Second lockdown

Flintshire goes into local lockdown at 6pm today and yet the NHS covid app states we are only medium risk in this county. I’m confused!

I sincerely hope there is not another nationwide lockdown, whereby they threaten you with the police and ANPR cameras etc. I live in Norfolk and my recently bereaved Dad lives in Worcestershire. We were ‘banned’ from going to see him. We phoned every day and asked if he was alright and he said he was ‘fine’. He is 86. When we finally got there he was stick thin and his clothes were hanging off him. He hadn’t been eating and the cupboards were nearly empty. He had been forgotten by his GP for food parcels. He’s got severe COPD and bronchiectasis, and heart disease. He was told to ‘shield’ by this government. He was frightened, but being one of the old guard he wouldn’t let you know that. This time we are prepared. Age UK have been helpful.

As an aside, I have a friend living in Thailand. They have a population similar to us. They’ve had 3,000+ infections and 56 deaths. They completely closed the borders. No one allowed in without a Thai passport and work permit and all had to self isolate at a government institution for 14 days. Very strict measures. By comparison, this country are following the ‘herd immunity’ strategy. Funny how the latest outbreaks follow Sunaks ‘eat out to help out’. I predicted this. It’s a no brainer.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

We come under Birmingham and have a local lockdown. You can't meet family friends in the house or garden but you can meet them at coffee shops and Pubs as longer than no more than 6.Grandparents cannot meet grandchildren expect if looking after them.The whole rules are completely madness

It would have been naive to assume that Covid wouldn’t increase with the onset of colder weather. It has been forecast all along. Although where I live, in East Midlands, we are not having lockdown measures imposed I cannot visit my DD and GC in Greater Manchester because of local restrictions or my DS and GC in Brighton as they are a family of 5 and there are 2 of us. I haven’t seen the Brighton family since last December as we were due to visit when lockdown started. I am resigned to the fact it might be another 6 months before we can get some sense of normality back in our lives.

Frightened witless by the possibility of catching it or passing it on. I intend to make sure all our shopping needs are organised for the next few months and then I WILL LOCKDOWN. The government don't seem to know anymore than the rest of us so apart from essential things like flu shot and personal grooming(unless rules change), I will not be seeing family or friends until after Christmas. These are personal choices rather than necessities . Previous generations coped with wars etc. We can find the courage to get through this even if it is inconvenient.

Down here in the Southeast, the virus is quite low. I think it’s because people generally are unsociable, nothing to do with breaking rules! Northern people are so much more friendly. However, that’s all bound to change now we’re overrun with students again. My personal opinion is, tens of thousands of them have been travelling all over the place. What could possibly go wrong!?

Ps I'm not a doom and gloomer usually lol, even with my mardy husband I can normally find something to smile about (usually my dogs, and we WILL get through it, but not because of those in charge, but despite them! :-)

I am just confused by it all. my family tell me to keep away from "the news" but ... what else is there.. being alone for the first time ever in my life... well that is me! trying so hard to sort myself out, but I am told... time... time... live with the tears of grieving, ...

so I listen to you all, and wonder...me? well I have never been a travelling person, so it is easy for me to say,, borders should be closed,, illegal immigrants should be sent back across the channel, then I think... how would I feel if I were one of them? I wonder what is wrong with Europe that they think this is a wonderful place to put their lives at risk to cross the channel?

so many questions.. so few answers..

I had to check my diary to remind myself that we had been in lockup before, and we coped, well most of us did..

it is the lack of human contact that is the hardest part of all.

praying

What I find utterly despicable is the fact the PMS OWN father is out andabout not wearing a mask, and says 'I was out of the country, I didn't know the rules!!'
THEY HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE JULY! If only he had a member of the family who could have kept him up to date!
Seriously, this govt. has messed this up for us folk who just want to be with our loved ones. My daughter has a family of six and lives the other end of the Country, so I will pretty much be alone for the next few months as my husband will be working...
With my asthma and the fact I only have one lung I am being so very careful, and I do not mind this, I would stay careful for the sake ef everyone else even if it didn't apply to me, but I do wish those in charge had admonished properly those who flout their own rules, as then, ordinary everyday folks might actually take notice of them!
The longer its one rule for them and another for us, the longer this virus will go on for...

At the beginning of our first lockdown I read a book about the pandemic of 1918. Their second wave was far worse than the first. I am not surprised at where we are heading

Aepgirl

We did it last time, we can do it again. Let’s get through this together.

Yesssss!

Where I live here in Blackburn we are under enhanced restrictions and have been for some weeks now (we've been under lockdown for a lot longer) and cannot meet friends even in the open like a park so we are really isolated. I live on my own in supported accommodation and it's getting very worrying as to where will it all end.
I previously booked a 2 week holiday to Spain for Christmas so I wouldn't be on my own or have to rely on sister and all her family to 'take me in' for the festivities! I'm just hoping that my break goes ahead and if it doesn't then I will be on my own but I'll manage. There isn't anything else I can do. I keep myself to myself in my flat, only going out when I have to.
We're only supposed to use public transport if travel is essential. I do have a car but with being disabled I can't get around the shops without my wheelchair which doesn't fit in the car. I'm lucky in that I live only about 5 minutes by my electric wheelchair from the town centre so I can do some shopping without having to use the car.
I think we've just got to do what we can, keep to the rules and restrictions and just get on with it.

Jane10

I'm just used to it. It's become a way of life. I remember back in the spring hearing about the first lockdown and thinking, 'Three weeks?! Outrageous!'. Little did I know.

Yes, me too. I've adapted and now it seems stranger to go out than to stay in.

I went into my own personal lockdown 2 weeks earlier than the official because I was worried and because I have a lot of health problems including asthma. I made a plan then of people I could ring up, things to do, books to read, etc etc to stop myself feeling low.

