Covid-19

[sally maclennane]

Would the test give you the ability to swerve the quarantine though, Del? I thought quarantine tended to be all encompassing ie we don't care what tests your own country did, we're not letting you in until we're satisfied that you're clear.

[Marth]

I'm intrigued about the demographic difference. What are we talking here? The middle classes and the proletariat?

Scotland seems to be moving forward with listing their restrictions and are allowing households to meet outside instead of just one person. That makes sense to me.

[Squirrel]

I would definitely send my kids back to school as i believe I’ve probably had the virus so by extension they probably have too. BUT, it would cost £400 to test us all and they’re not invited back yet, so... blah blah. I don’t know what that says about me?!

[Ella77]

My theory is that those with children in fee-paying schools would be more likely to keep them home. Am I close? My friend is enjoying the 30% rebate.

[emma_p]

School have just sent a pretty thorough and reassuring email to early years parents. They’re doing videos to the kids over half term to help prepare them.

I am very interested in the antibody test - it would be reassuring to find out if we had it. I think I read that they think 15% of Londoners have had it so given the stats and symptoms it does seem likely. I imagine S might be offered a test - at the back of the key worker queue I hope after NHS, teachers, supermarket staff and others actually in the front line.

[smalex]

The one person meeting instead of meeting another household just makes no sense whatsoever. I mean cap it at 6 or something in case you get two large families I guess, but why my mum and dad could go to the park, or I could meet my mum at the park or I could meet my dad, but not both simultaneously defies all logic.

[emma_p]

Scotland seems to be moving forward with listing their restrictions and are allowing households to meet outside instead of just one person. That makes sense to me.

Judging by the people out on Wimbledon Common last weekend, it seems to be what most people are already doing here. We were definitely in the minority having our single family walk.

[sally maclennane]

I'm intrigued about the demographic difference. What are we talking here? The middle classes and the proletariat?

Scotland seems to be moving forward with listing their restrictions and are allowing households to meet outside instead of just one person. That makes sense to me.

Its also different households which is good as it means I could meet my mum today, and my brother tomorrow but not all at the same time. It all has to be outside which is a bit trickier as its then weather dependent and obviously Scotland is not known for fine weather! I still think its tge right way to go though and seems to follow a logical plan. It seems like they've copied Ireand which makes sense as we are similar sized countries with similar population distribution although they have had fewer cases.

I also saw something on Twitter that said Nicola Sturgeon had done 59 press briefings since lockdown, Boris Johnson had done 4 :woteva: Even allowing for his illness, thats a pretty poor show. Lazy bastard.

[Rosa]

It's ridiculous. The guidance in Scotland, where two households can meet outdoors while keeping a distance, seems no more risky but makes much more sense.

[Ella77]

I saw two couples having a picnic on the shore in front of my building the other evening. They greeted each other excitedly so I doubt they all live together. They sat really close to each other for ages. Still, whatever nasties are in the Thames water will probably get them first!

[smalex]

Teenagers have definitely abandoned all pretence of social distancing around here. Theres a (fenced) off astroturf pitch adjacent to the park near us and the lure of it is evidently just too great. There was about 20 of them in there the other day (the fence is about 10ft tall too, it's so hairy seeing them clamber over!

[Mountain Goat]

The vagueness and lack of logic (if you meet one person out of a household, why not the rest of them? If you give it to one of them they're going home and passing it round the others anyway) just seems to mean people are making up their own rules based on what seems sensible to them. Which is sometimes more sensible than the government, and sometimes less. I think a few houses down had people over the other evening - there's a fair few people living there anyway (adult children) so the noise could have been just family but from snippets of conversation I heard I suspect not. I can't really blame them to be honest.

The antibody test I think isn't massively reliable? I could be wrong/out of date on that. I'd be interested to see if I had had it, but not necessarily confident enough in its veracity to go about hugging people.

[smalex]

I really agree with that. I also think people really needed some let up on the social side, because that's what most people find the most difficult to live with, so along with vague rules which didn't make sense (get your cleaner back before your mum can come round, go back to work please, oh and remind your 4yr old to be socially distant when you drop them off at school), and being told to use their common sense, they've filled in the blanks with the thing they crave the most- seeing their family/close friends.

I can't claim I'm any different. I'm going to go and stand on my parent's drive next week, and take W to see my sister and nephews (Again, from the drive). I haven't buckled this whole time, but I can't bear it any longer. I haven't seen any of them for 9 or 10 weeks. By a country mile, the longest time ever.

