So it doesn’t look like the lockdown is going to be extended does it?

[HighlandSpring101]

Just caught the daily news briefing. Despite a lot of people on here last week thinking there’s no way they’ll be easing the lockdown before the end of May (and I admit, I too thought this!) it looks like BoJo may announce relaxations of the lockdown Sunday, possibly taking effect as of Monday?

I am a bit confused though as though the majority of the criteria for relaxation looks like it’s being met, there are still 4000 new infections each day, which is the pretty much the same amount as at the start of this pandemic so surely that’s still too high?

@lljkk most non essential businesses were never told to close just shops and schools, entertainment, gyms and pubs/restaurants everyone else can still work

I think a lot of places shut to discourage people going out .
Like garden centres but I kind one near me people can order then collect but they are swamped so why not allow to open just with social distancing .
Near me there is a pond for fishing , I'm told people that were fishing early on lockdown were fined and yes that's right but what risk is it ? . Going out for exercise more than once , having a sunbathe in the park all these things should be allowed now .
It should be not stay home but stay safe with distancing or something like that .

There were 2 phases of closures, Wiaa.
The 2nd list is longer than you imply. Beauty salons, car-sellers, clothing, shoe shops, tech & electronic goods sellers, sporting goods, variety stores (that sell hardware and many other items), bookshops, household products, charity shops, hobby shops, playgrounds (etc) are closed too. Basically everywhere not on the exempt list.

In my area, on the exempt list but usually closed anyway, they will be slow to reopen without formal relaxations:
mechanics, tire fitters, dentists, most take-aways, public toilets (!!), bike shops, food markets, recycling centre....

@SophieB100 the R is down, apparently it was around 3 when schools reduced intake, also social distancing was not happening in schools amongst staff, this will be a given from now on so that will reduce the infection rate amongst staff. Also if most staff have had it there is a possibility they won’t get it again. However I feel that more investigation needs to be done into how much children can spread/carry it between themselves and home.
There are lots of ppl comparing us to Italy and Spain and the fact they are easing restrictions, but neglecting to realise that they peaked before us so we will not ease in line with them and they are failing to notice that they still have stricter rules in place than we have ever had!

Wanderings “ I hope they're planning for the civil unrest and riots if it's still the same old "in spite of the huge sacrifices you've made, we're telling you nothing".

Unlikely. Polls still showing large majority, 80% plus, supporting the measures.

Yeh. They really nudged us on the fear. What with telling us it was ok to go to large gatherings, shake hands with Covid patients, travel on crowded public transport. Whilst a very infectious deadly disease was on the loose. They did well there...

Yy Twinny Spain and Italy's easing will only take them to the stage of our already eased (from the start) lockdown.

Agree with Chilli. There won’t be civil unrest. This has been said a lot on here but we are far from it.

Also with earlier point on allowing more flexible furlough. Some employers are asking for this atm to get things started.

I think we ought to have another 3 weeks to really try and get the number of infections now. And can't believe the talk in media of June 1st for schools returning. (That's probably because as a nation we seem to despise teachers and think they are doing nothing, I've no idea why that is)
But with the woolly lockdown measurements we have here, people are finding loop holes - going to see their lovers, going to b&q, seeing friends some social distancing, so another 3 weeks is neither here and there, as many people are doing as they like.

I do think a tougher lockdown should have been in place from the get go, like Italy and Spain etc. One person shopping with letter, not able to go without printing off a letter. A lot of people obviously needed things in black and white with no grey.

Though it has been tough and unbearable for some, it could have been a whole lot worse, no exercise outdoors, stay within 50m of property.

The need for the austerity deaths to be addressed (and future ones prevented).
That's something we can agree on Smile
And on that note of agreement I'm off. I have things to do. Whilst I still can. Thanks to the relative economic calm of lockdown, pre the second wave chaos.

Flies

Re driving 40 miles away - because it’s unnecessary . Every time you go shopping you’re mixing with other people, you’re breathing in the same air that the others around you are breathing out . Friend buying the dog food is going shopping 5 times a week . That’s not in line with what we are being told . If you are working for the nhs or care sector and catch the virus from a client or patient, remain asymptomatic but shedding, go to Asda tomorrow and then pass to man in front of you, the local shop the next day, then B&Q because you wanted paint, then Pets at Home and give to security guard ... who then goes home to wife who’s vulnerable in some way ?

