To think a January ‘circuit-breaker’ is the most likely option?

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

I know an awful lot can happen between now and then - but I don’t believe for a minute BoJo wants to go down in history as the prime minister who ‘cancelled Christmas’. Way too obsessed with his own image.

My feeling is we’ll be thrown the bone of a rules suspension for the Christmas period as a morale booster, before an early January lockdown similar to the current Welsh one. Boris gets to be the man who saved Christmas, the experts get their circuit-breaker, and the hit to the economy, whilst not ideal, is lessened as, even in normal circumstances, people would be doing Dry January; going on diets, meaning less meals out; trying to pay off the Christmas spending, so cutting back on new purchases etc.

If he can leave hundreds of thousands of children without a meal over the holidays then I’m pretty sure he’s not going to care about a circuit break over Christmas.

I don’t think there will be any, I think he will carry on doing local lockdowns, which in all honesty works for us where we have some of the lowest rates of infection

To be honest, I don't think he will do a circuit breaker. I think he'll continue this tier system.

In some ways the tier system is good as it means areas with lower case numbers can have less restrictions.

At this point, I don't think there are any easy answers. Closing things is damaging to the economy and we can only pay for so much, kids need to be in school (yes, even at secondary level). There is also a need to balance that with not overwhelming the NHS.

Presumably the English govt will wait to see what impact the firebreak has on cases in Wales before taking any new action.

I think the government will want to avoid a nationwide lockdown at all costs and I agree with them on that TBH. The problem is that a single mini-lockdown won't achieve much in the medium to long term, especially given they won't get anything like spring levels of compliance....but the alternative is either a series of mini-lockdowns or a long spring-style one, both of which would be devastating socially, emotionally & economically (and again aren't sustainable from a compliance POV).

Of course I could be totally wrong. Seeing as the Welsh Government have for some mad reason volunteered their country as the mini-lockdown guinea pig, a lot probably depends on how that goes.

It might work for you @Sorryusernamealreadyexists but it isn’t working in local lockdown areas. They don’t work. And it won’t work for you forever as rates are rising everywhere.

I really don't understand the hate for Mark Drakeford, especially from people outside of Wales. The WG had to take action, what were they supposed to do? A national lockdown now gives us the chance of reducing cases before Christmas and allow businesses to take advantage of pre Christmas trade. I'd really love to know what we're all supposed to do.

Orange, it's not the lockdown per se - NI is having one too and nobody has moaned about that at all. It's the nonsense about stopping people from buying things they need, because Drakeford has decided that they are not essential.

rates are rising everywhere

Rates are coming down or staying fairly static in some places. Where I live there are wards where the infection rate has gone up slightly and others where it has come down, so it's largely the same as last week.

Put it this way, I don't think it'll be the grinch that steals Xmas 2020

@cologne4711

Orange, it's not the lockdown per se - NI is having one too and nobody has moaned about that at all. It's the nonsense about stopping people from buying things they need, because Drakeford has decided that they are not essential.

Granted it hasn't been handled well but WG want to stop people browsing or spending unnecesary time in confined areas. I really don't see the issue or why it's so hard to understand.

I must be one of the few Welsh people who live in Wales who support it.

@acerred

Put it this way, I don't think it'll be the grinch that steals Xmas 2020

That would be COVID.

What a load of rubbish.

The rules will stay in place, but I’m sure there is a recognition that a whole bunch of people will ignore them.

@orangejuicer

Presumably the English govt will wait to see what impact the firebreak has on cases in Wales before taking any new action.

I think so too.

The rules, and enforcement, need to stay in place, Eid had restrictions so Christmas is no different. Unfair on the nhs staff and those awaiting medical treatment to let it run rife just because of people’s wants. It’s not like the virus will know it’s christmas and agree to stop spreading for the day/holiday period.

I think there's unlikely to be another national lockdown (however short). I think the government have had their time of wanting to suppress the virus and reduce deaths and are now focusing on the economic issues.

Don't think there'll be a relaxation of rules for Christmas if it doesn't make sense on other levels

I really don’t think the government will relax the rules ‘because it’s Christmas’ as others have said, covid doesn’t know it’s Christmas it’s not going to give us a three day amnesty!!!