Do you know what, I’m so used to it by now that I hardly question it. In fact, I now find a lot of recent archive where people
are
sitting next to each other looks incredibly cramped. When Strictly did their “best of” show last year, I was really surprised how there was so little room behind some of the old judges’ desks - all 4 judges looked uncomfortably close to each other! In the same way, I find it looks completely natural to have the hosts sat apart on GMB now, and I expect this new desk may make it look even
more
natural since it will have been planned with the extended spacing in mind. Strange how perceptions and expectations change.
The only regular show where I find it does feel awkward is This Morning - I guess due to it being at odds with the “cosy” nature of the set and presentation.
I'm completely the opposite - distancing makes for uncomfortable viewing IMO, but I agree that it is much more noticeable on programmes such as This Morning, as well as SNT.
It feels like a treat when, for example, TM show a throwback to pre-Covid times and no one's having to worry about 2m!
Hopefully, social distancing will only be around for a few more months.
I think it will remain 'best practice' for a long time, if not forever. Covid isn't going to suddenly disappear overnight in a puff of smoke, but we will learn to manage it
I don't see why that would be the case; it should just come down to common sense. If someone has a cold, for instance, then you generally won't get too close to them, as has always been the case. Things like floor markings and perspex screens really won't be necessary for much longer IMO.
I think [social distancing] will remain 'best practice' for a long time, if not forever.
Will it, or does it just
feel
like it'll be ever-present after a year of experiencing nothing but this?
I know it's not exactly the same, but pre-2020, in extreme cases, people died of bad cases of the flu in winter and this was accepted as a sad inevitability. You didn't see people sitting metres away from each other every time the weather dipped below a certain temperature just in case one of their colleagues had it.
I'm not downplaying the seriousness of COVID-19, especially as I personally am one of the people deemed at high risk should I contract it, but now there are vaccines, and once the people who are offered them/want to take them (as per flu vaccines every year) have these, I can't see why there'd be an expectation that social distancing would need to continue in the longer term.
Oh you’re completely right, it will go away as a strict requirement. But as Markymark says, I can see the government keeping it in place as “recommended” and “best practice” for a long while. If that’s the case, TV presentation may be expected to keep up the example.
Apart from the wide shots this morning though, it’s hardly noticeable on GMB any more. Kudos to the designers.
I don't even think they'd be recommending it much after the summer. It'll be a case of those wanting to continue with distancing will just avoid busy places, such as peak-time trains and packed pubs, and those who are happy to live normally will do so.
As for TV, why would they need to keep this up? People will soon be sitting next to each other on public transport again, so why wouldn't presenters be sitting next to each other to reflect this normality?
I'm not expecting folk to be snogging one another on the first day, but I don't see a problem with hugging and being at a normal distance.
I think for many social distancing will be a thing for a long while, it's become so natural to do after a year. When I've been out on walks and at work it seems to have become natural behaviour for the majority of people.
It might not be legally mandated but it'll be around for a lot longer. Also remember 'the roadmap' is just a plan based on conditions, obviously I hope it all goes to plan but who knows what will happen in the next few months, it's not exactly been handled that well so far.
All this talk about social distancing makes me wonder if Piers might end up having the vaccine on air or as a recorded segment given he's the right age to get it done within the next month or so.
I think it might be too late in the rollout for that, so many of us have had it that it's not particular a big deal him getting done. Besides is anyone going to be encouraged to get it by having seen Piers has had it? He's hardly the Queen
Some people will choose to be extra cautious from now on, but I don't see why TV would have to reflect this. In the same way that some people may continue wearing masks, many won't and will want to see that return to full normality.
This has all been explained but people only hear what they want to hear - it will all be over by June. Everything else, ie reality, is dismissed as scaremongering.
I am going to assume you're talking generally and not directing this specifically at me, since I never referred to scaremongering and merely politely questioned whether there would still be a need for distancing once the UK population has received the vaccine, especially when the government 'roadmap' appears to suggest that, should everything continue to progress as expected, the plans are to lift ALL restrictions in June.
For a huge number of people, the past year has really taken its toll mentally, and it's incredibly important to have a light at the end of the tunnel to look forward to as a coping mechanism. If you can see an end in sight, you can tell yourself that things are getting better and there's reason to be positive. That's why people are latching onto the proposed June 'deadline', because it's helping them get through this horrendous period.
The June date, is a useful target, but shouldn't be thought of as any great step change. It can't be, there are still massive unknowns in the equation.
Can I recommend the Horizon programme shown last week on BBC 2. It puts all the factors (the good and bad ones) into proper perspective,but you won't come away from it feeling all is doom.
Current rates suggest that the vaccine rollout could be completed by 31 May. 3 weeks after that is 21 June. I don't see why that date isn't an reasonable expectation for a return to normality.
Last edited by alexjac0788 on 1 March 2021 2:19pm