To wonder if we should be given more autonomy over our lockdown

[Itchybush]

I think lockdown has shown a huge divide between the UK with some wanting a hard lockdown and others preferring to keep working. I wonder what would happen if we were allowed to make our own choices on how to get through the pandemic. So those wanting to go to work can do so with guidelines in place, but others who would like to be furloughed can apply for it. Parents can decide to send their kids to school, or can choose to homeschool temporarily without having to deregister.

Obviously some things would be banned, like mass gatherings and holidays for the time being. Meanwhile, the government can plough money and energy into test and trace, providing ppe, supporting NHS with extra hospitals and the staff both physically and mentally. Teachers would also require extra support. Would it balance things out with saving the economy and bringing down infection rates? Or perhaps all hell would break lose.

The government has already ploughed £10bn into test, track and trace and they might as well have flushed down the toilet.

The system is broken. They need to go back to the drawing board with it.

I have hard lock down AND continued working throughout. I have a fuck wit member of staff who has been pushing to be furloughed since March because he's a lazy bastard. We work with suppliers who have furloughed staff completely unfairly and get them to do all their work in a fraction of the time.

I'm sorry but I can only see your suggestion resulting in far worse abuse of the system.

I would have liked to see a lot more investment in business adaptation, using the same staff to provide a reimagined service. Lots of businesses around me have done incredible work to change their business to home delivery. I've had people I used to see in the stores doing home delivery of food, drink, goods, crafts etc.

No, because every person is stupid in their own way, including me, so this will just result in inconsistency, chaos, change etc.

What we need is a proper prime minister!

Individuals are intelligent. Groups of people however....

So those wanting to go to work can do so with guidelines in place, but others who would like to be furloughed can apply for it

Surely you're not suggesting paid time off for anyone that wants it?

What about the businesses who need their staff working, either at the workplace or at home because they still have work that needs doing?

What about businesses who exploit furlough because it's cheaper for them to close their site and have the taxpayer pay their staff costs?

YABU Your idea would not work.

Then it wouldn't be Lockdown...

I'd love to stay at home doing nothing and be paid for doing so. But I'm the only person at work who does the company's finances, so they would have to employ someone else to do my job while I wasn't there.