Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Why is everyone rushing back to work this morning?

260 replies

Nb89 · 11/05/2020 07:56

It's being reported London buses are rammed when they've been relatively quiet until now.
Why have people rushed back yo work today regardless of the guidelines?

OP posts:
GabsAlot · 11/05/2020 09:22

he did sa tgoday unfortunately and the transport system is only running at about 50 percent still

they bettrer sort hat out quick

Biscuit0110 · 11/05/2020 09:22

They will be waiting all day to get a bus in London if the wait is to find an empty one?! Aim for around midnight in that case.

HyggeTygge · 11/05/2020 09:26

If Boris cared about what people did he'd make it clear. He doesn't give a shiny shit of anyone gets ill or dies as long as he can say it was out of his hands.
Nothing has actually changed in terms of containing the virus.

GabsAlot · 11/05/2020 09:27

uni8on bosses arent happy saying they either shoujld have made it clear on guidlines straight away or waited to announce till wednesday

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 11/05/2020 09:27

What a fucking disaster. Watch the level raise to 5 in the next few weeks and we’ll be on lockdown again. Why can’t people use taxis the ones with the Perex Glass to protect the driver? It’s not like there’s a shortage of taxis..

Yeah, and why don't we all just eat cakes instead of bread....

multivac · 11/05/2020 09:28

What universe do you live in, Pinkyyy? I'm only asking, as it all seems lovely and simple there, with everyone being able to pick and choose what time they start work (and even IF they work) and how they get there. With affordable childcare on tap, too! Must be nice.

GabsAlot · 11/05/2020 09:28

pihnky have u seen how manyu people go in in london-the transport has been scaled back you'll be waiting for ages plus the buses are free!

ChrissieKeller61 · 11/05/2020 09:28

@Charlieiscool do you blame them ? Their fellow workers are dead

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 11/05/2020 09:30

concerned I agree we all need to get back to work, yes 100% but a little more thought and time would have been better to ensure that people are able to get there and home safely.

You will find that the responsibility for most of public transport in London is with TFL and the Mayor.

BarbaraofSeville · 11/05/2020 09:32

The big mistake was doing the speech without publishing the guidance and hence everyone is tying themselves in knots because of all the unknowns.

Many businesses won't be able to suddenly start up again with 12 hours notice, especially if they've been completely shut since the start of lockdown.

If too many people try to use public transport it will get too full to allow social distancing, but if too many people use cars instead, the roads will become gridlocked, there will be parking issues, either lack of availability or affordability. Some people can only use public transport if they don't have a car.

The recommendation to walk or cycle is a good one, but obviously only if you live close to work, but to help this, able bodied people shouldn't be driving distances of a mile or two but should leave road and parking spaces for those who live further away from work.

Many people can't work without childcare, but has that opened yet? Do the people who work as in nurseries fall into the 'if you can't work at home go to work' category, but then you obviously can't socially distance from pre-schoolers that you are caring for. Has there been any changes to mixing between households and using childminders or grandparents for childcare?

What about people who can't work because they can't get there or have no childcare? Do they have any legal protection if they don't work or are they expected to make arrangements and go to work?

WanderingMilly · 11/05/2020 09:32

This whole thing is utter madness. It hasn't been phased in properly, and even if some people think Boris' statement was clear, it has actually been said in a clear way so some people really don't understand what is expected of them. There are also conflicting messages from MPs, as well as differences between Wales, Scotland, England....

Generally I'm all for giving Boris some slack given that were in "unprecedented times" but even I think this is nonsense.

I would have thought that, at this stage, Stay at Home when you can should be a starting point. We should have been able to go out to exercise more than once, more parks open, keep social distancing, see family members but perhaps outside at first and still distant. Slowly seeing family a bit more but still not merging households until a bit later on.

After that, opening more larger places such as garden centres, and larger workplaces like large building sites, big offices with some clear guidelines about deep cleaning and distancing. Also more people allowed at funerals if spaced apart and outdoors, ditto weddings. Churches very carefully opened like abroad, with no singing and so on...

Alongside this should be a slow build-up of more public transport and smaller workplaces, such as small offices (perhaps staff doing alternative days at first), coffee shops where people can be limited and/or sit outside and so on. Over the next few weeks it could lead to a gradual build up of more and more going to work, giving time for workplaces to get to grips with social distancing and proper deep cleaning before staff start. A slower start would also mean that monitoring of cases (in case of a second spike) could be done more easily....

Only after all that should schools be thinking of going back, and staged as it appears they will be. Not until late summer for places where people congregate such as pubs and clubs, I think we might have to accept that large gatherings need to be limited for some while.

Charlieiscool · 11/05/2020 09:33

chrissiekeller I hadn’t heard of any tube train drivers dying. Are you sure about that?

