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Original poster

7 person gathering -yes or no?

82 replies

UserTwice · 26/04/2021 10:03

DS is in a friendship group of 7.
His birthday is coming up.
He wants to invite all of them to a "garden gathering".

I am an inveterate rule follower and am really struggling between the rationale of "7 rather than 6 is very little extra risk" and my must-follow-rules inclinations.

Would this bother anyone else? Other than it being "the rules" is there a good reason why we shouldn't have 7 people in the garden?

OP posts:
Glitterblue · 26/04/2021 21:37

I've just realised we had 7 in our garden yesterday, I completely forgot that rule and we've stuck so rigidly to them all. But DH and his friend were round the back, 2m apart, the friend's wife and I were round the front, and our collective 3 kids were running around playing. Our garden is massive and it was as good as having 3 groups of people, I just didn't think.

Donatella · 27/04/2021 06:35

@Glitterblue

I've just realised we had 7 in our garden yesterday, I completely forgot that rule and we've stuck so rigidly to them all. But DH and his friend were round the back, 2m apart, the friend's wife and I were round the front, and our collective 3 kids were running around playing. Our garden is massive and it was as good as having 3 groups of people, I just didn't think.
But surely that's two households, which is allowed
NoSquirrels · 27/04/2021 08:03

@Glitterblue

I've just realised we had 7 in our garden yesterday, I completely forgot that rule and we've stuck so rigidly to them all. But DH and his friend were round the back, 2m apart, the friend's wife and I were round the front, and our collective 3 kids were running around playing. Our garden is massive and it was as good as having 3 groups of people, I just didn't think.
6 people from separate households, or more than 6 from 2 households. So that’s perfectly fine and within the rules. It’s exactly what the rule of ‘two households’ was created for because a typical family group is more than 3 people.
SueSaid · 27/04/2021 08:48

At this stage op just do it. I've adhered to the restrictions throughout unlike many sneering flouters on mn but even I wouldn't object to one extra outdoors when we're on the final stretch.

HolmeH · 27/04/2021 10:53

Omg. Just do it. I regularly meet with mum friends outside, 6 adults & our children. We SD far more than the groups of 6 I see huddled round pub tables .. but either way, its fine! Outdoor transmission is vanishingly small.

Villanelle17 · 27/04/2021 13:09

Do it.

six666 · 27/04/2021 13:49

Yes, do it!

Nootkah · 27/04/2021 14:16

@steppemum Thats not true at all. Several large outbreaks have been tracked back to family gatherings in gardens. There was a memorable one on Mother's day this year where a gathering of four people in a garden led to three school year groups in isolation, a nursery in isolation, and led to cases in a care home. There was also one from Christmas (admittedly cases were much higher then) where a man who had been shielding met family in a garden, contracted covid, and died.

So to say almost no cases transmittes outside is just not true. The risk is lower, but it is still significant.

I'd personally avoid breaking the rules in such a public way for the sole reason that IF attendees contracted covid as a result, and that led to school year groups being sent home, maybe infecting adults also, maybe with serious consequences... I'd rather it not be all because of me and everyone knowing!

HugeAckmansWife · 27/04/2021 15:40

Nootkah whats your source for that please? I simply don't believe that its possible to be certain where a particular chain came from. Its entirely possible that other people in each of those groups were infected from other places. Also, the fact that only 4 people gathered and according to you, were responsible for an outbreak demonstrates just how pointless the OPs dilemma is. 4 people is within the legal limit. In the unlikely event your story is true and peer reviewed, scientifically shown, not just on Facebook, that didn't stop the virus. Scientists have said in recent week there is a vanishingly small chance of transmission in the open air. The OP has two issues: one us the ACTUAL risk (almost nil) and the law breaking element. As pp said upthread, the rules were imposed to guide those with limited sense, who can't differentiate between a modest gathering of low risk individuals and a huge event of mixed types. I'd love to see people now reasserting the common sense and agency they had previously and stop second guessing perfectly obvious decisions.

Sallycinnamum · 27/04/2021 15:44

Just do it OP and I hope your DC has a brilliant birthday.

Springhere · 27/04/2021 22:28

I sense your gut instinct is to go ahead with this and I would feel the same. I would also have no problem at all with my dc going to an outdoors party with 6 other children now cases are so low. I hope your dc has a lovely birthday.

saucermilk · 27/04/2021 22:32

Sign them up for youth football and there can be 16 (or more depending on how many spares you want) of them plus coaches plus parents watching!

Pissedoff1234 · 27/04/2021 22:40

I'm a massive rule follower but it is getting silly now. My DD goes to a dance class, inside with 14 other people that she does not go to school with and range in age up to 17. Pretty sure one extra child is not going to make one bit of difference.

Jamboree01 · 27/04/2021 22:42

@therestissilence

God, this is depressing (no offence, but arghhhh).

No, there is asolutlely no reason why 7 is worse than 6. Hell, have 20 - they are children and it's outside. Inveterate rule-following has massive downsides - such as losing the ability to see things clearly and use one's own common sense and judgement. It's a slippery slope.

The most important thing is your DS's birthday. I hope he has a brilliant one!

Completely this 🙂
Tututootwoto · 27/04/2021 22:43

Its fine

siestalady · 27/04/2021 22:44

I'd definitely do it OP. Things are so "normal" around here now I actually forgot about the rule of 6 for a few days! It was most refreshing.

Luckily I've always got certain MN posters to remind me that 7 people is a covid hotbed whereas 6 is perfectly safe.

minniemomo · 27/04/2021 22:46

Adults count towards the number so really 8?9? Just wait until middle of next month when it should be 30 outside

CirqueDeMorgue · 27/04/2021 22:47

@smithyca

I can just imagine covid circling the garden doing a headcount and waiting to pounce. The rule is ridiculous, if he's in school with these children plus another 20 then what's the problem?
Grin
murbblurb · 27/04/2021 22:50

As someone said, the rules were set up partly because people don't have any common sense.

Point proved...

VaVaGloom · 27/04/2021 22:50

Can't you just hold it on Weds 19th or Thursday 20th after school / early eve? Especially if you are going to worry about it. When is his actual bday? Are they old enough to be in the garden unsupervised?

But 7 rather than 6 is fine. Look at the stats for Covid cases in your postcode.

minuetpiece · 27/04/2021 23:12

I wouldn't give it a second thought

Torvean · 27/04/2021 23:38

Not if they're from different schools and don't mix already.

Why can ppl just wait out the final bit by the rules

Who wants to be the unlucky one that has the party where an unknowing superspreader attends who spreads it to 2 schools who has older sibling who take it to secondary schools, the parents and workplaces.

Yes its a small chance but a genuinely number controlled small outdoor wedding in the U.S Z infected 58. It can happen.

If your one town got tighter restrictions while others reduced??

Why not have a small party. Then in 7 weeks have a really good party without the same rules.

MummyPigsKnickers · 28/04/2021 06:41

Please just do it OP Smile

newnortherner111 · 28/04/2021 07:05

No, perhaps move the celebration to the day of or the day after the change in Covid 19 restrictions end or increase outdoor numbers.

It will be remembered more if you do that and I am sure everyone will come along.

frillysockmum2 · 28/04/2021 07:20

My DC are are a school where the year bubbles are now mixing in afterschool club. They go to loads of sports which are all back on including swimming and other indoor sports. Kids Netball / football / rugby etc are all in normal group sizes of 12-20 . Cubs are meeting in groups bigger than 6.
The rule of 6 with kids is now pointless.