To think freedom from lockdown will be cancelled before Monday

[Viviennemary]

I think there will be backpedalling on the lockdown lifting. Really pessimistic news today. We are being prepared. IMHO.

I don't think they're going to back pedal.
Why would they?
We're in a much better position than we were this time last year, what with so many people being vaccinated that wasn't the case then.
Agree we can't stay locked down forever.
I think the way they've done it which is gradually re-open is a good one, although I agree we should carry on wearing masks in busy places such as on public transport and in busy supermarkets whilst cases are still high.
I'm going to carry on meeting friends and family indoors and going places too, as people need to get out for mental health.
I think mental health is being massively overlooked in all of this - of course covid is important and serious, but mental health can't be ignored either.

And long CoVid should not be ignored. Still much unknown on potential for chronic ill health.

Chris Whitty yesterday said rates of long Covid likely to increase significantly particularly in the younger ages where the vaccination rates are currently much lower. He said to the Local Government Association:

“Since there’s a lot of Covid at the moment and the rates are going up I regret to say I think we will get a significant amount more long Covid, particularly in the younger ages where the vaccination rates are currently much lower.

Fundamentally the two ways to prevent long Covid in my view are to keep Covid rates right down and make sure everyone is vaccinated so they get very mild disease and I think we really just need to push hell for leather for those two.

The deaths from Covid I think are mercifully going to be much lower in this wave compared to the previous ones as a proportion of cases but long Covid remains, I think, a worry.

We don’t know how big an issue it’s going to be but I think we should assume it’s not going to be trivial.”

*should have written Monday above not yesterday

Sturgeon just announced pretty much all the same stuff as Boris. So it will go ahead.

Not until the Parliament recess has ended anyway,

I work in a secondary school, we only have four year groups in as the year 11's left weeks ago. We currently have 358 students isolating.
Opening up completely right now would be a mistake in my opinion but I think they will push ahead with it.

coalition of 1,246 scientists and doctors came together to publish a letter in the medical journal journal The Lancet critiquing the 'unscientific' decision to push ahead with Freedom Day, which was announced by Boris Johnson last night. Members of Independent SAGE - a group of experts independent from the Government that publishes advice on the pandemic - and epidemiologists from Oxford University, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine accused ministers of failing to publish the evidence behind its strategy and insisted the scientific consensus is 'fully against its approach'. It came amid a storm of anger at the Government, with the British Medical Association (BMA) warning of the 'potentially devastating consequences' of opening up next week. BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul called the decision 'irresponsible - and frankly perilous

1200 scientists Vs Boris and Sajid.

I think I'll take the scientists, thanks. IT's a fucking awful plan and anyone with half a brain can see it.

I must live in a weird area. I don't know anyone personally who has had covid, even my friends who work at a large hospital.

bully for you🙄

I don't think it will, because of lack of support from Tory backbenchers. Mr Johnson could try to find common ground and support from the Labour Party and Lib Dems, but won't do that.

Dam those scientists

@MeowPurr

I must live in a weird area. I don't know anyone personally who has had covid, even my friends who work at a large hospital.

What general area are you in? I’m NE and it’s pretty crazy.

Seems to me they've decided and that's that. But I don't really understand why the chosen date is the week before most schools break up. It may or may not make much of a difference and I know people are already fed up with the rolling restrictions, but for the sake of an extra week, to get school over and done with before consciously increasing the overall risk level in society at large..? Perhaps not surprising that some schools are taking the initiative to close early anyway - maybe that's all part of the Govt's devolved responsibility 'plan'.

Meanwhile, just heard of two more kids locally who've gone down with it and dearly hoping they recover quickly and fully, given some of the worrying findings that have been emerging.

"A SAGE expert has warned that hospitals are now seeing more young people suffering with lung scarring and kidney disease as a result of Covid."
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/sage-scientist-warns-covid-side-21037773

Tim Spector has been reported as saying he thinks this wave has already peaked. Based on the Zoe data. I very much hope he is right.
We need to unlock now, I am worried but this wave will happen and better it happens now.
I predict social distancing back in place from November, full lockdown for 4 to 6 weeks in the new year.

@MeowPurr where are you? I’m in the south west and rates have been low so I didn’t know anyone until the last 2 weeks. I work in a hospital and it’s okay but lifting restrictions while letting hospitals set their own rules is mad as we now have to contradict and tell people that they will still need a mask to protect our staff and patients. We have a responsibility to them and despite what some say, masks do make a difference when used correctly.

The country can’t afford to continue with lockdowns. Another lockdown would mean many businesses going under, and more financial aid from the government, which cant be sustained. Those who are vaccinated should be fine. Those that have chosen not to will just have to face the consequences.

No one really knows what to do for the best. The government is damned if they do, damned if they don't. People furious about lockdowns, people furious about loosening restrictions. Countries which had almost got rid of it now have cases rising, with more mutations forming. There is no right answer.
I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions.

We need to start doing our own thing and not being dictated to by govts. We're not in a communist country

It will go ahead as they need to push the surge of cases into the summer so it doesn't hit the NHS in flu season.

Then they can do the whole protect the NHS and lockdown again in the winter.

Their original plan last year was herd immunity, let it go through the population,and that's what they're doing.

We all accept at least 25k deaths from flu annually. Why should covid be any different?

@Jelly0naplate

It will go ahead as they need to push the surge of cases into the summer so it doesn't hit the NHS in flu season.

Then they can do the whole protect the NHS and lockdown again in the winter.

Their original plan last year was herd immunity, let it go through the population,and that's what they're doing.

Agree about surge now but why lockdown in winter?

It will have passed by then

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves

I doubt it. I think the government have a covid policy now of 'fuck it'

yep, that's about it.

@Florelei @m0therofdragons South Cambridgeshire.

I honestly don't know a single person who has had it, including 2 hospital porters and a nurse at Addenbrookes.

I'm not a covid denier in the slightest, I'm jabbed, wear masks, don't break the rules etc. I'm just bewildered by the fact that nobody in our family or social groups have had it. It's weird, some people know whole families that have had it.

It just seems like here most things have gone back to normal already apart from nightclubs and big events of course.

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully

We all accept at least 25k deaths from flu annually. Why should covid be any different?

You’re absolutely right but I think some people have got themselves worked up by an irrational fear that they literally can’t see that your example is spot on.

Anything bro do with covid is just terrifying to them and they can’t accept risk at all regardless of how small