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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:
TheKeatingFive · 08/02/2021 23:22

Most people who are happy to break the rules see themselves at low risk and don't care about other more vulnerable people.

I wonder for how much longer do you think it’s reasonable for me to be legally stopped from seeing my parents?

They aren’t young, I may not have that much time left with them, I’m damned if I’m wasting any more of it.

PicsInRed · 08/02/2021 23:27

End of March for me. All this talk of long term social distancing can get to fuck.

Further, if the powers that be 😁 can vaccinate and test hotel quarantine down to a 5 day lag, I'll be happily travelling home to NZ for Christmas and spend that 5 days either side eating, reading and sleeping off the jet lag. Can't wait. ✈🍸

Isolatedizzy · 08/02/2021 23:27

Yes because if we all start making up our own rules and 'just' seeing this person or that person we'll all be in bloody lockdown again by August!

ktp100 · 08/02/2021 23:27

They obviously should but the country is rammed with selfish twunts so in reality we'll probably be all stuffed back in lockdown in a few months and I'll hate people even more.

The feckin' joys!

Heyahun · 08/02/2021 23:28

Il be going home to Ireland with my baby to stay with my family for a month or 2 in April or may regardless of the rules - but will do it properly - year before I go - isolate for the amount of time I’m supposed to on the other side and then move into parents house for the rest of my stay!
I wouldn’t just be risking seeing family without doing all the proper precautions first

Likely my mum will be wining to come to U.K. when my baby is born in a month - same thing - rest before hand - isolate for 10 days here and then come move in with us for a month

I don’t think I’d be up for seeing any family or friends for just a quick visit or anything though in a house til this is all over / they are vaccinated or whatever - not worth the risk
Would meet people outside for a walk or sit in park whatever

Itsabloodyeuphonium · 08/02/2021 23:29

No. Once they’re vaccinated (and I will be too) I’m going to see my parents again. They live 20 miles away and I’m used to seeing them every week at least.

Heyahun · 08/02/2021 23:29

That’s meant to say test before I go not year 😂

tillyandmilly · 08/02/2021 23:30

Yes - but I hope to have a small break - self catering holiday for a week in July apart from that will keep to small gatherings rest of year - however don't have much family so hasn't been as hard as it has for others.

Beaniecats · 08/02/2021 23:30

@LucasLeesEyebrows

Isn’t the projection that the majority of the population will be vaccinated by May? If so then the government is really going to struggle justifying not allowing people to mix.
Which is why they keep producing new variants I can't believe people aren't seeing through this
IrishMamaMia · 08/02/2021 23:30

'Yes because if we all start making up our own rules and 'just' seeing this person or that person we'll all be in bloody lockdown again by August!'

It's more likely that we'll be in lockdown again because the government fails to quarantine travellers from places where new strains of Covid are running riot and don't properly implement safety measures in schools or track and trace. I don't think the low key socialising many of us are doing to preserve our mental health and that of our families makes much of a difference tbh.

IrishMamaMia · 08/02/2021 23:32

@Heyahun that's wonderful, I think I remember a thread where you were desperately missing your Irish family.

indemMUND · 08/02/2021 23:33

Yep. Because I'd be risking my immediate family and others. No brainer. Literally.

inquietant · 08/02/2021 23:36

Yes, I will, of course.

I'm so frustrated at the short termism of people wanting to ditch the regulations before cases have been suppressed, but what can I do? All I can do is do what's right in my view.

RedToothBrush · 08/02/2021 23:36

Yes.

Cos i dont then we will be stuck in this mess for longer because of the dickheads who don't.

Plus i don't really want long covid or to transmit it to a friend. Im unlikely to get a vaccination until June at the earliest (everytime i look theres a new priority group who are dreamt up to put in front of me!)

Its not hard. Just boring and dull.

We will be able to mix in small groups legally soon enough - provided the bellends 'dont ruin it for the rest of us'. Im anticipating end of march start of april as some easing.

Thats springtime enough for me.