[Derek Nimmo]

Allegedly the Abbott and Roche tests are 100% accurate.

If that's the case, and you had the documentation to prove you've had one of those tests and it had been positive, you'd hope it could mean no need to quarantine if you go to a different country (in answer to your question Sal), but who knows?

[Mountain Goat]

Oh that's interesting Del. Yes, you'd hope so, but I can see all sorts of admin/logistical niggles that other countries/airlines might consider makes it economically unviable until the whole country is a bit more on top of things. I have given up trying to predict anything based on logic though.

The blurring of the lines makes me nervous because it's when you start to make one little slightly-not-allowed change that you start to think "fuck it" to the whole thing. It's all (well most of it is) totally understandable but I anxiously await the spike.

I actually find it a bit depressing that I'm not particularly gagging to see anyone. There isn't anyone I'm that bothered about, because almost all friends/family I only see in person sporadically anyway. Obviously it's weird to see no-one at all in two months, but there aren't any specific individual people that I find it odd to not see for two months. I'm empathetic but also a bit jealous of people who really miss someone, if that makes sense.

[Squirrel]

I actually find it a bit depressing that I'm not particularly gagging to see anyone. There isn't anyone I'm that bothered about, because almost all friends/family I only see in person sporadically anyway. Obviously it's weird to see no-one at all in two months, but there aren't any specific individual people that I find it odd to not see for two months. I'm empathetic but also a bit jealous of people who really miss someone, if that makes sense.

100% same here.
I’ve also been worried that I’m getting a bit institutionalised, I’ve got local friends who I’m meeting for walks which will help ease me back into social stuff.

[smalex]

I agree that beginning to blur the lines leads to a much greater fraying of them. I feel guilty about going but it seems a very low risk.

I *wish* (in this particular scenario) that I didn't have people I missed so intensely. Last weekend I felt so low about it. My sister put a photo of my nephews on our family WhatsApp and I said 'I miss them so much' and then felt bad because it clearly crossed the line of things we don't say because its upsetting (and obviously a bit of a given).

[Rebel Pebble]

My friend got hold of one of the abbot tests. She said They're 98% accurate and thinks they were unloaded for private sale once the 100% accurate roche lives made an appearance.

Back in late March she got a nasty cough, temp, lost her sense of smell and felt knackered for ages. The test was negative. She's a bit frustrated! I mean, she could be one of the 2 in 100 wrong results I suppose.

[Lily]

Smal, we were discussing the same last night. We are desperate to meet up but my mum said either she or my dad can come to Mr & Mrs Bruv's, "they're not joined at the hip". The thought of one of them missing out on seeing everyone made me feel so sad, I'd rather we didn't meet up at all. It's unlikely we'll meet up though as the Bruvs are worried about Niece running up and hugging us. I MISS THAT.

I also saw something on Twitter that said Nicola Sturgeon had done 59 press briefings since lockdown, Boris Johnson had done 4 :woteva: Even allowing for his illness, thats a pretty poor show. Lazy bastard.

I misread this as 'press ups' and wondered how the bloody hell they knew that! 4. That's very poor.

Rebs, every situation is different (no shit, Brown Owl) but I don't think it is a bad thing to be honest with your feelings, even if it's not very often.

[Mountain Goat]

Oh god Rebs! I kind of don't want to do one because I'd be a bit gutted to get a negative, I can imagine she's pretty frustrated.

I don't think there's anything at all to feel guilty of Smal.

We're in an odd position because you know Mr Goat's dad had a stroke the other day. It turned out to be mild and he's now out and back to being a rude pain in the arse, and now he's a rude pain in the arse that I can't get out of Skyping with for a while. While he was in hospital and we didn't know this, however, Mr G was considering going up there to help out, especially given that he had a negative CV test and his dad was also tested and was negative. Now he doesn't feel there's a good reason to break the rules as they're all fine and are set up for groceries etc, but his mum is now kind of excited that he might visit and (quite reasonably) doesn't see any harm in it. He was happy enough to take a tiny risk when the payoff was big, but now it isn't, he doesn't want to take the (very small indeed) risk. But the box is open now and the concept is out there and now there's pressure and probably his brother is ok too surely oh it would be fine, and...you can see how it gets from this harmless thing to having a big family BBQ on the bank holiday. I have no issue with him going (and god, the joy of having the house to myself) but I think he's wary of it leading to more and more.