Social distancing from friends and family 'COULD end on 17 May'

[wheresmymojo]

The Times is reporting that the impact of the vaccinations is going so well that the Govt COULD end social distancing between friends and family on the 17th May.

I feel like they wouldn't write this unless they felt fairly sure of their sources and it being reasonably concrete but I'm afraid to get my hopes up too much!

That being said for those still following the rules who is first on your hug list?

I know PILs are top of ours as they're just down the road and they've both had their two vaccinations now...am pretty sure we'll all have a sob!

Front page pic

I don't think this would be wise, but then the government isn't wise.

I wouldn't rely on one media report, will have to wait and see.

Personally I am more missing just being close/near to people than hugs specifically.

Who is still socially distancing? I’m a teacher and I haven’t seen SD for ages. I’ve been hugging my friends when I see them.

Lots of people are still SD, all the people I know are. We meet outside, we don't go as near as we used to.

@motherrunner

Who is still socially distancing? I’m a teacher and I haven’t seen SD for ages. I’ve been hugging my friends when I see them.

This

Aarrggghhh not back to hugging!!! It's been bliss!

Wasn't this already planned in the roadmap though?

Step 3 - not before 17 May
Social contact
As part of Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, the government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances.

This means that most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will be lifted - although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal. Indoors, the Rule of 6 or 2 households will apply - we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this.

As soon as possible and by no later than Step 3, 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.

I have been sticking to the rules and but with my mum taking lateral flows I have allowed her to hug my son.

@Submariner

Wasn't this already planned in the roadmap though?

Step 3 - not before 17 May
Social contact
As part of Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, the government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances.

This means that most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will be lifted - although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal. Indoors, the Rule of 6 or 2 households will apply - we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this.

As soon as possible and by no later than Step 3, 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.

Step 3. Unless you’re a teacher then it’s physically impossible and I am a close contact of around 200 pupils and countless colleagues. If Year 11 girls can sit in each other’s laps and hug and take selfies, I’m bloody hugging my mates!

I believe in the original roadmap it was 21st June.

17th May was originally just indoor restaurants/pubs/cinemas/etc.

@Cuntryhouse

Aarrggghhh not back to hugging!!! It's been bliss!

I agree. I hate being hugged (children and husband excepted).

Everyone I know is still largely following the rules.

I say largely as we, for example, have been to PILs and had a cup of tea inside the garden room with the doors open which is not in the rules. I suspect other people I know are making more of these small transgressions.

If anything a lot of my friends are still being more cautious than me (haven't been to non-essential shops or pubs/restaurants since they opened whereas we have).

@Housewife2010 I don't think it's compulsory

Step 3. Unless you’re a teacher then it’s physically impossible and I am a close contact of around 200 pupils and countless colleagues. If Year 11 girls can sit in each other’s laps and hug and take selfies, I’m bloody hugging my mates!

I'm not passing judgement on whether you should or shouldn't already be hugging people yet. I'm making the point that from the point of view of the roadmap that newspaper article isn't saying anything new.

@wheresmymojo

I believe in the original roadmap it was 21st June.

17th May was originally just indoor restaurants/pubs/cinemas/etc.

The bit I copied upthread was from the original roadmap, published in February.

www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-roadmap-to-cautiously-ease-lockdown-restrictions

Not sure people are following the social distancing rules anymore op - especially where people are having negative LFTs

This is such great news. I hope this happens on 17th May.

This is bad news for those of us still waiting to be vaccinated if it means infection rates go up. How hard could it be just wait until June to at least give us in our late 30s and early 40s a chance to get protection from the vaccine? The R rate was already up this week.

It will be weird, the only person I’ve touched since last March is my husband so not sure how I feel about the gen pop being let loose on each other again. Our families don’t live anywhere near us so Tbh I don’t think there are many hugs in my near future (other than DH of course)

I'm still social distacing. As are my parents and my husband, and lots of people I know.

I can't wait to hug my parents again.

@nordica

This is bad news for those of us still waiting to be vaccinated if it means infection rates go up. How hard could it be just wait until June to at least give us in our late 30s and early 40s a chance to get protection from the vaccine? The R rate was already up this week.

It doesn’t matter so much if cases go up a bit though now that most of the vulnerable are vaccinated. Hospitalisations and deaths should stay low. People will also be able to carry on social distancing if they want to.

@motherrunner

Who is still socially distancing? I’m a teacher and I haven’t seen SD for ages. I’ve been hugging my friends when I see them.

Not me with a handful of friends and family

@nordica

This is bad news for those of us still waiting to be vaccinated if it means infection rates go up. How hard could it be just wait until June to at least give us in our late 30s and early 40s a chance to get protection from the vaccine? The R rate was already up this week.

I am not vaccinated yet and don't see it as bad news at all. The reason we haven't been vaccinated yet is because our risk from covid is tiny. Coupled with the fact that case numbers are currently very low, plus a large proportion of the population are vaccinated which reduces transmission. I'm not concerned at all.

@nordica

This is bad news for those of us still waiting to be vaccinated if it means infection rates go up. How hard could it be just wait until June to at least give us in our late 30s and early 40s a chance to get protection from the vaccine? The R rate was already up this week.

Totally agree, they should wait until all adults have had a chance to receive a vaccine dose. This way we are risking spreading potentially vaccine resistant variants to the vulnerable!

Hope they wait until all adults are vaccinated (at least one dose which offers pretty good protection) It’s going so well I think that will be before July.
Our youngest, 18, controlled asthma so potential risk, has had an awful year along with the rest of the population. He and the millions of other young people deserve protecting as much as the older people they have collectively given up so much for this past year.