Social distancing in England

It's all been a bit of a hot mess hasn't it? It appears the governments only concern is the economy.and I think this is the reason information from them is so open to interpretation. Actually it's not. If you go to Gov.Uk the message is clear.
I think in the early days of lockdown there was a certain gravitas in the daily meetings and on the whole people cooperated. There are always exceptions due to ignorance or self entitlement.
This is a very new virus and professionals understanding of it is rapidly changing. I think the initial tenets that its respiratory, most people only have mild symptoms,it only kills the old and the medically vulnerable have stuck rigidly in peoples minds. Now slightly more is understood on how it affects the bodies organs and some dire long term affects. News reports are also seeping through about younger people dying or suffering extended post viral symptoms, people who are often very healthy.
I think the rot set in when restrictions were eased and people could travel etc. I live in Dorset and was horrified by the beach invasion. We expected a rise in infections which so far hasn't appeared. Is that because it was outdoors? Or did they just infect each other and take it back with them?
The only way to control this virus is social distancing, wearing a mask to mainly protect others,and being very aware of handwashing and surfaces you are in contact with. Indoors is hazardous,hence so far the only mandatory rule to wear masks on transport. Apparently Johnson is thinking of making masks mandatory in shops etc and it was openly admitted that this is in order to keep the economy moving. The government also appear to be looking at ways of " encouraging " those who work from home to return to their offices. No doubt by finding some way of financially sanctioning them such as a new working from home tax! Of course this will involve commuting on packed transport and working in poorly ventilated buildings. Not surprisingly although working from home has it's down side many people dont miss the daily trudge with thousands of others. Big businesses are wondering if really need to spend all that money on premises.
So the governments priority is the economy. The mixed messages are supported by the government telling us to go to the pub/restaurant/ theme park/ airport. This is backed by the incessant encouragement from media giving the general impression that things are getting back to normal. Result is chaos. Tracking and tracing and testing vital but really not a competent system yet. Its extremely difficult to to get a good idea of local context. Some businesses are being extremely compliant,others are slipping. It must be so hard if you are following the rules and probably losing money as a consequence when a similar business is operating a free for all. If these rules were law have we even got enough police to enforce them? Shops seem to have supplies of masks but if we all as a nation had to have a regular supply are there enough? I think most countries have been knocked sideways by this virus. Some have fared better than most,ours is amongst the worst. People have little faith or trust in the Government. Maybe they are no more or less incompetent than usual, but just more visible,probably why the daily briefings stopped in that particular format. Johnson acted too late initially and has been playing an increasingly unsuccessful game of catch up. I look at current situation as being a very big bundle of Christmas lights. At the moment we are at start of untangling them,that bit where you think you are getting somewhere but just find yourself in a sub tangle.
As more information comes to light we have two scenarios. The virus will disappear in a puff of smoke or we suddenly have a viable vaccine that is universally available. If this isnt available ,and there are no guarantees,life has to be very very different and not compatible with the mass consumerism our economy is based on. I think the Government are more than aware of this but either dont or cant admit it instead they are Canute like trying to stem the tide of inevitable change. Boris is keen on his war analogies. Currently I am reminded of those war leaders who sat in comfort whilst sending thousands of ordinary soldiers to often unnecessary death in the name of king and country. No I am not disrespecting the armed forces who lost their lives ,their bravery and motivation was pure. Boris is sending in the young,low wages,job insecure who have struggled to keep a roof over their head and food on the table to save an economy rooted in big business and owned by his peers. They are collateral damage,along with anyone else who cant resist a pie and a pint and a new summer outfit. Or a holiday home or abroad regardless.

Well, grannyrebel7, I walked through my city centre in West Sussex this morning to go for an Ophthalmic appointment and would have to say I only saw about 15% of people wearing masks!

I had to put on a mask when inside the Opticians, understandably, but what an experience!
It made my glasses mist up when I was trying to read the letters and saw better without it than with it. The Optician was very good though and we did sort of manage in the end.

I was invited to put on hand sanitiser when I first entered, but asked if I could be reassured that it did not contain methanol as it was worrying after reading that some had been revealed as containing it. I guess maybe, that could be the cheaper sanitisers?
Wonder if anyone else has heard about this?

I live in a "naice" area too, but it doesn't stop people being selfish and rude.

I have just been into a small supermarket for the first time since February! It is near my house so I was able to choose a quiet time.
Traffic lights on the door, sanitiser and wipes just inside the door, Perspex screens round tills. Not too many people, almost as many staff as shoppers. Only one elderly lady wore a mask. Today I didn’t but I might in future, and definitely will if they become compulsory.
I was not sure what to do in the first aisle, as I did not want to buy anything there. I had only four items on my list and they were all further in, so I did carefully by pass those shopperS who were lingering, choosing fruit and veg. Was I supposed to have waited? I did not know what the protocol was.
I did pass some shoppers at 1 m at various points, if they were browsing. The worst bit was where two men ( aged 30+) were standing having a chat right in the middle of an aisle, so not even 1m was possible.

To those people feeling '2m seems anti- social'. It will feel far more anti-social to have caused people to get ill with CV19 because it was a bit uncomfortable to wear a mask indoors or walk / stand 2m from others! Already re-surging in England...

We walk down to the beach twice a day. 10 minute walk across the dunes and through two gates. Always stand to one side if someone approaches as the pathway is quite narrow. Today we stood for ages at a distance waiting for a family to go through one of the hop gates: the father stood in the gateway waiting for the rest of the family. It was obvious we were keeping our distance and waiting for them to pass through. No acknowledgement: no sorry or thank you. That is just one instance. It happens every day. As DH said when we got back from the beach today ‘I think that was 5 nil’. People don’t even acknowledge that we are moving to one side and waiting for them. I just despair at how rude and ignorant people have become. On top of that people seem to be ignoring speed limits as well. Am I just turning into a grumpy old woman?

