How Strict Are You With Social Distancing?

[mom2rtk]

I think it's clear that none of us would have survived back in "the day".

Nobody is being asked to drop behind enemy lines and retake Paris.

Nobody is being asked to ration their sugar, meat, gasoline etc or only allowed to eat or buy meat or gas on certain days.

Nobody is being asked to hide Anne Frank in their attic for months.

You are being asked to cover your nose/mouth and stay 6 feet away from people who aren't part of your household. How _____________ (insert adjective of choice here) do you have to be to willfully flaunt these guidelines because you just don't think you should have to or it inconveniences/discomforts/doesn't affect you?

100,000 AMERICANS DEAD. In three months. We aren't at war. The year isn't even over.

I'm not so sure about that.

Many of today's moms (and dads who pull their weight at home) are working a full time job from home while homeschooling their kids, shopping, getting dinner on the table and running the household. All in the midst of a very stressful time worrying about their family's safety. Many without help from extended family (because of social distancing). Many while stressing over a spouse's lost job or worried they will lose their own. That's an awful lot to keep balanced without losing your mind.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't know about your situation specifically, but I'm learning that when most people say they've been at home, the more you talk to them, the more comes out about what they've actually been doing.

I have a coworker who says she is staying home. But she is also in stores every few days and picking up take out nearly every day. Everything she is doing is within the stay at home order, but not what I would call "staying home."

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't know about your situation specifically, but I'm learning that when most people say they've been at home, the more you talk to them, the more comes out about what they've actually been doing. Most of it falls within the guidelines, like getting take out or going to the store or walking with a friend (socially distanced). They'll still tell you they've been at home this whole time, but in reality they haven't 100%. And we all run the risk going out at all, even when following all safety precautions.

Interestingly, just learned our little jump here is mostly familial or workplace. Still very little community spread.

So true. Many who say they are social distancing turn out to have been out for this or that. Look at Chris Cuomo who claimed to have been confined to his basement after positive diagnosis. Then we find out he's been out and about without a mask. While he had a positive diagnosis.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

The "media" is only reporting what IS happening . But when I was at the grocery store and Walmart Sunday only about half the customers had masks despite big signs at the entrances "advising" all customers wear masks. And we are having regular protests here at the State Capitol in opposition to restrictions. https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...ally/103-25fe6999-ed12-440c-a714-0ccf4ea617fb

I wear my mask in public places and my trips out are minimal. I do walk a few miles everyday though and do not wear a mask then. Luckily in my area, it is very easy to step aside on the grass from the wide path or simply cross the street so social distancing isn't an issue at all.
I simply don't get how some people can't be bothered for a few minutes time to wear a mask when out. I try not to pass judgement thinking maybe someone has asthma or copd and having the mask would be an unhealthy situation for them. When I see entire families shopping in the grocery store, I think: what? #1 you all should be wearing a mask and #2 you all do not need to be here, period!!

 

[kymom99]

I have a coworker who says she is staying home. But she is also in stores every few days and picking up take out nearly every day. Everything she is doing is within the stay at home order, but not what I would call "staying home."

Same here. A friend of mine is constantly running to the grocery, stopping by the bakery, in and out. Yet complaining how awful it is to be stuck at home.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Same here. A friend of mine is constantly running to the grocery, stopping by the bakery, in and out. Yet complaining how awful it is to be stuck at home.

The ones I've seen the most on FB and Nextdoor are the people screaming (well this was more when the stay at home order was around) for people to STAY HOME (and yes always in caps) and yet..their postings say they've been doing otherwise.

Most of us don't begrudge the grocery store but you don't look good if you're yelling at people to stay home and yet you're popping into many stores to get this food item or that food item. Great that you're buying food but don't yell at the person getting curbside at Michaels or JoAnn's because you think it's not essential when you're the one going all over town to get stuff for this one recipe you want to try.

 

[low-key]

I have a coworker who says she is staying home. But she is also in stores every few days and picking up take out nearly every day. Everything she is doing is within the stay at home order, but not what I would call "staying home."

this is me

 

[disneychrista]

this is me

Have you been enjoying the gym?

 

[mjkacmom]

Exactly!

If nothing else, this has show us how self centered and unable to deal with any sort of hardship many Americans are. Pretty sad.

We haven’t had a war on our soil since the civil war. No bombings, no blackouts, we are SOFT.

 

[Colleen27]

My state is now under no state-wide guidance (not the decision the Governor wanted to make but one she more or less felt she needed to make given what had been going on (my assumption). It's up to all 105 counties what phases they want to do, how they want to do it and if they want to do it. I didn't even necessarily disagree with the phases my governor was having but I also understood the deep desire to allow one's own area choose what they see is best for them. She had said that eventually the control would be to the counties/regions but I think part of it was feeling like that wasn't being done quick enough. There were a decent number of counties with either zero or low numbers be it because of lack of testing available to those particular counties or low spread I wouldn't know but I can understand the pinch they felt.

