Allow partners to meet

* Allow partners to meet up outside in a garden/ park following the social distancing guidelines.

* If lockdown is going to continue, give partners who have been living apart now for over 7 weeks another chance to move into one household together like was done at the beginning of lockdown.

Why the contribution is important

Some partners were unable to move in together at the beginning of lockdown and have now been apart for over 7 weeks. Not only does this put a massive strain on the relationship, it is also a huge concern for their mental wellbeing.

Having no guidance of when they may be able to see each other again gives partners nothing to aim toward or look forward to. This is all putting a huge strain on the mental wellbeing of individuals living apart.

by JM95 on May 11, 2020 at 02:23PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.4
Based on: 15 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Stargazer1960 May 11, 2020 at 14:28

    As long as both are sticking to social distancing rules within their own households and this is the only person they are meeting outwith the household that should be OK and may stop some people from developing mental health or anxiety issues

  • Posted by RuthBradley May 11, 2020 at 14:30

    This would be in line with thinking on increasing households to small groups
    As in co-parenting families partners in separate houses can be designated as the same household

    may be that this is tied in with the Alert System
    -In lower amber alert physical distancing is less severe and contact within immediate workplace and an extended group of households is possible...but not one so big that contact tracing becomes impossible
    - In higher red alert (R number above 1 and active cases within your geographical area) physical distancing reverts to strict measures of your actual living accommodation definition of household.

    Though even in Red Alert I would define an habitual couple as one household regardless of co-habitation or not. The mental health benefits of this outweigh the minor increase in contagion risk.

  • Posted by MRudd May 11, 2020 at 14:44

    Partners who are not required to shield and are well should be able to meet and maintain a social distance, this could be relaxed as we move down the alert system. Or if both households are clear and have had no external contact for 14 days one partner could move to live in the other household.

  • Posted by marjo May 11, 2020 at 14:45

    I agree as there is no current idea or guidance when individuals will be able to meet up with at least one other household.

  • Posted by Obiwan72 May 11, 2020 at 15:39

    No, either live together or forget it.

  • Posted by BruceE2 May 11, 2020 at 15:50

    A lot of couple do not live together and have not been able to be with each other for 7 weeks now, even if they have been distancing for this period. In these circumstances we have effectively been in quarantine for 7 weeks. That is long enough. Let us meet each other.
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