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Original poster

Are people planning to social distance when they see family and friends this week?

158 replies

Swoonforpeterbishop · 28/03/2021 19:41

I am seeing so many people saying they are excited to hug their mum etc this week now that the stay at home is going to be lifted and it made me wonder how many people are planning to abide by the rules?

It seems to be taken as a bit of a free for all

It’s making me a bit sad as we’ve really stuck to the rules and ended up missing out on Christmas etc and other plans as lockdowns were introduced due to the spike and I know for a fact a lot of people weren’t sticking to the rules so have happily seen family and friends etc
I’m sick of missing out on seeing loved ones

I have to admit it’s making me wonder if the fuck it attitude is worth it to see the in laws who we haven’t seen in over a year

What are you planning on doing? Not being goady, not going to have a go whatever people say I’m just curious to see if we are among the few who were planning to socially distance inside still?

OP posts:
joystir59 · 02/04/2021 00:43

Where I live the weather's going to be shite this weekend so I'm not staying outdoors freezing, sorry.

joystir59 · 02/04/2021 00:49

All of you who think it's acceptable not to hug your loved ones and to make them cry are ridiculous imo. Give them one big hug. Hugs are like life blood.

RhubarbCustardy · 02/04/2021 00:55

According to the experts the biggest risk is via skin to skin contact so no I won't be hugging anyone. All this would've been a waste of time and for what? a couple of seconds and potentially putting someone you care about at risk. No brainer really.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 02/04/2021 08:44

I don’t get the obsession with hugging. Surely it’s better to keep SD and have family members safe and hopefully an end to restrictions than an unnecessary hug.

Positivevibesonlyplease · 02/04/2021 12:01

@Itsalonghaul

Following the rules!

We have come this far, I am not going to screw up now. The weather is nice enough for a few drinks outside. I am not in any great rush to slam into first gear and meet up with everyone suddenly. We are taking it very easy, just a few friends here and there until we get used to socialising again. I am exhausted from the lockdown, my priorities are getting myself together first, easing into normality.

In the summer we have a small party planned, a few dinners in restaurants with friends in the coming months.

Taking it slow. Staying outside, and def no hugging!

This. Absolutely this. So nice to read so many measured and sensible responses.
AlwaysLatte · 02/04/2021 12:03

I thought you had to socially distance still? Had that changed now? If so then definitely I will be hugging 🤗

Racoonworld · 02/04/2021 12:09

@AlwaysLatte

I thought you had to socially distance still? Had that changed now? If so then definitely I will be hugging 🤗
You are supposed to still, that hasn’t changed. I think many Wong properly though. I won’t be hugging people but I will let my baby play with others and I doubt I’ll stick to 2m.
Racoonworld · 02/04/2021 12:09

Won’t*

RichardMarxisinnocent · 02/04/2021 12:14

@joystir59

All of you who think it's acceptable not to hug your loved ones and to make them cry are ridiculous imo. Give them one big hug. Hugs are like life blood.
I haven't made anyone cry by not hugging them. And also, please don't call me ridiculous for following the guidelines. I don't call people ridiculous or anything else for not choosing not to follow guidelines, I'd appreciate the same courtesy being extended to me.
BiddyPop · 02/04/2021 12:16

Well, we won't be seeing anyone. So it doesn't come up.

Vaccine roll out is slowed yet again, lack of deliveries and changing of how to do it, shambles of an admin system meaning hundreds of appointments are being wasted,....

So we are still limited to only travel within 5km of home and for essential reasons. After 12th April, we can meet 1 person out of doors (in public, not gardens). And from 12th we can also travel within our county, which is terribly helpful when my family (and DHs too) are both at the other end of this country. I saw my DPs for a weekend in March 2020, and for a meal in early July. That was the entirety of seeing them last year. And not yet this year, it seems like it will be July again before we are allowed to travel that far.

And our family gathering, of all grown up DCs coming home and getting together for a week/10 days, including transatlantic, is almost certainly being postponed for a second year to 2022 - cottages had been booked to accommodate the entire group (roughly 20), annual leave reserved (tricky for some given various careers), and various flights organised, for mid 2020. DPs are mid 70s and we're doing this to enjoy time as a family, including with the DGCs, when they are still able - and various health issues mean they are getting less able.

So, no, I won't be hugging anyone.

HairyToity · 02/04/2021 12:19

Grandparents all been vaccinated. As a family of four we all tested positive at Christmas. Sister and brother in law have been vaccinated as NHS workers. I don't see the risk of meeting up. If I saw the risk I'd be more careful.

