Social distancing could last for years

[Donotfeedthebears]

www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-56475807

So much for removing restrictions on 21st June then!

@Todaywillbegood thank you, that's something to consider. Does it work well when there are a few people on? I've very good at speed reading as I cannot watch TV without subtitles.

It worries me if everything is opened up but mask wearing is still in place as my dc will miss out. I have long term anxiety due to my hearing already and recently diagnosed depression. If I cannot understand what someone is saying I have panic attacks.

i certainly wouldn't got to the theatre or cinema or a live gig if i had to either socially distance or wear a mask.

@Donotfeedthebears

tobee - why don’t you read the article to gain the context?

“People may need to wear face coverings and socially distance for several years until we return to normality, a leading epidemiologist has predicted.

Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisation at Public Health England, said basic measures could be in place until other countries successfully roll out jabs.”

I read it several times thanks op.

I think things will get back to normal extremely quickly once restrictions are lifted

@Thewiseoneincognito

Who’d have thought people would be as accepting as they are now, 1 year later? We have adapted.

Remember the shrieking ‘I’m not wearing a mask’ brigade when it became mandatory in the summer? Where are they all now?

See, people have accepted in general that for the greater good we must do this. If that means long term we do this, then so be it. Social distancing is the normal now, I don’t want you near me when I’m in the shops or walking down the street, I didn’t before covid and I certainly don’t now.

The alternative to no social distancing is lockdowns. Think about that for a second. All the bravado in the world of I’m not complying will ultimately result in lockdowns because the virus will continue spreading and mutating.

Honestly the naivety of some people is astounding.

Rubbish

Would people really not see their friends and family for years? The article doesn’t say that, I’m wondering if that counts as social distancing. Do single people not go on dates, form relationships and get married and have babies?

The question is all these experts who are getting wheeled out on news are they getting paid for interviews.

Great, so first we were flattening the curve and reducing strain on the NHS, then we’re vaccinating the more vulnerable groups to reduce risk of hospitalisation/death, then we need to vaccinate even more people in case of new variants, now we need to wait for other countries to vaccinate . Let’s just keep moving those goalposts, shall we?

This will be the death knell for small pubs. Many did not open when the rules were more relaxed as the limited amount of customers they could have would not cover their outgoings.

@beelola

Isn't social distancing just being more conscious of personal space...?

No it's not. It's staying 2m away from anyone you don't live with. So in your personal life it means you can't sit next to family and friends, have to keep 2m from them if you visit their home, can't hug them, can't eat out with them unless you have giant table,can start a new romantic relationship unless one of you is eligible for a bubble. For businesses, particularly in hospitality and entertainment, it means many can't profitably open because they are limited in how many people /households can be on the premises. Social distancing is absolutely awful for the economy, and utterly shit for anyone who wants to interact normally with the people the love /care about. As others on MN have said it's not just about standing on a yellow sticker in the supermarket queue.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Who’d have thought people would be as accepting as they are now, 1 year later? We have adapted.

Remember the shrieking ‘I’m not wearing a mask’ brigade when it became mandatory in the summer? Where are they all now?

See, people have accepted in general that for the greater good we must do this. If that means long term we do this, then so be it. Social distancing is the normal now, I don’t want you near me when I’m in the shops or walking down the street, I didn’t before covid and I certainly don’t now.

The alternative to no social distancing is lockdowns. Think about that for a second. All the bravado in the world of I’m not complying will ultimately result in lockdowns because the virus will continue spreading and mutating.

Honestly the naivety of some people is astounding.

We have vaccines now. Lockdown ending this time is not comparable to previous lockdown ends.

Would people really not hug family because the government tells them not to? Or have a one night stand? People are doing all those things now. I hugged my parents last time I saw them. They’ll be in my childcare bubble when my baby is born and we will all be hugging and they’ll be looking after the baby.

@bumbleymummy

Great, so first we were flattening the curve and reducing strain on the NHS, then we’re vaccinating the more vulnerable groups to reduce risk of hospitalisation/death, then we need to vaccinate even more people in case of new variants, now we need to wait for other countries to vaccinate . Let’s just keep moving those goalposts, shall we?