Pipandmum · 08/02/2021 23:36

I will follow the rules. I know several relatively young, healthy people who have ended up in hospital, one now has long covid. She went from a healthy runner to walking with a walker. She had been very sensible, following the rules, and believes she and her husband caught it from their daughter who was going to school until Christmas.
So, no, I think everyone is a fool to just think because they are fed up that they can go back to seeing people. Bet they were out there clapping for the NHS and capt Tom yet think they can just do what they like. Buck up people, if you start breaking the rules you are no better than those who haven't followed them at all.

Wafflewife · 08/02/2021 23:38

Yes. I'll do whatever I physically can to help protect the people who physically can't follow the rules - carers, doctors, teachers, police officers etc.

Chessie678 · 08/02/2021 23:38

The UK's household mixing rules are some of the most draconian in the world. I don't think there is any other country which has maintained a ban on seeing family indoors for a year for some regions. I still find it crazy that the state has criminalised people seeing their families for this long with so little pushback.

My dad is in his 70s. In your 70s there is around a 1/50 chance of dying each year (without factoring in covid). His risk of dying from covid, if he gets it, is very similar, though clearly he isn't certain to get it so the covid risk is lower than him dying of another cause. It is one thing having temporary restrictions but long-term restrictions on seeing family mean that thousands of older people will die without ever seeing family again. I think this is highly unethical.

Most people I know have seen close family throughout but they mostly have young babies so this has often fallen under support bubble rules or just generally needing support for their mental or physical health.

People I know who have stuck to the rules so far very much see their elderly relatives being vaccinated as the end point. I know someone who is counting down the days until their parents are vaccinated so that she can see them.

After a year, anyone who believes that this will be over quicker if we stick to the rules is very naïve.

faerin · 08/02/2021 23:39

No way.

IrishMamaMia · 08/02/2021 23:42

@chessie678 yes the mixing rules here are some of the most draconian in the world. I'm happy to follow them when it's a crisis such as now but we're in month 3 of seeing no-one now. I will begin to see people safely in the spring. I'm sure it will be allowed by then but if it isn't I'm going ahead anyway.

Defenbaker · 08/02/2021 23:42

If the rules seem sensible I'll continue to follow them, they're not imposed for no reason.

I think the rules will be relaxed by the end of March, and many more people will have received their jabs by then, so things will get easier. If children go back to school on March 8th and numbers remain fairly low by the end of March, I think perhaps pubs and non essential retail will re-open for Easter (if not, I think many people will just have gatherings in their own homes, which might be worse, risk wise). Some people are suffering with compliance fatigue (not to mention boredom and depression), so something needs to change by Easter, I think.

faerin · 08/02/2021 23:44

@Pipandmum

I will follow the rules. I know several relatively young, healthy people who have ended up in hospital, one now has long covid. She went from a healthy runner to walking with a walker. She had been very sensible, following the rules, and believes she and her husband caught it from their daughter who was going to school until Christmas. So, no, I think everyone is a fool to just think because they are fed up that they can go back to seeing people. Bet they were out there clapping for the NHS and capt Tom yet think they can just do what they like. Buck up people, if you start breaking the rules you are no better than those who haven't followed them at all.
Wow.

That's very unfair, and a very black-and-white way to paint it. What about the people who have followed every rule since March LAST YEAR and are now finding their sanity and mental health cracking due to it? They're really "no better" than people who have been attending raves and parties in your mind? What a shitty way to look at it.

This is no way to live for a prolonged period of time, no matter how much you might try to emotionally blackmail and guilt-trip people.

Heyahun · 08/02/2021 23:45

Thanks @IrishMamaMia :)

I’m fine being away from my family at the moment - but I know once my baby is here I can’t cope not letting my parents see their first grandchild for months and months! So will find a way to do it safely - may as well use my maternity leave to go back there for a few months! Once I’m living in their house it doesn’t matter too much about lockdown as at least we are all together.

MooseBreath · 08/02/2021 23:48

I won't be attending any parties, but I will be seeing family and close friends based on my own risk assessments. My son (8 months) needs to know that there are more people in the world than his parents.

TheKeatingFive · 08/02/2021 23:50

Bet they were out there clapping for the NHS and capt Tom

Captain Tom wasn’t exactly a slave to the rules himself, in fairness.

newusername2009 · 08/02/2021 23:52

No - had enough now