Now I'm CROSS!

Photo didn’t load

It’s not just about “catching” it. It’s about spreading it.

We are self-isolating and enjoying it. It is only Day 2 though! I have been a little worried about fresh things - milk, bread, fruit. My son said he would get things for us, but I don’t want to be a nuisance. And they may need to self-isolate at some point. Today I found a solution. I’ve arranged to have a milkman. So if necessary we can take things to them, leaving the bags outside of course.

Well we were doing most of them for the last 10 days anyway and all of them as soon as it was practicable to do so. All quite within the rules and the weeks advance warning would not have been given if it was considered to significantly increase the risk of us catching the disease. In this as in most things I look to the government and Public Health England for any advice I need - and heed it.

You’ve missed my point I think

Well, it is all academic as far as we are concerned we are now doing all the things that are strongly advised, or strongly advised against for the over 70s as stated in the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK published by Public Health England and last updated yesterday.

It is a document I will be consulting every evening to see if any upgrades have been published during the day. With that as my guide, I have no interest in anyone elses interpretation of what we are meant to be doing.

But given a weeks grace period means nothing to the virus.

A virus doesn’t know there is a grace period.

Most places going on lock down do so immediately, without grace period.

The main stream supermarkets may be constantly running out of stocks, caused by panic buying but there are alternatives.

My small market town has had the likes of Tesco, Aldi, Morrisons et al ransacked by panic buying. People on local facebook groups bemoaning the fact that they cannot buy staples such as bread.

I would suggest that people start using the small shops within the towns, bakers, butchers and greengrocers who in the main are well stocked and although products may not be as cheap as a supermarket they are generally better quality.

I went into a small bakery at around midday last Wednesday for two unsliced loaves, commented how quiet the shop was considering the shelves were full of freshly baked products. The assistant said that they had very few people through the door and were considering baking less and opening for shorter hours. The deli and cake shop next door was also empty. Why are these types of town centre shops not be used as much at the moment?

In answer to henetha if possible for items such as eggs, consider giving your business to local farmers if there are any in your area. In my area farmers and small holders are pleading with the public to buy their eggs as their normal avenues of pubs and restaurents etc are no longer and they cannot stop hens laying.

I can't find eggs anywhere at the moment. How can people stockpile eggs with their limited shelf life? It's madness.

Everyone is being nasty to people with more than a basket full of shopping. But think about it, imagine you have 4/5 kids, or elderly or sick family or neighbours. You want to get as much of your normal 2 weeks worth of shopping, and you dont want to come back later when the kids are off school. So you have a large trolley full, and people are staring at you, making nasty comments and the checkout girl is refusing to sell you items. Not every one with a full trolley is hoarding or bulk buying. Please would people stop and think before being nasty to those with a large trolley.

Summerlove it is not just 'people doing what they wish'. It is people setting themselves up for the three months restrictions so that they can follow them closely.

Our day for restriction was based on the fact that my car was booked in yesterday morning for a safety-based recall. The nearest main dealer is over 20 miles away and the job took two hours so we knew we would be going into the local town to look round the shops (and buy curtain fabric) t while away the two hour + wait and would have a last lunch out, in what proved to be a nearly empty pub.

We will be going out for a drive each week in our cars to ensure they stay operational and our driving capacity is not impaired by a long lay-off. I want to be driving in a safe car.

We have used the time available this week to plan the garden and buy seeds and other garden sundries from the garden centre, decorating and DIY materials and the curtain fabric.

The reason we were given a weeks grace before the restrictions really bit was to enable people to plan their withdrawal and set themselves up ready to keep busy and mentally well over the next three months.

Did I say they have to self isolate? If so, I don’t remember

My point was that Monday is a false deadline. People doing what they wish until then is foolish.

"Also, it’s not only the over 70s who should socially distance.

It’s literally everyone"

Exactly, I totally agree.

But people over 70 do not have to "self isolate" unless they have symptoms, or live with someone with symptoms.
People are being told on this thread that they should "self isolate" if they are over 70, and this is incorrect.
"Social distancing" is what we should all be doing, regardless of age.

Also, it’s not only the over 70s who should socially distance.

It’s literally everyone.

I understand the difference between the two, thank you.

The reason things are being forced to shut down is because enough people were not social distancing.

“If the pub is open, I’m going” attitude.

Too many people waiting for guidelines to start will have made this worse.

Hi Summerlove,

I totally agree everyone should social distance, and I absolutely have been practicing this myself, even though 1 am under 70.

Self isolating, however, is a different matter, and is only required for those who have symptoms, or who live with someone with symptoms.

There is a big difference between "social distancing" and "self isolating".

The BBC has an excellent article explaining this difference:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51506729

It doesn't affect me as I am under 70, but I feel it is important that people are aware of the current situation; things are scary enough as it is.

It does affect you.

Everyone of every age should be social distancing.

The attitude in the U.K. by so many beggars belief.

Other countries with fewer cases are doing more.

Saying that guidelines don’t start til x date will not save people. Covid-19 doesn’t follow govt guidelines on distancing.

The extreme ransacking of supermarkets seemed to be limited to big cities. In the quite highly populated area I live in - South Oxfordshire - supermarkets are cleared out of some items like loo paper, baked beans and tinned tomatoes, but there are not the huge hordes descending like locusts that you see on television.

Anyway, in a week or two, the credit card bills for all this overstocking will come in and all of a sudden people will stop shopping and starting eating and using their stockpile.

Pennypie thanks for the reference to the government document. I always understood that over-70s had to socially distance but quite a few people on GN are convinced that social isolation is required. I was actually beginning to feel a bit defensive I was doing exactly what was required of us.

Mind you social distancing becomes easier as every day goes by. Every single organisation I am involved with has cancelled all activities until the Autumn and their staff are working from home. What was a very full diary is absolutely empty. Holidays are cancelled, social engagements postponed. Now all pubs, reaturants, sports centres and everything else are closed. I am glad we grabbed the chance to have one last meal out, this lunch time. It will be a long time before we eat out again.

With regards to the op, our Tesco delivery arrived this morning and the driver said a lot of the bulk buying has been carried out by people, to sell on at a profit, which is unbelievably disgusting.

Hi Varian,

Your link is to a sky article, which is 5 days old and is not the government's official guideline which currently is that over 70s should social distance.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

It doesn't affect me as I am under 70, but I feel it is important that people are aware of the current situation; things are scary enough as it is.

Restrictions are not enough. People just make more trips to the shops.
Rationing is needed.

It is not just a Sun article. If you are over 70 and are not self isolating you are being selfish and irresponsible and putting yourself and others at risk.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-over-70s-will-be-asked-to-self-isolate-potentially-for-months-11957770

That's just a Sun article, it's not government advice.

This link is to the current government advice, updated today, which says to social distance:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

I'm getting more confused by the day. I'm not over 70 but I am classed as vulnerable because of lung condition (not bad) and also because my immune system is vulnerable. I'm not ill but I have been keeping myself to myself for over a week. Not even seeing family and GC. However, I do have to go to the shops occasionally as I live on the other side of the city to my family and there are major roadworks to a bridge which is a main arterial route which they would have to go on to get to me. It's been causing dreadful congestion around the city for weeks. I've got some online shopping arriving tomorrow but I've got a feeling that everything I ordered won't be there. It's fresh milk and bread really and I nipped to a corner shop a couple of days ago. It's a bit scary how bad it's going to get as at some point I may have to venture into a supermarket and try and get shopping.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said those over 70 must self-isolate at home from this weekend for up to four months to stop them getting the virus.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/11181096/coronavirus-self-isolation-over-70s-pensioners/