Month long lockdown to 'pay' for 5 days over Christmas

[NotAKaren]

PHE have confirmed Sage advice that for every one day of relaxation over Christmas would require 5 days of restrictions afterwards. So for 5 days relaxation, which is rumoured to be what the government have in mind, would mean 25 days of restrictions. Is it really worth it?

[Stopitwiththefireworks]

No

[OverTheRainbow88]

I saw that!!!

I would rather not see family and not lockdown down for another 25 days!

[superram]

No, certainly not for the economy.

[felineflutter]

No

[Hayeahnobut]

For the damage it will do to small businesses and workers, it is definitely not worth it.

[HoHoHolyMackerel]

100% no. I'm cross this is even being considered. It's one day!

[onemouseplace]

No. I honestly think it's an absolutely barking idea - if it is safe to meet up to 4 households indoors over a period of 5 days, then why are we in lockdown right now?

[NotAKaren]

@OverTheRainbow88 I agree. How many businesses and jobs will be lost as a result? It doesn't bear thinking about.

[LadyCatStark]

No. This is mental.

[Hayeahnobut]

I wish the government would explain the longer term impact of measures. How many workers will lose their jobs for the sake of a few days? How long for them to find new jobs.

For that matter, any long term plan at all would be helpful!

[Je551ca]

We’ll probably have fifth restrictions either way so might as well enjoy it?

[Je551ca]

Further

[SingANewSongChickenTikka]

No, it’s a ridiculous idea. Sad as it might be I think we need to accept that Christmas won’t be the same this year and just get on with it to minimise further disruption.

[Justasecondnow]

Against the grain I’ll say yes - irrespective it’s not like we will be able to go back to normal without Christmas rule relaxing . Cost to business without christmas boom will be huge anyway. Better a relaxed framework is introduced that people can accept to stop people kicking against strict rules and doing what they like.

[Smallwhiterat]

Absolutely not to us, but everyone will have different priorities.

[NotAKaren]

Part of me wonders if this is a deliberate attempt to make us accept minimal relaxation over Christmas. I think people have got high hopes of a return to near normal after the 2nd.

[user18435677565533]

And isn't that also on assumption hospitality venues remain closed throughout?

It is difficult though because there is also concern thatt mass ignoring of the rules for Christmas will mean people cease complying afterwards too, which is probably a bigger issue.

Plus Christmas has been used as the carrot to get people to comply for a while. I can see how it would cause problems longer term if that wasn't realised in some way.

I'm not really comfortable with the apparent plan but I can see there are various psychological factors that need to be balanced.

[mac12]

Hell no! Are they barking?

[Jrobhatch29]

@Je551ca

We’ll probably have fifth restrictions either way so might as well enjoy it?

I think this too. Imagine the back lash if we aren't allowed to see family over Xmas and then have restrictions anyway because cases are still high.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Nooo. My sister is getting married in 5th January.

[stovetopespresso]

Isn't it that things will go back to tiers after dec 2, then free-for-all for 5 days then lockdown again? If so that's the least they can do, otherwise people will start to disobey the lockdown rules. It needs to be viewed as a lifting rather than another locking down due to a Christmas touchy feely bonanza.

[stovetopespresso]

@onemouseplace

No. I honestly think it's an absolutely barking idea - if it is safe to meet up to 4 households indoors over a period of 5 days, then why are we in lockdown right now?

It's not safe but mass disobedience is worse

[NewLockdownNewMe]

The other point they made was that basically people will get together at Christmas, regardless of the rules. And if people break the rules once, they’re more likely to do it again. So lockdown over Christmas = most people breaking the rules = more rules broken after Christmas = even longer restrictions. It’s the psychology of people’s behaviour that’s the difficulty.

[Lelophants]

I suppose January is a crap month anything. No I'd rather just have a lockfpwn Christmas but it's easy for me to say when I can still decorate my house and live with people.

As some posters have stated we'd probably need further restrictions anyway.

[Hoppinggreen]

No, we don’t spend much time with family at xmas and arent too bothered. I would rather be able to see my friends and let the dc see theirs ASAP. Plus both dc have birthdays in December so it would be nice if they could do do something for them