Social bubble

I think people need to be able to see their families. Just small circles.

Why the contribution is important

Time is very precious the older you get and not being able to see family members has a huge impact on mental health. It’s not about the quantity it’s the quality and right now some people have zero quality of life.

by Hazelbrown on May 05, 2020 at 10:31PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.9
Based on: 93 votes

Comments

  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 05, 2020 at 23:09

    @Hacelbrown you speak a lot of sense! Never mind the distance, families need to be able to keep in touch and meet up. Top priority.

  • Posted by hopeful May 06, 2020 at 00:01

    Being able to see family is hugely beneficial to mental health.

  • Posted by RobertGoren May 06, 2020 at 00:26

    Mentally challenged in therapy with elderly mother whos 70miles away and asthmatic. She can't go shopping under strict advice not to leave home, local supermarket 30miles away first delivery slot today booked beginning of April priority no less and when I take her groceries my three hour round trip is one of heartbreak for us both as we know the dangers. And people have far worse situations than us both so yes @HazelBrown I agree

  • Posted by Cathy_Baldwin May 06, 2020 at 00:36

    Those of us without nearby relatives or families at all need to be able to see several friends who are like our families.

  • Posted by margarett May 06, 2020 at 02:12

    This has to be number 1 priority, families meeting up even in small groups as long as healthy. Would do so much good for mental health

  • Posted by Djalaodbdld May 06, 2020 at 02:36

    I have to agree. Allowing people to add one or two other households to their bubble would really help everyone. Even if to start with this has to be as outside gatherings. Many countries have plans for this including Ireland and Guernsey has already allowed people to increase their bubble to include another household. Especially where one of the households only includes one person the increased risk would be minimal.

  • Posted by MrsMac May 06, 2020 at 07:27

    People will start breaking this rule if they are not allowed to see one another properly soon. Especially with no suggestion when this might happen

  • Posted by HanSolo May 06, 2020 at 07:51

    Agree social bubbles need to be increased. There needs to be a change in the current lockdown restrictions to measure any change regardless, this would serve a good tool to increase spirit and renew the fight for continued social distancing in other areas.

    Distance should however, be a factor. It should not be prudent to allow numerous families the ability to drive hundreds of miles to see family members they would not normally do so, without this restriction. It could encourage larger get-togethers and increase the social bubble beyond control.

    Easy participation for this to begin, should be requirement of a Social Corona App.

  • Posted by AQ2018 May 06, 2020 at 08:29

    I think it is quite hard to trust adults to do this. Depending on where you live, you will see how folk have adhered to it differently. Where I live, every day parents are taking their children to swing parks, groups of teenagers meeting. There is the worry that easing the lockdown, give people an inch and they’ll take a mile. Unfortunately not everyone adheres to it, or are not reading / listening to advice on preventing the spread of the virus. I feel it is hard to trust people to fully adhere to a social bubble

  • Posted by Mags1 May 06, 2020 at 09:00

    Family contact is a must. Most people could happily endure the restrictions longer with this small change. I have a family member with severe and enduring mental health issues hurtling towards the point of no return. I have not broken the lockdown yet,but every day I consider it.

  • Posted by jay89 May 06, 2020 at 11:50

    We also need to be able to travel in our cars to see family. Even if this is long distance (5 hours for e.g.). I have family but live far apart. I could drive there and keep socially distant.

  • Posted by JMR May 06, 2020 at 22:12

    The hardest part about this shutdown is the fact that we haven’t seen our grandchildren for 7 weeks., after seeing them 3 or 4 times a week before that. Obeying the rules means we are not going to spread the virus, but the effect on our mental well being is massive. Allowing visits, to a small number of relatives should improve mental well being with little effect on the spread of the virus.

  • Posted by Colin87 May 07, 2020 at 06:31

    Agreed, small increase in family contact would make a big difference

  • Posted by Paulathunderbuddy May 07, 2020 at 10:00

    I agree with increasing our bubble. People will be so much happier and also safer if we have a controlled visitation to immediate family only. Then you can monitor the results and expand everyone's bubble accordingly. Most people want to be safe and protect our NHS but we also miss our families terribly.

