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Coronavirus

Grandparents don't have to socially distance now? Confused

(101 Posts)
Nannagram Fri 17-Jul-20 15:00:26

Has anyone seen Boris Johnson today saying that grandparents count as part of a bubble and so don't have to socially distance? He didn't seem too sure himself to be honest!

This is what he said in the briefing:
"I think your children’s grandparents would count as part of the bubble that you’re forming as it were within with two households indoors. So I think you’d be OK and you’d continue to be OK with those childcare arrangements within your household."

Link here

Nannagram Fri 17-Jul-20 15:00:49

Sorry link: www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/jul/17/uk-coronavirus-live-boris-johnson-3bn-plan-nhs-battle-ready-for-winter-second-wave

paddyanne Fri 17-Jul-20 15:06:53

under 12's dont have to socially distance in Scotland for the past two weeks ,my GC all went to visit their Great granny and get hugs,it was exactly what she needed ,she was getting very down especially about not seeing the baby .Over 12 still have to distance for now but can meet in larger groups outside

welbeck Fri 17-Jul-20 15:13:55

just now hearing laura from GN talking on the radio to sheila fogarty on lbc.
they are trying to make sense of boris and his bubbles.
maybe a new epithet to add to bungling blustering boris;
now we have bubbling boris.
is laura south african, i hear a slight accent /. sounds v young.

Nannagram Fri 17-Jul-20 15:59:34

Surely what Boris said goes against the current guidelines? I thought if two households met they had to sociallyy distance? Unless it was a single person forming a bubble with another household.

Ilovecheese Fri 17-Jul-20 15:59:37

Surely that would only be a bubble for one set of grandchildren. How on earth could anyone possibly choose which grandchildren to bubble with?

suziewoozie Fri 17-Jul-20 16:06:57

Johnson lies. Just remember that. All the time

FarNorth Fri 17-Jul-20 16:16:27

And says whatever comes into his head.

Riverwalk Fri 17-Jul-20 16:49:30

This is another illustration of how Johnson only likes the big picture - come on the stage and make a presentation of optimistic projections.

He seems not to know the most basic rules - yet we are to live by them.

He really is a disgrace of a PM.

Eloethan Fri 17-Jul-20 17:05:38

We've been seeing our grandchildren for about three weeks now. I've lost the plot with this anyway. If you see your grandchildren as part of a "bubble" then presumably your grandchildren should see only a very limited number of other people and children. I'm starting to think it's all a nonsense and that it is best to be very careful about washing hands and surfaces, be careful about food preparation and keep a safe distance both indoors and outdoors.

Risk can be reduced but not completely eliminated - unless you want to lead a totally solitary existence, never see your family and friends again except on Zoom and never go further than your back garden.

suziewoozie Fri 17-Jul-20 17:47:08

But with respect Eloe the point is that bloody lying lazy incompetent idiot didn’t give the official guidance - he lies and makes it up as he goes along. If he said today was Friday, I’d quadruple check my calendar.

EllanVannin Fri 17-Jul-20 18:01:59

Is this after Professor Sikora's speech in which he'd said that deaths from the virus had been added to other deaths of a patient who didn't have the virus, thus looking as though everyone had died from Covid when this isn't how it was ?

The figures aren't a true count and could be a lot less than those given .

Dorsetcupcake61 Fri 17-Jul-20 18:18:05

He sounded very uncertain during the briefing. The main objective is for those grandparents who provide childcare can do so to enable parents to work. Scientific advisors are all saying social distancing must continue for foreseeable future. The government are basically leaving it up to individuals whether that be workers, families or employers to make the best decisions they can. This is not easy. However ambiguous the government are Gov.UK cuts to the quick and recommends the basics of social distancing and what different groups need to do. It's worth checking it regularly for updates. Newspapers often distort news,a headline this afternoon said Boris says everyone back to work in August which is not what he said at all! All you can do is look at your own situation and health risks. A socially distanced visit or even cuddle depends on exposure of visiting family. That is also a very different scenario to the autumn and having close contact with school age childeren indoors for long periods of time. Sadly there are few real answers as no one really knows enough about the virus yet and what they do know is argued about as nauseam with the start of a lot of political mud slinging and evading responsibility.

growstuff Fri 17-Jul-20 19:43:23

EllanVannin

Is this after Professor Sikora's speech in which he'd said that deaths from the virus had been added to other deaths of a patient who didn't have the virus, thus looking as though everyone had died from Covid when this isn't how it was ?

The figures aren't a true count and could be a lot less than those given .

Professor Sikora is a fraud. He isn't a specialist virologist and he isn't even a proper professor, except of the university of which he is a director. People like him shouldn't be given any credence at all.

