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Covid

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Original poster

Anyone noticed an increase in vaccinated people not social distancing?

45 replies

bigbluebus · 25/02/2021 11:25

I have shopped in Lidl weekly thoroughout the pandemic with the occasional visit to Sainsburys to top up on things I can't get in Lidl. I always go at quiet times for obvious reasons. Yesterday I popped to Sainsburys at what is usually a quiet time (just after lunch) and there were definitely more people there but the majority seemed to be older people and people who were just wearing face shields (who I assume have a medical reason and are therefore vulnerable). On numerous occasions I had to step away from these people who got into my personal space ie within 2m, seemingly without a care in the world. As that was just one visit I put it to the back of my mind until this morning when I went to Lidl at 8.00am to do my full grocery shop. Once again there were older people (definitely over 70 - so I assume vaccinated) who got too close both in aisles and by moving forward at the checkout queue.
I am beginning to think that those who are vaccinated think that life is now back to normal (apart from the things that are still shut obviously) and they can go back to shopping ihow they did pre March 2020.
Would I be unreasonable to remind the next person who does this to me that I (along with many others) have not yet been lucky enough to be vaccinated so please keep your distance.
Anyone else noticed in increase in this behaviour or is it just me?
I am in Group 8 so hope not to have to wait too long for mine but will still respect peoples' space even when I've been vaccinated (as I have done throughout.

OP posts:

Boulshired · 25/02/2021 11:45

People have been getting closer for ages, I think that associating age with vaccines and confronting them about being vaccinated is dangerous. If you need to remind someone to social distance fine, but I would not connect it to the vaccines. There are plenty of young people been vaccinated due to health/employment. It’s just easy to spot the older generation.

XenoBitch · 25/02/2021 11:48

Social distancing has been gone out the window for ages..... and
I can't tell who has been vaccinated or not when I am out and about.

Bluntness100 · 25/02/2021 11:50

I don’t think you can assume by looking at someone they’ve been vaccinated or not. If someone’s getting in your space it’s about them.

Eaumyword · 25/02/2021 11:57

Yes. I noticed this a week or so ago in the supermarket. At first I thought how nice to see people out and about, but then did feel a bit frustrated when they were getting way too close. I don't want to be ageist, but you couldn't help but notice it was elderly people.
I put it down to them not having been out for so long, they had perhaps forgotten the etiquette and safety in distancing.
I'm uncomfortable with confrontation, however gently done, so I satisfied myself with a quiet huff behind my mask!

Original poster

bigbluebus · 25/02/2021 11:58

Bluntness100 I know I can't assume they've been vaccinated but I think I'm fairly safe in assuming that the people concerned will have been offered the opportunity to get a vaccine - they are now vaccinating Group 7 in many places.

As I said I have been shopping weekly throughout the pandemic and I have not experienced this level of 'getting too close' before probably because I am able to go at the times of day when it is quiet so there are very few younger people there and definitely no families - those who seem to be regularly reported as offenders on Mumsnet.

Maybe it is not connected with them being vaccinated but more connected with a feeling that we are now coming out of this pandemic with Boris's roadmap to freedom. However, for the last week the local case numbers in my immediate area have increased and are way above the average for our county, and our county is above the national average - even though we are very much a rural area.

OP posts:

bungobango · 25/02/2021 11:59

I was in queue for asymptomatic testing and elderly lady was too near me and at the same time telling that she had had her doses.

FaithfullyYours · 25/02/2021 12:00

Basically want to echo what the posters before me said. Someone getting in your space is just about them and nothing to do with being vaccinated.
And yup social distancing is kind of forgotten where I live and that's before the vaccination programme even started.

"I think I'm fairly safe in assuming that the people concerned will have been offered the opportunity to get a vaccine"

But take up is not a 100% even in those age groups. So no way of knowing who has been vaccinated and who hasn't.

Original poster

bigbluebus · 25/02/2021 12:01

Eaumyword maybe it is the fact that they haven't been out for months/since the start of the pandemic but now they've been vaccinated they feel confident enough to venture out, but haven't grasped the new etiquette even thought he rest of us have been doing it for the last 11 months.

OP posts:

doublemix · 25/02/2021 12:03

We have this alot now where I work. People coming in with either no face masks or not social distancing and when we remind them they say oh it's ok I've had the jab. We have to gently remind them that's good but not everybody else has!

Boulshired · 25/02/2021 12:04

Maybe you are just seeing more because of the easing of lockdown soon. I have seen plenty of elderly people in the last 11 months, this could become very ageist quickly.

MoltenLasagne · 25/02/2021 12:04

If some people have been shielding at home until they got their vaccine they probably just haven't adjusted to the 2m space. It's less strictly enforced now as it has become second nature for a lot of us, so possibly there's just less awareness. I doubt it's a conscious thought process of not caring any more now they're vaccinated.

