Getting really demoralised now with the Social Distancing thing.

welshbabe88

I can empathise - we've not really left the house for 13 weeks now  (have food delivered with Tesco) - I have CFS and hubby has asthma and other problems.  I even hate delivery men knocking the door now - in case they expect me to answer - had one this morning who was waiting for me to open the door.  If everyone kept to the 2 metre rule and we could rely on them it would be different.  But we have a lane by our house and its not really safe to even go out there as you don't know who you'll meet or if they'd keep away - its making me quite neurotic and even feel I may need a mask in the garden in case someone pops along the lane..

pollyanna_26

welshbabe88 said:

I can empathise - we've not really left the house for 13 weeks now  (have food delivered with Tesco) - I have CFS and hubby has asthma and other problems.  I even hate delivery men knocking the door now - in case they expect me to answer - had one this morning who was waiting for me to open the door.  If everyone kept to the 2 metre rule and we could rely on them it would be different.  But we have a lane by our house and its not really safe to even go out there as you don't know who you'll meet or if they'd keep away - its making me quite neurotic and even feel I may need a mask in the garden in case someone pops along the lane..

It's important not to view yourself as neurotic. You are taking the right precautions in in difficult times. Wherever possible guard your mental health and be guided by your instincts. I hope you both have GP support although I'm aware many feel cast adrift at the moment. My dd is immune supressed and she and our GPs spent quite some time on the phone yesterday debating whether to bring in an oral steroid this month. The nurse visited to do her regular full bloods and her results were much worse than usual.

She's been flaring since early March and GP is worried her joints will be damaged further if nothing is done. The steroid will lower her immune system further on a temporary basis adding to the risk of infection but they agreed to go ahead with the steroid as she is not going outdoors and therefore at less risk of infection.

Ironically having multi long term health conditions has prepared  her in a way for staying at home. It's always been a case of choosing our battles during flu, noravirus and other outbreaks. Normally our GP sees her face to face every 2 weeks but there have been times especially during epidemics he's done a phone appt instead and sent the prescriptions through to the phaarmacy.

Best wishes to you both. Many times over the years I've said to my dd "This too shall pass" It will pass at some point until then take care.

pollyx

Dymphna60

We are all going to have our own thoughts on this . 

For those that have shielding conditions it is different than for the rest of us . I have an adult child who falls into the extremely vulnerable group and of course I am anxious about him , he lives in a house share and that’s a worry but he is busy working from home which is good . 

I have to agree with those that advice look at the minimum amount of news you need to . 

If you are among those that have chosen to never/ barely leave your house it is easy to believe that things are much worse out there than you think . 

I am another one who lives by the sea . At first it was very very quiet. Then more people started to come and that did at first make me nervous but logically a lot of seaside towns have a lot of space . Wide promenades , long beaches plenty of space to keep apart . Most folk are just ordinary people like me who ‘ need ‘ to get out . 

Yes on the Bank holiday there were big crowds of idiots drunk and behaving badly , the police were having a hard time controlling them . 

So it was a quick walk close to home for me . 

Every day I see groups drinking and not socially distancing but it’s easy to avoid them . 

I don’t take Covid lightly but we still have to live . 

It is unfortunate that we have a Prime Minister that I wouldn’t trust to hold my handbag when I went to the toilet never mind lead the country during the biggest crisis in my life time so like many I look at the infection rate think what can I do to not get it / spread it and go with that . 

Wishing everyone well. 

calleyw

Being outside is less of a risk then being cooped up in a building or even a room with others.  Its all about airflow, distance and time spent in contact with an infected person.  This article explains it better than i can https://www.wired.co.uk/article/coronavirus-outdoor-risk

I still stay well away from people.  But it seems that 2m distancing in becoming a thing of distance memory already.  This morning on the way back home with the dog, I was at least a 3rd in to a fenced alley.  So no where to go apart from back or forwards.  A young woman stopped at the far entrance looked at me then just headed straight towards me.  i beat quick retreat to where I had just come from.  Its not the first time and doubt it will be the last time I have to deal with people like this. Its about manners.  I don't care what you do around friends and family but when in public have respect that others still want to social distance.  I am carer for someone shielding hence why I don't go to the shops and stay away from others.

I think you just have to let others get on with it unless they cross your path and you deal with it the best way possible.

Everyone take care and stay safe

Yours

Calley x

onwards&upwards

welshbabe88 said:

I can empathise - we've not really left the house for 13 weeks now  (have food delivered with Tesco) - I have CFS and hubby has asthma and other problems.  I even hate delivery men knocking the door now - in case they expect me to answer - had one this morning who was waiting for me to open the door.  If everyone kept to the 2 metre rule and we could rely on them it would be different.  But we have a lane by our house and its not really safe to even go out there as you don't know who you'll meet or if they'd keep away - its making me quite neurotic and even feel I may need a mask in the garden in case someone pops along the lane..

 
I think perhaps you are getting a bit too worried.  

Somebody walking down the lane along your boundary is not really a risk to you, they will be facing away from you, moving past quickly and they will be outdoors.  All of those are factors that will massively reduce any chance of transmission. 

