Would you be happy to lock down for the next two years?

[BirdieFriendReturns]

If the government restrictions stayed in place?

So until May 2022.

I might have to stay banged up that long

I have leukaemia and am in the shielding group

It’s got sod all to go with my income or occupation. But there are over 2 million of us - defined not by age, or general decrepitude, but by specific vulnerability - many of whom were normal healthy workers (until the drugs that kept us healthy day to day also defined as as at exceptional risk) and we’ll be last out.

No fucking way. Living isn’t just not being dead
Absolutely agree with this. My risk (and the risk to the majority of people) is tiny. Far less than 1% if 1% is the average death rate. I would rather take my chances with the virus than live a half life for 2 years.

The reality will be mixed. The new normal will be social distancing which will make pubs, concerts, clubs etc impossible. I think furlough will have to be extended for as long as possible for workers that can't WFH or socially distance. But obviously that number needs to be lowered significantly from now and companies can't take the piss.

Most people are working from home.

Most people are not working from home. Only those with the type of office jobs which involve no face-to-face interaction can succesfully work from home for any length of time. Millions of waiters, drivers, cleaners, cooks, gym instructors, shop assistants, airline workers, hotel staff and so many more are out of work. Why do you think the government is putting billions into a furlough scheme?

Essential services are funded by taxes. If tax revenues decline, so will the money available to these services. Lockdown cannot go on for 2 years or even 2 months longer without massive economic damage.

Christ no id rather get covid.

We really need to forget about pubs and theatres and concerts for a year or two.

Well that's lovely for everyone working in those industries isn't it.

Most people are working from home

That is one of the smuggest, middle class guff I’ve ever read on Mumsnet and that is really saying something.

Elmerrrrr

They should be kept on furlough for as long as necessary with taxes raised or HS2 white elephant scrapped to finance it.

No way

Not a chance

Most people are working from home

Just to go through some of my friends situations...

Couple 1: him, mechanic. Furloughed. Her, self employed eyebrow technician, unable to work.

Couple 2: Him, airline staff (we live very close to an international airport). Furloughed. Her, hospitality. Furloughed.

Couple 3: Him, head office of a large clothing chain, furloughed. Her, works in large scale events, furloughed.

They should be kept on furlough for as long as necessary with taxes raised

Many of them are on zero hour contracts so not eligible for furlough.

Also, where are these 'taxes raised' going to come from if, as many here seem to desperately want, the country is in lockdown for 2 years?

I am loving not working, my mental health is 100% better. However, the economy can’t stand it and it’s very hard on kids and teenagers, so no, for the wider good I would not be keen.

That is one of the smuggest, middle class guff I’ve ever read on Mumsnet and that is really saying something.

Yeah, I don't get this obsession with how everyone can just 'WFH'. It's impossible or very difficult for the majority of jobs.

Plus, if the economy goes into freefall because everyone's shut up at home for 2 years, many of the companies that these people 'WFH' for will go out of business.

Emergency tax rise, including high earners who have got richer during Tory austerity, or the scrapping of 100 billion HS2 which will be outdated by the time its built and people can WFH more in the future

Emergency tax rise, including high earners who have got richer during Tory austerity

Yes, because that's going to happen under a Tory govt.

One thing I do agree is that we can't have a complete lockdown for 2 years. People will need more access to dentists and GP's and things like that or it leads to further health issues.

People need to get real though regarding hospitality and service industry. Obviously 8 billion a month furlough for two years isn't realistic, that figure will need to come down.

They are not going to furlough people for the next two years. The projected costs up till October are £100 billion. 🤦‍♀️

@Jeffersona

That's not how it works for huge swathes of people who work in the sectors you mentioned.

How can you carry on ignoring this when people who work in the sector have told you otherwise?

That's the high end figure and it will need to be financed as I stated. Beyond October it will need to continue though, or the whole pub/restaurant/hospitality/service industry will collapse leading to millions more unemployed who will need to be paid for by the benefit bill anyway.

They should be kept on furlough for as long as necessary with taxes raised

🤣🤣🤣

You know that furlough is already costing as much as the NHS right?

My god when I thought mn couldn’t get dumber ... this thread is like catnip for the dim.

@BirdieFriendReturns

no.

The economy would crash and everyone would riot. Expect apocalyptic scenes!

Any employer/industry that can't socially distance properly will be out of action for the forseeable future. That's just a fact.

As recently as Friday there was people doing the conga down their street and hugging and kissing their neighbours because they'd had a beer or a wine, so it'd be hugely irresponsible to open pubs.

It’s not sustainable. The economy has shrunk considerably and we are heading into a deep recession after 2 months of lockdown, can you imagine what 2 years would look like? For all the do-gooders splurting out the predictable ‘whatever it takes’ nonsense- I doubt you’d be saying that when the country is on its knees, you lose your job, house and have no food. Get real.

That's the high end figure and it will need to be financed as I stated. Beyond October it will need to continue though, or the whole pub/restaurant/hospitality/service industry will collapse leading to millions more unemployed who will need to be paid for by the benefit bill anyway.

Millions of people work in the hospitality sector. Millions more indirectly. The exchequer simply can't afford to keep furloughing them indefinitely. Besides, even with furlough, ongoing fixed costs such as rent and insurance will mean that many pubs and restaurants will still go out of business if they remain closed for months on end. Surely a cautious re-opening some time over the summer would be a better decision? It's already happening in several European countries.