It was announced on Friday afternoon that as from midnight, Leeds was being placed under new local restrictions after a rise in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks. We're now unable to mix with anyone other than our own household in our home or garden, nor can we visit anyone else's home or garden, in or outside Leeds. If we go against these rules we could be fined.
We've also been told that we should try to avoid meeting people we do not live with in outdoor spaces such as parks, meeting people we do not live with in pubs, cafes, restaurants and other public indoor venues, or visit friends or relatives in care homes. We cannot be fined if we go against this advice.
On Saturday night, one of Eleanor's friends was in a bar in Leeds with her sister, her boyfriend and her sister's boyfriend, that's three households mixing together, but that's not against the law, it's only going against advice. What is against the law is if a family member visited my house, stayed in the garden and we kept thirty metres apart. What?
I'm sorry to say it but I think Boris has lost the plot. Making pubs and clubs close at 10pm, what is that going to achieve? People who are meeting there have already met and spread the virus, it's not in hiding until after 10pm. Local restrictions may work if they were lockdowns but putting restrictions on people meeting in houses and gardens but only advising people against meeting their friends in pubs just won't work. Advising people against doing something won't stop them doing it. We're never going to get on top of this with these silly non-rules in place.
On top of this, we have 'guidance' on bubbles, rule of six, travel restrictions, work restrictions, face coverings, no wonder most people are confused about what they can and cannot do. I don't have a problem at all in following any rules set out, but please, let's have rules which make sense and are consistent, which are going to achieve the aim, and proper clarification which everyone can understand.
As things stand at the moment, I'm not allowed to have a socially distanced meeting with my brother in my garden, yet I can meet with five friends, all from different households, in the pub and sit at a table together. Where's the sense in that?
We haven't seen Daniel since Christmas. They're being extra cautious as Jasmine is in a high risk group and they don't feel safe going about their business as so many people are disregarding the advice given. I don't blame them.
I totally agree with you that all these restrictions are contradictory and make no sense. There is so much confusion about the rules they are never going to work to stem the spread of this virus.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to read another blog that can see the futility of all these rules. I sometimes wonder if I am the only logical person out there. I do what I want to do so long as I am not putting no other person at risk, although frankly I think 'the risk' is pretty low. I'm not sure what the agenda is of this government but I do know that the people are getting pretty fed up with all the confusion now and the result will be revolt.
ReplyDeleteBoris needs to get his house in order or I fear he will be for the chop.
Briony
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I know its ridiculous. Pubs will just start their happy hours earlier so their revenue remains the same. Does Boris honestly believe that the public can't see through his 'I'm doing everything I can' crap. When he really is doing very little. Its every man for themselves now.
ReplyDeleteWe've been in local lockdown for almost 2 months now. Cases are still rising here, so I can see no end to it. We cannot mix households in any indoor setting at all, which rules out meeting inside a bar or cafe too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry it's been so long since you've seen Daniel. We've managed to see our elder daughter twice since the beginning of March, which I'm very grateful for.
I agree with your take on the rules and guidance. Boris is trying to appease everyone rather than doing the job. I'm sorry but did anyone think he was up to the job in the first place?
ReplyDeleteAll those rules are a joke on the people, masks can't stop a virus it is written on the box and fabric never did in the past. Corona is not a new virus it's been around forever and nobody ever seen a second wave in the past. My brother studied microbiology and first thing he told me that any virus are muting with time and this one like others is getting weaker, vitamin D is good as prevention and the sun shining on surface is killing any virus. I don't know what the governments are trying to do but this ain't right and the mass medias are supporting them in the fear business.
ReplyDeleteHere, in Scotland, we're not allowed to visit other households so we're not allowed to go and visit our 3 year old and nearly 1 year old granddaughters in their own house and they can't come here. They don't go anywhere, we don't go anywhere but, apparently, it's safer for us not to visit them?? How do you explain to a 3 year old why Grammie and Papa aren't coming to visit any time soon? On the other hand, we could meet them in a pub surrounded by hundreds of others? It's all bonkers!
ReplyDeleteThere is no rhymes nor reason to the regulations either in law or in advice. We all knew that it was coming back, the various governments have been telling us so. yet they also opened up the universities, colleges and schools. As for pubs, clubs and restaurants, they should not have ben allowed to open. Social media was full of heaving masses crowded together at the bars and on the dance floors. There is such a deficit of common sense, mainly in the House of Commons.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about having lost the plot. I'm carrying on as I have done over the past six months. Take care. xx
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy isn't it, it makes no sense at all. Now the pubs kick out at ten pm the streets are crowded with tipsy drinkers, insane!xxx
ReplyDeleteWe are at loss as well, we have our own rules, stay local, stay home and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with your post and the comments. My husband and I cannot wear face masks because of breathing problems. We hear very little about people who are dying because they aren't being diagnosed or treated because of this covid rubbish. They will never get completely rid of it. I worry about people's mental health especially those living alone or in care homes. They don't seem to matter.
