.

I understand the frustration - this hasn't been a prolonged holiday for me - FAR from it ... but the lives of others are not to be squandered.

All those prepared to take the risk - I wonder if your thoughts would be changed if you saw a close family or friend die from it?

If people return to normal the likelihood of this virus escalating are exponential - in which case it's up to Darwin!

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! [shrugs]

We will be following the rules. Not so concerned about myself but more for my parents who I am desperate to see and with friends - they have family/parents too who they need to protect. So no change here for us! Just hope Netflix keeps the entertainment coming!

Wow just think of those of us who are HAVING TO SHILED! So your a little fed up, we have seen no one and will continue to see no one until people stick to the rules and the numbers drop! All these elderly and disabled people stuck in care homes with no family contact and will be forced to continue to be like that while you all think its OK to bend or break the rules!

I will follow the rules as best I can and taken sensible precautions to minimize risk.

My mum and husband have had the jabs, so that is good and now they need to protect me. My mum was in my bubble but she is going to swap and join my niece who is on her own and needs a bit of moral support. So she will wait 10 days and then see my niece. I won't see my mum again until we do the same.

Yes, it is tough but I think we need to see it through. Overseas holidays are not important, getting this country opened up as safely as possible is.

It is easy for me to say this, I am safe, still working on full pay, warm and comfortable. I can deal with it. I think it is very tough if someone is on their own.

"Everyone I know is going to see family and friends from spring, regardless of what restrictions there are. I am too. "

Well, we'll just have a massive outbreak of the South African variant then, won't we. Seems like you mainly posted to validate your selfishness.

I've been considering driving to my parents' area and "exercising" near them (walking on the beach). Haven't seen them in aaages.

Also, undecided on this one - my friend and I both had Covid recently (haven't seen each other in over a year). We are thinking of actually meeting up inside her home, as a one off. She lives alone and works from home, I live with the kids and work from home. Can't decide so I keep putting it off. I don't think either of us will get it so soon after having had it, but don't want to cause problems. I've been sticking with the rules and managed to get Covid from my daughter at school.

@Jacketpotato84

I do wonder whether mumsnet is monitored by the government with posts like this

I think there are departments and/or individuals within Government whose sole purpose it is to monitor sites like this so as to gauge the public mood - this one will be gold 🙈

Depends if you want another lockdown. The more poeple are exposed, the more that vaccine will mutate. Some are already virus resistant. I'm going with what the NHS workers are urging - which is keep to the rules.

Yes. Of course. Otherwise more people will die and the lockdowns will go on for longer. Are people really that stupid and selfish.

Noooo just follow the rules and we can all get through it sooner. Selfish people cause these surges in the virus, was Christmas really worth the lockdown and all the extra deaths.

My partner and my neighbour are both working at a lateral flow testing site - they get tested every day before work and they bring one home 3x a week for me and my neighbours husband. We’ve been having a drink once a week or so with them and will continue to do so with our negative tests. We aren’t seeing anyone else, and we all know we haven’t got it. 3 out of the 4 of us had Corona in October too, so we’ve got some immunity but like I say, we aren’t seeing anyone else. I know that’s not the purpose of the lateral flow tests but the ones working at the testing sites are working 12 hour days 5/6 days a week. It’s lonely AF at home so if this means I can have a cuppa with him next door while the other 2 are at work then so be it.

Is Matt Hancock on Mumsnet? Some of you better pray he isn’t

Yes of course. It’s extremely dangerous to lift the rules too soon.

Someone said there would never be a vaccine for children, or not for years.

That's not true. A couple of the vaccine researchers are doing tests right now. They're not going to rush them out, but in the US, they announced that they expect vaccines for children by Spring/Summer. They've not been mentioned here, but it's the same vaccine companies, so it'll just be up to our experts to approve or not.

So don't decide to break the rules because 'this'll never end' - because if people break the rules then it'll just go on and on and on. With children getting long Covid, there's going to be a lot of pressure for a kid-friendly vaccine, so I'm sure it will come out as soon as they can make sure it's safe, thankfully.

Yes. I care about keeping others safe as much as myself, especially my friends and family. We have phones. We have the internet. We are not out of touch.

I'm not going to throw a party. But might we see our parents indoors no more than once a month....? probably. They've all had their first jabs which will have passed the 22 day mark next week and they're desperate to see us. We work from home, the kids are at home, so yes, we will probably see them between next week and Easter (as I'd assume neither child is going back to school before then) as we have very minimal contact with the outside world. I would probably be more cautious once the kids do return to school until such a time as DH and I have at least had 1st jab, and also mindful of any sudden occurences of new variants or other changes.

Israel has already developed and tested a vaccine specifically for those under 18.

Vaccinated or not you can still catch the virus (as could your family) and so far the vaccine only reduces the risk of transmission. So having isolated for a year, worked with end of life patients, lost a baby and become pregnant again I more than anyone would love to be with family, especially as two very close members are now themselves on end of life care but seeing people will undo all the hard work people have done for the past year. Yes it’s hard, yes it’s lonely and even scary at times but for the love of god don’t get complacent now, please! I’ve watched people dying alone because of covid and I’ve watched people old and young alike dying alone of covid, it could be you or the family you are so insistent on seeing, I don’t know about you but I’d never forgive myself if I potentially spread the virus to a family member.

If you do see them just make sure you maintain the distancing and wear a mask. People are breaking rules left right and centre just be smart when doing it if you really HAVE to.

This thread definitely sums up what is wrong with this country and why a second lockdown was needed. And probably another one too!

Half the people choose to be selfish and only think of themselves. “I want to see my boyfriend and we won’t separated”, “I’m thinking of going to my parents to ‘exercise’” and more generally selfish and thoughtless comments.

Lots of us miss our loved ones, doing activities, going place and the freedom to generally just do what we want. But, we’re not selfish enough to risk those who are vulnerable in society.

And, before anyone rants about the vulnerable being vaccinated...not everyone who is vulnerable can have the vaccine, the vaccines are approved for under 18’s and those who aren’t classed as vulnerable are still human being who you should have some basic human decency for.

Stop being selfish pricks.

(And if it is trolling, then it's not funny. You could cost people their lives and their long-term health).

"so far the vaccine only reduces the risk of transmission"
No that's not right, where on earth have you got that from?