I’m being made to feel stupid for sticking to the rules, anyone else?

TenaciouB
Find new friends.Just remember, He who laughs first laughs last.

I do have one friend who goes completely over the top, she fears for her life but is in town most days, another friend doesn't believe its anything to worry about, I just believe another lung infection would be curtains for me! When I do venture out it scares me the number of people who don't appreciate space.

Grandy56 your neighbours are certainly not good friends of yours. Everyone should respect other's attitudes towards their own safety at this time, and if you want to keep yourself safe, and they don't, then they shouldn't be offended if you keep your distance. It sounds as though they are probably influencing others over this matter. Have you tried contacting the other people in your street explaining the reason you are keeping to the rules, but are looking forward very much to being amongst everyone again when this pandemic is over. If they don't respond kindly then they aren't the nice people you thought they were and are better off without them. I think you have behaved very sensibly.

Real friends would not be like this. Stick to your guns. You are in the right

Believe it or not, more more and more people are abiding by the rules. Writing as someone whose family(14 of us) took a joint decision to wear masks from March onwards, both indoors in any public place and outdoors too, we were mocked quite mercilessly in the beginning. This has reduced greatly.

One word of warning though, some of those who choose to take exception to us now, seem far more agitated and intimidating, so much so that we have stopped offering questioners a mask (in a plastic bag) which we did originally.

Our local and only supermarket tried to sell single masks for a pound each, to anyone not having one or having forgotten theirs at the entrance to the store.

The older members of the family went along the queue outside the store and offered anyone who didn't have one a mask for free.

Very very sadly we have an all too good a reason for doing this as a family. One of us has gone much too early and can never be
replaced.

One Love One World Dooncaha

This thread definitely struck a chord with me. On Christmas Day I walked to one of my sons, as I had called a few days previously to say could we do gifts in the garden.
When I arrived I was wearing a mask and stood by the open patio door.
DIL mentioned how she knew people who were just hugging their GC and not bothering with masks!
They make it quite clear I'm being OTT.
I then came home feeling rather sad for the remainder of my Xmas day alone.

I too have one particular friend who thinks I am over reacting to the pandemic!! I have cancer, I know that if I catch COVID I won’t survive. Even when we were put into Tier 4 she messaged to ask if I wanted to go to her house for coffee. I told her I had had another missive from the government (it arrived by e mail the next day) and I am now shielding again.
I had stopped washing my shopping but have started again, I would rather spend a few minutes doing that than risk infection. If I forget my son reminds me.
We stayed at home for Christmas and New year. I ventured out at midnight and enjoyed the free firework displays, much better standard than most years!!

Well no matter what your friends think just let it go over your head and know that your doing the right thing for yourself and for others. If only more were like you.

I have to say this makes me really angry. It is people like your friends that are the stupid ones. It’s because of them and others like them that it is escalating again. Like op I’m mid 70’s live alone and have several serious health issues. I’ve obeyed the rules, not so much for me because my stage 4 cancer is terminal but for the people around me. Your friends are very selfish and unless the rest of us call them out on it things will continue to get worse. The vaccine can’t cure stupidity

I think we are being careful enough. I have been out on walks with friends but we walk a good distance apart & take our own cars to the park. I always wear a mask in shops. We have had no-one into the house since the day before Christmas Eve which meant we could not see family over Christmas although younger son brought children to stand at the end of the drive to swop presents & chat.
Hopefully I will get the jab soon.
It all seems a bit surreal at the moment & I am sure I am not
the only woman to be fed up being stuck in with DH all the time!

Like most people on here we are following all the guidance and haven’t even been to a supermarket since the end of February, although I do go to the local butcher and the local farm shop. We haven’t had any friends or family in the house for months. The only person we’ve spoke to in real time for weeks is our neighbour over the fence from a huge distance apart! We want to live to see next Christmas and the grandchildren again. Ps. We do wash or clean everything which comes in the house. Ott maybe but we feel comfortable with it! ???

I’ve noticed that the tactic of those who are breaking the rules and also those who are in ‘it’s just a flu’ denial, tend to suggest that those of us who are being very cautious are ‘cowardly’, we’re ‘frit’, we ought to ‘live life’, shouldn’t be ‘controlled’, we’re ‘being had’ and taken for fools.
I can understand your disquiet because no-one likes to be judged as a coward, as a frightened fool etc. However, if I were you I’d stand your ground, as I have, simply on the basis that you beg to differ. You’d kick yourself if you take a risk and end up with Covid.
When all this finally ends we’ll see who was right and wrong and at least, hopefully, you’ll still be around to know the conclusion!

Never feel bad about doing the right thing. Just remember their selfishness is the problem, not you.

What's the difference between you and your friends? Care, compassion, consideration. You are looking after yourself and those you care about. There will be another lock down because of people like them. How will they feel when their lives and ours are put on hold yet again. Will they be too stupid to realise they are responsible. Stick to your guns and tell them they are in the wrong.

Always best to be on the safe side

I know people who seem to think they are above the rules, and it made me feel full of righteous indignation. However feeling angry does you no good at all, so I now let it go. As Churchill said "keep buggering on"!

Your area may be low at the moment but with the lack of consideration by some who knows what the figures may be in a couple of weeks. Take care, do what you feel is safe.

Don't let them make you feel stupid. My partner is on day 10 of covid virus and it's horrible. He's had hallucinations, chest pains, exhaustion, to name a few symptoms.
I'm waiting for my test results, but I'm having giddiness and electric pulses shooting through my head.
It's not like anything we've had before and very scary.
Stick to your guns hun. I wouldn't wish this on anyone!

Plus, if they were your friends they would be supporting you.

Stay safe xxx

We got a neighbour who laughed at hubby when she saw him out wearing a mask and she will think nothing of coming up close to you and having a chat either, your doing right thing, how can being extra cautious possibly be wrong the way things are atm. hmm

I have a lovely SinL in another County that was always T2. She is 75 and her little gang of lady friends vary up to 82. They are all fit, fashionable and well off. (Not sure that’s relevant?). They had a discussion between themselves and decided to carry on as normal - other than having 2 holidays abroad cancelled - they seem to be out and about every day! I’m quite pleased we don’t live closer!

Craftycat
I could’ve written your post!

Would just add an update - have been for a walk on my own since we entered tier 4.....

You know what risk is acceptable to you, so behave accordingly. Stop thinking about what other people do, you are making yourself ill. This will be over in a few months when we're all vaccinated.

I clean every bit of shopping that is delivered to the house. The cases of covid near me two of the people had never even left their homes, only contact was deliveries to the house.
I have no problem with staying away from thoughtless people, I refuse to call them friends if they want to mix.
Read messages on FB and you hear people say " we observe the rules BUT or we JUST or we ONLY " .

Btw, just to add, we've stuck to the guidelines, wear masks, wash hands and continually steralise.
I'm a bit OCD and even steralise my washing.
We have no idea how my partner got the virus. A Christmas card through the post? An item of shopping? Who knows! This virus is rampant.

Don't give in now when the vaccine is so close. We have a pair of friends like that. Any opportunity they are out and about. We know they think we are weird for being so strict with ourselves but he has had 2 bad colds and if he was in a situation to catch those he could just as easily have got covid.