More outdoor contact

I think it would be beneficial to the mental health of many to be permitted to meet in a socially distanced way with one or two people from other households. I’m thinking of the impact the ongoing lockdown is having on people who live alone, people who have boy/girlfriends in different households and young people for whom time with there peer group is so important.
Having said that I would not support a lifting of lockdown as I think it’s too early to do so safely.
I do agree with many others who have mentioned socially distanced opening of garden centres and golf facilities. Small steps!

Why the contribution is important

As stated above lockdown can have a detrimental impact on the mental health of those who live alone, are separated from boy/girlfriends and young people who need the support of their peer group. It is easier for older people like myself to
keep busy with projects around the house and garden. However I am slightly concerned that any easing off could lead to more people breaking the social distancing guidelines. On the other hand without some easing some may find it too difficult to maintain lockdown. It’s not an easy decision!

by SCOTROSE24 on May 09, 2020 at 04:56PM

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Average rating: 4.2
Based on: 11 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Indiagirl May 09, 2020 at 17:43

    I would agree so long as common sense was applied .

  • Posted by sylviaeb May 09, 2020 at 17:48

    necessary for mental health

  • Posted by Alimac2020 May 09, 2020 at 17:59

    While I realise people are sick and dying, from my family’s viewpoint it is mental health issues that are proving very difficult for myself and my daughter to manage.

    My daughter was making good progress before this, but is now relapsing. She has not seen her friends / boyfriend for nearly 8 weeks now. You can understand how much any girl/boy of her age needs company. As I type this she is in tears and cannot see any positivity in anything. Like thousands of others,she has already been robbed of sitting her highers, the most important exams in a child’s life! And now she has lost her support network of her friends. FaceTime / zoom etc is just no use anymore.

    Similarly for myself I suffer from anxiety and depression, and have gone down hill over the last several weeks. I am also facing redundancy at the end of June. My husband is self employed in the construction/ building trade and there are no guarantees whether he will have any work after this. Onbviously I am not alone in these circumstances.

    I just don’t see the difference between:

    - Standing in a huge
    queue 2m apart to go into a supermarket/pharmacy, then once inside have people persistently coming too close
    - Going a walk and/or cycle and observing 2m gap when passing others, and in fact occasionally even passing someone you know and stopping for a chat

    And

    - Having a friend / family member / partner round to the back garden for a chat 2m apart? (I know for a fact people are doing this as they are getting so fed up)

    It has already been stated that outdoors is safer than indoors, I therefore simply cannot understand why a small group of people, even just 2, or 3-4, cannot meet outdoors?

    I understand that the current guidance is we should go out ‘only if essential’ but believe me IT IS ESSENTIAL for anyone with mental health issues to have some kind of company/ social interaction

    With various reports talking about social distancing continuing for 12-18 months - the current level of isolation for people in general, but especially those with mental health issues, simply cannot continue !

    I am seeing regularly on the news reports of how to get schools back, flights, football etc etc. But surely the first objective is to get small groups of families and friends together, and as soon as possible? Surely that is first? And involves much fewer people than would be in schools, on a flight, at a football match? Therefore a much reduced risk?

    If as expected the “easing” to be announced tomorrow will be in the form of allowing people to go out more than once a day, and garden centres, libraries, refuse tips opening - this is of absolutely no use to the majority of people !

    WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN WE CAN SEE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AGAIN,EVEN JUST FROM A DISTANCE.

    My mother is 94 and in a care home with dementia - I have seen her twice through the window in the last 9 weeks. Again I can of course see the the need to shield elderly and vulnerable, but don’t see the need for a family who have been social distancing as instructed for 8 weeks now, no one having any symptoms, being unable to see another household, or any individual from that household, providing they have been observing the rules and also have no symptoms?

  • Posted by junie2dogs May 09, 2020 at 18:12

    I agree with the proposal based on outdoor contact with min number of households meeting and social distancing being adhered to. I do not support huge steps of lifting restrictions and know first hand the heartache of a family funeral under lockdown restrictions however I appreciate the need for a sensible approach to social contact

  • Posted by ellied1 May 10, 2020 at 07:55

    As outdoors transmission is relatively low and people living alone and unable to interact face to face are clearly suffering, I support clearly defined sensible use of outdoor space as a first step towards easing lockdown when it's possible to do so (ie SNHS has capacity). I don't see a problem with families using a beach or friends in a park or up a hiking trail or mountain if density is taken into consideration.

    I live alone and have no immediate family members within a couple hundred miles but to have a couple of friends I could meet in person outdoors as a first direct interaction would definitely ease the sense of isolation. Adding family only and leaving people in my situation to still be alone would just increase it.
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