Contrasting images on BBC news demonstrate different face of Coronavirus

Well, there we have it.

I was castigated roundly for saying I wanted to drive a mile or two to find somewhere flat for a walk - I'm irresponsible and we'll never get rid of the virus if people like me please themselves, apparently!
Yet now am told I'm^ horrible and judgemental^ for saying the video of the gathering in the park showed young people behaving irresponsibly.

Leeds' latest coronavirus infection rates shows 344.2 cases per 100,000 people tested, with cases thought to be spreading at the fastest rate in the 20-35 age group.
14th January 2021
But who cares, as long as they're having fun?

Perhaps I should move to Leeds - the rules seem to be different there.

I feel so sorry for students right now. Away from home, shelling out a fortune on a university experience many of us had but they’re not getting, and cramped accommodation they can barely leave. In their circumstances they’re not likely to be mingling with vulnerable people and are at little risk themselves.

So no, I can’t get worked up about a group of young people throwing snowballs in the fresh air in a huge public park for ten minutes. It’s far from a week long indoor rave with 2500 people crushed together, as seen in France recently. I’d cut them a bit of slack.

Lovely!
Let's all go out shall we?
Who cares about the NHS?

I echo what others have said about how photos can give a false impression of how much distance there actually is between people being filmed.

Yes of course ideally all those young people should have been at home, but as has been pointed out they were outside in the fresh air.

We know nothing about any of them do we? Who knows most of them may have been following the rules, but then woke up to a snowy scene and just wrapped up and went out for an hour’s exercise and joined in the snowball fun.

Yes, contrasted with the sad picture of the elderly couple in hospital makes it seem callous and uncaring, but put in perspective was it really so terrible?

Franbern the Government has banned outdoor meetings - but hey, let's blame them for the gathering in a Leeds park too.
Yes, they've got a lot wrong but not this particular incident.

Anyway.I will give my head a wobble a go and practice my alternative contentment
May I join you please Washerwoman

The only people I know who caught Covid, did so from their grandchildren at home. They hardly ever go out not even for walks like ourselves, so we were all shocked.

For those who think it's fine, let them be, I suggest you read the Suffering Covid thread by a Gransnetter who has had it.

Franbern how rude.
I hope for your sake you do not catch Covid.

Washerwoman

Well our DD lives and works in a key role in Leeds and was livid.Indeed saw similar scenes in her nearby park.And sent me a ohoto.As a younger person she too feels the weariness and frustration of yet another lockdown.Working incredibly hard with a social life on hold,and just wants an end to this and to be able to come and see and hug us.But maybe having an ICU nurse in the family changes your immediate perceptions somewhat at this particular time.So I make no apologies for feeling angry yesterday.

Thank you Washerwoman, as someone with a nurse in the family who has been looking after Covid patients and now is off sick herself with it, yes, it made me cross too.

If they cared a jot about other people or, indeed, themselves then they wouldn't have been out barging into each other as the video showed.
It's entirely fair to say that they are not thinking of others.
And I agree that life is difficult for young people at the moment.
It is for us all.

Ditto about the beach photos. People were getting incensed about anyone going to any beach.

More than once dd and SiL took Gdcs to a Bournemouth beach - not close to the town centre but a little way out.

It was obvious from the little videos dd sent that there was masses of space for people to keep a long distance away, and they all had a glorious time in the sun and fresh air.

Before the heatwave ended dh and I had a day at a beach a little way outside Worthing. Again, absolutely masses of space - and the sea was wonderfully warm.
Given such circs some Vitamin Sea can surely only be good for you.

While we see sensational pictures of people ‘ not caring’ outdoors, we can’t see any of families meeting up indoors.

Like Bluebell I saw how the press used special lenses in the summer to make 'horror, shock' photos of crowded beaches. Even when a local photographer here, was standing almost next to those press photographers, taking same beach photos, at the same time, in reality showing how far apart everyone was. Fake news at its worse!!!

So, I also view with a little cynicism press pictures!!!

I was thinking how hard it must be for young people at the moment. Had I been unfortunate enough to be maybe 15 or 18 yrs old this last year, do not think I would have been very good at continuing to obey all the ever-changing rules.

What a horrible, and judgemental statement Callistemon to say about these youngsters not caring. Probably many of them do, but they also need to care for themselves sometimes, and their own mental health.

Perhaps anger should be kept to be directed against a government whose total mishandling of this has resulted in UK having one of the highest death rates in the world (percentage of population), and one of the worst economic collapses. Whilst, so many of those government and their mates have become so very rich. THEY are the real culprits in this.

Ok K.Actually throughout all of this I have been pretty relaxed considering I've had Covid myself and took weeks to recover. Have had 3 other family members with it,one very ill.Plus 2 other DCs working on the absolute frontline.
As Gwyneth original post highlights for many this feels like a tale of two halves.Those being selfless and those being selfish.And I can agree Bluebelle that the media do much harm with some of their reporting.But don't dismiss the frustrations of people who actually see in front of them worryingly large groups congregating.
Anyway.I will give my head a wobble a go and practice my alternative contentment. And tell the nurses,doctors and paramedic working in Leeds I know to do the same.

W, I would be the last person to expect you to apologise for feeling angry. It just seeems like such a waste of energy and alternative contentment.

In the summer a photo was printed in our local paper (no not Bournemouth) showing a crowed looking beach I was on that beach (alone and nowhere near anyone) on that day and there was absolutely NO crowding there were big spaces between people or between small family groups
I don’t know anything about the snowball fight BUT I do know the media is hell bent on blame and division and HIGH DRAMA which is one of the most unhelpful things possible

I believe unless you were there or someone you know can report first hand we need to hold our views

Well our DD lives and works in a key role in Leeds and was livid.Indeed saw similar scenes in her nearby park.And sent me a ohoto.As a younger person she too feels the weariness and frustration of yet another lockdown.Working incredibly hard with a social life on hold,and just wants an end to this and to be able to come and see and hug us.But maybe having an ICU nurse in the family changes your immediate perceptions somewhat at this particular time.So I make no apologies for feeling angry yesterday.

To be fair lots has been done to protect the elderly and the vunerable. Surely the whole lockdown has been done to prevent the loss of life The whole country has been in states of various rules for best part of a year decimating many businesses to a state of bankruptcy. People letting off steam in the open air is not the end of the world

Two very different aspects of the current awful situation. We can each only live our only lives as we see fit. Certainly many different interpretations of 'the rules' going on but I think we should put more effort into protecting ourselves than criticising each other. Seems to me the latter is causing unnecessary angst for many.

Mumofmadboys I very much agree with you.
We mustn't let the media and other trouble makers turn us against each other rather than focus on the wider issues.

I think it is unfair to say the folk who joined in the snowball fight wouldn't care about the elderly couple

I do understand the bad taste the Leeds snowball fight can leave after you've viewed the first images of the husband and wife. I know and accept the snowball fight is in breach of the covid rules, but in their defence, they are in the open air, I don't see any hugging or touching taking place and to be honest did we as very young adults fully consider older people? When Premiership football is considered to be above any sort of real restriction (said as an avid football fan, who watched every world cup match when her husband was working lol) can we really be surprised that many think ANY outdoor activity is acceptable? I'm keeping to every rule, recommendation etc but I can see many are reaching the end of their tether. I'm not saying this is right or even justified, but just acknowledging life as it is, not how we wish it was.

There is a video online of the snowball fight.
???

The trouble is, those kind of people just wouldn't care about the elderly couple anyway.