This 'vulnerable' label ----

Many people are doing exactly as they are told which is a good thing. Also many young people are behaving in good ways.
There are still plenty of people taking risks in several of the age groups neither be it old or young.

I took my dog on my exercise time and walked on the grassy field along near the tennis courts. In one tennis court two people were playing tennis. In the second tennis court a group of young boys (maybe 14- 16 years old) were all grouped together with three of them sitting on the bench shoulder to shoulder and the other four standing close together. From the loud banter they were engaged in Most of the language consisted of F---- this and F- that and quite expletive. I made my exit out of the grass area as I felt somewhat intimidated and I am surprised the two other tennis players carried on regardless.
I have seen no patrolling police cars or those community police on the bikes for at least 2 weeks or more where have they all gone?

E.g. holland and barrett staff say it is impossible to do social distancing in their store layouts, and people are still coming in for frivolous things like essential oils. They are upset that they are being put at risk daily for this.

I wonder if people would still find those items so "essential" if it was their loved ones having to stand in those narrow shops all day.

It seems that every frivolous purchase at the moment is justified as "mental health" but I havent seen a single psychologist or psychiatrist suggest buying more new stuff as a coping strategy!

The economic well-being of the country is also shot to hell atm. We have to try and ensure that businesses are kept afloat so that they’re still there when this is over. This is a balancing act for the government and us all. People like myself who are in isolation for 12 weeks cannot just sit on the sofa clutching a remote control for 84 days, We can’t even go out for a walk, god only knows how those in flats with no outdoor space are coping. I’m walking round in circles in my modest sized garden and it’s far from ideal. As a child in the 50s I was in hospital for some time - we had occupational therapists to provide us with craft activities. These activities have long been seen as necessary for mental well-being ..... all those jokes about basket weaving aside, we all need stimulus and a sense of achievement. I’m sure that Amazon and other online retailers are taking all the precautions they can for their staff, it’s in their own best interest to keep a healthy workforce. Anyway have you ever seen inside an Amazon warehouse? They’re so enormous that you’d be lucky (or unlucky) to meet anyone!

Well, a lot depends on how 'frivolous' is defined here. I'm not psychologist, but even I can see that some people cope by doing things that require supplies. Occupational therapy has always involved things like knitting, painting, even basket weaving.

Also, a lot of delivery men and women are not on substantive contracts, and fall into that gap between employed and self-employed, so will get neither the help given to self-employed people nor the 80% of salary given to furloughed employees. If nobody orders online, they would have no income and no support from the state, as well as owing money on their vans and hand-held devices (see Ken Loach's Sorry We Missed You).
Collecting parcels from a depot can be done safely, and spending the shift in a van on their own, leaving parcels on doorsteps is not going to put the drivers at significant risk if they observe social distancing.

Regarding the way in which people are spending their time out of doors - if (and only if) they observe the 2m social distance, I can see no issue with them sitting on the grass, particularly if they suffer from SAD or a vitamin D deficiency. At least they are easy to avoid, unlike joggers or cyclists on pavements.

If we all concentrate on doing what we can to keep ourselves and others safe, and use less mental energy on picking fault with how we perceive that others are falling short, we might get through this a bit more easily.

Our local FB site has put on one or two photos of boys congregating with their bikes with faces not visible. Their parents and people who knew them would still recognise them though. (Their parents probably thought they were responsibly exercising on their bikes.) It does seem to have stopped it!

Sorry, I cross-posted with you, Katek. I wasn't ignoring your points .

But these businesses that are still are overrun not going under so youre not doing some altruistic deed by ordering extras.

Social distancing is not possible when they are overrun. Its hard enough to achieve in a busy warehouse/shop as it is without all of the extras.

Internet orders are UP four fold for some of these companies.

I’m sure that Amazon and other online retailers are taking all the precautions they can for their staff

An amazon warehouse had to shut because CV19 was spreading there. In other warehouses staff are walking out or getting fired for refusing to work unsafely.

Postal unions are saying that social distancing is impossible with the huge increase in demand

Got my Downing Street letter this morning---nothing special as it involves everyone not just the vulnerable etc. It's not something we don't already know and would have been best done at the beginning of the spread, but hey-ho, still adhering to the rules.

As you said Katek, we have garden space, which at a time like this with the sun belting down is a godsend and I too feel for those who haven't got this necessity for children and a garden is vital when you have children.

