Wednesday 15 July 2020

Why I'm choosing to go back into isolation

Since mum arrived a few weeks ago, I've been going out more, her shopping needs differ greatly to mine and going out once a fortnight to food shop is now weekly. I don't like it, I don't feel comfortable and my anxiety levels are increasing again. But I'm doing it, I'd just rather not.

This week I went to the chemist to collect her prescription, she'd been asking for me to pick up some cakes next time I shopped and requested new cotton hankies. The pharmacy counter is by the door in Superdrug, so I only need to go just inside. I could look through the window at Greggs and see they were out of fresh cream cakes and when I got to Peacocks, I did my own risk assessment, staff were masked, store was well laid out and there were no customers inside. I walked as far as the till and the assistant fetched the hankies. I wore a mask from entering the chemist until I finished in the final store.

There was no queue to Home Bargains so I decided to go in there and pick up the other bits and pieces I needed that I would normally get from Wilko when I did my next food shop in Waitrose on a Thursday. I entered the store, picked up one or two things from memory as I'd forgotten my list and left without half the stuff I needed, so I'll still have to go to Wilko on Thursday or leave it another week.

At the beginning of lockdown, I didn't have a car and couldn't get online food delivery for myself. Thankfully I managed to get regular slots for mum. So I'd go out with my trolley and try to shop for 7-10 days with some careful meal planning, once I got a car it was to the shop once a fortnight and a top up of milk the alternate week in the corner store. I carefully selected the 2 stores I shopped in, the social distancing was and is still being observed in there and I added Wilko to my list of places I was happy to visit.

I've made a couple of trips to poundland and poundstretcher on my weekly trip out, but used the supermarket nearby and I wasn't happy with the social distancing. I've been to B&M in Worcester when I've driven for a click and collect, justifying that I'm still actually only physically going into one shop that week.

I've been buying a take out coffee from an independent shop happily enough, but went to one of the chains and I felt uncomfortable. I'm slowly making a list of the places I won't be going back into even after this is all over.

Today I sat inside a different independent coffee shop. I wasn't asked for my details, staff didn't distance from one another and they were quite scathing about what they could and couldn't do. I drank my coffee, had my say about them. not asking for my details and I just won't return there.

It's become too easy to just do a bit more each time I go out. I don't like it, I don't want or need to do it, so after my mum returns to her own home in 2 weeks time. I'm going back into isolation and will only shop again once a fortnight, I will continue to take the dog for daily walks and am more than happy to continue my friday night wine dates with my friend, visit my grandchild and other son who live nearby and meet up with others within a 1 hour drive in open space only.

It's the only way I can guarantee I can remain Covid free, as to a lot of people because the shops are open, life is back to normal, just a little bit inconvenienced and the virus appears to have just gone away.

My aim is to keep well enough to travel to Dubai to see my husband in August and I'll have to isolate for 2 weeks when I get back anyway and I won't be able to walk the dog then. So I just need to stay away from too many other people and avoid indoor spaces till then.

10 comments:

  1. I think we are following you here in the U.S.!

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    1. I want to make sure I'm well to fly to Dubai

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  2. Life is definitely not 'normal', in my opinion, and it's a scary world out there, in many ways. I think we need to carry out our own personal risk assessment and do whatever feels comfortable to us as individuals. I do hope you'll be able to see your husband in August.

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  3. Yes it is so different now and you have to do what is right for you X #pocolo

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    1. I feel so much more comfortable when I go out on my own

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  4. I'm doing the same here in NYC. Only going out when I have to. Unfortunately, I'm living in a horrific situation that I desperately to get away from so that keeps me out of the house more than I'd like. When I do go out, I wear masks and I social distance. Hope you get to Dubai in August.

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  5. It's worrying isn't it how many people are so quickly returning to normal without any regard for the rules, or others. Take care. #PoCoLo

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    1. It sure is, they seem to think the virus has just vanished

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