To really not like the way the Government is doing next steps as a 'big reveal' on 22nd

[hastingsandchips]

There's something about this I think is very wrong, the way the Government is keeping us guessing about what's happening next, when it has such a massive impact on all our lives. Especially for small business. I think they should release information/plans as and when they know. Doing this 'we know and we will tell you on X day' to me is all about power and control.

I know what you mean, but I would say that this government has been so flippy-floppy that anything that is clear and decisive is better in my book. Maybe if they said 'we'll know enough by 22nd to make a clear decision' it would be better. Maybe pretend to yourself that's what they're doing.

The government seem unable to keep their mouths shut so I wouldn’t worry. They will leak various stories over the next 10 days to see what’s popular and go with that. We should have a pretty good idea on what is happening when Robert Preston comments

I agree. It's one thing to do this with a 50p tax cut, but it's disgraceful to tease out a matter of our basic liberties.

They've aggravated (and impoverished) people so much that better be delivering good news, otherwise they'll be hoping the sun hasn't come out for good British rioting weather.

I'd rather get the data/plan all in one named day rather than the ever changing drip feed release of information that usually happens. I find that stressful and it triggers my anxiety.

Surely it’s a reaction to the negative feedback they’ve had for the incessant leaking we’ve had before every previous announcement which rendered the official statement largely pointless. It feels like a long time since they told us it would be the 22nd, it’s frustrating and exhausting, but people don’t like it when they get the headlines from Robert Peston on Twitter an hour before the press conference or national address either.

They probably won’t know themselves until the 21st

I just assumed that they don't know yet.

At least we've got a date for more information.

I'd rather this than being subject to an ever changing series of policies drip fed in and then often changed a few days later.
Much better to have the whole plan in one go, once it's clear that it won't (or at least the early stage of it) won't change.
We know nothing significant will change until 8th March, so that gives businesses at least 2 weeks to plan, which is more time than they've had for any over announcement.

I quite agree, I suspect they don't actually have a plan, but I don't see why they can't say if x happens then y outcomes, but if a happens we give to plan b.

Only reasons not to lay out a plan are they don't have one (waiting on Sturgeon perhaps) or they don't trust the public, which I don't believe is the case but I suspect they will use this as an excuse.

I don't believe that we'll have much of a plan on the 22nd. I hope I'm wrong but the track record isn't great.

Thanks for all the responses and it seems a mixed bag, some prefer the certainty. Maybe part of it is I don't have faith that they will even come up with a good and clear plan on that day!

For business I'd have thought the sooner they can know anything they need to know the better. I can't imagine the strain on people this must be causing if they run eg a pub or shop or salon and have no idea of even what the criteria might be to reopen. It's livelihoods and they must already have some info or idea.

x post wonderstuff !

Are they doing a big reveal? Last I heard it was “roadmap for next steps” on “the week beginning the 22nd”. It’s going to be a week of vague pronouncements.

They can't win. If they suggest anything because of people fussing at them that they need warning then it's taken as a promise of a certain plan, and if the facts then change or the situation won't work they get pilloried for not keeping promises and having to u turn.

The grotty facts are no one knows what the situation will be on the 22nd, government included; however it will continue to be a situation with no good choices and it's all about trying to select the least worst/least harmful ones in the moment while balancing a whole lot of different interests. International pandemics are bloody awful things. However we're the luckiest living population in history in terms of access to medical care, government financial cushioning, organisation to minimise it and help maintaining supplies. Previous populations had civil support like death carts and massed graves as about as good as it got. I live in an area that lost nearly half its population during one of the plagues.

I'm hoping the plan will give a series of thresholds for moving to the next step similar to the one that Scotland produced last summer in lockdown 1. That can then be tracked against the data.

Eg schools open when xx% vaccinated
Shops open when no change from schools opening.
Rule of 6 when R= x and so on

The grotty facts are no one knows what the situation will be on the 22nd, government included

They are the ones that have to make the strategy though, so they should have an idea, like what blackteaplease has laid out.

There's no real reason that they need to wait to 22nd. They should be giving much more of an idea, like we will open schools when X Y Z happens, or primary schools to open X weeks before secondary, or the following business will be able to open up first and why etc

I think part of it is the feb 15th vaccine target + a 7 day buffer in case they were behind. Obviously we know we will hit the target now, but the 22nd guaranteed boris would have at least one bit of good news to talk about..

That's a good point BeakyWinder and also sums up how the Government puts good publicity for itself and PR as the main priority, above other considerations

I also think there is a psychological aspect - I would assume people become more flexible with the rules once they know they're soon going to change. People will say well, I'll probably be able to do x in a week so what difference does it really make if I do it now?

@StareIntotheMaggotDrawer

They probably won’t know themselves until the 21st

If the press conference is scheduled for 4pm, they probably won't make a decision until 4.12pm, and will start the briefing twenty minutes late.

They’re hitting 15m first doses today so it should be looking very positive on that front in a week.

YABU, the government are indeed a bunch of clowns, but on this occasion, the reason for making an announcement next week is to allow enough time to see how the number of cases is going, what the r rate is etc.

I agree about the big reveal. It's annoying. It's not the X factor or something

This government's response to the pandemic has been a mixture of bad communication, very late responses, alleged corrupt practices and in my opinion the Prime Minister is a criminal and should be held to account as such.

However, on this point as long as the announcement is on the 22nd I agree with them and the reasons why. From the outset of the current restrictions in England in January it was stated that the review would be on the 22nd February, and then (although forced on them) that schools would be given two weeks notice of re-opening. The number of people so far vaccinated and the reduction in Covid 19 positive cases are both in the right direction, though still a long way to go as over 5,000 people have died in the past week.

What I do object to is the use of anonymous briefings to the media to try to set expectations, and then things such as the refusal to answer simple questions such as about whether it is wise to book a holiday or it is at your own risk. I also think that there should be some things ruled out for a period of time when the announcements are made on 22nd February, for example if there are no large gatherings until at least May, say so.

There are still quite a few people who haven’t been vaccinated in the top 4 groups, but would appear to be because people haven’t booked an appointment rather than not being contacted. Wonder if this will impact any decisions.