Rule of six doesn't mean social distancing is over

[givemushypeasachance]

A lot of people are looking forward to socialising with friends and family in gardens from 29 March. With some nice weather on the way, some BBQs and picnics and drinks in the garden sound great. Outdoor socialising in fresh air is safer than indoor socialising, but it's not 100% safe. Particularly if you're sat close together in a gazebo or tent! Ventilation and distancing are still things to think about if you have vulnerable people visiting, haven't been vaccinated yet, and just want to try to keep cases in the community low. At the local primary school 4 of the 7 year groups are isolating with multiple cases right now - it's still circulating, and passing on cases can put entire year bubbles and workplaces out of operation.

From the govt roadmap: "As soon as possible and by no later than Step 3 [May 17th], we will also update the advice on social distancing between friends and family, including hugging. But until this point, people should continue to keep their distance from anyone not in their household or support bubble."

Well that's fine but I'm not willing to treat my friends and family like walking biohazards. My kids will hug my parents who have both been vaccinated, I'm not a hugger so I probably won't but there will be shared food, drink and I'm staying with them. Technically they are my bubble anyway.

I will have my friends in the garden and we will have BBQs which I provide food and drinks for. We will sit closer than 2m and I will let my kids play with theirs.

I'm probably risking all of our lives, all of my neighbourhoods lives and single handly causing the collapse of the NHS but I'm not prepared to live in isolation anymore. I need to live and not just survive.

Is that true about slippers

Well, flip-flops injure 200,000 people a year and cost the NHS £40m.

STAY SAFE.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

Kids all play together in the parks and playgrounds anyway, have done for ages, (obviously not ones they know just the kids who happen to be there) and I’ve never stopped it.

Me neither. For me it’s been a delicate balance of my little ones development and being cautious. He’s two and he’s barely mixing at all.

11.59pm 20 June 2021 hugging not safe

00.01am 21 June 2021 hugging safe

🤡

Can we just be happy that cases are decreasing? Hopefully people will continue to be sensible and cases will continue to go in the right direction.

Its really simple, if people ignore rules and go back to "normal", cases will rise again, more people will be hospitalised, be at risk of long Covid and restrictions will be re-implemented.

I for one am looking forward to pubs, cinemas, restaurants etc can open safely. The only way society opens properly and we can begin to reverse the mental health impacts is if we get to the point where restrictions are no longer required.

Not bothered about hugs etc but very much looking forward to be able to sit and chat in peace without my daughter having to wrangle the grandchildren through rain, puddles, mud etc in parks which has been the case for ages.

I don't like the term "safe" but I do understand what it means in this context.

As this virus isn't going away and people will be transmitting it for weeks/months/years to come, there will still be the usual chance of getting infected by it after 17th May - so please don't assume that it magically becomes "safe" to hang out with people after this date.

I don't think it's hugely unreasonable for a one dose vaccinated couple to meet another one dose vaccinated couple and sit closer than two metres apart outside.

Have you freaks forgotten that you’re not actually in charge? No one’s arsed whether you think it’s “hugely unreasonable” or not!

I've never socially distanced and I've never caught it nor has anyone in my family.

After more than a year being told to not get closer than 2m to another human outside my household , I'll do what I like thanks. Not willing to live like this anymore!

@mn81987 you've being getting tested everyday? Wow, well done! Of course that's the only way you'd know that you havent had it asymptomatically or passed it onto others

@TreeDice 🤣🤣🤣
I literally don't give 2 fucks about your opinion

Is this how the government are delivering briefings now?

The risk of sitting on a bench next to someone in the garden on a sunny day is incredibly minimal. So minimal, in fact, I’ve been doing that with my parents for some time now in public spaces. We’re prepared to take that risk.

Its really simple, if people ignore rules and go back to "normal", cases will rise again, more people will be hospitalised, be at risk of long Covid and restrictions will be re-implemented.

If only we had something to stop people most at risk of needing hospital, actually needing hospital.

Oh wait....

Have never "socially distanced" and am not about to start now.

@mn81987 charming.

Just to reassure... at no point in any of this has social distancing been illegal - it's only ever been guidance. Obviously it would be impossible to enforce such a law between private individuals (although my comments don't necessarily apply to work settings e.g. health and safety legislation).

So be mindful of the risks but don't worry about a police fine!

@winched I agree, the vaccination programme is doing amazingly way hence why we're beginning to unlock parts of society.

If we go too fast at reintroducing socialising, we may outpace the immunity we're achieving via the vaccination programme. My post simply says I hope people recognise this so we dont end up locked down again, wouldn't you agree?

The people who are going to take any notice of this are the people who would be doing it anyway. The rest won't be doing it anyway.

I'm 53 with adult children and a cev husband. I don't need some random on Mumsnet telling me what to do.

I (vaccinated) will absolutely be hugging my (vaccinated) parents when I see them - sorry. Call the police if it makes you feel better.

Meh, my friends mum has just died of a heart attack after not seeing each other for 10 months because of covid. It’s not the only death that counts. I’ll be sensible but I’ll be bending the rules slightly now they are all vaccinated.

@givemushypeasachance maybe you should just concentrate on worrying about sticking to the rules yourself. What other people do after a year in lockdown isn't any of your business.

But I want to protect people and keep community rates low where possible

Hang on OP, looks around I'm sure I had a halo around here somewhere. Might need a bit of a polish, I havent used it much.....

Phew OP, thank goodness we've got you to keep us all in line or I guess we'd all be hugging and kissing our children and parents without a thought to the dangers!