Visiting loved ones

Allow households to visit close family and friends on a weekly basis.

Why the contribution is important

This seems to be where people are struggling the most so allowing some contact face to face would help. As you would be putting your own loved ones at risk if you had any symptoms, it is unlikely people would take this chance therefore reducing the spread.

by Michelleproudfoot170626 on May 05, 2020 at 01:15PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.8
Based on: 88 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Fletch May 05, 2020 at 15:43

    If you have no symptoms and can keep a social distance then it would be good to visit friends and family. This is the most important thing and if people could do that, then they might adhere to other social restrictions. It’s hard not to see your parents. Of course I agree that we must be careful but at this moment, I am working from home and only go out for shopping or a walk. I am symptom free, so surely as long as I keep a safe distance I would be safe to visit my parents.

  • Posted by alloha May 05, 2020 at 15:49

    Makes sense - if you have no symptoms then should definitely be allowed to meet with close friends and family.

  • Posted by MaddyBisset May 05, 2020 at 16:39

    As mentioned on another threat about easing restrictions for grandparents:

    My partner works 24 hour shifts in the care sector, I am also currently working from home but am expected to do so with a 13 month old baby. We relied on my parents for childcare before the lockdown when we are working and now I'm struggling mentally trying to juggle looking after our baby and work all by myself when my partner is out.

    I am really worried about how this will affect my child's development given that he is seeing no one but ourselves, and is also having to stare at screens to see his grandparents - something which I really didn't want for a one year old.

    Easing the lockdown to allow access to grandparents would help with childcare, child development, mental health and a strain on my relationship. I know not seeing their grandchild is also severely affecting my partner's parent's mental health.

  • Posted by elainee May 05, 2020 at 16:50

    100% - even if just one visit with a different household at a time, once a week - we can pick a different household the following week and so on - should be family and friends as everyone is different - but sensible and allows us to meet those that are important to us.

  • Posted by ljk84 May 05, 2020 at 17:02

    completely agree. It is so important for peoples mental wellbeing

  • Posted by spittalhill May 05, 2020 at 17:17

    Close family only; friends can wait.

  • Posted by Jane May 05, 2020 at 17:22

    Fully support this if all involved follow the guidance and do not put themselves or others at risk.
    Personally - really want to be able to do this but managing with daily phone calls to my elderly mum at present.

  • Posted by Chardie May 05, 2020 at 17:52

    I think being able to have contact with your immediate family should be classed more essential than being able to get a Costa coffee or a KFC. Actually can't believe fast food takeaway takes priority over family.

  • Posted by Andyrn May 05, 2020 at 18:46

    If it’s OK for full flights to arrive in UK then how is it not OK for me to visit my children

  • Posted by PB0307 May 05, 2020 at 19:29

    Unfortunately saying because you have no symptoms you're safe to visit family is not accurate. You can still carry the virus even while asymptomatic, hence the need for lockdown. You could infect your family while appearing to be perfectly well yourself. If you're going out to the supermarket then you're in contact with other people and surfaces that you could contract thr virus from :(

  • Posted by Gills May 05, 2020 at 19:29

    I think emotional well-being should be first priority when thinking of measures to lift lockdown and this would definitely support those living alone.

  • Posted by Pragmatist May 05, 2020 at 19:45

    I agree that it pragmatic to allow people who have been social distancing now for 6 weeks to visit close family /friends who have been doing the same as risk of infection will be low. Furthermore, it would act as incentive to continue social distancing over time.

  • Posted by JockCrawford May 05, 2020 at 21:22

    I have 4 members of my family within a 10 mile radius of myself, 3 of whom are 65+. We are all blessed with having gardens so it would be nice to be able to support their mental health and wellbeing more with visiting and spending time together, outside at 2m distance, rather than just leaving shopping in the porch once a week - which is heart breaking. Small family bubbles make sense to me as the next step.

  • Posted by murrayme8 May 06, 2020 at 00:08

    Immediate family definitely as long as it’s safe it could help mental health

  • Posted by Gesabrek May 08, 2020 at 07:05

    Why do people assume that family live close by? Our adult children are doctors in hospitals and we have not seen them for months. They are also more than 50 miles away. Stop treating us like children. We know how important social distancing is by now!

  • Posted by lichtie May 08, 2020 at 23:49

    I live 100 miles (2 hours) from my partner. A few days before lockdown, she was diagnosed with cancer. She could not then move due to the need to be available for discussion with her medical advisers. By the time a plan for her treatment had been devised, lockdown was in force, and we have now been apart for 7 weeks. The inevitable difficulties of separation have been made worse by her diagnosis, and the situation was made far more stressful when she learned that her Health Board was suspending treatment for her type of cancer. I should add that recent murmurings in the press, about resumption of postponed cancer treatments, have yet to materialise on the ground.

    Although we both recognise the importance of social distancing and have adhered to the guidelines for 7 weeks (despite observing many apparently non-essential movements in both our areas), we feel a little bit more flexibility is called for. We both live in rural areas where the incidence of Covid-19 has been low and where, fortunately, it is easy to maintain social distancing when we leave our houses. If permitted to meet up, we would otherwise continue to practice social distancing, minimising trips from the house etc.

    Having already lost my wife to cancer after a 14 year battle with the disease, I recognise just how stressful diagnosis and treatment can be for cancer sufferers, most especially when the NHS is forced to delay treatment. I know my partner would benefit from the support I can offer, yet we don't wish to act, or appear to act, unilaterally. I know, from talking to others and reading comments on this site, that we are not alone in our problem. I feel that doctors might be allowed to issue some sort of authority to travel in circumstances such as ours. Of course this would be open to abuse but, as with disabled parking permits, if the advantages to the patient are seen to outweigh the risk, surely some degree of discretion should be allowed.

  • Posted by lisasilver May 09, 2020 at 09:47

    WELL SAID LICHTIE. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
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