Dreading the winter without garden visits.

Surely though, trying to avoid becoming infected is not just for our own sakes but because at our ages we are more likely to need hospital treatment and therefore be more of strain for the NHS.
O don't think we are "uptight" so much as trying to be considerate.

My way of thinking is that we stayed in on government advice and now the advice has been changed so I am going along with that. It's going to be a long winter if we don't make the most of the next few weeks.

We are being more careful than most but have started occasional shopping and yesterday I decided we would pick our 8 yr old HD up from school once a week. If I can’t go on holiday, to the theatre, travel to see friends, visit an art gallery OR spend time with my GC what is the point?

I heard an interesting fact the other day, I think it was Hugh Pym on BBC News - at the height of the pandemic there were around 3,500 people on ventilators in the UK. Now that number is 72. That surely shows how the virus is far less of a threat, provided we're all sensible of course.

Covid is still around and remains a force to be reckoned with, however it seems we've found ways of treating it without resorting to ventilators except in extreme conditions. Additionally, social distancing, masks and handwashing are all playing a part.

We should take care, but things are looking up.

We're planning on meeting up in the winter months with the 2 meters distance kept in our local large coffee shop ..
It's going to be a long miserable winter isn't it .

In Blackburn we can't even meet anybody not in our household in the house, the garden or in the open because of the rising cases of Covid.

I dread (!) strong word, the winter months from the dark evenings, short daylight.

I think the media has made us all scared, well those of us who feel scared... I try to rise above it.. I am 84, as far as I am aware only high blood pressure, otherwise reasonable good health
though I currently have an infection, requiring antibiotics from a bad insect bite on both ankles! LOL

so I am trying to be sensible,, meeting family,, quite frankly one part of me looks forward to moving on, ie to a better place! though in reality I will be scared.

sensible... meet in my bubbles... wear a mask where I have to, wash hands, (that bit of advice intrigues me)

take care, but yes, live... I can`t be locked up again

Added to my previous post, this only applies to some of the wards in Blackburn, and mine happens to be one of them!

I can understand the concern and worry that some people feel. I was shielding and have just started venturing out. I am quite shocked that some people seem to disregard all advice and I went into a local supermarket yesterday and was surprised at how busy it was and to be honest I felt uncomfortable. I am not going to moan about masks as it is a subject that has been covered plenty. I have friends who visit and we sit in the garden. I visited one last week and as we sat in the garden a storm brewed so we went inside. It felt strange sitting away from each other with masks on but she is a carer and comes into contact with many people. Winter visits from friends and general outside activity for me, will be assessed and if I am not comfortable I wont do it. The virus is not going away anywhere soon as we must learn to live with it. If we all be careful, adhere to guidelines and keep ourselves safe I am sure we will learn to accept and find ways to have visits safely.

I agree that we will need to be creative. Indoors with ventilation is fine I think, so maybe sit in an appropriate room at a distance. If that feels too much at first, perhaps a cafe where they have doors open to the outside but you sit in. It’s important to circulate a bit to build up your immune system generally. My hunch is, that although there will be local lockdowns, from October, some things may change.....and look at the new cases statistics. When you work out the very small risk of your being a positive case, I think it will put things in perspective.

I am living my life as normally as possible. Gc to stay. Meeting friends and family in accordance with rules. Socially distancing and hand washing, masks etc. The one certainty is I will die and life is too short to live in fear. Just get on with it it’s going to be her for a while, like flu. 20,000 people die in a bad flu year and we don’t all stay at home.

2 deaths yesterday please get a grip

The problem with this virus is that it seems to be highly infectious. You can go very speedily from a few cases to many - as we saw earlier this year.

Some of our taking care is for others, not just for ourselves.

I find it very hard to make these decisions. For example, I could bubble with one of my DDs and her family - but they are mixing with so many other people that it makes a complete nonsense of it all. They go on holiday, have other children round to play (and vice versa). have their employees in and out, have had folk from hundreds of miles away to stay etc. etc. So bubbling with that family would in effect mean bubbling with a vast swathe of others.