BlackLambAndGreyFalcoln · 02/04/2021 12:25

I will stay outside and I won't hug and will stick to the rule of 6/2 households. But whilst I will try to maintain spacing, I probably won't be meticulous about whether it's precisely 1 (or even 2) meters distancing.

AlwaysLatte · 02/04/2021 12:28

Hugs are like life blood
I have always been mindful throughout this that some hugs will have directly caused deaths, and if my relatives contracted Covid and died after I'd hugged them, I might never know if I did that. So I'll be very happy to still have them there to hug when it's safe. My parents are due to have their second vaccination next month and I'm hopeful that we're well on the way out of this.

tappitytaptap · 02/04/2021 12:33

I don’t constantly think about being 2m away from people to be honest. Some of the people who do, do you think about covid all the time?! I just don’t have the headspace to be constantly thinking about it to be honest.

tappitytaptap · 02/04/2021 12:33

Also have hugged several people over the past year. All still alive....

ilovesooty · 02/04/2021 14:53

@RichardMarxisinnocent well said. A culture is developing here on these forums of people being mocked and belittled for expressing a wish to follow the rules and guidance. It's unpleasant.

beginningoftheend · 02/04/2021 14:58

@tappitytaptap

I don’t constantly think about being 2m away from people to be honest. Some of the people who do, do you think about covid all the time?! I just don’t have the headspace to be constantly thinking about it to be honest.
I don;t think about it now though, I am just used to being further away.
IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 02/04/2021 15:07

[quote ilovesooty]@RichardMarxisinnocent well said. A culture is developing here on these forums of people being mocked and belittled for expressing a wish to follow the rules and guidance. It's unpleasant.[/quote]
Strange isn’t it, you’d think the majority of people would be law abiding and seeing the culture of mocking rule followers is bizarre. Especially when following the rules helps everyone in society.

BiggerBoat1 · 02/04/2021 15:09

@joystir59

I'm going to visit family on Monday, and staying over cos I can't face driving there and back on the same day. We've all been vaccinated weeks ago. I will do anything I can get away with now, these restrictions are driving me bonkers.
The restrictions are driving everyone bonkers, but it is selfish people like you who will prolong them.
HesterShaw1 · 02/04/2021 15:54

@joystir59

All of you who think it's acceptable not to hug your loved ones and to make them cry are ridiculous imo. Give them one big hug. Hugs are like life blood.
This!

Why the belief that not hugging them will save your loved ones from Covid? Why the specific virus danger from hugging anyway? Surely you are looking over each other's shoulders when you hug someone? Far less face to face contact that actually chatting to someone face to face.

I saw my mum last July after six months. She had had a really hard time with isolation and loneliness through the first wave of the pandemic. As if I wouldn't have hugged her.

HesterShaw1 · 02/04/2021 15:56

The restrictions are driving everyone bonkers, but it is selfish people like you who will prolong them.

Despite the fact that they were all vaccinated weeks ago? Restrictions are supposed to limit the spread of the virus not to punish naughty wrong doers.

LolaSmiles · 02/04/2021 15:58

The family in our support bubble will continue as normal with no distancing.
When we see friends we're going to be keeping a distance, but I'm probably not going to be policing DC as I don't see the point when they're going in play areas used by lots of other kids.

I'm not a big hugger so will be quite happy to maintain minimal close contact with others for as long as possible.

Pomegranatespompom · 02/04/2021 15:59

I’m sticking to the rules, meeting people outside etc I know a few people who aren’t. Hoping vaccinations and enough people will be sensible to avoid stricter restrictions.
All so difficult.

ifonly4 · 02/04/2021 16:09

Just got back from my BILs . Distancing hadn't been discussed (although we'd prefer) - got there to find my BIL was placing the chairs around the garden so they were distanced. We kept our coats on (north facing garden) and can honestly say we weren't cold. Even though my Mum could be a bubble with us, we've chosen to just see eachother for outside walks up until now. She's visiting for a couple of hours tomorrow (doesn't want to come for more time) and she's going to be inside with us for the first time - she will be distanced though

kittensarecute · 02/04/2021 17:17

@Pomegranatespompom

I’m sticking to the rules, meeting people outside etc I know a few people who aren’t. Hoping vaccinations and enough people will be sensible to avoid stricter restrictions. All so difficult.
But there aren't going to be stricter restrictions. Don't forget that restrictions end in June!