I'm a little speechless!

It doesn’t surprise me, perhaps she felt she was being sensible, in that she’d had a good life, and if it was her turn, then so be it. Obviously forgetting or overlooking the fact that she could have made it the “ turn” for many others as well.

Most people recover from the virus, but there’s no cure for stupidity.

No thought for the hard pressed medical services who will have to care for her.

Devil's advocating again:

If this lady, Chris, had not been in contact with people other than her husband in the week before she went shopping to Asda on the Saturday, and if she kept her distance from people while shopping and while going for a stroll and while sitting on the beach, and if her friend had also been effectively isolated but they both agreed that if they, by some remote chance, gave the virus to each other.... if all this.... what had she, or her friend, done wrong?

...gave the virus to each other but that was okay

Unbelievable! What is wrong with these people? I think the police should have the power to arrest them on the spot and issue a huge fine. A night in the cells might make them change their minds.

Risky behaviours we tend to disapprove of:

drunk driving
having unprotected sex
doing motorbike wheelies
spitting in public
not wearing a seat belt
vandalism
wife beating
etc.
(many more I'm sure)

How is this different?

Yet I keep hearing excuses, 'reasons' to break the rules:

But I always babysit
I already planned to..
I can't stay in much
We meet on Fridays
Nobody will notice
It won't make a difference
Can't just do nothing
Only popped in for ten minutes
It's only a £30 fine
We all train together
(last but not least)
I've got a pub in my garden - all welcome!

What's wrong with people - anyone?

Hetty, they are selfish people who are used to getting what they want.

They’ve taught their children and grand children the same attitude.

The people I see respecting this the most are those in their 30s/40s/50s.

The ones with the most to lose financially. It’s incomprehensible.

Can’t believe how stupid and selfish people can be. It’s not a case of “If I get it I get It”. You will not just risk losing your own life but people you have been in contact with and medical staff who treat you. That is tantamount to murdering other people. It is no fun to isolate. We miss our family terribly. But I would rather do this for however long it takes than risks lives by being selfish. This is not like World War 2. This is a war where we are the enemy to our fellow countrymen by not staying in and risking infecting other people.Why don’t people understand?

There is a clip on Twitter of a man in a crowded tube train pulling down his mask, licking his hand and rubbing it up and down deliberately on the handrail by the door. Barring mental health problems, I cannot think of any reason why anyone would dream of doing this?

I spoke to my nephew who lives in the west Midlands. One of his co workers said the Coronavirus was made up to stop people having fun. He went blastic . Stupid people like this are why it's spreading like it is. Near to where he lives the police have close down pubs breaking the no opening rules. Some people are going round with blinkers on they need them ripping off. I like many are in isolation because I have health problems and need to protect myself. Have enough supplies in for 3 weeks.
Stay safe everyone.

A friend of mine daren't even go out for essential supplies as her DH is just recovering from intensive cancer treatment and also has a lung condition.They are in total lockdown,She is just praying everyone will follow the instructions.So that this is over as soon as possible.At least we can go out with our dog,check on my housebound mum and go food shopping when we absolutely must.
Then today I hear that her next door neighbour is out landscaping the garden -with her 70 year old father and his brother coming over to help.And DD and boyfriend keep popping in - because they would miss them otherwise.So selfish.

It is inevitable that some people in caring roles will have to go into the homes of those who are vulnerable - it is far from ideal, but that is how it is. It carries a risk.

But those who do not have to be visiting vulnerable people should not be doing so. Why compound the risk?

There will be cussed awkward people who will refuse to take this seriously. It was ever thus. All we can do is to stick to the guidelines.

I’ve given this a lot of thought because a couple of friends are being reckless/stupid. I think people decide they want to do something, then justify it so that they are actually making up their own rules. E.g, a friend who lives a mile away offered me some space in her garden rubbish bin because I have so much. I declined because it would be breaking the rules. She replied But you are allowed to go out if you don’t have contact with anyone. Maybe it was me that was wrong. But I’m going nowhere.

I think this woman seemed not to understand the severity of the situation.

She may well be right that most of the population will get the virus. I believe it has been reported there is already a real possibility that something like fifty per cent of the population has had or is currently suffering from the virus. I think the point she is missing is that, even though that may be true, if nothing is done to try and stop the unusual speed of transmission there will be many more people who die from a more severe form of the virus than if it is slowed down using these various measures introduced.

Doctors are already saying they are having to make difficult decisions regarding who is "most suitable" for ventilation. If thousands of people are presenting at hospital at the same time, with severe breathing difficulties, there will not be enough ventilators to keep all of them alive.

I think perhaps the presenter, instead of shouting about how irresponsible she was, could have presented her with the facts. Perhaps he could have explained the point re speed of transmission and its implications. He could have said that whilst she would usually be at liberty to forego, or take risks with, her own life, she did not have the right to, by her own behaviour, impose that risk on other people - whatever their age may be.

I agree with the other posters and am not going to repeat them.

Baggs Coming back to your point …

It's incredibly difficult for people to self-isolate 100%. Even if people intend to stay away from others, there will always be slip ups.

Let's imagine that only one of those old ladies is infected, but passes it on to the other.

What would happen, if the newly infected lady had fallen over in the street and twisted an ankle? I think somebody would probably go to help her and could risk catching the virus, which wouldn't have happened if the first lady hadn't given it to her.

That's why every single case of infection which is prevented stops thousands of other people from being infected and, possibly, killed.

I was shocked and saddened when I heard it. It is stupid people like her that will bring the world to its knees and they just cannot see it. I’m glad to self isolate along with my husband and youngest son. I haven’t seen my other children or grandchildren as they are staying safe in their own homes. I just hope people like her don’t cross my path. Stay safe. X

It is interesting that the cat analogy made that particular person sit up and think, rather than the human factor. There is obviously truth in the saying that common sense is not that common.

I don't think anyone is taking this seriously. I just need to look at my own town centre and no one has a clue about social distancing. I was trying to keep my distance from a lady in the queue for the Post Office to no àvail. Kept moving closer to me, when I said sorry, we have to keep our distance from each other, she looked at me like I was daft.

I agree that this is not being taking seriously. I have a pending complaint about a pair of glasses with my optician. They rang yesterday and told me to pop in and pick out a new pair. I explained that I was socially distancing and didn’t think it was a good idea. The response was, “it’s up to you, we are here from 9 to 5 call in when you want”. How can you be 6 feet away while having glasses fitted?

Further to what my nephew told. I was speaking to a friend who lives in the Midlands .I moved from there last year. She hasn't been watching the news or listening to the radio. Last week she went out every day. I got very cross with her casual attitude we are good friends so I could tell her off. As I pointed out there are rules in place now not just for her protection but everyone else. She has promised to stay in and will start watching the news. She has a lot of relatives in Italy. They have been telling her what has been going on but still she was going on as normal. She didn't realise how many countries it had effected do far. Point it's not any one age group adopting this casual attitude it's a cross the board. Unfortunately it's not this type of person who will get it and if they do they will only have mild symptoms. Always thought the main problem in the world was greed it's also selfishness.

All you sensible people out there hope you are safe and stay well.

growstuff Good post.

Thank you Baggs :-)

growstuff the 18 yearld had a severe underlying health condition. I believe he had cystic fibrosis, that presents mainly as a lung disease.

People with cystic fibrosis are on the list of people getting the NHS letters instructing them not to leave the house or have any personal contact with anyone else.

I didn't realise that. Presumably he/she was infected a couple of weeks ago, when instructions for self-isolation weren't so strict. Unfortunately, we're going to see a steep rise in the next few weeks of people who were infected by people who didn't even know they were infected themselves.