Boris doing an announcement at 4.45pm today

[PrincessHoneysuckle]

Think on BBC

This is based on science, people. It is to manage transmission so that the NHS can deal with it.

Why is the UK's science so vastly different to absolutely everyone elses?

Thousands die every day from the flu, the numbers are no where near flu!

Every day? In a mild flu season in the UK less than 2,000 could die over the whole period. In a bad flu season it could be ten times that, but certainly nowhere approaching thousands a day.

Also I think you need to be introduced to the concept of exponential growth. This will very quickly outpace the flu, and the problem is that it has a much higher mortality rate and a much greater proportion of critical cases requiring ventilation. And we have no vaccine. It is not comparable to the flu and anyone who is still peddling this nonsense needs to wake the fuck up.

@TailSpinIntoInsanity Your choice obviously, but I would speak to my employer about taking unpaid leave.

How are people who don't watch these announcements (ie the whole population) getting the info? Why aren't the take-homes appearing on social media? Take teens - impervious to mainstream news and parental discussion - shouldn't they be getting targetted messages on instagram etc? It's not 1945 with everyone sitting round the radio to learn what the government wants us to do!

I’m a nurse, can’t imagine works reaction if I rang in saying I’m not going in for 2 weeks because DH has a cough. And then another 2 weeks because DD now also has cough, oh and then another 2 weeks because I also now have the cough...

SimonJT “How is 500 kids in a school canteen not a mass gathering?”

Exactly!

Apparently it is still not the right time for school closures but it IS the right time to not attend mass gatherings and non-essential social interaction??

‘Have you got that?’
He’s so patronising!

And what if there is a vulnerable person in the house but workers have to go in because of presenteeism .

Oh ffs so now if we live alone it’s 7 days still. But if a multiple household It’s 14. They didn’t even say that clearly.

I thought it was good. But if they take this many questions from journalist every day will they still have time to do their jobs!

Surely it's about social distancing.

5 people all at shouting distance in a field will not catch it from the each other unless... They all touch the car park buttons or have pinch points

Processing 2000 staff and pupils through corridors, lunch rooms, touching finger print payment methods... Loos, classrooms... Bus, taxi...

Higher chance of catching it.

So if pregnant women are to be distancing themselves, yet my 4yo goes to school and I'm pregnant, surely that's pointless?

And of course they are warming us up to more measures, just look at other countries everyone.

How is 500 kids in a school canteen not a mass gathering?

And that is why they haven’t said explicitly ‘ no mass gatherings’, they’ve just made it bloody difficult to have one. If they did say no, then everyone would argue, rightly, that a school canteen or assembly counts as a mass gathering.

Listen to WHO.

Don't listen to them.

Social distancing in theatres is apparently more impactful than in schools??

I have watched this and just keep thinking - 500,000 are estimated to die from this virus over the next few months if the government does nothing (using governments figures) - and this is your response!!

I wish to god I could turn back the clock to last November and not have conceived.

I’m 16 weeks pregnant and at a loss.

Please ask about the % of age 10 to 19 who die!!.. Please mention WHO on dc struggling

Does anyone have a link to a video/live broadcast of this please?? Thanks

How are they going to police whether anyone observed the 14 day family isolation? It just will not happen

Has anyone got any idea if there's financial help for those who're self employed and now physically unable to earn money?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-51849070/live-prime-minister-gives-coronavirus-update

Yes a school canteen is obviously a mass gathering. And kids are much more unhygienic than adults going to a bloody play.

I've watched the press conference and we're now more in line with other countries. The only thing now I think is that we're not enforcing lockdowns. This is because they believe that we will enforce this ourselves without state intervention.

Johnson is an utter walloping prick. I also dislike Tories with a vengeance, so I'm no government excuser.

Mass gatherings need the emergency services to get the insurance to go ahead. No emergency services, so no insurance, so they can't go ahead.

Anyway, I'm a bit relieved after this.

The actions for vulnerable people are going to be announced separately later in the week. Presumably so they can be addressed more clearly rather than be gathered up in this general announcement.

CAN I JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING
(Putting it in capitals as no one seems to be realising this)

Those with health conditions are not being asked to self isolate - they are being asked to avoid social contact.

There's a difference

Connie

My friend in China has had baby under lock down and extreme conditions.

She's been fine. You'll be fine...