Perhaps one reason some people have found a lot of elderly people not wearings masks is that those older folk who would be out there in a mask are the sensible ones who are staying at home?

Yes good post pear drop but I think that selfish people don't care about "EVERYBODY". They only care about themselves so the instructions should read:
Wear a MASK
STAY AWAY FROM CROWDED PLACES
SAVE YOUR LIFE
YOU might need the NHS !

My mask is comfortable but I hate it. Certainly speeds me up on shopping now. Straight in and out. Essentials only. No more mooching about and making incidental purchases. I also find the thumbs up constantly in use to staff. They can't see you smile. All horrible but hopefully for a good end.

Exactly suedoku. But I don’t understand why the government is still dithering about it. Just get on with it for once !

I think this sums up the reason for wearing masks pretty well ?

Mollygo

It’s mostly OK up here with regards to mask wearing and distancing in shops, but it’s evident that in the UK you can’t tell some folk what to do and you can’t rely on common sense and sadly some will get violent to prove their point.
I read in the news today that for some folk it’s down to politics, i.e. they didn’t vote Tory, they don’t think he’s doing a good job, so anything the government say can be ignored.

What absolute nonsense. I didn’t vote Tory but I believe in mask wearing and social distancing.

I live in Portugal and wearing face masks has been mandatory in shops for quite some time, everyone (well nearly) abides by the rules and you aren't allowed in shops without one. The only objection we have witnessed was from. An English bloke who was ranting outside a supermarket, so rude, we ended up givi g him a disposable one as the poor girl at the door was upset, embarrassed to be from the UK.

Playing Devil's advocate, I think people should also bear in mind, when blaming others for not wearing masks, that a pack of three disposable masks, certainly at my local shop, costs around £5. I don't know how typical that is. If people use them properly, throwing them away after a single use, and go out to a shop or on a bus three times in one week, that's £5 every week that some might find hard to afford. £20+ a month will buy quite a lot of food. So some people will have to prioritise. 14.3 million people in the UK are living in poverty. Masks or food? Go out of the house or don't go out? Perhaps all people on state pension or other benefits should get free masks. Then, if they don't wear them, big brother (or neighbours) will have to be watching, they can be prosecuted. Bring back the stocks!

I daresay some abuse will follow ?

A man told me off saying I was taking this all too far because I crossed over the road with my dog because there wasn't room for the 3 of us on the narrow pavement. It's up to me what I do to keep safe not the idiots that think all is fine again. It's not!

CORNWALL - only been to two supermarkets and doctors to collect medication. Still nervous about going elsewhere. Looking at the streets I drive down, I would say very little social distancing and hardly any wear masks in the supermarkets.

I suppose I should be more positive as there has been no 2nd peak yet from the very first relaxation when places started to open up and we could travel further and meet up one person outdoors - Two months ago.

Perhaps I'll wait until the pubs and shops have been open for at least 2/3 weeks before I venture further. My daughter and GD are visiting for 3 nights at beg of August.

I go to the supermarket about 7-7.30 in the evening, hardly anyone there and lot of reduced bargains to be had too.
I go to the garden centre half an hour before they close, no one there either at that time. The only times I've had to queue was on my monthly trip to the bank and then it's one out, one in. I haven't met any rude people barging past close to me but I do live in a 'naice' area.

Yes masks can be uncomfortable especially if you are wearing for a trip to a store. The people in NHS and carers obviously have nothing to moan about wearing PPE for a whole 8, 10 12 hour shift. Some experts say if you can't wear a mask for health reason you shouldn't be in public places.

It's getting worrying,they've stopped the social distancing on buses now,at least we have to wear a mask.Perhaps they should make masks compulsory in shops,instead of just talking about it.I'm afraid I'm guilty of not always wearing a mask in shops,if nobody else is.I always wear one on the bus bcause we've been told to.I can't remember anyone tell in us that social distancing had ended on buses,but it must have done,there was none on my bus today.

Maybe best to write to store manager to voice your comments.

belle60 wrt my post above, I'm not accusing you of suggesting that all elderly men refuse to wear masks! Sometimes people take offence where none is intended.

Just heard an item on radio at 12 today about a shop in Scotland. Face coverings obligatory
from 10th. Owner stated that on Thursday customers had expressed they loved using the shop but they would be uncomfortable wearing a mask. Suppose the folk in NHS love wearing all the PPE when caring for covid19 patients. Also heard there is a disability charity based in Edinburgh issuing badges for people who cannot wear a mask. Checked out website - anyone can apply for one, just asked to make a £2 donation. No proof of disability required. Now that is a lot cheaper than buying a face mask or a pack of disposable ones. Think a disability charity would know about badge abuse. Would be useful to have in case I forget to take a mask or just want to pop in unplanned!

All back to pre-virus normality her in my part of West Sussex.
There are little pockets of restriction in some shops, but it's as if the virus has gone away.
Be afraid, be very afraid.....

growstuff I am well over 60 and didn't say that all elderly people are stupid. Another poster said that on a visit to the post office, the people not wearing masks were mostly elderly men. You didn't react to the implication that elderly men can't or won't wear masks!
It's also well known that many elderly people have no access to internet technology. That doesn't make them stupid but it does restrict their access to information sources that others may take for granted.

My daughter was in a pub at the weekend. No social distancing whatsoever. No food ordered. Everyone crowding at the bar. One ‘man’ who she knows through a friend of a friend went up and licked her face!!!!! DH and I were in a restaurant and everything seemed very well organised until the waitress heard DH say “Oh, I've forgotten my glasses”. She took hers off her face, reached them across our table to him and said “Here, use mine, everyone else does”. We were shocked. He politely declined the offer.