This.

I'm worried about this. I have 1 child who is deaf and another who is autistic and can't do social distancing. Also I really struggle with masks, but not enough to be exempt from wearing one.

At the moment we are mostly not going anywhere but we can't keep this up forever.

No one is going to stay away from their families and friends for years. Except for the doom and gloom merchants like Thewiseoneincognito

I'm still holding out hope - despite much evidence to the contrary - that people will eventually come to their senses and realise that restrictions cannot go on for years. Mind you, I had no idea what levels of madness we would reach, and still be suffering from a year on, so I'm probably wrong this time too.

@Donotfeedthebears

Would people really not hug family because the government tells them not to? Or have a one night stand? People are doing all those things now. I hugged my parents last time I saw them. They’ll be in my childcare bubble when my baby is born and we will all be hugging and they’ll be looking after the baby.

As far as I'm aware, not hugging, and having to stay 2m apart is not a law.... although shops/businesses enforce it to remain 'covid secure'. Imagine the uproar if someone was fined for hugging a friend.

Social distancing is the normal now, I don’t want you near me when I’m in the shops or walking down the street
Do you also not want to sit next to your family and friends you don't live with? Not want to sit at a dining table with them? Not want to hug them? Not want to hold new babies in the family? Are you happy not being able to sit next to them at a restaurant? Or the cinema? Or theatre? Or on a train? It's not just strangers that social distancing applies to.

No it's not. It's staying 2m away from anyone you don't live with. So in your personal life it means you can't sit next to family and friends, have to keep 2m from them if you visit their home, can't hug them, can't eat out with them unless you have giant table,can start a new romantic relationship unless one of you is eligible for a bubble. For businesses, particularly in hospitality and entertainment, it means many can't profitably open because they are limited in how many people /households can be on the premises. Social distancing is absolutely awful for the economy, and utterly shit for anyone who wants to interact normally with the people the love /care about. As others on MN have said it's not just about standing on a yellow sticker in the supermarket queue.

This! It's not just about space it's about living in an unnatural way for a social species and can't believe some people can't see that.

The roadmap always said that it’s recommendation for working from home, wearing masks and social distancing wasn’t included in the 21st June deadline but the intention was to review it before this date.

As far as I'm aware, not hugging, and having to stay 2m apart is not a law.... although shops/businesses enforce it to remain 'covid secure'. Imagine the uproar if someone was fined for hugging a friend.
You're right it's not law, but it is what social distancing means. But when people say they are happy to SD for the long term seem to forget that. Personally I don't think there's any point in social distancing from just strangers, either SD from everyone, or SD from nobody.

@Strangekindofwoman

No one is going to stay away from their families and friends for years. Except for the doom and gloom merchants like Thewiseoneincognito

The realists.

Let’s reconvene in a year shall we?

You are not a realist. There's another name for posters like you but I don't want to get banned, so we will leave it there.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Who’d have thought people would be as accepting as they are now, 1 year later? We have adapted.

Remember the shrieking ‘I’m not wearing a mask’ brigade when it became mandatory in the summer? Where are they all now?

See, people have accepted in general that for the greater good we must do this. If that means long term we do this, then so be it. Social distancing is the normal now, I don’t want you near me when I’m in the shops or walking down the street, I didn’t before covid and I certainly don’t now.

The alternative to no social distancing is lockdowns. Think about that for a second. All the bravado in the world of I’m not complying will ultimately result in lockdowns because the virus will continue spreading and mutating.

Honestly the naivety of some people is astounding.

Rubbish.

I hate wearing a mask. I wear one as it's a legal requirement, that is all. I don't wear one as I think the piece of cotton fabric is actually making much of a difference.

I'm sick to death of hearing 'it's for the greater good'. Surely very few people are going to stay away from family and friends indefinitely. You do realise social distancing also involves be told who you can have in your one home and staying 2m apart (unless it's in my living room as I don't have the space)?

You might accept living like this but don't expect everyone else to.