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."

SD has only ever been guidance anyway.

Otherwise huge swathes of the economy which have kept going throughout would have ground to a halt or needed SD exemptions. Which they didnt, because it's never been law 🤷‍♀️

I've done my bit, I'm twice vaccinated and when I see my sons for the first time since before Christmas there will be plenty of hugging. I'm happy to follow the rules to a fairly large degree but this is just ridiculous. There has been very little Covid round here and I've noticed on my dog walks at the weekends over 50% of houses have had visitors as they normally would, obviously not all illegal. Usually I feel a bit sad about that but now we have had a year and 50% are vaccinated i think good on them for doing their own risk assessments and using common sense.

@dotcombubble

Boris said once the most vulnerable have been vaccinated lockdown will no longer required, so as far as I'm concerned it's over.That goes for masks/social distancing and the rest of the made up rules.

There is a published roadmap to ease restrictions which is quite clear, regardless of what you think Boris said.

I love that people think their words have so much impact on people’s behaviour.
OP, do you really think that someone is going to say ‘ah well I was going to hug my mum but this random person on MN has just told me not to so I’ve changed my mind’?
Oh I’d love to feel so self important.

@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."

Thanks for that 😂😂😂

I don't even have a garden, so no concerns here about a "gazebo or tent!" superspreader event.

@hamstersarse

I didn't know I was aiming for a 100% safe life.

I wouldn't have put my slippers on today if I had known. 270,000 people have to be hospitalised every year due to slippers.

God only knows how stupid I was walking to post a letter and crossing the street

I injured my foot quite badly when my slipper stuck to the carpet as I walked across the living room floor, foot sort of caught in the top and rolled over, so yes they are dangerous. I wasn't hospitalised but I couldn't wear proper shoes for weeks because of the swelling. I think I will take my chance sitting next to someone in my garden

I'd like my friends' reception age kid to be in school and not isolating, meaning keyworker parents are screwed this week. I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder. I think the minority of people who are planning to really ramp up the socialising and mixing next week, social distancing going out the window, won't help keep cases out of their school and childcare.

I'm not the boss of anyone. But so many of us have given up so fucking much over the past year, hearing people say they don't care they're just going to live their lives what's it got to do with anyone else... have you been living under a rock. Pandemic infections are a population level issue. Your behaviour directly impacts on other people. That's the point.

@WhentheDealGoesDown

Slippers are deadly. Sorry for your injury

Deadly slippers

#staysafe

Thanks for that.

I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder.

Are they really “terrified”? Unless the 50 year old childminder is CEV then this is a huge overreaction and doesn’t seem like any way to live. The use of fear to enforce guidelines has been so successful in this pandemic and it’s appalling.

I'm not the boss of anyone. But so many of us have given up so fucking much over the past year

We all have. That's why i'll hug whoever I want to.

@givemushypeasachance

I'd like my friends' reception age kid to be in school and not isolating, meaning keyworker parents are screwed this week. I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder. I think the minority of people who are planning to really ramp up the socialising and mixing next week, social distancing going out the window, won't help keep cases out of their school and childcare.

I'm not the boss of anyone. But so many of us have given up so fucking much over the past year, hearing people say they don't care they're just going to live their lives what's it got to do with anyone else... have you been living under a rock. Pandemic infections are a population level issue. Your behaviour directly impacts on other people. That's the point.

You’re literally a year too late to be doing spiels about 50 year olds who might die of Covid time’s up for your sort, I’m afraid.

@JeanClaudeVanDammit

I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder.

Are they really “terrified”? Unless the 50 year old childminder is CEV then this is a huge overreaction and doesn’t seem like any way to live. The use of fear to enforce guidelines has been so successful in this pandemic and it’s appalling.

They are terrified of that, yes. They are not sending him to childcare this week as a result. Maybe excessively cautious, but only one of the two childminders has been vaccinated so far and it was within the last week, meaning no immune benefits yet.

Other children in the reception class have tested posted since they've been isolating, a TA at the school just died from it, they don't want to be the cause of the people they've known who've looked after their kids for years getting sick and possibly dying.

I’ve given up my life for a year. I’m not prepared to do it any longer. If you want to carry on social distancing then crack on. I will when I’m out and about in public but I’m hugging my family and have even been inside my sisters house a few times in the last week.

They are terrified of that, yes.

Well I think that’s completely excessive and I hope their terror eases soon because thinking of your own child as a walking vector of disease who endangers the life of everyone they come into contact with is not healthy.

Your story about the childminder makes absolutely no sense.

I don't know what's that complicated - they have a reception age child who is currently isolating as a contact of several confirmed cases in the reception bubble. They also have a one year old who attends a childminder, a couple who both over 50 years old, only one of which has been vaccinated so far. Only the 4 year old has to legally isolate for ten days at the minute, but they're keeping their one year old home as well in case he develops it and passes it on before the 4 year old shows signs of any infection.

I think it's going a bit too far and in their shoes would have sent the one year old to childcare. But as I say, a TA at the school just died of covid and they don't want to be the direct cause of their much-loved childminders getting sick as well.

A local pub has a marquee which they can't use as the Council deems it indoors even with flaps open. Therefore, a tent must be considered indoors as well.

"I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder."

Well that's a bit dramatic...

@beachlife9

"I'd like them to be able to send their one year old to childcare without being terrified he will pass on an infection from his brother, potentially killing his 50 year old childminder."

Well that's a bit dramatic...

Not just generally - he's been going to a childminders since he turned one - in this specific case where his older brother is currently isolating as a contact of confirmed cases in reception.

When a school bubble is sent home to isolate only the impacted child isolates, so the one year old could go to childcare, his parents could go out to work, see granny in the care home, all sorts. Until the reception child gets a temperature or anything else that warrants a test.

That's nice..
No government will tell me why to do now. I'm done..

@givemushypeasachance

I don't know what's that complicated - they have a reception age child who is currently isolating as a contact of several confirmed cases in the reception bubble. They also have a one year old who attends a childminder, a couple who both over 50 years old, only one of which has been vaccinated so far. Only the 4 year old has to legally isolate for ten days at the minute, but they're keeping their one year old home as well in case he develops it and passes it on before the 4 year old shows signs of any infection.

I think it's going a bit too far and in their shoes would have sent the one year old to childcare. But as I say, a TA at the school just died of covid and they don't want to be the direct cause of their much-loved childminders getting sick as well.

It’s not complicated so much as utterly ridiculous. Your friends wanting to act like agoraphobic cranks is all very well, if a bit of a shame for their poor kids, but you brought it up in the context of how everyone should be behaving. If we all cracked on like that where would we get to?

"When a school bubble is sent home to isolate only the impacted child isolates, so the one year old could go to childcare, his parents could go out to work, see granny in the care home, all sorts. Until the reception child gets a temperature or anything else that warrants a test."

I know how it works.

@givemushypeasachance

Are you the government mouthpiece op
I will be doing what I normally do
Living my life as normally