New UK Government policy paper 'Staying alert and safe (social distancing)' 11th May 2020

worldtraveller

Following on from the PM's broadcast of yesterday the UK Government Cabinet Office has just published 'Staying alert and safe (social distancing)':

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing

Includes FAQ's 'What you can and can't do', updated to include the changes from this Wednesday 13th May:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government's COVID19 recovery strategy:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy

Gonna-be-debt-free

From a quick skim through, it's not actually a massive leap.  Not hugely different from the past few weeks.  

There is not a lot of difference between "stay home unless you have to go to work" and "go to work unless you can work from home".  A bit more leeway with exercise and meeting people outdoors, but was that much difference to what was already happening in practice when you were out on your daily exercise and happened to see the neighbours and stopped for a brief chat across the width of the road.  Even going to a shop to "to collect goods ordered online or on the phone" - in practice I think a lot of people were already doing that.

Have they really just updated the guidelines to reflect the reality of what people were doing?

[Deleted User]

Yes, I agree, they probably have.
I do think it's time we, the public, start taking responsibility for our own actions, the government can't lead everyone by the nose any more; we need to start resuming our lives and being mindful of our actions and with baby steps we can move forward, those that are in the 'flouting' category can live in their little world whilst the mindful and respectful lot can live in ours.

Jeremy535897

I think the link to the regulations is wrong. It goes to http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/129/contents/made when it presumably means http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/made This does not seem to have changed?

Thrugelmir

Many people were doing these things in a responsible manner already. Impossible to police at a local level. No doubt the police were being inundated with petty curtain twitching. 

If the National Trust is able to reopen their car parks, gardens. estates etc. Will be a major boost to peoples mental health. 

poppy12345

I still think there's a lot of questions that still need answers. Boris has confused so many people.

I also don't understand the part where you can meet 1 person of another household providing you keep 2 meters apart but can't go to their house, even if that person of another household doesn't go out.

My daughter has a learning disability and ASD. She doesn't understand why she can no longer see her older sister. The person that she trusts most in the world and she's suffering massively because of this. We are adults and i think it's about time they allowed us to at least see immediate family, parents/children/grand children for eg.

neilmcl

Gonna-be-debt-free said:

From a quick skim through, it's not actually a massive leap.  Not hugely different from the past few weeks.  

There is not a lot of difference between "stay home unless you have to go to work" and "go to work unless you can work from home".  A bit more leeway with exercise and meeting people outdoors, but was that much difference to what was already happening in practice when you were out on your daily exercise and happened to see the neighbours and stopped for a brief chat across the width of the road.  Even going to a shop to "to collect goods ordered online or on the phone" - in practice I think a lot of people were already doing that.

Have they really just updated the guidelines to reflect the reality of what people were doing?

Only because the public have generally started to ease lockdown on their own over the past few weeks and the police have been relatively unable to enforce the restrictions.

I would agree it seems that they have updated their advice to reflect the new reality. One thing I do think is mistake is to allow for unlimited travel to areas for outdoor activity, we all know as soon as there's a nice couple of days forecast we're going to see scenes on TV again of the beauty spots, seaside towns etc  getting rammed and the govermnet will have to change the advice yet again.

Andy_L

poppy12345 said:

I still think there's a lot of questions that still need answers. Boris has confused so many people.

I also don't understand the part where you can meet 1 person of another household providing you keep 2 meters apart but can't go to their house, even if that person of another household doesn't go out.

My daughter has a learning disability and ASD. She doesn't understand why she can no longer see her older sister. The person that she trusts most in the world and she's suffering massively because of this. We are adults and i think it's about time they allowed us to at least see immediate family, parents/children/grand children for eg.

I guess it's still banned because, if they are asymptomatic, their house is going to be saturated in virus & thus very hard to avoid contact compared to meeting them on "neutral ground"

Galloglass

Look for the "must" phrases as they are key. The "should" phases are less important.

Social distancing guidance on public transport must be followed rigorously. 

 or

 This increased mobility means the Government is now advising that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible

 So no masks on the underground as you'll be distanced by "guidance"

So it's all clear then. Follow the guidance and there will be no issues.

neilmcl

Catsacor said:

Yes, I agree, they probably have.
I do think it's time we, the public, start taking responsibility for our own actions, the government can't lead everyone by the nose any more; we need to start resuming our lives and being mindful of our actions and with baby steps we can move forward, those that are in the 'flouting' category can live in their little world whilst the mindful and respectful lot can live in ours.

Unfortunately they tried that at the beginning and we (the public as a whole) couldn't behave in the correct way.

Thrugelmir

poppy12345 said:

I also don't understand the part where you can meet 1 person of another household providing you keep 2 meters apart but can't go to their house, even if that person of another household doesn't go out. 

Do you think that peoples comprehesion skills will cope of all the permutations of housing that exist in this country?  Judging by events today appears highly questionable. 

Chances of catching the virus outdoors based on research from China suggests it's minimal. Providing SD is maintained. A very straightforward message. No confusion.