Coronavirus ROI/NI number 4

[eggandonion]

I don't believe it, would it ever go away!

Thanks @IsFuzzyBeagMise. Fingers crossed this latest test is negative too.
Yes, I definitely think it's essential that older/vulnerable people aren't isolated and glad the government recognises that in the wording they used for the new restrictions.

I think March and April were very tough on the elderly and not so elderly living alone. The hour change and dark evenings will be worse, and bad weather. God, I hope we don't have a bad winter - we are always reminded to check up on elderly neighbours, and rightly so. We need a bit more guidance perhaps?
I was out with my dog last night about seven, and there was a group of primary aged kids out on scooters and bikes in the dark, wearing dark clothes. They were crossing backwards and forwards over a main road through an estate. Stupid parents letting them out. (Also why are so many coats dark?)
I think we also need a ban on visors, if they don't work they should be banned. (It seems that not wearing a mask is as effective as a visor). And trick or treating - maybe Dr Ronan could advise, he needs to be given a job of his own!

Checking in to find the thread again.

I've really been knocked for six by this new level three point whatever. I've been on the verge of tears most of the day. My dad is very vulnerable and I've barely seen him since March. My mum is in perfect health and utterly enraged that she's been targeted while also being terrified by the targeting. Really shit day.

So Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal in level 4 as of tonight.
These are all border counties -- my guess it's a sort of border control.

I'm in Monaghan, my daughter is just over the border in Fermanagh. She is heavily pregnant, and I provide childcare for her 2y dd some days when she's very tired.
I take it that's OK?

I will continue to visit my very elderly mum every week, i have to, i take care of her one day/night a week. Even if i didn't i would visit her anyway and just be very careful.

I take it that's OK?

I’ve no real idea, but I don’t think anyone can legally stop you.

I don't know to be honest @Malahaha. The new restrictions I quoted upthread were for Level 3. I just checked Level 4 and it simply says 'you cannot have visitors from outside your own household'. Common sense would dictate that vulnerable people need to be cared for as at Level 3, but it doesn't actually say so at Level 4. Not so good.

I think we just have to live within the guidelines as best we can while being really sensible. My mum is (just) under 70 so never had to cocoon but lives alone and has a very small circle. The last lockdown almost broke her she was so lonely and missed DSIS and I so much. We live nearby so don't have to consider borders etc but we will continue to visit her as we feel it's better for her mental health to do that. We wash our hands well when we arrive, keep a 6ft distance and any cups etc used go straight into dishwasher. We consider her to be our 'bubble' and we keep our own circles small. The only shops we go to are the ones she goes to herself (although we'd often do the small bit of shopping she needs for her). I think anyone with elderly relatives or relatives living alone or those needing extra help (like your DD @Malahaha) should continue to see them.

Yes, I agree. I don't think caring activities are what the government are trying to stop at all - far from it. It's the non-essential socialising that they're trying to temporarily halt.

I have a neighbour who is just over seventy, and was a volunteer in a day centre up to March. She did meals on wheels, her children brought her grandchildren round. She's a widow.
Then suddenly nobody could visit, she had to cocoon, she became really depressed. I think it will be impossible to get families to cooperate with no visit plans in winter. And calling in whilst taking precautions is different to a purely social event.

Is there supposed to be an announcement today?

Sorry I mean another announcement after the nphet meeting?

There was a hse press conference. I don't know about nphet, but dreadful statistics.

Checking in while watching Tony!!

Checking in again after a while away...

Its evolved into a very strange situation now. There is still GAA training going on for ds age. With increasing cases in my area in the past 6 weeks, I have kept ds away from the training and matches since the end of August. I'm surprised it can continue and so many people are still attending with so many cases so nearby. People from surrounding villages and schools also go training here, it isnt just as though all the children from one school attend the same gaa club..

My dp works on a large site in Dublin, there are around 2k staff contracted in. There has been 3 confirmed cases but have no intentions of closing the site again.

Scary numbers again today.

Got 3 more emails re positive cases in our schools, I've actually lost count now how many there is in our 5 schools. That's kind of sad that there's so many.

A dinner lady has been admitted to hospital in eldest ds school. Seemingly she's in a bad way. In saying that she was at a big GAA match and there was big celebrations in all the pubs. This can't have helped, it just means someone went with it a spread it.