2 counties near me have said they will be adhering until at least June 8th (the earliest date the full 2nd phase was supposed to be able to start; we were technically under a modified Phase 2) while mine has said "we strongly suggest citizens follow but we will not be enforcing the phases". Testing has increased here, technically I can go Friday and get tested for free if I want (it's a first come first served until supplies run out) as all citizens are welcomed that day (just have to line up your cars). I'll admit though I am surprised that my county is going the way of strongly suggested but no enforcement but trust that they have our best interests at heart. I do know that at least on a several city's level police relations was something that had been going on since the beginning. We have good police departments here but I understood how the enforcement of some of the guidelines ended up putting them more at risk or took their attention away from other things.

I personally will still be abiding by things under a cautioned easing up of my own restrictions.

The state of emergency is still in effect so that is being utilized for federal resources mainly.

If left to the county, I think mine would be fully open. And if not for our proximity to the interstate, I'd be all for that - we haven't had many cases and we're pretty rural so there's a lot of distancing baked into normal life. But we are on one of the major interstates through the Detroit area, which is why the governor put us in the same region as Detroit. If we reopen before the Detroit metro does, it is very easy/quick for people from still-closed counties that have the highest infection rates in the state to get here. But unfortunately, that means businesses here are likely to lose at least half of the all-important summer season and most of the small shops and restaurants won't survive that.

 

[low-key]

Have you been enjoying the gym?

well I wa slike that, we are opening back up, the gym opened up yesterday , so I been there twice

 

[Heather07438]

Lat Sunday felt weird after being secluded for so long. I had TWO different visitors to my house :^O First my SIL came and hung out for a bit on the deck. Then a friend came to lend us ramps after we already tried to buy some at 3 local stores. It felt like a party!

 

[kymom99]

The ones I've seen the most on FB and Nextdoor are the people screaming (well this was more when the stay at home order was around) for people to STAY HOME (and yes always in caps) and yet..their postings say they've been doing otherwise.

Most of us don't begrudge the grocery store but you don't look good if you're yelling at people to stay home and yet you're popping into many stores to get this food item or that food item. Great that you're buying food but don't yell at the person getting curbside at Michaels or JoAnn's because you think it's not essential when you're the one going all over town to get stuff for this one recipe you want to try.

This particular friend has flip flopped from
One extreme to another.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

This is so true! I have found it even worse than what you described. People are posting on facebook, during this entire time, photos of them doing things with friends. Then have the nerve to hash tag with quarantine /picnic/bbq/swimming/movie night or whatever they happen to be doing.

Having other families over, or visiting them, in no way qualifies as quarantine. And yet, these same clueless people will tell you they've been home, social distancing for months. It has really become a pet peeve these past couple months. I've been tempted to comment with a hashtag "idiots."

I have a coworker who says she is staying home. But she is also in stores every few days and picking up take out nearly every day. Everything she is doing is within the stay at home order, but not what I would call "staying home."

So true. Many who say they are social distancing turn out to have been out for this or that. Look at Chris Cuomo who claimed to have been confined to his basement after positive diagnosis. Then we find out he's been out and about without a mask. While he had a positive diagnosis.

Same here. A friend of mine is constantly running to the grocery, stopping by the bakery, in and out. Yet complaining how awful it is to be stuck at home.

Yes to all of this! And I agree, it is worse than what I posted. I definitely have seen a shift in the last two weeks. Not only are people doing what they want, there is no longer shame in posting about it!

As I've mentioned elsewhere, our SIP is still pretty strict. We are not allowed to travel. Had somebody comment on a post of mine on FB insinuating I wasn't taking it seriously because I posed a question about what happens if we don't find a vaccine. How long do we do this for? And had the goal changed and nobody told us. He commented about how it's not hard to follow the rules and he's been staying home, etc. And then 3 days later posts he's traveled 3 hours away to play golf with friends!

 

[mom2rtk]

I know someone who claimed to be quarantining who posted they went out to play golf and go fishing. All while never missing a chance to criticize and wag their finger at lots of others.

 

[ronandannette]

Like why did a 106 year old woman in my town get released from the hospital, and yet a 53 year old man from my town did not? There is so much not known.

Is this a rhetorical question? In these two very specific cases, doctors and pathologists could probably give you a pretty accurate idea of why one recovered and the other didn't. But even if you had that information it would contribute next to nothing to understanding the generalities of Covid, especially since both outcomes were quite atypical.

 

[Colleen27]

I know someone who claimed to be quarantining who posted they went out to play golf and go fishing. All while never missing a chance to criticize and wag their finger at lots of others.

