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?

@Peppafrig What makes you think I speak for a nation? Will I give you my postcode & house number so I can specifically say I speak for this little bit right here. I think everyone except you would understand I was speaking of my own experience right outside my window. For gods sake!!

@NorthDowns you said where I live Scotland as if it's some tiny place that you spoke for the whole country.

Peppa my experience is the same as your's. Everyone is staying home here. Cars aren't moving. Roads are quiet.

One of the hard things is when people are saying ‘just lift the lockdown enough for us to see family & close friends’. That works fine if you mean ‘my mum in the next street’. My closest family physically is two hours away. Those I am really longing to see are four hours away. I have vulnerable family members (one in her 90s in a care home) six hours away. It’s not far really, but further than the early stages of any exit strategy will let us travel, I am sure. So say three more weeks lockdown, three weeks of social bubble or similar, three weeks of the next step. I can’t see me getting to my brother & family before August really, maybe longer. I accept it, but it doesn’t make it easy.

Northdowns they’re in for a nasty shock - close friends all work in ITU, HDU in Scotland and/or consultants and GPs . We have not seen the peak in many parts of Scotland yet - my local hospital expect this in the next two weeks - those who are carrying on as normal are in for an almighty shock . It will hit rural communities in Scotland yet - we all thought the Isle of Skye was safe !

I’ve had ‘friends’ tell me they’re happily driving 40 miles to a fancy shop to get bloody dog food because the dog won’t eat tinned. That’s absolute nonsense and that’s the reason we’re seeing people dying, because people don’t seem to understand the difference between ‘I want’ and ‘I need’ .

The only place I can sort of imagine carrying on to some extent is in the very far parts of the Western Isles and only then because they’re very isolated anyway .

Additionally @Weallhavevalidopinions
You do realise it's not just about the deaths?

People have been ill for weeks on end. Healthy young people. That means they're not at work.

How do you think the economy runs when everybody is off sick for long periods? Nobody gets any medical care because the HCPs are ill (or dead)? People can't get to work because transport workers are off sick. Schools close because teachers and other staff are off sick.

We also don't yet know enough about potential long-term effects of this disease.

@TheMagiciansMewTwo I agree. What a shame the money isn't spent on PPE and drug treatments instead.

So many posts on various threads over the past couple of weeks telling us how everybody's ignoring lockdown suddenly. All worded almost exactly the same. The poster notices 'more cars on the road, more people going into work, more people out and about'.

Could be coincidence. Or it could be a case of manipulate others into doing what you want them to. Aiming for the 'If you can't beat 'em, join them' attitude.

@PhilCornwall1 the choice you make are yours and no one else’s. I really hope you stay safe. (Tone is hard online - but I mean that in a non patronising way honestly.)

I’ve had ‘friends’ tell me they’re happily driving 40 miles to a fancy shop to get bloody dog food because the dog won’t eat tinned. That’s absolute nonsense and that’s the reason we’re seeing people dying

Why would more people be dying because someone drove 40 miles to a shop instead of using a shop nearby?

It’s weird though, because the all singing all dancing new corona hospital in Birm has been put on standby after not receiving a single solitary case, and the one in a London has also been put on standby after only receiving 41 cases, which is nothing for the corona hotspot.

@loobyloo1234 So we’ll have a longer lockdown than most of China if its another 3 weeks. What a fuck up by the government

China were literally welding apartment doors shut so people couldn't leave them.

Our Gov's own research say two people in every 15 admit to breaking lockdown rules.

I think you mean, what a fuck up by our friends and neighbours.

RabidChinchilla

It's not weird. It's a disgrace. Patients are being left to die at home or only admitted to hospital at a stage when survival is less likely.

They set-up the temporary hospitals but neglected to source the equipment, staff, and drugs needed to treat patients.

That's why we have possibly the highest death rate in the world.

We can't go back but if we want to come out of lockdown (safely) we need to finally get hold of enough PPE, and we need to start treating patients earlier. Other countries are managing to do this. It can't be that difficult.

What’s stopping us from treating patients earlier? Did the government send an actual edict telling the hospitals and doctors not to treat people until their lips turned blue?

Maybe the person that shouldn’t have been driving so far from home ran over a walker that shouldn’t have been walking so far from home. 😂
Yy people dying is hilarious fgs . If you don't understand why we have social distancing, if you don't understand why travelling further is riskier then why not do some reading. Your laughing emojis are disgraceful when people are dying.

@AldiAisleOfCrap

👍thank you

life in a council house really so unbearable for you

I thought there was a social housing shortage? Thats always the mantra on here when a social housing tenant dares to post that they are having problems. Its usually Theres a shortage so you should be grateful.

If they are suddenly in abundance now then no worries for @PhilCornwall1

Your laughing emojis are disgraceful when people are dying

Don't be daft

Agree with Toffee Not enough was done at an early enough stage

Like Roses i think this virus has been around longer

We can't go back but we can act now to avoid further avoidable deaths and economic damage.

The government needs to focus on getting hold of more PPE, accurate testing, and the drugs and equipment for early treatment. That's our safe way out of lockdown. All fairly achievable seeing how other counties (some poorer than us) have managed it.

I was saying on another thread. It's all ever so convenient. Just when there's heavy pressure to end lockdown before it's safe, Professor Neil Ferguson happens to be caught in a minor breach of lockdown...

Him ignoring his own expert advice doesn't invalidate that advice. Just the same as a policeman or judge caught drink driving doesn't mean drink driving is safe or ok to do.

Never gamble what you can't afford to lose. Multi millionaires in private island safe havens from tax and Covid won't be risking their lives or their finances by an early end to lockdown. They can afford the risks of a bad second wave.

Instead of pushing for a second wave, why don't they donate to a Covid fund? To pay for the PPE, drugs, and equipment we need. And to help support those struggling businesses and people with uncertain jobs. I ask this genuinely. We are in extraordinary circumstances and they are in a position to help. Some of them, like Simon Dolan (who wrote in Tuesday's telegraph of his concern for those struggling), have saved a lot of money through (legal) tax avoidance schemes. Time to give a little back?

I have been rung by my garage today to reschedule some (non-urgent) work on my car which was cancelled in the first week of lockdown. I questioned them as to the procedures they have put in place and I’m satisfied that it will be less hazardous than braving the supermarket with people wandering about all over the place.

I’m presuming that they don’t feel they’re contravening any regulations by opening up again, and I feel that that opening businesses like these is more important than allowing people to have a takeaway coffee (they aren’t currently planning to open the sale rooms).

Simon (and others like him) could kill two birds with one stone. Higher rate taxpayers get tax refunds on charity donations. Win win all round.

It’s weird because our so-called lockdown is already very loose do what will loosening it look like.

Italy’s eased lockdown will allow restaurants to open for takeaway and people to visit local shops.

Spain’s allows daily exercise.

Their easing is our lockdown!

I have no idea what to expect from the announcement on Sunday, which shamefully won’t even be spoken about in Parliament

• I thought there was a social housing shortage? Thats always the mantra on here when a social housing tenant dares to post that they are having problems. Its usually Theres a shortage so you should be grateful.

If they are suddenly in abundance now then no worries for @PhilCornwall1*

I work with housing associations as part of my job and if their waiting lists are anything to go by, there must be.