Easing the lockdown

I have to say sometimes you women are very judgemental and unless you are one of those who are feeling mental health issues for the first time how can you say it's making light of mental health? How do u not know since being furloughed and away from family it hasn't brought on reactive depression? How do u not know that someone who is now being abused by partner is feeling desperate because they can't see their extended families? There is no scale to the level of mental ill health you may have. Whether you are recovering from a breakdown, schizophrenic or just started to feel anxiety for first time it can hit anyone like a ton of bricks and it's often worse for those who have never suffered bad mental health before. You shouldn't judge anyone's mental health.

No Bluesky most of Europe have not gone from strict lockdown to every thing open. Spain have been very careful in taking small steps and some regions are still in lockdown whereas as other regions are starting to open up.

Here in Portugal we came out of the state of emergency on May 4th when small shops of less than 200sq feet could open with strict precautions. This included hairdressers. Also it is mandatory for every one to wear masks in shops, offices and all indoor public spaces plus on public transport. More changes came on May 18th with restaurants and cafes able to open but only with a maximum of 50% capacity and all tables must be 2m apart. More will come in on June 1st. Today the Prime minister announced what will happen up until the 14th June. Our land borders will remain closed until June 15th in agreement with Spain. Everything announced is enshrined in law so we all know where we stand. In the UK it seems very wooly and people havent even been told to wear masks for everyone's safety.

I am sorry but saying you suffer from mental health from not seeing your family is making light of mental health. Its not been that long, 3 months or so,. How about all those people who husbands or families work abroad for periods of time. In this day and age you have technology that can keep you in touch.

Growstuff maybe the ones who have lost people want to grieve in peace, and don't want to be written about.
I for one, have had mental ill health for years and work full time. If you want to know more join mind on Facebook, although I can't guarantee you won't see people talk about their mental health being split from family but you will see all different people talking about their journey with their mental health.

Nanniejc1 a lot of people obviously don't find the situation scary - or they just wouldn't take all the risks they do!

I really think that we all need to try to move on as well as we can & look after ourselves.My husband has health problems so we are shielded so we will just be very careful & do what we can.The main thing is that we all get through this awful time but it’s no one’s fault apart from the Chinese authorities who knew about this virus months before they told the rest of the world.Whoever had been in government it would have been the same, hindsight’s a wonderful thing .......I certainly wouldn’t want to be the person having to make decisions.Lots of people have mental health issues because it’s scary & we are in unknown territory so we just have to do the best we can & hopefully we will get through it.

I'm getting a bit fed up of hearing about mental health issues from not seeing families? What about people with genuine, long-standing mental health issues? When was the last time anybody ever cared about them? What about the people who have reactive depression from losing a close friend or relative through death?

Scotland is affected by schemes such as furloughing and the help for self-employed, just the same as England, so Scots need to return to work in the same way those in England do. Sturgeon will have been mindful of that.

B9exchange what! Sweden's figures are much higher than those of Norway, Finland and Denmark and those countries are not letting Swedes in but are moving between eachother

Barneyoldbat that's what I have been told that some of the pubs here are open, I guess this will be takeaways only but have a drink while you wait!

Johnson doesn’t have any say in how Scotland/Wales/NI ease or don’t ease their lockdown, they are devolved administrations.That being the case, is Sturgeon doing much the same as we are regarding to the easing of restrictions in order to save the blushes of Cummings do you think??
The answer is....of course not, they are doing very much the same as us to try and get education and the economy (as well as mental health in seeing our families) going again, in a cautious way.It has to happen at some time!

I agree with you Stella4, I have just got in from a cycle ride and I have seen 2 bars open with a few sitting inside but everyone else outside drinking. No toilets open so it just makes you wonder where they are going to have a wee. It is just too fast and its being done as a cover up. There will be a 2nd wave.

Lifting the lockdown to this extent, at this stage is the Cummings Effect. It is incredible that any British Prime minister would sacrifice the health of the nation to save one aid

Apparently these are the same scientists who are advising the government.

Just listening to Radio 4 and they are saying that scientists are indicating that lockdown is too early. I can only think that we must all take responsibility for our own health and act accordingly.

I have been very careful staying in all of the 10 weeks with the help of my son dropping shopping off and online shopping. I have a garden and am in good health except for my knee injury which stopped me walking too far before lockdown. I am going to carry on as I am. I have a job one afternoon a week which I can't go to as it involves an elderly client. I would be too scared to get on a bus and getting a cab is expensive. I do get fed up but I try and keep busy in the mornings and rest in the afternoon. .. And no trips to the local beach because of all the people gathering there in this lovely hot weather

Another yes here, sadly. I am so disappointed in Boris. My main concern is that we have an increased spread of the infection near/in winter. One of the 'plusses' of this current awfulness is the weather being so beautiful. Imagine the increase in mental illness with a regular grey outlook and the impossibility of going for walks or sitting/working in the garden. Unthinkable for me. Ugh.

I'm with you bluecat I have said it before you can only control what u do and look after yourself. There's lots out there who are taking it with a pinch of salt. Take care and stay safex

Hmm, sorry to be flippant but I read the title as EATING the lockdown....I’ve certainly done that!

Some people seem to be deliberately obtuse or maybe they genuinely don't understand the implications of people flouting the rules/guidelines.

I don't believe that unicorns exist anywhere.

I do believe that the Conservatives are playing cheap party politics rather than caring about the health and wellbeing of the nation.

No Bluecat You're not a coward. You're responsible and thoughtful. I'm afraid a lot of very selfish people have shown their true colours.

Not sure if there was an ulterior motive but the regulation says
'The government has to review the lockdown regulations at three weekly intervals. The next update is due on 28 May.'
I think it's a bit sudden but nothing surprises me anymore. Just keep my head down, obey the rules, and pray for it to all be over.

I am frightened.

I shall be making my own decisions, as I have done all along. We had already been in lockdown for a week when the rest of the country joined us. I had spent a lot of that week raging about the government's stupid reluctance to impose restrictions. As scientists have pointed out, the delay probably cost 20,000 lives. I wouldn't trust Boris to lead me across the road.

I have been under self-imposed house arrest, and I am staying that way until I think it is safer to come out. I know it will never be completely safe, and that makes me very scared, but I don't think we are anywhere near safe enough yet. The virus isn't going away just because people want it too. In my opinion, we haven't suppressed it enough yet to start easing up.

Some people say, "Well, you can continue to isolate if you want to." In our case, that's true but for many people it's not an option. I worry about the increased risks that people I love will have to take. I also worry about people I will never know, people I fear will die in a second wave. I fear for myself, for my family, for my country. Maybe that makes me a coward. OK, fine, I am a coward but I believe the danger is real.

In the 1918 flu epidemic, most people died in the second wave. We should proceed with the utmost caution and hope to God that the death rate doesn't rise again.

This relaxing of lockdown is, in my view a cynical move to deflect attention away from the Cummings mess.."and it is working!
In a few weeks time it is entirely possible that more people will die, horribly and unnecessarily. There is very little indication that the infection rate has fallen by anything near enough to do this safely just yet.
I want ‘normal’ as much as anyone....but I also want to feel that the people making the decision to relax lockdown are doing so for the right reasons. I Am not yet convinced of that!