On my feed, it has almost become a sort of bragging - people who can enjoy all or most of their preferred activities under the stay-at-home rules implying that there's something wrong with others who are frustrated by the continued lockdown. Like somehow there's more virtue in enjoying solitary or distancing-friendly activities than in longing for travel, concerts, theme parks or even girls' night out. And of course, there's also the humble-brag post "complaining" about coffee at home with a real estate listing worthy photo of a manicured backyard, sprawling deck or in-ground pool, accompanied by an offhanded comment about not understanding why people miss their morning Starbucks so much.

 

[Kestryl]

Do not lump all of CA with Los Angeles and the SF Bay Area. Two heavily populated areas don't represent the entire state.

My county has been given permission to move to the next phase, but we are not yet. And we still have some of the most restrictive rules around. We are not allowed any group gatherings outside of our own households, socially distanced or not. Under our order, we still aren't allowed to see our family/parents. Our beaches remained closed unless you can walk/bike in. Our restaurants JUST opened to patio seating. We can do curbside pick up at stores now.

The problem with such restrictive rules is that people have stopped listening to them and that makes it more dangerous. I'm all for opening slow, but not a snails pace. There was a definite shift over the weekend, and I'll say over the last two weeks of people not following any rules - no masks (despite them being required here), no social distancing, etc. And no shame in posting about it.

To answer the original question - we continue to get grocery delivery or do curbside pick up. We get take out. We where masks when and out & about, as required. We have done socially distanced get togethers/visits with family (all bringing our own food & chairs). Otherwise we continue to follow the rules set in our SIP order.

To the bolded- YES. My work place is enacting stricter and stricter rules. On top of the Disney restrictions, one major reason I’m cancelling my vacation is because they’re “strongly advising” against personal travel outside the surrounding counties. Additionally, we can’t even see anyone who lives outside the area- so no out-of-town visitors. (They can’t say we can’t leave or have visitors, but they heavily implied this would be reflected in our reviews.) My co-workers are incredibly disgruntled. I’m downright angry about it, because apparently my co-worker can go to their nephew’s high school graduation ceremony in two weeks with hundreds of people from who knows where without getting a mark on his record, but I can’t see my parents (who are social distancing) just because they’re from a different state.

And they’re talking about keeping these restrictions in place for the remainder of the calendar year or more.

Meanwhile, masks are not required here except by a few businesses, restaurants are open, and the tourist area is packed.

I do not see my co-workers (or me, to be honest) keeping to these restrictions much longer. I fully expect that people will begin lying about where they’ve been (if they aren’t now). That will be infinitely worse- imagine trying to contact trace that.

 

[Kestryl]

On my feed, it has almost become a sort of bragging - people who can enjoy all or most of their preferred activities under the stay-at-home rules implying that there's something wrong with others who are frustrated by the continued lockdown. Like somehow there's more virtue in enjoying solitary or distancing-friendly activities than in longing for travel, concerts, theme parks or even girls' night out. And of course, there's also the humble-brag post "complaining" about coffee at home with a real estate listing worthy photo of a manicured backyard, sprawling deck or in-ground pool, accompanied by an offhanded comment about not understanding why people miss their morning Starbucks so much.

If I see one more “stuck by my pool ” post again...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Had somebody comment on a post of mine on FB insinuating I wasn't taking it seriously because I posed a question about what happens if we don't find a vaccine. How long do we do this for?

Interestingly I was reading an article (which I felt was fair in its assessment of the situation) today from The Washington Post (I think that was the news source) regarding how the impression is this virus IS here to stay that it will be likely for decades to come and that even with a vaccine it will likely be around (if the vaccine is actually produced). The idea is that this virus might be endemic in its presence (though over time being less severe as more of us are exposed to it and more of us have the ability for our immune systems to recognize/remember it) and that we need to learn how in the future to better deal/coexist with the virus and that we should be focusing on doing things now (touch-less doors so you don't use the handles and finding ways for pedestrian crossings to not rely on pushing a button were mentioned.

I always felt a sorta unease if I'm being honest when people (and states) said they would not do this or do that until a vaccine or effective treatment was implemented. On the one hand certain measures should be here to stay but if we just treat things like "it'll be gone it'll be gone just gotta wait til ..." I think we'll do more harm than good. Researching a vaccine is important but so is looking at what do we do if we can't get that.

One of the things that was brought up is fear and stress and absolutely that has occurred. It's part of our mental health but I don't think many people have considered it. The mere thought of seeing someone without a mask bringing fear and anxiety is part of that and the idea that anyone without a mask in whatever place that that person deems appropriate means that person is out to get them (and yes it does work the opposite just swings more the other way at this point), the not wanting to step foot outside the home because of what is "out there" is bringing fear and anxiety and is part of it, our uncertain nature is part of it. I myself have some anxiety brought about of this--the idea that I need to keep away from people and someone getting close too me I'm automatically on alert (more family less strangers as I don't have the same emotional contact to strangers).