Visiting indoors (or not!)?

Only you can decide what risk you are able to live with, but the rule of six is there for a reason, it is deemed safe to be indoors with another five people unless you are in Scotland or a Northern area under lockdown. You can always throw open doors and windows and keep your coat on if it helps your risk appetite.

We can’t go inside anyone’s house or garden currently. We are also advised not to meet up with friends or family outside. Perhaps rules will also change where you are after Monday. No hospital visiting either or to nursing home.

I’ve had family visit indoors since the rule of 6, we do still keep a distance no kissing and hugging but all has been well. My neighbour has also been in to carry out a small job.

You have to decide on your risk levels but I’ve decided it’s a risk worth taking with as much care as possible.

We have been asked by friends to go to their house for a meal with 2 others, apart from 1 Person who was shielding (until recently) none of them have any underlying conditions. Except us!
The others are carrying on as normal, working, going out and about to pubs and restaurants and visiting Their friends, so we have said No.
So I think have to do what you feel comfortable with,
I would rather be cold in the garden than warm and cosy and being breathed on by others, whose activities I have no control over.
We have been so careful it seems silly to drop our guard when things are kicking off again.

We are in the West Midlands under the new lockdown rules. We can't have anyone at all in our house or garden and can't visit anyone else's home. We can however meet up to 4 others in a cafe, pub etc.

I and all my family live in high risk areas so we won't be doing any indoors visiting.

Some of them are medics too and have been/are treating Covid patients so their view if what's worth the risk has to be different from those who haven't that experience.

Even if your rooms are big enough to distance everyone there's still all the surfaces that would need cleaning.

I think I'd stick to the garden.

I live alone. It has become a custom for my next door neighbour and me to meet up once a week while her husband is out. Once the C19 reared it’s ugly head, we met outside but now it is getting colder, she comes round to me. I clean all door knobs, bannisters etc. before she arrives and again after she has gone. We sit well apart and, as I never use the settee she sits on, there is no problem there.We also have windows open to allow a through draught. As she is a primary school teacher, she is very well aware of the potential risks so, is very careful.

I have once visited a married couple for a cup of tea and a chat and they too are very careful.

Planning and common sense help in these circumstances.

Our area is currently low risk but we are maintaining our minimal risk regime. Low risk areas can become high risk in a very short time and I don’t want to be a contributor to that.
We see our local family for a wrapped up walk on the beach keeping to the distance rules. Not seeing friends except on zoom or FaceTime. Worth the sacrifice to keep safe those who can’t stay at home because they need to work for our sake.

We do not have people in the house but have met them in cafes inside.

I’m very interested in the replies here and they seem very sensible. I have been shielded so am careful, but do not want to come across as being ‘precious’ .
One of the people in the ‘five’ I am meeting with tomorrow has very recently visited several other groups of six. Am I right to assume her to be a much greater risk to me than others who have been more cautious?

I have, a couple of weeks ago, visited three different friends in their own homes. Yes, inside. Washed hands as soon as I entered, and also washed them again before leaving . Had lunch whilst I was there. A further one came to visit me for a whole day, with lunch, etc. . I stayed during that period at my daughters house, again usual strict hygiene.

Do not feel that either I, nor any of those friends were putting ourselves at any risk. However, did do all of us a great deal of mental good. I really do not fear that this cvirss is lurking on any of my friends mugs or crockery/cutlery any more than I have, in the past, been concerned that they might have any other hygiene problem.

I do however, have very serious concerns about the survival of our planet, and think the over-use of disposable plates, etc and heating of outdoor spaces very worrying.

vickymeldrew Am I right to assume her to be a much greater risk to me than others who have been more cautious?

Yes, I would say so.

Sensible as always, Franbern. Recent research suggests that all this cleaning of surfaces is irrelevant and it is human to human contact which carries the risk. So hand washing, mask wherever appropriate and distance still seem to be the rule. We have friends in for a cup of coffee or tea as part of keeping our spirits up, something which is becoming more and more essential.

It seems that the risk is thought to be far higher from a concentration of droplets in the air than in surfaces, so I am not going into anyone’s home apart from the loo, if needed, and I try to avoid that. I have not been to any cafes or restaurants either.
DH believes he would not survive if he caught the virus so it is not up to me to take risks which would endanger him.
There is a sudden increase in cases near us so we are being extra cautious again now, though I am going to continue to shop as we live very near a small supermarket where I can see how busy it is and only go at very quiet times.

We are not in a high risk area but we are in a high risk group, being over 70 and I am also asthmatic. We have been meeting people outside through the summer but now the weather is changing that is no longer possible. We have discussed whether to have visitors indoors but have decided against. It might be ok if doors and windows could be left open to provide a through draught but that is not really a practicable solution in the winter. We will continue to keep in touch with family and friends by phone, email and messages. We are not looking forward to the isolation, especially at Christmas, but we do want to be around for a good few years yet so will not be taking any risks. I know some will say 'this is the new normal so get your life back' but that is not the way we see it. No point in 'getting your life back' if Covid then brings it to a sudden end!

Since September we have had our DGC twice a week after school again & give them a meal. They are good about handwashing on arrival & we don't hug/ kiss. We minimise close contact.
We have a large kitchen diner & the kids sit at the table next to the bi-fold door which we keep open. They have a cosy blanket each which they wrap round themselves if it is chily. They do homework, play card games etc. or play football 0 in the garden. They are here about 2- 3 hours. They are older so understand the situation. It is good for them as they are close as cousins & though 3 are at the same school our house is where they socialise with each other.

Occassionally a friend pops over for a cuppa.. again we sit at a distance at the table with the door open.

I feel comfortable atm with this but if I did not or if there were any infections in school my DDs would understand re childcare.

NotTooOld Your last sentence Sums it all up beautifully.

Lindy you have a lovely thoughtful family - the pergola sounds fun. We are not meeting our dd and family inside although it would be allowed. If DH or me caught the virus, I know she would always wonder if it were from any of them and I love them all too much to put that potential burden on them.
As for friends, we have fallen out big time with one couple who were very put out that we didn’t want to go to their house for a meal and even suggested they were worried about our mental health because we were being so careful.

That's how it spreads vickymeldrew. The more people you have contact with the greater the risk. The more contacts that those people have had =risk multiplied.

Its so simple to understand. ?

We have prepared an area in the garden in readiness for colder weather. A fire pit, cosy blankets and warmer clothing means we can have visits fromDD1 and our 2 GDs. where we can have hot chocolate, roast some marshmallows and chestnuts and enjoy being together even for an hour as opposed to not seeing each other at all.
Just trying to make the most of a rotten situation really until such times as it is safe to be indoors together again. Forgot to mention some fairy lights added to cheer up darker after school days. ?

Thank you Tweedle! I always thought no-one read my posts!

I am 100% certain I am not the only one, NotTooOld ?

sounds lovely Kalu

agree with your last sentence NotTooOld

crossed posts NotTooOld, see I read both