I checked out the Gov.UK guidelines for clinically vulnerable people and they have been adapted again to you can go outside as much as you like,mix with others as much as like but try an maintain social distancing,no mention of household or bubbles etc.
It does indeed appear nonsensical when it appears that the risk posed by the virus is still there.
I think the problems lie in several areas.
Tracking and testing not working effectively, we are not 100%sure what is happening in our local area.
Maybe now obesity is a factor the number of those vulnerable is too high to deal with.? Boris has probably just shrugged his shoulders and let people get on with it as best they can.
This governments attitude to anybody vulnerable has been callous for the past 10years,there might have been hope a global pandemic changed things,but sadly not. I think you only have to look at government behaviour over past months from lies to ignorance, the circle of protection for care homes,free school meals,child poverty, "so a few old people might die"., the implication that food poverty is down to laziness or mismanagement. Every area of health and social care was on its last legs before this pandemic,from housing,support for the vulnerable and disabled, secure employment, education. I'm sure some will accuse me of being a Guardian reading liberal. Yes I probably am. I also worked in Research and Campaigns for the Citizens Advice for several years and saw first hand the effects of austerity on people, ordinary people who through no fault of their own found their circumstances had changed and the safety net had all but disappeared. We are I think(I still hope we are not)just dipping our toe in this. If forecasts are true and unemployment will reach never before seen figures an awful lot of people are going to see that £70week to live on is not very doable, that the lovely local council cant pay all of your extortionate rent,that if you are unemployed you will face sanctions, sometimes for not attending a meeting you weren't told was happening etc etc.
I have over the past decade been despondent over the lack of empathy towards those less fortunate or vulnerable, bolstered by stereotypes of the feckless poor and benefit cheats. They do exist but there numbers are minute.
So, a lot of people may be in for a bit of a rude awakening when their furlough ends in redundancy and they realise what is or isnt available.
My heart goes out to those that were shielded. Once again the essence is in the detail if they work. They have to prove their work environment isnt Covid safe which can only be done by attending it. Any government guidelines now are so woolly that not really helpful. SSP has stopped. Some may be able to be signed off by GP. Again it's down to luck and personal circumstances.
I have seen comments on threads deriding people for being scared and hiding away,or commenting that we need to keep the economy going. For those of you are fit and healthy and probably have less to fear just try and be a little compassionate. All it takes is an accident or sudden onset of a serious illness and you too may be thrown to the wolves.