Re the people worried about caring for elderly and vulnerable, you are allowed to travel to them and enter their home wearing face mask and try keep as much distance, that may not be practical if you need to handle them.

I booked my regular tesco slot last night, well tried to and none available till next Thursday, hope we're not going back down that route of booking 2 weeks in advance and 80 items, plus got email to say they're cancelling delivery saver again. So maybe they're preparing for something we don't know.

O really @Lipz, I have just booked my Tesco slot for Monday. Being able to book a few days in advance isn't going to last much longer then.

I did notice that there does seem to be more tesco delivery drivers. Before it would be the same couple that arrive, now it seems to be someone new every week.
Going to finally invest in a freezer at the end of this month (we dont have one) so I can get my shopping less regularly.

@LizzieAnt thank you for that. It’s definitely a W social visit though, and not really compassionate care. I haven’t touched him since last March

It was so nice being able to visit after all those zoom calls staring into his ear 😂

During lockdown I did visit my parents. They live 10mins away from me and i was in their house listening to the announcement. I still visit them at the weekends but to be honest, no I am working I think I will stick to the restrictions. I was always worried visiting them but my mum always talked me around.
My social circle is small, work and my parents but I work in a preschool and Afterschool so worried about picking up something and bringing it to them.

@Lazysundayafternoons

O really *@Lipz*, I have just booked my Tesco slot for Monday. Being able to book a few days in advance isn't going to last much longer then.

I did notice that there does seem to be more tesco delivery drivers. Before it would be the same couple that arrive, now it seems to be someone new every week.
Going to finally invest in a freezer at the end of this month (we dont have one) so I can get my shopping less regularly.

I normally do 2 weekly shopping, it's handier with 7 of us here, it means I only run out of essentials like bread, milk etc I was up the walls with 80 items, ended up doing 3 slots one week, 2 the following week and repeat, I seen my tesco guys more than ever. It was like the krypton factor here trying to pre book so many slots, sitting refreshing pages at midnight, trying to fit 80 items on each delivery, trying to buy multipacks rather than single units and I always ended up missing something or ordering double on something.

@thelegohooverer ".......It was so nice being able to visit after all those Zoom calls staring into his ear."

Also enjoying Thelegohooverer's comment about staring into his ear I haven't given my mother a hug for months and months, not since last February. We stay six feet away from each other while having a cup of tea. But I wouldn't risk anything closer.

[quote thelegohooverer]@LizzieAnt thank you for that. It’s definitely a W social visit though, and not really compassionate care. I haven’t touched him since last March

It was so nice being able to visit after all those zoom calls staring into his ear 😂[/quote]
I've got to know my dad's eyebrows incredibly well in the last few months

Hi, can I join in this thread? I probably should have introduced myself on the last one. I've recently rejoined Mumsnet after a long absence since the 2015 security issues, though I have lurked on and off since.

I do wonder how the covid guidance, despite the public information campaigns for the last 7 months, has seemingly bypassed some or been misconstrued by others. In my locality young people have been seen sharing their masks outside shops and take-aways , going in to these premises in relays using the same mask between a group who are not from the same household. Then to make matters worse these masks are being dumped along with other potentially contaminated litter. I looked at the Covid map and our side of the county is at the highest level of cases. It's very concerning. We have two medically vulnerable people in our house and are very careful but have had to deal regularly with masks being dumped by passers by and blowing in around the garden and back door.

I got a Tesco delivery today and they are recruiting more drivers so they may be gearing up for increased demand for deliveries.I had a similar struggle with the 80 item limit before. I was choosing multipacks or larger volume packs in order to make the limit and spending more that way than if I'd done my normal shop. Slots were not a problem last week when I booked but that was before the latest announcements. Back in April when it was a 3 week wait for a slot a driver told us to book our next slot directly after putting our shopping away. I have been very grateful for the delivery service to reduce trips to the supermarket, although I'd been going back to shopping in store more recently, but I will hold back while the numbers are rising.

I rejoined about a year ago, hello again.
The masks lying around is vile, they aren't difficult to take home and bin properly, washable masks are easily available now. Some people just don't care is the obvious answer. And some people are just oblivious to the straightforward rules of hygiene.