ReplyDeleteLike you I am not adverse to rules but they need to be logical. It going to be a long Winter, I fear its only going to get worse.
ReplyDeleteI think the household rule was put in place because there was evidence that was where it had started to spread again. I suppose families are less cautious if they gather at home than if they would be in a public place? Can't see what good shutting pubs etc at 10pm will do though. I think that by now everyone knows what they should be doing to stop the spread and it's up to us as individuals to keep wearing masks, washing hands and distancing. If what I've seen at the school is anything to go by though people seem to forget once they get chatting. We can all only do what we can do, it's not going away anytime soon unfortunately and we can't keep business closed indefinitely. Sorry you have such restrictions in place again, at the moment we are still at a lower rate than a lot of areas, we always knew there was going to be a second wave, it's worrying with Christmas coming and the extra crowds there are going to be around though.
ReplyDeletetotally crazy. Looking at the rest of the world from down under, with family in several countries around the world, including the UK, I'm just horrified. Everyone needs to realise the risk they are to everyone else, stop going out, even if pubs etc are open and stay home! We're not in lockdown anymore and have few restrictions, but there is family I still haven't seen and won't go and see either including my Dad. He won't come here either. We had no new cases nationwide yesterday, but we're still being cautious and will be for months.
ReplyDeleteI think we've got to be sensible and realise that we shouldn't really mix in case the virus spreads to those who are vulnerable. It's common sense isn't it. I hope you don't find it too difficult in Leeds and that you can get your shopping OK.
ReplyDeleteThat certainly sounds like a lot of our mixed rules & regulations here. It's probably even more confusing here due to all our states having their own government bodies as well as the Federal one over the whole of Australia. We try & make sure we are doing the right thing to the best of our knowledge. We've seen our DD once since February, our youngest son last October, the older son in 2018 & our DD in UK August 2019, lucky we came for my 70th. I'm missing the kids & grandkids a lot. Take care, stay safe & hugs from down under.
ReplyDeleteMy sister lives in Leeds but she lives on her own so is in a bubble with us so thankfully we can visit one another. We are all three classed as one household. I didn’t realise that it was only advice that you shouldn’t meet up with other households in pubs etc. To my mind pubs and restaurants etc should be closed in high risk areas. Mass demonstrations aren’t exactly helping either.
ReplyDeleteYour rules seem as though, as we say the horse has left the barn. Mask mask mask and sanitize and wash your hands often. That is what I have learned so far in Wisconsin. Our own Courts initially said it was against rights to mandate masks. How ridiculous. We have enough people who think they are above the law to begin with. Our headlines just said Wisconsin Numbers are through the roof. I got my flu shot as I always do. I went to the pharmacy at ten at night when no one was there to get my shot. I wasnt going to sit in a doctors waitiing room and catch covid while getting a flu shot. Hang in there. We will get through this. There are some very smart people who have spent their lives studying vectors and immunology. I know there will be a break through, but so many have died and will continue because people won't follow suggestions . Or laws.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you say and would probably write pretty much the same thing on my own blog except I'm determined to keep in Covid-free. Our government, and Boris especially, is a joke and these contradictory rules and laws make absolutely no sense at all.
ReplyDeleteI think you are so right, it makes no sense. Masks and social distancing and common sense is the way to go.💖
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Jo it makes no sense and they change the rules every day so you wake up to yet another set of restrictions. This morning here in the North East we can't mix with anyone outside our household inside our home or outside or we will be fined but tomorrow it will have probably changed again. What a mess!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you "let's have rules which make sense and are consistent, which are going to achieve the aim, and proper clarification which everyone can understand."
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It's madness isn't it? I read a quote the other day about only being allowed to meet in a place where you part with cash. And it seems so true, I know we have the economy to think about but people's mental health and well being should be put above that, what harm would seeing your brother in your garden do? Honestly, none of this makes any sense. I'm sorry to hear you've got these ridiculous local restrictions, I hope they don't last too long.
ReplyDeletexx
It is crazy, Jo, what you are going through. And I can't even begin to describe what's happening in the USA. I'm sure you have seen some of it on your tv news. On top of the Covid craziness, we have an election that is sparking civil unrest. It's very scary actually. A lot of people will be glad to see the back of 2020! P.x
ReplyDeleteI meant civic -- there is nothing civil about it!
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