Is social distancing just a sop to the masses?

A huge chunk of the population can’t simply stay indoors and in their own gardens (if they have them) though. They’re out there working so that the rest of us can stay safe. Everything that can be done to mitigate the risk to them has to be done. I don’t think for one moment that distancing has “no effect”, nor do I think it’s a magic bullet. But it’s got to be better than doing nothing, surely?

To my mind the English style easing of lockdown with the farcical one new person to meet up with (? Gran ? Grandad ?) then the bubbles for schoolchildren interaction, is way too complex.
I am so glad I’m in Scotland. At least the message is simple and strong here. I do believe the sacrifices we are making are benefitting society as a whole.

I'm inclined to agree Esspee. I honestly think being able to meet just one person is unworkable. What about someone who has a young child? They can hardly pop round to the local park on their own to meet a friend/relative, leaving their 3 year old at home alone, can they? So they are effectively excluded from this new 'freedom'.

I more or less agree Artdecogran. It's been shown time after time that the 2 metre distancing is unrealistic. The virus doesn't know it can only travel 2 metres and shoots out and across the room with a cough or sneeze. Even just talking (IMO based on videos I've seen) expels it.

So yes. Stay in as much as you can. If you can't stay in, stay as far away from others as you can. Wear a mask. Wash hands. Change and wash clothes as soon as you come in. Leave shoes outside/in a porch.

What sunshine ?
It's no wonder we have higher cases in the NW because of its lack---but you can't do anything about the weather unfortunately.

I believe it's one of the only ways to try and keep some control over the spread.

It’s better than being close to people and being coughed upon isn’t it....it makes sense to have a bit of distance.
Scotland won’t be far behind us with restrictions being slightly relaxed, according to the news yesterday, in about nine days things will change.NI has already relaxed things more than England, allowing you to meet up to six people outside.I imagine Wales will do similar, soon.
Phasing in what we can all do is sensible.

I think the important thing is not to have any physical contact. . keeping 6' apart is a bit extreme.
If everyone keeps a tissue handy, ready to catch a sneeze or cough, we should be safe if we simply take care not to actually touch each other.

I agree with *Maggiemaybe's post.
Millions are still working, more need to return and safety is of prime concern.

The OP sounds like one of those conspiracy theories.

I'm afraid I'm very suspicious of the numbers of deaths from covid-19 given by the government. If someone has terminal cancer and given about a month to live and they die after two weeks because they caught flu, which has actually killed them? If someone is 103, there is a chance they may not wake up the next morning, any morning. So they get flu and die, what has killed them- the flu or old age?

To put it in perspective, there are about 200,000 abortions in the UK every year and the majority of you, by your past comments, seem to think it's okay to kill unborn babies because it's the mother's right to choose, so why worry about 40 odd thousand dying of flu.

I juts went to M & S for in week supplies of food. we cued dutifully on the 2 metre marks outside and then when we got inside the aisles are to narrow to allow for a 2 metre distance. doesn't matter much to me as like artdecogran I am unconvinced that social distancing is needed. The shop had several very much older people in, some on walking frames going about their shopping, no masks- almost felt like a normal day. Except for one couple who fished a pair of gloves out of a handbag- they may have already been used and been in several others places. Who knows?

Wearing a mask protects others.
I hope they're made compulsory for a while, at least.

It's not possible with some jobs, though.
As DD reminded me today - it's impossible to teach wearing a face mask. And difficult to self-distance.

My point is does the 6 foot rule actually do any good at all? I know it’s better than nothing but is it all for nothing, and just creating added stress and costs for schools, businesses etc. Of course there is no way to prove matters either way is there. What if the true distance you need to be safe is ten feet or twenty feet, then people using the six foot rule have been putting themselves at risk all this time.

We need to know what the science is behind these measures and it hasn't as yet been published.

Misadventure, I could not agree more. If people want to take chances on their own health then, so be it but, hope the NHS can cope. However, I too think masks should be compulsory to protect others. I just wish there was more emphasis on using them properly.

As I understand it, it's repeated exposure that ensures infection.
Isn't that why staff in nursing homes and hospitals are so at risk?

So it must help to follow all the guide lines, including distancing where ever possible, as cumulatively they will make a difference.

The fact that lots of people seem to be ignoring it is quite another thing.

In short I don't think it is a sop to the masses, I actually think along side other measures it has some value.

And as someone else said, we still have to think of the pressure the NHS is under.
So it beholds us to follow the guidelines whenever possible, even if they don't give us all the protection we would like.

I know it's not worth arguing with you quizqueen but I think that most doctors dealing with Corona deaths are capable of working out the actual cause of death. If a terminal cancer patient dies earlier than expected after contracting corona why would you think that hadn't been the cause of death? As the government seems determined to get everyone back to work why on earth would they want people faking higher numbers, they would surely be covering up Covid deaths? I just don't see the logic.

Quizqueen you're right, when my MIL died she had 3 or 4 causes of death on the death certificate: heart failure, pneumonia, sepsi, and something else I can't remember. When people enquired what she had died of we said heart failure as it was mentioned first on the list. But it could have been any of the others.

Over 35,000 recorded deaths now. Real figure is probably more like 62,000 according to the ONS. This government should hang its head in shame!

Quizqueen and Bluesky you are both spot on I could not have said it better myself.

quizqueen and others, here is a graph comparing the current death rate in Scotland with the expected death rate, based on an average of deaths in the last 5 years.

You'll see that there was a large increase in deaths, over what would have been expected for the last few weeks.
I expect figures for the rest of the UK would show a similar rise in numbers.

The people you mention, who were likely to die anyway, will have accounted for the lower part of the figures.
How do you explain the large increase, if it was not caused by coronavirus?

Here's the graph.