Lucca Fri 17-Jul-20 20:15:09

Eloethan

We've been seeing our grandchildren for about three weeks now. I've lost the plot with this anyway. If you see your grandchildren as part of a "bubble" then presumably your grandchildren should see only a very limited number of other people and children. I'm starting to think it's all a nonsense and that it is best to be very careful about washing hands and surfaces, be careful about food preparation and keep a safe distance both indoors and outdoors.

Risk can be reduced but not completely eliminated - unless you want to lead a totally solitary existence, never see your family and friends again except on Zoom and never go further than your back garden.

Exactly

maddyone Sat 18-Jul-20 00:13:21

I’m afraid I’ve become a bit confused with all the latest advice, because a lot of it seems conflicting. Also there is a big difference between what we are advised to do, or not do, and what we are legally allowed to do, or not do, as my lawyer son has patiently explained to me several times. Anyway, he is mostly working from home and can care for his seven year old child with the help of his partner, but not so for our daughter and her husband who are key workers. The school has said it will not provide key worker childcare and so we had little choice but to step back in and care for our six year old twin grandchildren. Their two year old brother can still go to his nursery so no problem there. Therefore for three days a week we are taking care of the twins. We do as much as possible outside, we are as careful as it is possible to be, so no kisses but we do cuddle them. We know there is risk, but as we’ve started to go out again, and our daughter had no childcare, we felt we had to get on with it. Luckily our area has a low incidence of infection at the moment.
I think we, as grandparents, need to assess the risk, and decide what is the best solution. This is our best solution, for our family. We started the childcare last week.

Teacheranne Sat 18-Jul-20 00:24:48

I use the Gvt webpage to get accurate information but am still confused by what I read there! One section says no more than 30 in a group outdoors but then it says only 6! But then someone explained that where the word "guidelines" are used, that is a law and when police can fine people but the word "advise" is not a law, just a recommendation! Still confusing though and I think most people were prefer clearer guidance which they can follow.

janipat Sat 18-Jul-20 00:39:35

Well I give up! Saw my police son recently, did a "hold your breath" hug. Don't actually care what the shifting sands "experts" say as it changes like the wind.

ElaineI Sat 18-Jul-20 01:20:35

Just move to Scotland or Wales or N.Ireland - much clearer and seems to be working. Is there not a saying "reap what you sew" - origins from the Bible I believe. Whoever voted Boris in - obviously the majority of English voters given the results in GE - apologies to those that didn't but you could move house - they will have to abide by his bumbling advice! As for items from EU going up in price, less workers on farms, care homes, low paid jobs - OK not this thread but similar reasons - well what did you expect to happen? Look at the results of the Brexit vote. The one unexpected consequence of the pandemic is that it has divided the UK more than anyone could have predicted and it is interesting that countries that have made more progress in reducing deaths and R rate are governed by female heads of state. I wonder why? I do realise there are 3 separate issues here but it is late and 2yo DGS2 has gone home for the weekend so we won't be woken before 7 this morning. 3yo and 6yo staying tonight (Sat) and they are up at 6 so early bed tonight I think.

hondagirl Sat 18-Jul-20 07:56:23

Hmm, I think everyone needs to use their common sense and make their own decisions, within the law of course. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

TwoWolves Sat 18-Jul-20 09:45:33

I heard that grandparents can resume (grand)childcare duties, so I assume that means they don't have to socially distance from their families.

Harris27 Sat 18-Jul-20 09:50:10

Seeing our grandchildren now in their houses mostly still in the garden haven’t a clue the rights and wrongs anymore just using common sense like Boris says he’s so blindly confusing go out stay in go to work don’t go to work!,,

Gingergirl Sat 18-Jul-20 09:53:40

My interpretation is that the bubble he referred to would only be that formed with a lone grandparent, some weeks ago. Otherwise, in England, social distancing indoors still applies. He either didn’t know or was trying to avoid saying that grandparents couldn’t provide childcare to enable children to work. This distancing thing does provide problems. We are about to decline havjng our family to stay, with two toddlers. We can and have seen them in a day but they are quite a way away. They want to come for a week but we feel we would be all up too close and personal! They won’t like it and it’s frustrating when the advice in Scotland for example is quite different. We are trying to adhere to the guidelines so that if anyone did become unwell, there would be no regrets felt about what we’d done-but everyone makes their own decision I guess.

chattykathy Sat 18-Jul-20 09:57:07

TwoWolves that's what BJ said but it's not the official guidance. He's a big picture man he doesn't worry himself with details.

Danma Sat 18-Jul-20 09:57:42

I live on my own and so have formed a bubble with my son and his family so I can look after the grandchildren when their parents are at work.
Therefore we are classed as one household - so far, so good!

However, my grandson’s nursery won’t allow me to collect him at lunchtime as they are saying it’s only parents. My DIL has to come out of work for 15 mins, pick him up and bring him to me at their house. This is very upsetting for my little grandson ?