Women were nearly twice as likely than men to break UK lockdown laws banning people from meeting indoors with other households, with many seeking support with childcare, research has suggested. Women were forming bubbles “out of necessity” before they were legally allowed, meeting with friends and family at home to ease their caring responsibilities, according to a study by the University of York.
Many felt “compelled” to do so to get help with childcare or support from other mothers, the study found. The researchers said their findings highlight how rules during the coronavirus pandemic clashed with existing gender inequalities.
The early restrictions did not reflect the interdependency of households and importance of informal childcare, especially by grandparents, enabling mothers to work, they said. They also said existing caring responsibilities were exacerbated by the pandemic which may have led to non-compliance with house mixing rules.
