Risk tolerance (222/365)

[white_hart]

I had an email recently from an academic who said how nice it was to be able to do the things that they hadn't been able to for ages - theatres! bookshops! pub lunches! - which left me thinking how nice it would be to do those things, but I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable going to a theatre at the moment, or anywhere where I would be spending more than a few minutes indoors with people I don't know. I am OK with going into shops, and have considered going to a bookshop, but given how high case numbers have been it felt a bit frivolous when I don't actually need any more books*, and might well not actually buy anything.

I know that I am pretty risk-averse, and it's also been long enough that I've almost forgotten what it was like to do those things; doing them now would feel strange and new, which would require more impetus than I can muster up in the face of ongoing pandemic "is it actually safe to do this?" anxiety. I do wonder whether I am being excessively risk-averse, though I don't get the sense that many of my friends are doing much more than I am.

Anyway, this is really just a preamble to a poll!

Poll #26014

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 64

View Respondents

I live in the UK, and I would currently:

View Answers

use public transport to commute
18 (37.5%)

use public transport for leisure purposes
21 (43.8%)

have a drink at a pub or cafe - indoors
17 (35.4%)

have a drink at a pub or cafe - outdoors
39 (81.2%)

have a meal at a pub, cafe or restaurant - indoors
20 (41.7%)

have a meal at a pub, cafe or restaurant - outdoors
36 (75.0%)

go to a shop for essential purchases (however you define essential)
45 (93.8%)

go to a shop for non-essential purchases/to browse
24 (50.0%)

go to the theatre
8 (16.7%)

go to the cinema
7 (14.6%)

meet friends in an outdoor public place
44 (91.7%)

meet friends in a garden
46 (95.8%)

meet friends in your or their house
35 (72.9%)

I wouldn't do any of these things
1 (2.1%)

I live outside the UK, and I would currently:

View Answers

use public transport to commute
8 (50.0%)

use public transport for leisure purposes
6 (37.5%)

have a drink at a pub or cafe - indoors
1 (6.2%)

have a drink at a pub or cafe - outdoors
9 (56.2%)

have a meal at a pub, cafe or restaurant - indoors
1 (6.2%)

have a meal at a pub, cafe or restaurant - outdoors
8 (50.0%)

go to a shop for essential purchases (however you define essential)
15 (93.8%)

go to a shop for non-essential purchases/to browse
5 (31.2%)

go to the theatre
0 (0.0%)

go to the cinema
2 (12.5%)

meet friends in an outdoor public place
13 (81.2%)

meet friends in a garden
13 (81.2%)

meet friends in your or their house
9 (56.2%)

I wouldn't do any of these things
1 (6.2%)

*at the moment my kindle TBR pile appears to be going through a significant growth phase

Comments

[mrs_redboots]

I do go to church, but we're required to wear masks there unless we're up the front, and as our church has a large garden, we have services out of doors whenever the weather permits. But I wouldn't be comfortable going to the cinema or a theatre as they can't leave the doors open! And although I'd probably be okay eating out at lunchtime, in the evening, not so much! I have shopped all the way through (except when I actually had Covid-19) but always worn a mask, even before it became compulsory. And continue to do so. We had a meeting tonight that I fought to have on Zoom (and luckily someone else was in the USA, so we could); if we'd had to meet in person I would have firmly worn my mask, and hope others would have, too. Having had Covid-19 once, I'm desperate never to catch it again, even though it's vanishingly unlikely I would (I have had antibody testing that confirm I've already had it, plus I'm fully vaccinated). All the same.... not doing that again if I can help it!

[white_hart]

Although I know from our own building reopening that it's perfectly possible for spaces without external windows/doors to be perfectly adequately ventilated, psychologically it's hard to separate "adequate ventilation" from "lots of fresh air"!

[mrs_redboots]

I worry about air-conditioning, as often it is just recirculating the air already in the building, as it did in the last office I worked in.