I really hope the outside mixing part is true.

[Lubiluxe]

I am anxiously awaiting the road map announcement. I had my first niece last year and still haven't met her. It would be my dream to be able to see her within weeks!!

www.itv.com/news/2021-02-20/covid-lockdown-roadmap-outdoor-meet-ups-could-be-allowed-within-weeks-as-coronavirus-restrictions-ease

I know it is only speculation. I know schools are priority. And I know they should be. But the heartbreak is unreal and I really hope this is true.

I hope they consider those living further away (a couple of hours drive) from their families and friends too.

@Thecoppertree oh yes I hadn't even thought about that. But I would need them to consider that too. My niece lives a minimum 3.5 hours drive away. It has felt like every restriction in place since she was born has been set against us.
I'm desperate for a cuddle but just being able to physically see her for even 30 mins from a distance would make me so happy.

Whereas I can't imagine not having been able to meet a new born niece or nephew or meet my sister or SiL when she was a new Mum, I do hope the Government listen to the scientists who can advise on actual facts and proper modelling, and don't give in to emotional pressure to rush to opening up things and set us back months again.

I too am desperate to see people, to meet family, to be able to just have a F2F chat and a coffee with people, I'd rather wait those extra few weeks and make sure the risk of going backwards isn't there.

Outdoor mixing will be hard to stop.

Yes I think it's on its way.

@BackforGood but surely outside mixing is one of the lowest risk activities there is?

I really wish they would scrap the rule of 6 and do it by number of households instead. Or not include children under 12 in the numbers.

@BackforGood I'm really pleased you haven't had to go through this. It is heartbreaking I can assure you.

Weeks. How many weeks? Weeks become months. It is really hard.

@Shelovesamystery they talked in the article about doing away with that rule :) the rule of 6 may be just for when there are more than 2 households. This isnt fact of course. Monday will tell us for sure.

@Lubiluxe aah I just skim read the article and saw they mentioned rule of 6. That would make a lot of sense. I always felt really sorry for big families, they basically couldn't see anyone as a family. We are a family of 4 and couldn't technically meet my dsis and her family (5). Yet I could sit in the park with 5 friends all from different households

@Shelovesamystery no worries! It is a long article so just wanted to give you that little bit of hope! I agree, that rule was silly! I know so many people with 4 children.

In the park today, there was a different feel. Pretty much everyone was mixing households already. The playground was packed.

I’ve followed all the rules up until now, but am considering breaking them by meeting my parents in the garden.

Outdoor mixing is happening already everywhere I go. I would be doing it myself by this point but my family live 300 miles away.

Tbh, I’m so fucking done. I’ve had covid and the vulnerable members of my family have had the vaccine. I’ll probably go and see them at Easter and I might even sit indoors! I’ve followed the rules up until now (caught covid at work bc frontline). I will also have had the second vaccine by then. Enough now.

I went out today for an appointment and people were certainly mixing. Town centre was heaving.

Quite honestly, how did we end up in a situation where we need government permission to wave at our own niblings? It's jaw-dropping.

Thankfully I think so many people are desperate to see just one family member that outdoor mixing will be kept to relatively low levels. Most people have priority relatives/friends they'd want to see. As long as people don't see it as an excuse to have a big party with hugging and kissing and then complain when we get locked down again!

I will be happy if it's two households and not rules of 6 . Haven't seen my nephew since he was a couple of weeks old as 3 of us and 4 of them (4 children in total).

Removing the “stay local” stipulation would have the biggest effect on me. I’m happy meeting one person at a time but most of the people I want to see are a moderate distance away.

When the weather gets better, would anyone actually stay home and not meet someone outdoors even if the government said not to? Everyone I know is meeting family for walks etc. Playgrounds have childminders meeting with their kids, mums and kids with grandparents, parents chatting while their kids play after school.

I imagine the government know even if they said 'no outdoor meeting' people will do it anyway, and many are now. People are fed up.

@RaskolnikovsGarret

In the park today, there was a different feel. Pretty much everyone was mixing households already. The playground was packed.

I’ve followed all the rules up until now, but am considering breaking them by meeting my parents in the garden.

ues I saw loads of suspiciously large households on our walk today. and lots more elders put and about.

sorry out and about.

@PurpleDaisies same for me

@ilikebooksandplants

Outdoor mixing is happening already everywhere I go. I would be doing it myself by this point but my family live 300 miles away.

Tbh, I’m so fucking done. I’ve had covid and the vulnerable members of my family have had the vaccine. I’ll probably go and see them at Easter and I might even sit indoors! I’ve followed the rules up until now (caught covid at work bc frontline). I will also have had the second vaccine by then. Enough now.

This! We’ve had it and all our oldies have had the jab so mixing with them outdoors now seems v low risk.

I will be happy if it's two households and not rules of 6

Well I won’t. I want to be able to meet with a couple of friends - most of the people I would meet hardly mix at all, so I’m unsure why we would present a greater risk than two multi person households where members are potentially going to different schools, workplaces etc.

By the number of cars in the town I drove through today, people aren't staying home as it is. They can't all have been on essential travel... I'm glad, this is dragging on much too long. We have never locked down like this for any virus before and the world has lived through much worse pandemics.

In some papers im reading they think outdoor mixing will be easter , I was hoping a little sooner than that.
Also 2 households or up to 6 would make more sense

Everyone is outdoor mixing anyway so it won’t make any difference to the rates, although it’s funny some people be thrilled with this like we have been handed such a huge freedom back!