Stellaris22 · 11/05/2020 09:35

When there are employers like Sports Direct and Wetherspoons (just well known examples, I know they aren't open) is it any surprise that employers are using this deliberately vague announcement to force people back to work?

As for 'use a car where possible', a nasty thing to expect when not everyone has the funds to own or even run one.

Pinkyyy · 11/05/2020 09:35

Why do people who live/work in London think that the world revolves around them? Okay, maybe you can't get to work or wait for the next bus, fine. But that is perfectly doable in other places all over the country. Why should we have to stay off work just because you can't go? Going back to work isn't mandatory. It is to be done where social distancing allows, which can happen in many places.

PhilCornwall1 · 11/05/2020 09:35

They can't WFH, so since the announcement last evening, people are going to work. None of this should be a surprise this morning.

multivac · 11/05/2020 09:36

Going back to work isn't mandatory
Oh, you are soooooo funny!

VenusOfWillendorf · 11/05/2020 09:37

Boris definitely said from 'Tomorrow' - ie Monday last night.
It was discussed on the news programme after, that people were getting less than 12 hours notice that they would be expected at work the next day.

He didn't say they could go back - he said that they SHOULD. And he didn't clarify at all what kinds of jobs, just gave two examples of construction and manufacturing (and he said Examples - not Only These jobs). He did mention hospitality from June, but did not mention other kinds of businesses.

If you just were to follow what he said last night - if you are a hairdresser you SHOULD go back to work on Monday morning.
But I don't think that is actually the case at all.

He said to practice SD if it's possible. But did not say to stay at home if it's not possible. Same for public transport, he said to avoid it if possible. But if it's not possible, well then just get on with it.

He also gave no indication of what people should do with their children when they went back to work. The news people only discussed the public transport issue, not the blindingly obvious childcare issue.

The whole thing was an shit show.

What has changed is that the suggestion that you can go to work if you can't work from home has now become mandated - you SHOULD. With SD if you, but if you can't - get on with it anyway.

CaliforniaMountainSnake · 11/05/2020 09:38

People won't die because of Boris' decision, it will be because of their own. They are choosing to get on a bus that's already too full to social distance.

Most people need to work to live. I don't know any self employed people that have revived a penny since lockdown. People in the gig economy or 0 hour contracts will also be living of fresh air.

People arnt getting on busses because they want to. They have to. Most people on lower wages have further commutes because they live in cheaper areas then travel into central, so they cant just walk or ride a bike like those living in zone 1 and 2. You're also unlikely to have a car if you're living in London.

Oh and FYI, the working population have around a 0.008% chance of contracting the virus and dying. They might get sick, but they're highly unlikely to die.

PhilCornwall1 · 11/05/2020 09:38

Going back to work isn't mandatory

Meanwhile, back in the real world, if you want to be paid you have to work.

JimMaxwellantheshippingforcast · 11/05/2020 09:39

Have people looked at the webcams for these places or have you just relied on Twitter for your information?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/05/2020 09:40

@Pinkyyy it is mandatory if you need the money.

Tubeworker · 11/05/2020 09:41

@Charlieiscool I think you can take a big old dose of fuck right off. My colleagues and I are still working, but unfortunately, like many hundreds of thousands of others, people are getting sick. The way a timetable works means we have had to revert to permanent special timetables, which naturally result in lower train operator utilisation because we can't overcrowd particular depots in order to maintain social distancing (which reduces relief efficiency). We are doing everything we can to run the best possible service we can. We don't want to see rammed tube trains any more than anyone else, no one wants to ask doctors or nurses or anyone helping with covid 19 to travel without being able to social distance. I really think you are talking complete bollocks.

How many people do you think that work on the tube also have wives or husbands that work for the NHS? I am one, and in my tiny unit (of less than 50) there are at least 4 others in the same situation. We have all been coming to work- swapping shifts and shifting around to cover and do what we can to make the service work while ensuring we can care for our children.

Now, I had to take two weeks off to self quarantine after I was exposed to a confirmed case (who died in hospital) and then developed a fever and cough. Or should I have gone to work because I'm just self interested?

Really, just fuck you.

lilgreen · 11/05/2020 09:43

Boris said Monday for workers, Wednesday for unlimited exercise. Bloody stupid thing to do. Why tell people the night before? Bloody fool!

Pinkyyy · 11/05/2020 09:43

No it's not "mandatory of you need the money". Do you think people have been staying home for the fun of it?

Ifailed · 11/05/2020 09:44

Boris' speech wasn't something cobbled together, they've had a week at least to write it, and apparently after a few takes, got it recorded.

The message that people should go back to work this morning was clearly intended, I suspect they are gambling on the statistics that show most people of working age won't die from Covid-19, and the few that do are an acceptable sacrifice to get the economy working.

Boris isn't going to want his 5 year-term in office spent managing a crippled country, he needs his big grandiose schemes so he can willy-wave to us all.