But many people who did not need ventilators are still suffering chronic fatigue, breathlessness and other nasty effects following having Covid in March so I disagree with this comment ....
That surely shows how the virus is far less of a threat, provided we're all sensible of course.

After a horrible virus in 1989, I went on to develop M.E. and am still suffering 31 years later, so I don't under-estimate Covid-19 and its possible after-effects.

I honestly feel some people are being overly worried about this. Of course you must take reasonable precautions & not be silly but it is highly unlikely you are going to catch Covid if you follow the guidelines . I am not doing anything much different to normal but wear a mask in shops etc. The classes I go to - Yoga, Dance etc are all allowing a much bigger gap between us than normal.
I think you just have to be sensible & aware but please do not worry over much. It is a VERY small percentage of population that have had it.
Keep to the guidelines & stop worrying.

Yes, I'm 75 and am trying to 'relax' a little over self-isolation. I do my own shopping now, have been to the hairdressers, dentist, chiropodist, etc, but am always very glad to get back home. There are days when I feel more 'twitchy' but generally speaking I think I am getting there. However, come the long winter nights, I don't know how I will cope.

I will live my life as normally as possible, my family live a long way away and have very busy lives so don't see them much anyway. DH is in the extremely vulnerable category so we will just be very careful until there is a vaccine. It us just the way it is.

Haha. Me too!

I understand your concern about your physical health, but none of us know how long we will have to live under these conditions, so what effect will it have on your mental health. I have multiple health problems, and have just come out of high risk sheltering, but we will be sensible, and abide by the guidelines. You might find it more comfortable if you ask guests to wear masks, even have hand sanitiser available, knowing your concerns, I am sure they will agree. After they leave, wipe down any surfaces they may have touched. As time goes on your concerns will probably lessen, and you will ease up. I am certainly not telling you to ignore your anxiety, anyone who has suffered from it, knows that it is easier said than done. Good luck to you, I hope you work things out.

Previous post was for Aggie! I’m not very good at this....

We have just bought two outdoor heaters to install on our balcony. Hopefully will then still be able to sit outside on autumn evenings and entertain friends. I have been inside restaurants and pubs but much prefer to be outside if we can.

Sparklefizz

But many people who did not need ventilators are still suffering chronic fatigue, breathlessness and other nasty effects following having Covid in March so I disagree with this comment ....
That surely shows how the virus is far less of a threat, provided we're all sensible of course.

After a horrible virus in 1989, I went on to develop M.E. and am still suffering 31 years later, so I don't under-estimate Covid-19 and its possible after-effects.

I didn't intend to suggest that the virus is any less virulent, but that it is being managed better.

There is no such thing as being to save . Have people not learnt anything . Since these people gathered on the beach with no social distancing , has the rise in Corona cases not gone up . Allowing movement between different countries , has allowed the virus to be easily spread again . Those who think they are better than everyone else and not wearing masks in , indoor places . I wear a mask to protect them but they don't wear one to protect me . If we all kept to the social distancing rules and all wore face mask in public , we would all be doing our bit against the virus . Until we are all on the same page this virus is aloud to take hold and dictate our life's .

growstuff

I wish people would stop talking about "courage" and "fear".

I don't choose to stay at home because I'm fearful or lack courage. I choose to stay at home because I've assessed the risks and I don't want to take more than absolutely minimal risk.

That's a rational, sensible decision and I've reorganised my life, so that I'm not unhappy.

I haven't somehow failed for lacking "courage" and being "scared".

Assess the risks for your area and personal health. If you're happy to take the risk, go for it. If not, accept it and find something to occupy yourself.

I completely agree with growstuff. There is a lot of talk about just getting-on with your life. If you ignore the evidence, you may not have a life to get on with. I prefer to be realistic than to hide my head in the sand.

Agree with Luckygirl that we need to be aware of the risk of third or fourth hand infection and to be careful of who we associate with.

Having said that, I have been grateful for various garden meetings with WI and U3A friends which were low risk and very good for my mental health. The family poses a higher risk because they are out and about so doubt we shall see them for a while.