Parks? Backyards? A walk around the neighborhood? Outdoor dining?

If you can't socialize outside a bar, that's on you.

I had just graduated college and moved to a new city on a new coast before lockdowns started. I essentially have no in-person social network to speak of, currently. My parents lived overseas up until a month ago. Folks my age (early 20s) are happy to socialize with their established friends. Less so with strangers. All the places shut down are the standard avenues for folks like me to meet new people. I was entirely alone for 4 months. My life was hell. And all the while my company talks about difficulties being at home with family, and figuring out childcare (and has freed up resources to help their employees do so). No mention, ever, of any effort to establish meetups for low-risk, early-career employees, not that I'd expect that. No one particularly cares about people in my situation (not that rare).

Comments like this and the ever popular "it's just a mask!" show a remarkable lack of awareness and understanding. Yes, that's perhaps overly selfish of me. Yes, there are people at serious risk, and many people dying or developing life-long serious complications. But this has been the worst period in my entire life, by far. I was regularly, very seriously, suicidal (have since moved back in with my parents now that they're stateside, starting to get better). All the policies and all the talk are oriented around having a network of close relations to fall back on. That doesn't exist for everyone.

I think cases like this are almost completely overlooked. I'm also concerned/saddened by young children who's parents just moved to a new town (moving is not uncommon when many can't afford mortgage/rent due to covid lay offs).

We're going to see pretty significant long term effects to both the economy and children / young people due to a lack of social development.

I couldn't even imagine how shitty being a 20 something in a new city would be now. Dating has to be practically non-existent.

Should say that I'm for and obey covid restrictions in my country (Canada), but I'm amoung the privileged few already working from home, and have a family and kids that keep me busy.

How do you figure on "it's just a mask!"?

the media have consistently demonized people at beaches and parks. Lightfoot fenced off the beaches in Chicago, Newsom did the same in CA. It's ridiculous; and its why people are skeptical of their intentions.

https://twitter.com/zeynep has been very critical of the beach photos thing, and you'll find we're in agreement on that point.

Even in articles about house parties, major media outlets go and grab a beach photo for some reason. It's bad reporting.

In a lot of urban environments access to the obvious outdoor alternatives is pretty limited.

No state in the USA is or has ever been "in full on shelter in place lock down mode" during the pandemic. Many states issued half-assed stay at home orders, which in practice ended up being voluntary and unenforced. Throughout it all, there were people who were out horsing around, doing whatever they wanted, and not facing legal consequences. Vanishingly few people were arrested for violating stay-at-home, despite it being legally enforceable as a misdemeanor. Thankfully most people did their part, but to call it "lock down" is a bit of an exaggeration.

1. There's so much outdoor space to socialize. You make it seem like the choice is between doing it indoors or not doing it at all.

2. Why can't people socialize online? It's even easier nowadays. It might not be the same thing but it can get pretty close.

>2. Why can't people socialize online? It's even easier nowadays. It might not be the same thing but it can get pretty close.

It is not anywhere near close. Video calls transfer speech, tone of voice, and facial expressions at best. Body language is a vital part of face-to-face communication, and there is no video call equivalent of leaning in towards someone or putting your hand on theirs.