Bizarrely the time since that first lockdown has flown. I am planning for bad weather and darker evenings. I know it won't be easy during the winter, but I'm making every effort to keep my spirits up. I have seen my daughter twice since last year during garden visits, and not seen my grandchildren at all, but there's no point in dwelling on that. Some people are much better off, and some are much worse off. I have been lucky to see my son more often in garden visits.

I have no idea how Christmas will be and every time I read about it or think about it, I deliberately distract myself, because who knows how it will be? I try to put it into a compartment for the moment.

I live alone and have been in solitary confinement for 7 months. Thank goodness for my lovely little cat for company. Perhaps I'm becoming a hermit, but what we are going through will pass. My parents had much harder lives.

I want to do the right thing, and also to keep myself and loved ones safe.

We did it last time, we can do it again. Let’s get through this together.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I have a house removal booked on 13th October. Not sure where I would stand if we have another total lockdown, or a local lockdown affecting where I'm moving to.

Feeling positive here (or trying, anyway).

This isn’t it, for ever, as some PP feel. There will be a vaccine, enormous strides have already been made. Even if it doesn’t eradicate the disease, it will greatly lessen the severity. New treatments will continue to be developed.
This time next year, this will all be an unpleasant memory.

I fear this gloom and doom is contributing to people breaking the necessary restrictions, when they feel there will be no end to this.

There will, if we’re all sensible and can be patient for just a few months more.

I'm just used to it. It's become a way of life. I remember back in the spring hearing about the first lockdown and thinking, 'Three weeks?! Outrageous!'. Little did I know.

We're lucky so far here in Devon but I'm not looking forward to this winter at all. I'm trying to be stoical, and count my blessings as there are so many people in tragic circumstances.

For us, it isn't true lockdown as I was previously shielded. Now we can go out shopping and see family in the garden. We can’t go out of our county, but we haven’t been out since March. We took a decision not to visit restaurants etc whilst the virus figures in our area were fluctuating. I entirely agree we will probably feel differently if we have bad weather. I know we are ultra cautious, but with good reason, health wise. We keep in touch with family and friends and have found ways of keeping ourselves occupied. I do realise it is worse for others, particularly those who live alone. We are older grandparents, so probably our needs and expectations are different.

I agree Chewbacca and it’s depressing.
I think a stoical outlook is the best thing, the virus will be around for a long time, better of course once there is a vaccine.Get as much enjoyment out of our lives as possible while abiding by laws and restrictions for the greater good.

I feel its impossible trying to plan for next week,let alone Christmas! Things change so rapidly. I'm in Dorset and my eldest daughter and grandchildren are in Surrey. Normally they are down here at Christmas. This year,who knows? There could be local lockdown and travel restrictions or it may have miraculously improved.! For me I'm happy to tell myself to plan for worst case scenario and anything else is a bonus.
Dorset has lower cases than many areas but my part is showing a relentless rise.
I think it's much harder now as in March there was a sense of unity and hope that things would improve. Now we are fragmented. Specific to grandparenting some seem to be acting as normal,others only socially distanced contact. That uncertainty is a bigger problem than coping with the virus. It sometimes feels like we are on a runaway train.

Completely agree; last time there was the novelty of finding previously undiscovered ways of staying in touch with loved ones and occupying myself the with long ignored jobs in the house and garden. But 6 months on and I realise how naieve I was then. There isn't the same optimism that "this isn't forever"; in one form or another, I think it will be. I would find a lockdown much harder 2nd time around.

This is my local area breakdown of situ
The current coronavirus guidance for all Northamptonshire residents is as follows, as issued by Public Health Northamptonshire:

Limit contact with others outside of your household or bubble;
Work from home if you can;
Keep two metres from others at all times, use a face covering where you are less than two metres apart;
Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly for 20 seconds each time;
Do not share items with others outside of your household or bubble;
Avoid using public transport or car sharing, wear face coverings if you cannot avoid these;
You must wear a face covering by law in certain public places such as libraries and public transport;
Avoid meeting those outside of your household or bubble in an indoor space;
When meeting friends and family you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) you must not meet in a group of more than six, indoors or outdoors.
How bad is coronavirus where you live? Find out by adding your postcode.

Government guidance as of September 29, 2020

When meeting with people you don’t live with, you can socialise in groups of up to six, which is the current legal limit.
The six person limit applies both indoors and outdoors, and includes indoor sports. Outdoor sports can include more participants but only where the event is organised. Plans to allow fans to return to sporting events have been put on hold.
The Government states people should continue to maintain social distancing with anyone they do not live with.
The Government also advises against sharing a vehicle with those outside your household or social bubble, but there are no current restrictions on how far people can travel.
Customers in private hire vehicles and taxis, as well as staff working on public transport and taxi drivers, must wear face coverings.
Office workers who can work effectively from home are being advised to do so over the winter.
People who are already exempt from the existing face covering obligations, such as because of an underlying health condition, will continue to be exempt from these new obligations.
Pubs, bars and restaurants are no longer allowed to open beyond 10pm and are restricted to table service only, apart from takeaways. This also includes social clubs, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement arcades (and other indoor leisure centres or facilities), funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. This will include takeaways but delivery services can continue after 10pm.
Businesses must take customers' contact details so they can be traced if there is an outbreak. They can be fined up to £10,000 if they take reservations of more than six, do not enforce social distancing, or do not take customers' contact details.
Face masks are now mandatory for bar staff and non seated customers, shops workers and waiting staff. You can be fined £200 for not wearing a mask or complying with restrictions

I find the second local lockdowns easier to handle as we are used to it. The first time it felt like the end of the world! But we knew there was no getting away, we have seen it in Europe even countries with strict rules. We can only pray it won’t escalate.