Eaumyword · 25/02/2021 12:07

@bigbluebus

Yes, I agree. I'm quite anxious about the virus and have therefore got the weekly supermarket shop to a fine art - no dawdling, just crack on and get our stuff plus parent's top up shop, bam! I do have sympathy, it must feel so nice to be out and about again, but it is important to be aware and maintain distance for the protection of all.

Googlebrained · 25/02/2021 12:11

It's not just people who might have been vaccinated. I think it's generally anyone who doesn't think they're at risk. I've experienced a lot of joggers coming really close and breathing heavily in my face. It's really selfish.

poppycat10 · 25/02/2021 12:16

@Googlebrained

In a whole year of walking and running around my local area I've not experienced anyone deliberately breathing in my face - in fact it has never happened to me, ever. I think it's your perception - you've bought into the government misinformation that runners all have covid and are trailing it 20m behind them, and neither of those things is true. A runner on the same path isn't breathing into your face.

As for social distancing in shops, it's not a problem for someone to pass by you for a second or two. I am not hanging around at the end of an aisle waiting for you to get what you need, I've gone away and come back and people are still there

baroqueandblue · 25/02/2021 12:24

Well said @poppycat10

Keratinsmooth · 25/02/2021 12:30

I’ve not seen a change, I’ve always had this. This is why I don’t use super markets.

OliveTree75 · 25/02/2021 12:33

In Lidl last week an elderly woman came right up to my baby who was sitting in the trolley to talk to her. And then when I was unloading my shopping an elderly man leaned right across me to get a basket. No idea if they are vaccinated or not though

GlendaBulb · 25/02/2021 12:37

I had this while trapped at a checkout - waiting for person in front who had just finished to move away and some bossy older woman behind me was in my face telling me to move forward. I politely but firmly and loudly told her to keep her distance and she looked quite surprised. I’m a bossy older woman too, so she’d picked on the wrong one that time.

Our local M&S ground floor is fully open as part sells food. The rest has been rammed with women’s clothing and it all looks very pre-covid with the more mature ladies browsing the aisles. Not a care in the world.

User594022452 · 25/02/2021 12:45

I've noticed this but more as a friendly courtesy mention. We live in a largish apartment building without mandatory mask wearing within the corridors for residents. There's always a slightly awkward moment when the lift arrives and there's already someone inside. Some prefer going alone whereas some don't mind sharing. Vaccinated people simply mention they've been vaccinated and it puts everyone a bit more at ease.

Occasionally you get vaccine bingo where one person says they had it, then the other say they did as well and that leads to a laugh of relief. The chances of a healthy, vaccinated person asymptomatically infecting someone else in the context of briefly passing by in a supermarket or sharing a lift is virtually nil.

It doesn't bother me at all if vaccinated people flout the rules a bit (within reason). I would much rather a maskless vaccinated person come too close than an unhealthy looking unvaccinated person in a mask. I'm been to supermarkets recently where a few shoppers were going around coughing and spluttering inside their masks. That was gross!

Haffiana · 25/02/2021 12:47

they've been vaccinated
I had to step away from these people
there were older people
assume they've been vaccinated
they haven't been out for months
they feel confident enough to venture out

This is classic 'othering'. The only common factor in all this is your othering older people and your assumptions about what they are thinking.

murbblurb · 25/02/2021 12:48

no, matters as normal in my local Aldi which is as far as I go at the moment. Naturally I don't know who is vaccinated but distancing and masks are almost 100% - one or two dumbos with sticking out noses but that's it.

TheAuthorityofJackieWeaver · 25/02/2021 13:03

When you say maintaining SD in the supermarket, what do you mean? People
walking past you in the aisles? If you are standing looking at cheese and someone also wants to look at cheese, do they need to stand 2m away waiting for you to finish, and therefore block the yoghurts (and then what about the person who wants to look at the yogurts you are now blocking with your waiting for the cheese, do they now stand 2m away (blocking the ham) waiting for the original person to move from the cheese so the person blocking the yoghurts who is waiting for the person browsing the cheese to move then moves themselves so they can see the yogurts?).

I mean I’ve been waiting 2m away in queues, and not getting in lifts when others are there etc but I’ve just been walking round the supermarket normally? Is this wrong?

Donotfeedthebears · 25/02/2021 13:10

But if the vaccines work like we are being told they do to stop the spread, what’s the problem?

JoeBidenIsGreat · 25/02/2021 13:18

in England, I am noticing more clusters of people on walks that contain at least one elderly adult (look to be age 70+). My elderly parents actually sat unmasked with family for a restaurant meal recently (outside seating, they live abroad where there are no restrictions, 3 weeks after they had their 2nd jab). My dad started going to casinos again. I'm happy for them feeling braver to socialise.

I don't care how closely other people stand next to me. I wonder if ppl who stopped going to shops 11 months ago never learnt to be in public and yet keep/stand far apart. That seems quite possible, actually.

Kmx123 · 25/02/2021 13:29

I havent been to the supermarket in months but when my three weeks is up after being vaccinated I will be venturing out And getting on with my life normally

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