Most occupational therapists are great recyclers and a lot of their activities involve household items not running out for brand new craft kits. .

I very much doubt that Amazon is doing all it can for its staff.

I have no idea which businesses are over-run, but it is easy to order from small companies who would otherwise struggle. If you are talking about supermarkets, yes, they are very busy, but it is the only way that some people (those without cars, or who have conditions that mean they are staying indoors, or all sorts of other groups) can get a decent variety of groceries.

I have no insider info (do you?) but can see that the Royal Mail and Parcel Force are probably operating in difficult circumstances, and that sorting offices etc will not be places where it is easy to observe social distancing.

Maybe companies should be making it clearer which delivery services they are using, so that people can factor that in to their decisions whether or not to buy.

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/25/uk-postal-workers-plea-for-limit-to-non-essential-deliveries-royal-mail-coronavirus

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-52139917

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/coronavirus-amazon-warehouse-workers-fear-safety-demand

www.mirror.co.uk/money/amazon-worker-says-coronavirus-spreading-21760050

"An Amazon warehouse employee has described his workplace as a "living hell" as staff work around the clock to deliver goods to homes trapped in lockdown.

The staff member, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Mirror Money he is worried about the working conditions amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"The country has been told Amazon will continue to stay open to provide their customers with essential items," he explained.

But staff are working on more than just essentials, he added.

"We are selling the same usual stuff we would do normally with a large increase in things like garden equipment (lawnmowers, hedge trimmers and chainsaws)."

And that meant he felt his employer was putting him at risk of infection for non-essential items."

He said that while in theory, measures have been introduced, many are not practical.

"Whilst queueing for the clock in machine, we have to stand closer than one metre," he said.

"Whilst working, it is impossible to be more than one metre away.

"You can be placed on either the role of a 'Slammer' or 'Taper' which results in you being at the end of a conveyor belt. Each belt has up to eight 'packers' sending boxes down.

"By this point, these items have already come into contact with various workers, greatly increasing their risk of contamination.

"There has already been a large number of people sick, yet management refuses to close it down.

"The company has become a living hell to work for."

"A Holland & Barrett worker - who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job - told the BBC : "Holland & Barrett is putting our lives in danger with the pursuit of profit over life.

"The general atmosphere is one of fear and stress with a lot of our workers and colleagues quite frightened to speak their minds."

They said: "We do not sell essentials and have people coming in to purchase flapjacks and sticks of liquorice, hardly an essential purchase."

In many of the shops, they said: "It is almost practically impossible to maintain social distancing, as the aisles are very short width and when we have to deal with customer queries, they do not respect the boundaries"

www.mirror.co.uk/money/coronavirus-holland--barrett-staff-21832062

notanan If you post a link please give a brief summary of its contents in your post.

I agree with all you say about those at work. So far you haven't made a single remark that suggests that you have any sympathy for those whose mental states will be affected by this shut down.

I might add, having shopped in Holland and Barrett recently. They have so few staff in their shops and wide counters that I am surprised there is a problem. I do not think I have ever been within 2 metres of an H&B staff memeber, even before the Covid emergency.

While I know that many retail and warehouse staff have good grounds for grievance, it does not follow that everyone does.

And you have still not said anything about a solution. At least I have admitted I do not know what the solution is.

Look at the danger medical staff are in. Perhaps they should down tools and self exclude.

Its not unsympathetic to say that if its not something you would risk you or yours for, then it is not enough of a "need" to you to justify others risking themselves to get it to you. Thats a pretty sound rule of thumb to distinguish a want from a need, because peoples needs are different.

Its also not unsympathetic to say that buying more new stuff is not likely the answer to a mental health crisis.

You can draw with any pen and paper you dont need to order 5 "mindfulness colouring books"

If you are a knitter, you'll have scraps, you can unwind an old sweater, you dont need brand new yarn.

You can prep your decorating projects you dont need the new paint to get working

You can garden with your hands

Nobody is saying dont do mindful productive things. But you do not need to ram and break warehouse/shop staff to do so

If you have a need. Buy it.
Just assess carefully how much of a need it is before making someone else risk themselves to get it to you.

People at work ARE willing to work to bring you your "needs". But the public is taking the p*ss

notanan2 - I’m not prepared to get into a war of words with you, I have enough to contend with. What I will say is that it’s very easy to take the moral high ground when you’re not walking in someone else’s shoes.

That’s all.
Finis