As well as that we’re told to stay local where possible - hospital has no capacity for trauma and accidents now . They’re even sending stroke patients home within 1/2 days where possible - just haven’t the capacity for anything other than the very seriously ill/dying .

The no of cases at peak was c.5000 purely within hospitals, now I understand that has dropped to around 1500, the remainder from the other testing groups. I think the % testing negative is more significant than the number of positives.

I still expect that the vast majority have caught it from within the hospital/care home setting since the peak (ie 2 weeks after the lockdown). The number of people spreading it by going to more than one shop is going to be miniscule, that's just a fear tactic to try to control the R rate. It will be 0.6999 spread by key workers and 0.0001 spread by the rest of us.

From what Nicola sturgeon says I don't think Scotland will be easing lockdown just yet.
I'm ok with it

I had to go to the post office the other day. We queued outside, in front of me were two mums talking...

“How have you been finding keeping to the rules?”

“Fine! I’ve taken up running I’m doing couch to 5k everyday”

“Oh that’s good”

“Yes! I’m running once a day, taking the dog out once at day and taking the girls out on their bikes once a day”...

You do realise that she is keeping to the rules!

Yes! I’m running once a day, taking the dog out once at day and taking the girls out on their bikes once a day”...

But the dog and kids can’t exactly go out on their own,

“Yes! I’m running once a day, taking the dog out once at day and taking the girls out on their bikes once a day”...

Assuming you're in England, there's nothing wrong with that. In English law, there is no limit on the number of times you can go out to exercise as long as you stick to social distancing.

Guidelines say once a day, the law says something different.

@goatygoatymingeminge no? Perhaps for the last six weeks I’ve misunderstood them… how is she?

I’m going out twice most days. Sometimes I even walk down to have a chat to the guy at the local garage - safely hidden behind the night counter.

as long as you stick to social distancing.

In fact this isn't in the rules either!

Omg! I’ve been taking my poor dogs out once a day for 6 weeks, when they could’ve been going out twice. What an idiot!

Hi Karcheer,

The regulations seem to be widely misunderstood and misreported, especially on here.

In full! ...

Restrictions on movement

6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need—

(a)to obtain basic necessities, including food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons and supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, or to obtain money, including from any business listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2;

(b)to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

(c)to seek medical assistance, including to access any of the services referred to in paragraph 37 or 38 of Schedule 2;

(d)to provide care or assistance, including relevant personal care within the meaning of paragraph 7(3B) of Schedule 4 to the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(3), to a vulnerable person, or to provide emergency assistance;

(e)to donate blood;

(f)to travel for the purposes of work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not reasonably possible for that person to work, or to provide those services, from the place where they are living;

(g)to attend a funeral of—
(i)a member of the person’s household,
(ii)a close family member, or
(iii)if no-one within sub-paragraphs (i) or (ii) are attending, a friend;

(h)to fulfil a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or to participate in legal proceedings;

(i)to access critical public services, including—
(i)childcare or educational facilities (where these are still available to a child in relation to whom that person is the parent, or has parental responsibility for, or care of the child);
(ii)social services;
(iii)services provided by the Department of Work and Pensions;
(iv)services provided to victims (such as victims of crime);

(j)in relation to children who do not live in the same household as their parents, or one of their parents, to continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children, and for the purposes of this paragraph, “parent” includes a person who is not a parent of the child, but who has parental responsibility for, or who has care of, the child;

(k)in the case of a minister of religion or worship leader, to go to their place of worship;

(l)to move house where reasonably necessary;

(m)to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/made

Worth adding that the word in italics "includes" means that the list of reasonable excuses is non-exhaustive. If your reason for leaving your house is "reasonable" then you can leave for a purpose not on that list.

And there is absolutely no restriction on the amount of times you can do that at all?

So…I could go out and get my morning loaf and milk from the supermarket, come home, walk the dogs, pop to the supermarket to get a sandwich, have lunch, go out for a run, come home, walk the dogs, pop out to the supermarket and get dinner, come home, eat dinner, go for a walk with dogs/husband?…

And this would all be fine? Sorry, I’m just shocked I’ve got this so wrong, I’m fairly intelligent and watch the briefing everyday 🤨