New ‘support bubble’ rules allow single adults from single households to choose another household to form a bubble with, without needing to maintain social distancing (hurrah!) - sounds super cosy, right? If you fall into the categories of ‘living alone’, ‘in a single household’ or ‘a single parent with children under the age of 18’ then you can form a ‘bubble’ with one other household for emotional and physical support; which let’s be honest, a LOT of us are needing RN.
Around eight million people in the UK have been living alone throughout the pandemic and let’s face it, Zoom quizzes just don’t cut it any more. For single people who live alone ‘putting yourself out there’, meeting new people and Tindering to your heart’s content are not viable options in the current circumstances. Three months is a really long time to go without physical comfort from another human being and a survey from The Lonely Society has shown a large increase in depression, anxiety and worrying about the thought of being lonely. The new support bubble rules mean you can hug, touch and kiss someone you haven’t been physical with for the last three months. And the most exciting part? You can stay overnight too. With such heated reunions underway, we can only imagine the unbelievable sexual experiences happening. That doesn’t mean that everybody’s experience will be a positive one though. Some people have found that assuming it’s easy to find a social bubble, is naive, and in-fact it isn’t a simple fix for loneliness. Are you social bubbling? Let us know your thoughts on this, and how you’re finding it!
Think about what is going to enrich your life and improve your mental health. Are you missing self care sleepovers with your bestie? Do you need the emotional support and hugs from parents or siblings? Or do you simply want to jump your boyfriend’s bones? Everybody’s circumstances are different but being able to be intimate with friends, family and loved ones again is no doubt a relief for all.
If, like us, you’ve been scrolling through ASOS so much that your thumb has grown its own muscles, then you’ll definitely be glad that you can fit in a cheeky retail therapy sesh, (we mean one of those ‘bring 18 items to the fitting room at once’ sessions). Let’s be honest, a Primark haul was on the minds of the majority of the UK for a few months, so the shift in retail restrictions was more than welcome. June 15th saw people queuing to buy previously "non-essential" items like clothes *and shoes, silky PJ’s, and primark thongs* as lockdown rules were relaxed. As well as Primark, shops like; IKEA, Greggs (800 stores open for takeaway), Waterstones, Debenhams, Boots and John Lewis have reopened and the high streets are seeing some action.
They do look a little different though. Safety measures brought in by retailers include not touching items unless you are purchasing them, decontaminating shopping baskets after each use, and plenty of hand sanitiser available. Toilets will remain closed in Primark's shops but facilities in other stores, including John Lewis and Selfridges, will be open. The shop's opening is a sign that we’re one step closer to ‘normality’, and isn’t that a lovely thought?
Missing your self-maintenance appointments? We feel ya.
How will experiences in the hair and beauty industry differ? Well, consultations may happen virtually to reduce the amount of time you spend there. Staggered appointment times will be introduced, hand sanitiser and PPE will be given to clients on arrival. Clients will remain with just one member of staff throughout the entirety of their visit. Protective glass screens will likely be installed at the backwash and in between salon stations. Cleaning and disinfecting will take place between every appointment. Contactless payments will be preferred to cash. Let’s be honest: getting used to these new safety measures is well worth it. The life after lockdown hair, nails and brows are just gonna hit DIFFERENT!
Wanderlust?
Who else is dreaming of sand in their toes, salt in their hair, and a frozen strawberry daiquiri by the beach? With many of us having holidays cancelled, the summer dream of stepping off a plane and heat hitting you in the face seemed far away. However, 'air bridge' agreements have recently gained traction and the 14 day quarantine ban has been lifted in 59 destinations! The agreements allow British holidaymakers to travel to certain countries without the need to quarantine on arrival, or when they return home. Spain, France, and Italy are amongst travel destinations open to Brits. Will you be visiting anywhere soon? We’d love to know if you’ll be sun chasing this summer.
According to a survey:
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79% are very likely or quite likely to travel once told it is safe to do so
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42% plan to travel for leisure in the next three months
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41% will take a flight for business in the next three months
SkyScanner has released data of the most searched-for destinations, and they are: UK, Greece, Thailand, France, Netherlands, USA, South Korea, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. Where’s first on your lockdown lift travel list?!
As travel within the UK eases, you are now allowed to stay overnight away from the place where you are living. You can travel as far as you want within the borders, and sleep in a second home or self-contained holiday accommodation. Hotels and B&Bs are also open, as well as many caravan parks and campsites. The government advises holidaymakers to take particular care to maintain excellent hygiene - washing hands and surfaces - and avoid using shared facilities wherever possible.
For all information on the easing of restrictions in England, please visit the gov.uk website. *Please note that the information in this blog is based on the government’s advice for England. For relevant information in Scotland, N Ireland and Wales, please visit the links provided.