  • Posted by Nick87 May 07, 2020 at 13:04

    I think increasing the social bubble is a great idea, particularly for those of us who live alone. I don't live anywhere near my family (I'm in Edinburgh, they're in Fife), and wouldn't risk travelling to see them right now, even if it were permitted. But being able to meet with even just one friend, to accompany on a walk, something as basic as that, would be hugely beneficial to mine and many others' mental well being. I don't see what great increase in risk there would be in having two low risk individuals from separate households meet for a social distanced walk when a larger household of 4, 5 or 6 can be out and about together.

  • Posted by JohnA May 07, 2020 at 13:45

    One way to ease the lockdown is to allow meetings of (no more than) 2 people. This has consistently been the case in the Netherlands. It may not come with a huge penalty in terms of transmission. This should also be an acceptable reason to travel.

  • Posted by Simpsojf May 07, 2020 at 15:19

    We have two "bubbles" which we would love to visit : Our daughter and her family (@ adults + 2 children), and our son and his family (2 Adults + 2 children). But the other grandparents wish to visit also and they have other children with other families, so it becomes quite a big bubble.

  • Posted by SJP79 May 08, 2020 at 07:35

    This is the number 1 priority for me, i isolated my son 3 weeks before the lockdown even started as i knew the risks from watching Dr John Campbell on youtube. Therefore my son hasnt seen another person for ten weeks and it would make such a difference if we could just see his granny.

    I believe the lockdown will start to lose affect if it is kept so stringent.

  • Posted by roobie May 08, 2020 at 07:58

    Not everyone has family, it is absolutely vital for people to be able to meet with a subset of friends in this circumstance. The impact of living alone is pushing people's mental health to the absolute limit. Consideration has to be given to those with family and those without.

  • Posted by archiemcbeastie May 08, 2020 at 18:28

    Agree about the effect being enhanced as you are aware of passing time without contact and getting even older. We, grandparents, miss both our children and our grandchildren who can’t understand why we don’t get to see them anymore. One has been really upset as just coming three he is perceptive and can’t understand why he isn’t looked after or visited by us anymore. The months of lockdown are an eternity for him. The emotional damage caused by the schism in personal relationships is becoming a mental torture as the lockdown progresses. I have a lot of time and respect for our First Minister but she and Jason Leitch need to get the reality that families are reaching the end of their tether. Jason Leitch impresses as an over zealous new head boy and admits to irritating his own family members. Get the message Jason and dial down the sermonising approach on Twitter. The reality is unveiling itself right where I live. People have had enough and are meeting with family in their own homes. The visits are increasing and have so directly after Nicola Sturgeon’s last lockdown message. People need more room to have direct contact with their families and loved ones. A failure to urgently progress this issue will start the unravelling of consent to and cooperation with the lockdown. More and more are really considering that the cure is actually more damaging than the illness. Use the next week or two well Nicola and Jason or you will soon have a rebellion on your hands.

  • Posted by mrwmlw May 10, 2020 at 15:07

     We, grandparents, miss both our children and our grandchildren who can’t understand why we don’t get to see them anymore. One has been really upset as just coming three he is perceptive and can’t understand why he isn’t looked after or visited by us anymore. The months of lockdown are an eternity for him and my daughter who is almost ' broken' with lack of sleep and trying to provide childcare with an 8month baby as well. The emotional damage caused by the schism in personal relationships is becoming a mental torture as the lockdown progresses.
    Trust the compliant adults who are healthy still to manage this visitation. We will be responsible and act accordingly if somehow one of the family group gets poorly.

  • Posted by mmu230 May 11, 2020 at 08:59

    Like many, I support the social bubble ideas with close family or those considered to be family in the comments. I moved to Scotland just before this crisis happened. I have no family and no social circle to speak of yet, and will be unlikely to form any sort of support network whilst restrictions are in place. Being able to go visit elderly parents and my siblings in Wales is my top priority and eagerly await clarification from the Scottish and UK Governments on when and how this might be possible.

  • Posted by farmersez May 11, 2020 at 12:10

    to be abe to visit family in small numbers of upto 2 people from each household (4 people maximum) within our local area/county.

  • Posted by DaveMac May 11, 2020 at 14:40

    Some people don’t have families and rely on friendships for social contact. Outdoor interaction with a very small bubble of friends would be beneficial. Safe sport can help, golf for example, if played using social distancing guidelines, would provide a reasonably safe way for individuals to extend their current level of social interaction.
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