Shopping.

Normally we would go alone or  one of us wait in the car as you did,  but last week  I observed lots of couples going in the supermarkets together, mainly Spanish, (not racist!, )so decided to experiment. Will be going back to “ normal “ .  Much preferred..and cheaper!

Just an observation...... 

IMO such behavior sadly demonstrates that some people have yet to fully grasp the full gravity of the situation and the ongoing risks both to their health - and if they don't care about that - then that of others. 

The easing of restrictions was primarily in order to take the first steps towards getting the economy at least up on its knees if not it's feet and I can but repeat what I've said a number of times which is just because you can do something it does not mean that you must - or even should.

For my own part while I have taken some small advantage of the new freedoms my wife on the other hand, being at high risk, has not left the property since day one of the lockdown and has no intention of doing so until the end of May at the earliest and, depending on how thing go, maybe not for some time beyond that. 

Well put Movingon. Some people make my blood boil, it is stupidity in the extreme putting oneself and more importantly others at risk of catching what is a possible death sentence just because your curious and nosey.

Tom. 

Hi Sue,

Good to hear that, having tried an experiment, you're going to resume the (new) normal procedures.  I'm not sure other customers would have been quite as reasonable as you, had they been challenged on entry at a store.  I think it puts the staff in a very difficult position: when a shop owner is desperate for the business, but knows that even asking customers to comply with national regulations could cause offence.  I'd like to think that the government mandating the wearing of masks will make it easier for shopowners to enforce, but as with anything that allows exceptions, there's bound to be abuse.  I hope the government continues to reinforce the importance of handwashing and that wearing a mask is no substitute - it's even more important now, as we will inevitably be continually adjusting ill-fitting masks and increasing the risk of transferring the virus from other surfaces to our faces.

Stay safe everyone.

Kind regards,

Kim

Another factor of course is that with smaller shops in particular, many of which are operating a system of allowing a fixed number of people inside the premises at any one time, shopping as a couple can be an act of selfishness as it denies at least one other customer entry until one or both of them leave.

Movingon, you are right on the money again. I rest my case!!!

Hi Movingon,

Yesterday, I went to our local electrical goods shop, on my own, to buy a new fridge-freezer.  I wore a mask and waited outside until I was beckoned in by the owner.  I'd checked out their website the day before and taken a photo of the product I wanted, so that I wouldn't have to spend time looking around the (small) store.  By the time I'd paid for my order, 5 other customers had come into the store, 1 English, 4 Spanish: no masks, no social distancing.  The husband and wife owners were wearing masks, and there were signs on display reminding customers of the requirement for social distancing, but to no avail.  I got out of there as quickly as I could 🙄

Stay safe,

Kim

In some shops, such as hairdressers, the wearing of masks was already a condition of them being allowed to open, but when I went to the hairdresser a couple of weeks ago, there was a customer not wearing a mask.  I was 2m away, but felt sorry for the stylist tending to her hair.  I assumed it was because the client had a medical condition that made them an exception, but after she'd left, the stylist told me that the customer had bought a "designer" mask off the internet and didn't want it to get wet at the wash basin! 🙄  With the rule change today, hopefully the only people not wearing masks will be genuine exceptions.

Kind regards, 

Kim

Hi, Sue back again to reassure you all that we are back to our normal, only one shopping, as I said it was only an experiment, the shops we were in were almost empty so we were not taking up another’s space. Thank you all for your comments even so some were not that nice. Since the start of lockdown we have adhered strictly to the rules except for the little experiment, didn’t cross to another health care area as lots of others did as in our area we are limited to some items. Yesterday again a lot of Spanish were shopping together and on Sunday the plaza in Almoradi was busy,children running all over and playing with other children, adults hardly keeping distances and only a few with masks, maybe they don’t read the notices like N332. ! My husband went out today..alone,and came back with a visor each which he stupidly paid €10 each for at a local garage. This is what happens when I let him out alone!! Keep well everybody.