Covid Bubble

[susanxx]

I am currently giving support to a friend and neighbour who has had a stroke. Her nephew who has a partner and 4 children lives about 6 miles away and insists he is part of her support bubble and intends to visit with the entire entourage. I always wear a mask when I help yet he and his family do not. I do not believe he can be in her bubble, am right?

[bobbinwales]

Am not sure studying the precise wording of the legislation is the way to go here tho.
The question everyone should ask is wheather its essential and fair on the stroke victim to have so many potential infectors in her house and whether appropriate distancing and cleaning is taking place.

[pixie374]

The precise wording is what she is allowed to do though, bobbin. And that was the question. Any extra caution is her own choice and not somebody else's opinion.

[New Judge]

//Am not sure studying the precise wording of the legislation is the way to go here tho.//

It is when criminal sanctions are being taken against alleged trangressors. There was a very good article in yesterday's Telegraph written by Lord Sumption, who is a retired Supreme Court judge. He was describing some of the attributes of a "police state." Among them he mentioned it as being

"...a state in which it is the police and not the law decide what is and isn't allowed. It is a state in which ministers denounce activities of which they disapprove and the police are their compliant instruments."

That's exactly what's happening here. People on here pose questions about what they are allowed to do. The only way to answer such questions is to dissect the legislation. Telling them they mustn't do something when the law does not forbid it is to be complicit in the government's dishonesty in their efforts to gain compliance. Advice and guidance is fine; people can accept it, go further than it suggests or reject it entirely. But don't send the police out to enforce it when in doing so they would be acting unlawfully.

I'm afraid studying the precise wording of the legislation is the only way to go to prevent the UK developing into a police state such as Lord Sumption describes.

[bobbinwales]

Whilst of course all laws should be clear am saying one should use common sense first before considering the detail of the law. Just because the law says you can doesnt mean you should. Cart before horse.
Question one should be is is sensible, essential and fair.
If the answer is yes then consider whether its legal and then decide what to do.
If the answer to "is it sensible, essential and fair" is no then dont do it, whatever the law says

[pixie374]

Yes bobbin.... but that has been left to individual interpretation. And quite honestly, if I know a 102 year old lady that would rather risk covid, than be alone. That's her choice.

[New Judge]

// Just because the law says you can doesnt mean you should. Cart before horse.//

I understand your sentiment and what you say make sense. But many people are not asking "what should I do?" They are asking "What can I do?" When they ask that, the advice and guidance is not relevant. When they ask what they can do it's usually for a reason (as with susanxx here). They know what they should do (stay indoors, locked away from everybody else until the "all clear" sounds). Unfortunately that's not always practical.