new covid guidelines: is everyone in a non-live-in relationship still not seeing their partner?

[SenselessUbiquity]

Given that there has been no mention at all of social interaction beyond:
1 - meeting one other person outdoors at a distance of 2m
2- in the relatively far off future, being possibly able to socialise in "bubbles" with one other household thus facilitating childcare etc

basically if you are in a relationship with someone whose household or day to day life you do not share, there is no mention at all of when that will resume.

What does that realistically mean in terms of what people are actually doing?

• following the rules to the letter? for as long as it takes?
• saying "fuck it" and meeting indoors and being physically close anyway, in secret?
• somewhere in between?

Please tell me the truth. I won't tell a soul!

I didn't for weeks then did 2m thing for weeks now with no end in sight we are both adhering to rest of the rules and are symptom free also so are we just allowed to let our relationship die ? No

Quite.

To all - given the fact the senior gov aren’t adhering to any of their own lockdown rules , just start seeing your partners !!!

To all - given the fact the senior gov aren’t adhering to any of their own lockdown rules , just start seeing your partners !!!

I absolutely would be already if mine was living alone. The situation for us is complicated by relatives staying with him. One only leaves home for walks, but has diabetes, the other works in a care home. That said we will be risk assessing whether to meet indoors after the next lockdown review if the rules don't change. And we are meeting outside 2m apart.

Guidelines are guidelines.
Some wont make much sense because they haven't been through rounds of evaluation. They've been rushed.
The spirit of the guidelines is to reduce the transmission networks and keep to essential and important contacts.
Parents - no unless they need help
Non resident children - no unless you or them need help
Work - because economy

Partners are exactly that. Partners. They were for the most part already partial members of the household.
I was ok, voluntarily, and because of risk to other people, to stay away for a decent period of greater risk and because travel was not recommended. But he's a very important person that I was with almost every day. Regardless of guidelines, I can use my head and my better judgement.

My partner gets a test every 2 weeks and as soon as he gets the results he comes over for a few days.

How does your partner manage to get a test every two weeks don'tlookback? Aren't they only available to most people if they have symptoms?

@DontLookBackYappityYap what about you getting a test too ? Do you both at same time ?
It's a very clever thing to do but very expensive if ur payin for it.
Most people are just seeing if they develop symptoms after they have been in physical contact with their DP.

We live in London. Test centres are empty, so it's very easy to get a test.

I don't get tested because I'm shielding and haven't been out of the house since mid March.

I see my BF now. He can't move in as I have teenage children or I would have asked him to move in for lockdown. We operate as one household. He does my shopping. He lives with an elderly parent so is careful about his contacts and hygiene. We socially distanced for a while after lockdown until we were both assured we didn't have the virus. We have slowly increased our intimacy but he doesn't go further than the kitchen as I have to balance what I think is safe with how my teenagers feel.

I don't think people who don't live with their partners understand how lonely and scary it is right now. And not having an end in sight makes it feel totally undoable. I think we are at the stage of making our own risk assessments.

I don't think it's right to be getting NHS tests by lying and claiming you have symptoms when you don't, just so you can feel confident in seeing your partner. Getting sufficient testing capacity has clearly been a huge challenge for the country, and there are still staff in care homes who can't get tested. The drive-in center near where you live might seem quiet, but you have no idea what the capacity of the lab where it gets sent is like. 100,000 tests a day for a population of 60m is not sufficient to allow people to get tested regularly as a precaution, and doing so you are meaning that others who need the tests more are not getting them.

If you want to see your partner you should either isolate for two weeks beforehand, or just take your chances, not lie in order to get a test

I take your opinion on board. If it makes you feel any better he is a key worker. So he can't isolate for 2 weeks because he has to work. I'm already isolating.

..and i won't be taking my chances thanks.

.. tbf i don't think its 'right' either. But none of this is right.

My bf lives 180 miles away. Desperate to see each other. We would usually see each other every 2 weeks or so. So tempted to go and see him, with everyone swanning around the beach, schools reopening, this 'lock down' just feels like such bullshit.

@ when your bf comes re you intimate and kiss etc ?

Is not seeing people outside your home/partners enshrined in the law? Or is it just "guidelines." My bf doesn't want to see me because he thinks it's breaking the law. I'm so utterly fed up now. If nothing is said at the next review I'm going to give up as I'll be going into fourth month without seeing him. To those who suggested meet outside, we don't live in the same place so it's not so easy to meet in a park etc.

I'm going to be talking to my partner later to discuss us meeting. It has been over 2 months and I'm sick of this now. The fact the Government don't give a shit and lie through their teeth to defend Cummings, has tipped me over the edge.

They are rules not the law.

It's ridiculous that I can travel to a park and meet a friend but they can't come to house and sit in the garden for a chat - I'm fucking shielding what use is that to me ?

Women goes to work all day in an office, husband stays at home with the kids = allowed.
Man working from home and a women working from home can't see each other people they don't live in the same house.

Madness.

People = because

The law just now allows only for socially distant meetings between households.

My view is the spirit of the law is to try to limit the spread of the virus so it's reasonable to assess risk oneself.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/24/greater-social-contact-allowed-boris-johnson-suggests/?utm_content=telegraph&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR36zJEJZofkpvHtQQioKXt6qIr0D2bWF2fjykHOsNQM4RDEZTdzftbxqAs#Echobox=1590349096

Did BJ actually say anything about this in the afternoon briefing or is The Telegraph just speculating? If something was just said regarding increasing household mixing soon I think I could get through the next few weeks. I'm hoping it won't be the bubble idea though as that won't work for anyone who lives with strangers or doesn't have exactly the same social circle.

Oh I really hope so.

Can someone post the gist of the article please I can't see it. Is it saying possible mix with one other household or a number of people indoors?

"We will set out what moving to Step 2 means for other areas, such as non-essential retail and more social contacts over the course of the next week,” he said, adding: “We are making good progress, but that progress is conditional, provisional."

That's all he said apparently, so still quite vague. But it gives me hope that something might be mentioned at the review.

Thank you Bramble. I hope he doesn't say you can meet 2 people outside and that's the expanding of social contacts

So partner has been here since Friday and it's been amazing. Guess distance does make the heart grow fonder although during most of our 9 weeks apart I was sure we were drifting apart (naturally because of lack of contact and intimacy clearly). Feel so much better about everything now.