Aargh! What DON'T they get?

Our Labour MP said a couple a days ago at a Zoom meeting, that she believes the loosening of lockdown is a deliberate ploy to create another surge of cases and eventually 'herd immunity' so that the worst is over before winter, when the NHS will again be unable to cope with the usual rise in no -covid cases.

rafichagran there was a woman on the news who had travelled one and a half hours to get to a beach in Dorset and was astonished that other people had done the same! She obviously thought she should be the only one there.

Go home, go to the local park.

Coolgran perhaps that was the same stupid woman!!

varian do I spot a theme in your posts?

I think the UK government was counting on the stupidity of large numbers of people, to get the herd immunity process underway again without it seeming to be the government's choice.

Callistemon the tide goes out so far at Weston-s-Mare, that it's very easy to have people from Wales there and they'd hardly need to roll up their trousies !
GrandmaFrench I'm not risking it although it does look easy!

I think it was phoenix's Stupid Woman, sorry phoenix, I thought yours was called Simone!

Very very wise, Callistemon, imagine all that mud. Never mind about hand washing, you'd need to spend half the week in a bath of bleach to get yourself clean again.

I see so many posts on social media of all kinds asking 'What do they not get?' and complaining about all the people who are out when the poster is out, but apparently shouldn't be.

I speak as one who has not been out at all since a week before the 'lockdown', so I'm not arguing for a free for all, but the answer seems clear - there is nothing that people 'don't get'. They are just interpreting the advice differently from those who see it differently from them.

I don't think it is sensible for people to flock to beaches, and there is the question of what happens if visitors' cars break down or they take ill while they are there, but at the same time, those who live near open spaces don't own those spaces, and they do afford a better chance of a socially distant walk than a city centre.

People who live in crowded areas have suffered disproportionately in this crisis, and it's all too easy for those with large gardens and access to fresh air to be judgemental.

Someone on my local FB page nearly caused uproar recently when he posted that people from the towns should not bring their children or dogs to walk through 'his' village, as he had moved there to get peace and quiet. It was pointed out (quite forcefully ) that he must do his shopping in one of those towns, as the village had no retail outlets, which is fair comment, really. The same applies to medical services, which are all in the towns, so villagers would have to drive in if necessary. You can't have it both ways.

The idea that some people should have exclusive rights to communal space on the grounds that they live nearby is fairly selfish, and it is one-sided when they also expect to visit other areas to get their own needs catered for.

Maintaining social distancing on walks is another matter, and should, of course, be adhered to by all, regardless of whether they are local or visitors.

None of this is straightforward, and a bit of give and take all round would go a long way.

Can you bear a slightly humorous story?

One of my sons lives, quite literally, a two minute walk from his front door to a rather lovely beach. He is a keen snorkeller and today he kitted up and swam out to check on his crab pots. To his surprise there was another snorkeller having a look at them; my son said he had a 'blip' whereupon he introduced himself to the stranger.....and offered a handshake, which after a slight hesitation the stranger responded to - at the exact second my son realised what the hesitation was for!! Both were some way out in the sea, wearing wetsuits, masked and gloved, but my son said he felt so bad for just not thinking of social distancing in that moment.

Actually, as a mother, I must confess that I was rather taken with my son's lovely manners.

I go for food once a week my husband takes our dog for a walk each day. We stick to the guidelines because we care not just about our family and friends but for everyone. It's a very worrying time without doubt. The government is telling people they can drive to parks it's the wrong message. I feel for people who are being considerate and taking advice. But are being bombarded by brain dead idiots who drive miles just to have a walk. What happened to the slogan look after the NHS and emergency services it's lost now! Don't even get me started on people having visitors!

But Redhead, with all due respect, your post is an example of what I said in my post above.

What is the difference between you walking your dog and the ‘brain dead idiots’, except that they live further away from where they go for a walk?

It’s just a different interpretation of the advice, which explicitly states that there are no restrictions on the distance you can travel to spend time in outdoor space. Why are people ‘brain dead idiots’ for doing it?

The walk is supposed to be longer than the car journey and you are supposed to get back home the same day.

Not sure if I would want to travel too far anyway. If I am going to be ill i’d rather stay in an area where I know the set up.

Whatever is decided for our 69m population some people will whinge and whine. Their individual demands trump the rest of the nations welfare.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Look at section 1.7 here. It quite clearly states that you can travel to exercise.