You don't need to wear a mask in your own garden.  That isn't necessary to protect you from the virus (masks are more to protect others anyway rather than the person wearing one) and I think the effect on your mental health would be a more serious risk to take right now. 

Maybe its time to start venturing out a little bit, safely, or having someone you trust come to visit in your garden, before it all gets to feel too daunting and overwhelming?

Spendless

About a week or so ago I took our 14month old dog for a walk at the small park near our house. As I walked on the other side was a dalmation with their owner, not on a lead. Dalmation ran over and started to play with mine who was on an extendable lead. Dalmation wasn't very tall and was playful, so guessing they were also a young dog. Owner kept calling the dog to return. It ignored her, regardless of whether I stood still or continued walking. Owner started shouting at the dog the kind of things you say to a small child  such as Right, I'm going home without you, I don't need this. Dalmation unsurprisingly ignored her. I shout to owner I will continue to walk in her direction so her dog comes closer to her. I  was thinking  i would return to her at that point. Owner doesn't reply to me that time, nor any of the other couple of times I call to her.

Eventually I get up to the exit she's at. At this point I'm a good 10-12ft away. She backs further away a good 20ft or more  by some garages and close to the nearest road. I see she's in a nurses/carers uniform. She shouts to me (the first thing she's said) "I can't come near". I reply to her that I understand that and I've no intention of coming within 2metres of her, I thought she'd be able to get her dog back this way. She still doesn't answer me. I stand and pause a few minutes thinking she'll suggest to me what to do for her to retrieve her dog. She doesn't. Eventually I walk away with my dog saying to her 'I'll leave you to sort it out then' Again no response. As I continue my walk with the dalmation still running round, I get closer to the place I walked in at. My house is on this street. I start really worrying about the dalmation following us who in a few minutes will be on a residential street. The owner is still at the opposite end of the park near the garages. I decide to pick my dog up wondering if me removing him as playmate would work. After a few steps it did and dalmation returned to owner. If people are so frightened that they daren't speak to someone from a well over 2m away and daren't be 4metres away from a stranger either, I am wondering how long this will continue for. 

welshbabe88

calleyw said:

 This morning on the way back home with the dog, I was at least a 3rd in to a fenced alley.  So no where to go apart from back or forwards.  A young woman stopped at the far entrance looked at me then just headed straight towards me.  i beat quick retreat to where I had just come from.  Its not the first time and doubt it will be the last time I have to deal with people like this. Its about manners.  

I think you just have to let others get on with it unless they cross your path and you deal with it the best way possible.

Agree you did the right thing.  But its so exhausting if we have to be constantly vigilant of what others are doing - thats why I'd really rather just not bother to interact with anyone - if I have to keep watching the distance between us all the time - and then don't want to be offending friends by telling them to stay back and looking paranoid.

calleyw

welshbabe88 said:

Agree you did the right thing.  But its so exhausting if we have to be constantly vigilant of what others are doing - thats why I'd really rather just not bother to interact with anyone - if I have to keep watching the distance between us all the time - and then don't want to be offending friends by telling them to stay back and looking paranoid.

Welshbabe88, It is exhausting and hard work watching out for everyone else. I have no choice I have a dog to walk and the place I walk him is about 5 mins from house. And hence why I got out early and later to avoid this type of thing.  The other option to avoid these alleys there are 3 of them to get from one side of the estate to the other.  Is a long walk around or take on the car round.  Which does the car no good.

Everyone has to do what work bests for them.  if not the for the dog I would probably not go at all.  Its about doing what works for you and doing your best.

Yours

Calley x

gettingtheresometime

maman said:

onwards&upwards said:

  We all have to learn to live with it, and that means some restrictions but not so many that mental health suffers excessively, or that people can't tolerate it anymore and do whatever they want.  

 In England, I've noticed that the ignoring of social distancing and other advice/laws has worsened in the past week or so. I'd agree there is a number of people who just feel they can't cope with lockdown any more but I think it's more a s*d it attitude because of the government's mixed messages and lack of clarity. We're moving right away from 'the science' and into political spin.  In the past week we've had the ability to meet more friend/family , markets and car showrooms opening, schools opening with the promise of more, a 'world class' track and trace programme begun overnight, the promise of dentists amd more shops and even possible English holidays when the school holidays start.  The worst thing IMO was texting vulnerable, sheilded people on Saturday night to tell them they could come out of lockdown on Monday with no clinical explanation or forewarning GPs. I'm sure this has all been done to act as a smokescreen for the Dominci Cummings fiasco. 

So, I'm not worried. I'm angry at being treated like a mug.

This is bucket loads.

I'm angry because every policy now regarding this situation is about saving political face not public health. 

As was said in an episode of Blackadder, 'it started off badly, tailed off in the middle and the least said about the ending the better. But apart from that, it went excellent.'

Personally I'm done with social distancing....I will respect the guidelines when out as my choices are not everyone else's but other than that I'll use my own instincts.

NeilCr

I found the chart in this link quite reassuring

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-the-uks-current-covid-19-hotspots-and-how-your-area-compares-11999237

It shows the number of new cases in your area. In my location it's two in the last week. That's not to say I don't think we should have social distancing etc but it does put things into perspective somewhat