How can they not be giving any dates tomorrow?

[fasttracksign]

I've just read on another thread that it was announced that Boris won't be giving any dates for any of the plans, just a general roadmap....

I get they can't be overly specific as things will change and they may need to pull back at times but I honestly thought that because he was doing his Big Statement at 7pm, he was going to give us a plan like Ireland with some structure and rough sort of dates to aim for.

I'm generally quite compliant and in agreement with the lockdown so far but I really think they need to give the public something to work towards before people just give up and lose all trust in the process.

[Bathroom12345]

Fgs. Garden centres and doing exercise more than once a day. Who is even tracking whether it’s once or twice. There needs to be more.

[Ciwirocks]

@Bubblesbubblesmybubbles I see your point, just getting fed up with everyone being tarred with the same brush. Everyone I know is being very sensible and following the guidelines to a T.

[Itisasecret]

The NHS isn’t at capacity because they artificially slowed the rate of infection. If they open things too quickly, the infection rate rises and you have weeks before the NHS is overwhelmed. Rinse and repeat, how do people not understand that?

[WinterIsGone]

Our garden centre's already open. It also sells food, but you can buy plants, compost etc.

[Dodgytrousers]

Ffs

First they moan lockdown wasn't quick enough and then they moan and despair they can't take any more when lockdown is happening blah blah blah

Then, they're demanding an exit strategy which is absolutely fruitless as statistics change daily and all the time.

Now because Boris Johnson isn't giving dates etc tomorrow you moan.

Yet if he opens the country up again from Monday, you'll be the first to moan in a few weeks that the government are irresponsible and responsible for more deaths when infection rates spike, which they no doubt will due to the twats out in force this weekend.

The man can't win ffs.

[TartanTexan]

@itsasecret not if they delay admission or only let the critical in.

[GoldenOmber]

The man can't win ffs.

I dunno, he's had a pretty fortunate career so far...

[icansmellburningleaves]

I’m surprised anyone is expecting specific dates. How can he give those when it will depend on figures for deaths and infections. He doesn’t have a crystal ball.

[Laaalaaaa]

Probably because if you’re told from Wednesday you can do xyz people will take the attitude it’s ok from Wednesday I’ll just do it now.

[GoldenOmber]

I don't really expect specific dates or a specific plan, but they're going to have to give some indication that this will end at some point if they want people to keep sticking with it in the meantime.

Plus of course they've now built up this Sunday announcement so much that it's going to go down pretty poorly if all he says is "garden centres can reopen."

[Moonflower12]

@Bubblesbubblesmybubbles

My dp is a paramedic and last night was absolute hell in the city hospital A&E where he works as a liaison officer. They had drunks, fights , assault victims, people from car crashes due to being over the limit - with 4 or 5 young men from different families. All sorts of idiot.
He is predicting a sharp spike in 10 days time.

[frasersmummy]

At least he is thinking about a way out nicola sturgeon has just said 3 weeks more.. And it won't change till its safe..

Yeah thanks for that Ray of hope.. Not

[LIZS]

Triggers for any changes will be circumstantial. There is no magic formula for fixing when these will be reached . Recent social behaviour is likely to have set back any potential relaxation, and results of which will only be determined in 2-3 weeks' time.

[NotAnotherUserNumber]

@Barbie222

Nobody can tell you when it will be safe, because there is no “safe”. All we can do is overall minimise risk and attempt to have the least worst possible outcome for the maximum amount of people.

People will be harmed by schools reopening, but equally many people are currently being harmed by schools being closed. It is an impossible situation which the government can only do there best to optimise as far as possible, but most people will never be happy with that. It is hard for the government to make detailed announcements because the reality of the situation is just unacceptably unpalatable for a lot of the population.

[Anniesnotmydaddy]

They have said they're going to give a roadmap on Sunday night. Can we really not wait another 24 hours to know what that is? I expect it will be in phases but they will all be dependent on the outcome of those phases and how much the infection spreads.

In Spain they have identified different regions at different stages, some will move to a Phase 1 on Monday with others, such as Madrid, remaining at Phase 0 in the meantime.

I'm not sure that giving dates is helpful, especially when we have a much looser lockdown than other countries with similar death rates.

[Bubblesbubblesmybubbles]

@Ciwirocks oh I agree but I can't see a solution.....ideally those who have so far complied would be told everything but thats impossible. But on the flip side so many people seem to be not complying according to Mumsnet would it make much difference (here in our village people seem to behaving beautifully and our county is doing really well with infection rates but we seem to be in the minority)

@Moonflower12 that must be maddening for him!! It seemed to be quite widespread too over the UK sadly

[firstmentat]

I don't expect to hear exact dates, but it is weird that no quantifiable thresholds are made public. E.g. we will open schools when the number of new cases/ prevalence rate / whatever falls below X. If the strategy is based on science, it should be quite easy to outline the "safe zone".

[Bol87]

I appreciate it won’t be exact dates but I do hope it’s general guidance.. such as we are now entering phase one. We’ll review if we can move to phase two in 3 weeks. It will require infection rates to be roughly this etc etc.. rather than here is the plan but who knows when we’ll move forward on it..

Guess we’ll see!

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

I would think that unless some clearer picture is given on Sunday, lockdown fatigue is definitely going to start making itself felt.

We can't just be kept imprisoned at home forever - this virus isn't going anywhere and at some point, the government needs to come up with the next phase where they work out how we function as a society alongside Covid without tanking the economy beyond repair and destroying the mental health of the population. And I'm sorry, but opening tips and garden centres is not the solution.

[FinnefanFox]

All these people demanding a answer to a question no one can answer, your life is more important than the economy. Schools will open when safe to do so.

[Chloemol]

They won’t give dates because a) they need to see the data and what that says , b) if they did give dates people would be making plans now for whatever is said to happen on whatever date and do it regardless c) lockdown is now being broken by many, just look at the posts on MN with those saying they are fed up and are now going to do what they want because they don’t know anyone who has it, they need to see their friends, they just don’t like lockdown.

By giving dates people will get really mad if they then get pushed back. Look at what’s happening in Germany, cases in some areas going up again so they may rescind some of what they have agreed to. Imagine the outpour of wrath on MN if that happened here

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

"I hate the way we are treated in this country like we are all stupid. I am totally fed up now and want some idea of a timeline that we are working towards even if that changes"
They aren't treating us as if we are all stupid but they do have to address the stupid in society. Please try not to feel patronised. They have to address the lowest common denominator and the rest of us should understand that this is what they are doing. Feel proud that you aren't one of the stupid ones.

I think we may get a rough idea of timescales with the caveat that it is subject to change depending upon the R0 increasing or any of the 5 criteria for relaxing lockdown changing significantly.

[Temple29]

I’m in Ireland and think it may have been better if no dates had been given. Because people know exactly what is deemed acceptable in 2-4 weeks time they’ve just decided that it’s fine to start now. Most people seem to be visiting each other’s homes because it’s allowed from June 8th and forgotten that’s a whole month away.

Pubs and hairdressers are fighting tooth and nail trying to get their dates brought forward to open because they aren’t happy with the dates given.

I think a vague roadmap may have helped.

[GabsAlot]

Because idiots wil take it as gospel lok at everyone already going to to the beach and swimming in the sea if he says june 1st u can meet your families and then has to change it who will listen

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

your life is more important than the economy.

Lovely for you that you don't need money or a job to survive and are thus able to separate life from the economy so surgically, but that's not the case for everyone.