Everyone is individual, in their own unique situation and has their own thoughts, views and feelings on this topic. I hope that you will take this as my personal feelings which some of you may find useful as we negotiate these changing times. Who am I to say what you should do, do what you want but please think about it for yourselves and for others including the vulnerable population.
I am not a doctor or a scientist, but we all know that the virus won’t go away for at least another year. The virus has most likely already found us and has done its thing, it will likely find us again and strike in some way against most of us. It is mainly very vulnerable people and people who have had extensive exposure to the virus who will be most at risk. Of course lockdown diminishes risk to the virus slightly, but in my opinion doesn’t outweigh the negative impacts of a long lockdown. Humans need face to face interaction, contact and many other things for total well being which are compromised in some way whilst in some form of lockdown. The longer we stay in some kind of lockdown the more damage it causes. It will lead to severe economic and social issues and it will affect most people, even the ones who feel relatively safe at the moment including the people who are working as normal from home. The balance isn’t balanced anymore as the reproductive (R) rate is also just below one…..
At Fit For Anything we have been adapting as guidelines have changed in the best interest of safety but also promoting physical and emotional well being as we have transitioned from onljine sessions, through to one on one outside sessions and family sessions at home.
The latest relaxing of restrictions will go a long way towards starting to restore the general balance and to social, economic, physical and mental well being. We can from Monday 1st June:
• In England, you will be able to meet in groups of up to six people from different households outside - either in parks or now also in private gardens - as long as you remain 2m (6ft) apart.
• No changes were announced to the rules on exercise, playing sport or travel in the prime minister's press conference on Thursday.
• There is no longer any limit to the amount of time you can spend outside doing exercise, or in "open-air recreation" like sunbathing in England.
• You can play outdoor sports such as golf or tennis with members of your household or with one other person from another household (while maintaining social distance).
• Households can also drive any distance in England to destinations such as parks and beaches.
• The government's ambition is for all primary school children in England to return to school before the summer for a month if feasible. In England, pupils in nurseries, early years and Reception and Years 1 and 6 at primary schools will be able to return from 1 June.
Adapting to the new Regulations
For the majority, depending on their situation, we should find ways to get on with our lives as best we can - with appropriate caution of course. Please watch essential news only, use common sense, then think about the need of all the people including the ones of poorer backgrounds, lower skilled people and not just your own situation. Then balance and perhaps broaden your thoughts, views and actions accordingly. Society needs you.
Please stay or become proactive, think outside the box and get on with it within reason. In order to do this, one is advised to stay in a routine that works for them. First of all, one should be true to your selves, be disciplined, methodical, adaptable, sensible and use common sense. During this public health crisis, one size does not fit all – and an improved degree of adaptability and flexibility by most of us would certainly mean better outcomes for everyone. The issues around self-isolation are, for example, quite different in an urban area with a dense availability of public services and a rural community where the 70- somethings are looking after the 90-somethings. People get lonely, mentally ill, and become physically less active whilst in isolation and whilst in lockdown. Weigh up the positives versus the negatives and act, then adjust and adapt where needed. Respect each others views and actions.
If the collective goal is to slow disease transmission and divert it from the most vulnerable members of the population, intervention measures must be practical and not fraught with unintended negative consequences. In this case, the ambition informed by modelling work, of eliminating contacts between over 70s and vulnerable people may not be the best thing to do, compared with encouraging people to make their own risk assessments that minimise contacts – and collateral damage. Adapt and adjust wisely is key.
If you usually walk down to the local shop, keep doing that - just pick a quiet time if you can, keep your distance, protect yourselves the way you want whilst in the shop - do it with caution. Most bigger supermarkets have set aside a couple of hours every other day restricted to vulnerable people, the over 70s and necessary companions or volunteers. Motivation will come from those primarily actions with the drive, determination and passion to see things through, a dose of increased positivity will shine through which has a positive impact on others. We need everyone to at least attempt to try the above, as it will drive the spiral upwards and out of the situation quicker than when we do this on our own.
Collectively we are much stronger, we need each other to be uplifted, for inspiration, for communication, confidence in ourselves, in others and in society. We need to look after each other and see even more clearly we are in this together. More importantly we need to see that we need to get on with this best we can to move forward and to improve things. In order to get back to this new “normal” we need to feel safe and to feel strong enough.
Please do all the things you can do to get to that position. Get your house and work place in order, do everything you need to do to keep mind and body healthy. Improve your immune system and get more vitamin C and D in you, get outdoors, exercise more and reduce your physical niggles you may have. Perhaps see someone - preferably outdoors - who can help you improve physically and also mentally.
Perhaps look at the option of training outdoors with me in my back garden in Chorleywood which isn’t overlooked by anyone or perhaps train outside in another private setting such as your own back garden. I am sensible, adaptable and operate always within the latest guidelines. Let me adapt to you to improve YOUR total well being. Your health needs to be the number one priority to fend off any virus, so optimise it, look after yourselves.
Please contact me or find Fit For Anything’s outdoor training set up information on the Fit For Anything’s Facebook page.
In all cases, please stay safe, stay strong, stay mentally and physically fit.
Best wishes,
Roel 07786652095