WHAT TO SAY IF SOMEONE WANTS YOU TO BREAK THE RULES

Whether your partner is trying to convince you it’s OK to pop over to your neighbours’, or a friend is desperate to see you, many are feeling the urge to flout the guidelines – here’s how to respond

People are understandably starting to struggle with boredom, cabin fever and loneliness, and feel tempted to ‘bend’ the lockdown rules, because much of our health and happiness is derived from spending time with others.

REFLECT ON ‘WHY’

When people you know appear to be taking a more relaxed approach, because you trust them, it can be tempting to follow suit. The issue is that if we all do that, lockdown will have been pointless, as we would face a second wave of infections. You may feel that you and your healthy family are not at risk, but even if you stay well you can spread the virus, as you can have it without realising, endangering those unable to fight it, so we need to be socially responsible. If you are being asked to meet up, I know it’s hard to say no, but it could be a potential death sentence to anyone vulnerable.

EXPLAIN YOUR FEARS

You may feel that you don’t have a right to question the behaviour of your loved ones, but to an extent, you have a duty to. Don’t be confrontational, simply voice your fears about the impact they could have, and ask them to keep their distance to protect those they love – including you. People often model their behaviour on those around them, so if you stick to your guns, this will make them question any rules they are breaking. If your partner or children are breaking the rules, this is, of course, hard to challenge. Explaining how anxious this makes you feel can be helpful. Tell them that while you understand they see things differently, you would feel safer and happier if they supported you until advised otherwise.

DON’T CONFRONT

Finally, remember that, for some, social isolation is catastrophic for their mental health, meaning they are at risk to themselves if they don’t get out. We have seen increases in suicide and domestic violence, so please don’t angrily confront people around their coronavirus attitudes, as sometimes people who appear to be ‘flouting’ the rules are simply trying to survive.