‘ 1.7 Are there restrictions on how far I can travel for my exercise or outdoor activity?
No. You can travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance. You shouldn’t travel with someone from outside your household unless you can practise social distancing - for example by cycling. Leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home is not allowed.’

This is my point. People are interpreting the advice to suit themselves, or misunderstanding it. It doesn’t make them ‘brain dead idiots’, and (IMO) it is not about what they don’t ‘get’. People just see what they want to see, and think that what they are choosing to do is right and others are wrong.

I repeat- I am not arguing for a free for all. I do not go out at all, and haven’t done so for weeks, but I get so sick of hearing the superior attitudes of those who basically want to tell others what to do and have people to look down on.

Just to make it clear, though - I think that there was a genuine misunderstanding of the rules by the OP (and others) on this thread. It’s not surprising, as they are unclear, illogical and were badly communicated, like so much has been.

I don’t think it was whinging and whining, although I do see a lot of that elsewhere when people think that everyone should fit in with their own way of doing things.

I spoke to a friend yesterday, he owns a small flat on the coast.
He had been contacted by a permanent resident with a request to report a fellow flat owner.*( he’s chair of the residents committee).
*FFO and wife had travelled quite a distance, stayed overnight, entertained their daughter from London for the day and were intending to travel back home today.
They all used the communal facilities.

It was ‘Simone’s’ rather hoity-toity attitude that got me. Apart from thinking she would have exclusive rights to the beach, it was the disdainful way she spoke about Tesco, she obviously shopped there which was a surprise, would have expected Waitrose at the very least.

On a different note. I am surprised at the Gransnetters who have been out for the day and have used service station loos. I know you have to go to the loo which is one reason I would not venture far personally. It just seems strange to me as I am sure in the current climate they would be unwilling to share their own loos with strangers, as you have no idea what anyone else has. Touching handles, taps, just maybe passing closely through a door .....

I think the government message was so woolly and we are being told to use our “common sense” no wonder people think lockdown has ended. It’s not common sense to me, to be able to meet a family member in a park surrounded by loads of others, families, joggers, cyclists etc. but not sit in my garden at a distance from a family member when we’ve both been isolating for 2 months. Which scenario is the higher risk? Guess which one I’m doing?

The park or garden scenario is public versus private space.

I agree it’s not surprising people don’t realise there is a difference.

Calendargirl, quite right to avoid sharing toilet facilities. The virus is there in fecal matter - and the market toilet in Wuhan was suspected to be contaminated.

Calendargirl the difference is that meeting in the public, possibly crowded, space is acceptable to UK government while meeting in the private one is not.

Thousand have been herded back to work, many having to use public transport, with no safe distancing, masks, hand gel, etc in place.

Worry about that rather than condemning people who want to get outside away from their dreary environment.

The former are the ones who will carry the virus back home, into the supermarket, back to their family, into the schools - with the governments blessing.

Furret, yes, herd immunity (although slowed down, perhaps disguised) is still the name of the game.

The governments actions, (delays and inactions too) throughout this crisis, are so very telling.

They demonstrate, clearly, who exactly is valued and important to them.

How was it ever deemed acceptable to send people from hospital into care homes, without any testing - unbelievable!

My granddaughter is a teacher in Qatar, and stuck there. In Qatar you are threatened with a fine of £45,000 and 3 years in jail if you are caught not wearing a mask !! There is 100% compliance.

Oldgoat this is what i have been thinking too. If children go back to school as well, you will have some young and work age people out and about which will create the 'herd immunity,' us oldies are more likely to stay home as it is proven we are more at risk.

I agree -with hindsight- that sending asymptomatic patients back to their care homes was a massive mistake. But the husband of a close friend (88 and with Alzheimer’s) was in that position in late Feb/early March and our reaction among his friends was universally one of relief that he was out of the ward and into more caring and congenial surroundings. Hospitals seemed dangerous places and , fair enough, we were not Health professionals, but it seemed by far the nicer place to be!
He died less than a week later, not of Covid, just in his armchair by his bed while the carer was bringing in his breakfast.
On the other hand, D’s MIL had a fall in her care home (also Alzheimer’s) again before lockdown and rather than take her to A&E to be checked out - there was nothing broken- they called out a paramedic, so I think they knew what they were doing. So far, she is fine.
Things all look so different now.