Yesterday I came across a report on some latest COVID-19 guidelines in the UK. Amid all the do’s and don’ts was a new(at least for me) term : Bubbles.
A bubble is a group that you make with one other household/family during the current pandemic. The British report gives quite stringent guidance about who to include in your bubble and how to proceed once you have done so.
What I managed to follow from the detailed instructions is that you can make a bubble with a small group of adults living relatively close to you. Then you socially distance from all others except those in your bubble.
You cannot form a bubble with more than one household/family. Once formed, your bubble must not be changed. The logic behind this seems to be to enlarge your group of safe contacts.
Advantages of Bubbles
In these times of isolation and social distancing, the number of your human contacts increases and gives you lots of benefits.
Psychological and emotional support is the most important advantage.
Sharing or swapping of household chores and childcare can be a lifesaver for parents with young children since schools are closed while parents need to either go to work or work from home.
Disadvantages of Bubbles
Since you are in constant contact with your “bubble fellows” you will be sharing whatever befalls them. If one member of the bubble tests positive for COVID-19, all the others must self isolate.
Another problem may be that if there are two sets of grandparents both within bubble-making distance, you can only choose one. I can’t even begin to imagine the complications that may arise in such a situation. If a bubble does not work out with one family, you can’t just switch to another one. You would have to wait fourteen days.
My personal experience
On reading about Bubbles in this report, I realised that I have been living in one all through. My parents live at a driving distance of 5 to 10 minutes from me. I go to see them every day and manage to share some chores with them. It is quite nice to be able to interact with someone outside my house while maintaining the same precautions pandemic wise.
DISCLAIMER
I do not profess to be an expert on Bubbles, I have merely expressed my personal opinions and experiences. To read the article that was the basis of this post you can click here.
Have you formed a bubble with some friends, neighbours or extended family ? I would love to know.
Please let me know in the comments section below.
Featured image credit https://www.riversideca.gov/press/expand-your-social-bubble-take-care-yourself-and-those-around-you
Sadly my bubble is non existent. Safety first.
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It’s a good idea to stay safe.
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A relative told me about this concept too. Actually this should work.
But in india it’s quite difficult as there are joint families. Each bubble will become interconnected … almost lather.. if I can imagine 😊 it becomes emotional. And it will be quite hard to request every member of a family of 6 to maintain the bubble 😅I hope I made sense
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Absolutely. I completely realise what you mean as I have some experience of joint and multi generational families too.
Not every concept can fit every situation.
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How I wish it fitted mine and I could meet my parents 😊. My bubble is almost complete as two families stay in the same building and one here is a health care worker. So I dare not go out of the bubble 😊
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Better safe than sorry.
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Totally agree
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My parents and I have been seeing each other at least once a week since the pandemic began. After a few months, we began seeing my sister Audrey and her family. It’s a little larger than the recommended bubble, but those remain our only contacts at this point. My sister Amy formed a bubble with someone who lives closer to her (she lives about 45 minutes away from the rest of us) to share child care, so I haven’t seen her or my third niece this entire time.
Since I live alone, the bubble has been an incredible benefit to my emotional well-being.
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Emotional wellbeing is one of the main objectives of the social bubble so I guess you’re good.
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I tried this with my daughter and family and called it our “circle” but had to stop because friends she had kept sneaking in and it gave me anxiety, but I think it could work
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For this bubble or circle to work it has to be followed fairly strictly.
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It’s just family here with whom I share the house. No one else in that bubble!
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Awww
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🥰
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I thought bubbles were a great idea recognising that isolation can be very harmful….except that some people have not applied it properly, thus endangering others.
Jack is my bubble. Nobody else has set foot into my home. But I have socialised with friends outdoors….walks, picnics etc.
I am looking forward to seeing my family soon…first time in over six months.
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Thank you for explaining the ‘bubble’ concept! Yes I too will firm-up with a like minded social group and maintain strict guidelines. Regards and be safe.
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You’re very welcome.
I did not know about it before I wrote this post. I came across the term on the web and then researched it for my post.
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Thank you. 👍
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