Family/Friends Bubbles

By allowing small family groups to support each other through the extended lockdown/social isolation/social distance period could prevent people from being more present out and about in our communities. This could ease burdens on services that are currently going to support people in your bubble.

Why the contribution is important

By allowing small family groups to support each other through the extended lockdown/social isolation/social distance period could prevent people from being more present out and about in our communities. This could ease burdens on services that are currently going to support older people, single mums, vulnerable individuals. These services and volunteers are going from person to person so surely if we only see the same people this could also prevent more people spreading COVID. Also be very very mindful with the numbers of people in your bubble as if too small as in 4/6 this could really cause difficulties and trauma choosing or isolating family members. Often there are couples who have split up and re married so make sure all immediate close family members get to see grandchildren etc.

I do think this will certainly be abused by people not taking protective factors in mind and being selfish to others by not following your strict guidelines but unfortunately these minority are probably currently not following protocol. I would like to see way more police presence policing people out in our communities as I personally have seen so little presence or hear if any stopping and telling people to go home. The first week of lockdown people were getting stopped and people then started carrying key worker ID’s and letters from employees but I feel there are no barriers to people abusing the current Scottish government Guilin was at the moment. Other countries appear to be policing their communities much more and hearing the UK are the highest country in Europe in relation to deaths we have to start enforcing people to follow protocol and not leaving it up to individuals responsibility as the reality is more people contracting COVID and worse dying from it.

by gillian26 on May 06, 2020 at 09:07AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 27 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Pissedoffmum May 06, 2020 at 09:34

    Yes don’t see the problem not

  • Posted by MTL May 06, 2020 at 09:41

    Mental health issues caused by isolating is becoming intolerable. Some people will no longer comply. There needs to be some flexibility with easing restrictions with safe distancing and hygiene precautions. I’m finding it too difficult to stay on board. 6 weeks without daily contact of my baby grandchildren and daughter when she lives a mile away seems too severe. We could meet in the garden.

  • Posted by Mo May 06, 2020 at 09:43

    For families that stay in the same community a small bubble could work.

  • Posted by TonyFinn May 06, 2020 at 10:29

    Trust people more to do the right thing not more policing

  • Posted by drphlegm May 06, 2020 at 10:38

    Agree. Taking a step back for a moment and considering the issue as a whole. The WHO said early on, TEST, TEST, TEST. the UK CMO (or CSO) said that testing alone was not that important. We then find ourselves in lockdown.

    But the reality is that the solution is multifaceted. We need to maintain some serious lockdown restrictions but in combination with other measures, such as testing (both types). Since at least testing for the illness is on the increase, it would seem sensible to allow an easing of restrictions for family or friend groups who are in relatively close proximity. I think most people would be sensible, though as the original post by Gillian26 says, some will undoubtedly flout the rules. Anecdotally, most people are taking this seriously now and certainly are not blasé about catching it. If you have friends or family within say a 10 mile radius, and people are still hand-washing regularly, using hand sanitiser, keeping contact to a minimum, staying 2m apart, checking for symptoms etc. then I think this could help with sustaining a lockdown (albeit reduced as outline) for much longer. It will help with mental health and well-being, help children who are missing family members etc. This needs genuine consideration, and urgently.

  • Posted by Woody May 06, 2020 at 10:59

    If no symptoms have been present since lockdown and we have a form of tracking and tracing then visits to family outside and adhering to social distancing would help the sanity of the isolated older generation while keeping the risk of passing on the virus to a minimum. The difficulty is restricting the travel to and from.

  • Posted by Holzmartistry May 06, 2020 at 11:05

    This may be concerning for government to introduce due to the R number but if the government give a little, the public would in turn have more respect for the guidelines. I have recently witnessed situations where people have broken the guidelines (social media etc.) and they say it’s that they are “fed up” or missing family members, the bubbles would help control this, give a morale boost and I for one welcome the idea.

  • Posted by DaveC May 06, 2020 at 11:23

    There is scope to do make some concession. Sadly some of Scottish public can’t be trusted to be responsible …. but on balance I think we can soon do a limited something.

  • Posted by Ccd May 06, 2020 at 11:33

    I think an extended and nominated bubble is a great idea, but accept that policing it could be difficulat, though maybe this could be managed as par to the notification app that is being rolled out

  • Posted by Jbobri May 06, 2020 at 11:57

    I believe having a ‘bubble’ of individual that agree to maintain social distancing guidelines to ensure all members of the bubble remain safe and healthy. In the event if someone in the ‘bubble’ develops Covid-19 symptoms all members of the bubble should follow the self isolation guidance .

  • Posted by SuzanneL21 May 06, 2020 at 12:15

    Whilst I am in support of anything that helps move us out of lockdown, there are some issues with the "bubble" concept. I'm an older single person who has spent 6 weeks without actually seeing people I know in the flesh which is harder than I thought it would be! Definitely feeling the pressure of isolation now.

    If we move to a bubble, the problem I would have is who to "bubble" with? As I'm older, almost all of my friends are married with children and family members. This means I do not have anyone to "bubble" with! My family are elsewhere in Scotland and I haven't been able to visit them for 6 weeks also.

    Not criticising, just wanted to add another factor into the "bubble" concept. Perhaps if we were allowed to visit friends still using social distancing, that would really help. As someone who lives in a city centre flat, I don't really have a garden whereas friends do have. To be able to sit with them in their garden would be a huge help!

    Just to be able to physically see and talk to friends would really help.
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