To think the lockdown needs to be extended?

[lightnesspixie]

On the basis that some headway has been made but it's still early days. Thoughts?

Well, what do you think will happen if we all start going to pubs and restaurants, gyms, cinemas, seeing our families, going to the beach and sitting shoulder to shoulder on the wall outside the chip shop, flying here there and everywhere and sending DC to school?

I don't know. I'm not an epidemiologist.

FGS, you don't need to be an epidemiologist to know that if more people spend more time together in close contact again, infection rates will rise again, possibly exponentially.

I don't think it will go on past the end of May though as that's when furlough ends currently

But the three months furlough was just a 'for now' right sort of time that the restrictions to be in place estimate.

Everything is under review all the time. If the situation isn't easing at the end of May, they're not going to say 'we've had three months of this' back to normal we go. They will look at the situation and decide what to do next.

I don't think it will go on past the end of May though as that's when furlough ends currently

Wasn’t furlough 3 months? If it didn’t start until the end of March, that takes us to the end of June, doesn’t it?

I agree with a pp though, it can be extended if needs be.

If you want to blame someone, blame the government

Actually I’ll carry on blaming my 82-year-old immuno-compromised mother’s neighbours, who are still having family parties in their back garden. Meanwhile her cancer treatment has been delayed.

They've already leaked to the media that it will be extended on the same terms by three weeks, although I think it will be four so people don't go mad on the early May bank holiday (on the assumption the weather is good, which is usually isn't, but as it has been moved, it might be nice weather after all!).

I agree with not changing the rules for it, though banning garden bonfires would have been a good move.

Actually I’ll carry on blaming my 82-year-old immuno-compromised mother’s neighbours, who are still having family parties in their back garden. Meanwhile her cancer treatment has been delayed.

It's awful her treatment has been delayed. Mine has too (for a serious condition), although not for cancer.

As much as the government won't say it, if the NHS could cope now, they wouldn't care about people like your mothers neighbours having parties. It's all about squashing the sombrero as our illustrious leader told us.

I certainly don't buy in to the government ministers actually worrying about us staying alive to be honest.

Should be in place until May 31 then see how things are.

I think they will keep extending till the initial 12 week period is up so I think that’s Monday 15th June if my counting is correct
I really truly can’t see them paying more money out for business after time.
But I think I’m between now and then they will encourage some business to go back to work in conjunctions with others so construction and their suppliers

I think the intention always was 3 months lockdown, but they're feeding it us in small bites to increase compliance. Only the "extremely vulnerable" were told 3 months from the beginning.

@BarbaraofSeville I know it's a "for now" thing but I really can't see the government offering to carry on paying furlough any longer than that. There's no magic money tree as we're constantly being told.

How will all this magically be solved by a longer lockdown?

@Appuskidu furlough is backdated from 1st March and as it stands will end on May 31st unless extended by the government which I can't see happening.

Yes i do hope that's what will be announced today when the news is broadcast later on

It certainly should be

Even if lockdown ends tomorrow it will be a gradual process so won't be any different for many .
The government does need to allow some businesses to go back to work especially online orders and small businesses.

I think we’ll be lucky if it’s the end of May. We might get a semi lifted lockdown in June if figures have continued to drop, with more people being allowed back to work, but pubs and restaurants etc will stay closed and we won’t be able to be in large groups.

I think the intention always was 3 months lockdown, but they're feeding it us in small bites to increase compliance

I don’t think this is true. I think it’s a fluid situation, guided by the numbers. It may well be that it needs to last for 12 weeks, but the government will want to lift some restrictions as soon as they can feasibly do so.
Far far more people have taken up the furlough scheme than they anticipated (remember we were initially told that anyone who couldn’t work from home should still be going out to work, even in non essential functions, to keep the economy going, which in the main hasn’t happened), so certain industries will be encouraged to get back to work as soon as is practical.

I also agree with Smilethoyourheartisbreaking. I think as soon as possible they need to status properly managing expectations rather than drip feeding extensions, as otherwise some people will decide it’s just not worth it with no end date in sight and will do what they want.

@BarbaraofSeville That is why it will be a phased return. The government isn’t going to just open everything at once and let people get on with it.
Schools will be first followed by non essential shops, then everything else will be slowly lifted. I can imagine mass gatherings, pubs, gyms etc will be the very last things to be allowed to open.

@Appuskidu furlough is backdated from 1st March and as it stands will end on May 31st unless extended by the government which I can't see happening.

I didn’t realise that-why was it backdated till March 1st? Most people weren’t furloughed until the end of March so would have worked most of that month?

It’ll be lifted at the end of May at the absolute earliest. Our case numbers are high and while this woeful government are still failing to provide adequate PPE, the virus will keep spreading to Health workers - and thus potentially to more hospital workers if they’re initially asymptomatic ... and all of their contacts, etc etc. Once lockdown is eased they will need to have ramped up testing and they will have to prepare to follow the isolate and contact trace method - mobile phone apps will be the tool. That’s if those in charge can actually get their act together.

Lockdown will probably continue well into June. I’d say we’re looking at Autumn before life appears anywhere near normal, perhaps even longer.

It will have to be lifted before autumn as they need people to keep getting it gradually to keep the NHS functioning without another peak in winter.

Also, people can’t function for months on end with no income.

I think a lot of businesses were suffering by the beginning of March and were making staff redundant so I think the backdating was to encourage businesses to keep the staff on the payroll. I was furloughed on the 23rd.