Anyone in the North East?

[PennyDreadfuI]

Gateshead has just been added to the govt watchlist and Newcastle is on amber alert. Sunderland have had over 200 cases in the past seven days.

Are we next for a local lockdown? What do you think it will entail? Given Newcastle's reputation as a party city I'm guessing restricted hours for bars maybe - they were packed to the rafters over the August bank holiday weekend, which may account for lots of the new cases.

I'm glad you manged to get a test @Plussizejumpsuit!

@Plussizejumpsuit glad you got a test! Hope the codeine kicks in soon, sinus pain is the pits. Plus if you're anything like me the codeine will have you feeling completely wanged (in a good way) which right now is a bonus!

@Thiswillbeinteresting

I see public transport is work and education only. DD's journey home doesn't start in the affected areas, and we don't live in the affected areas, but the station I am collecting her from is. I'm not sure I can afford the petrol to collect her on top of already paying for the train fare

I have to use the bus/metro for shopping, appointments etc. I have RA and can't walk far. In the last lockdown I had to go to the supermarket three or four times a week because I could only carry a small amount back each time without being able to use the bus. It'll be a hundred times worse doing that when the weather turns.

@PennyDreadfuI sadly I think you're correct there - at least with the last lockdown people didnt mind queuing in the warm weather. Here's hoping the online delivery slots dont go crazy like last time so you at least have options when the weather is bad

County Durham here. We're buggered left, right, and centre in this house.

We have a house guest from the south who cannot get home until Sunday. I can no longer go on the holiday I've planned because it involves getting there by rail. The family member who was going on holiday with me couldn't join me now anyway, as he is currently staying as a guest in the household of another branch of the family.

Yet I can go to the pub with strangers around me. It makes no effing sense at all. I'm thoroughly fed up with the whole thing, and as for my local MP backing these measures, well, let's just say that if she got any closer to the PM she'd have her head up his arse.

www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife-news/community/stronger-measures-introduced-north-east-tackle-rising-infection-rates

This is Newcastle’s explanation

Seeing other households in private homes or gardens is banned
Seeing other households in other public venues is advised against
Seeing other households elsewhere (in the woods?) is not mentioned

Pubs etc must do table service only and close at 10pm

Other things that are advised - public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work, holidays in your bubble, watching sport

So room for being sensible, if you’ve reduced your other contacts right down and you need your mum to pick up your kids from school and take them to the park

I wouldn't like to be a police officer on duty in the toon at 10.00 pm tomorrow!

Confirmation on Newcastle council website that only registered childminders are able to provide childcare, but they're going to try and get that changed.

That's an interview with Nick Forbes (leader of Newcastle council).

I wouldn't fancy it at midnight tonight, either, tbh! Thursday is the start of the weekend, after all!

Comprehensive list of exceptions on the Durham website. Plus, of course, contact where parents are separated.

The childcare situation can only have been dreamt up by a middle class, middle aged man, mind. No one on minimum wage or even average wage, tbh, is going to be able to call on a nanny to step in when their school aged child's bubble bursts, are they.

PennyDreadful - using the bus for shopping and appointments when you cannot walk far is essential travel. School and work are only given as examples

@PennyDreadfuI

Confirmation on Newcastle council website that only registered childminders are able to provide childcare, but they're going to try and get that changed.

Oh dear, that's awful news for us as both sets of grandparents have DS one day a week each while we work. We would definitely be able to manage but tbh they will be devastated to lose more time again with him this year. My mam in particular is a wheelchair user and he's the light of her life, it's what she looks forward to every week.

Was at the RVI today. Saw consultant. Would normally be admitted with the problems I have at the moment, but it was decided it could be managed at home. Wonder if they’re keeping things to the bare minimum in case of influx.

Can I ask if anyone in alnwick knows if you can still go for a break there?
Our summer holiday (Wales) was cancelled so we booked a cottage in alnwick for October.
4 of us.
Travelling by car.
We won't use public transport.
Planning to do beach walks (sd obv) and we don't go to pubs so no issue there.
Should we still go? :(
Don't want to make locals angry.
(Very low cases where we are)

The childcare situation is insane. People can’t afford to hire nannies. The whole point of family childcare is that it’s free! Without free childcare many people cannot afford to work.

I totally appreciate the logic behind banning some activities while allowing others. It’s not that Covid can’t “get you” whilst doing the permitted activities. It’s simply about reducing the amount of activities that people are doing. However I think it’s ridiculous to ban family visits whilst allowing pubs to stay open. Also ridiculous to lock down Durham to avoid people travelling there to escape restrictions - they’ll just travel to Middlesboro instead!

My mum is going to pick my daughter up from school as she will be providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person (I'd say primary age kids are vulnerable people). She will help with doing homework so education is covered. She will also be enabling one or more persons in the group to avoid injury or coming into harm but not letting her get kidnapped and enabling her to be safe in her grandmother's house.

There you go. I think that's Cummings enough to justify it.

But = by

@yoikes I'd look on the Northumberland Council website. Tourism is fairly big in the area so they must have thought about it. It seems as there's not a tavel ban mentioned wou might actually be ok

Oh it's also the provision of voluntary or charitable services.

Well quite. The grandparents are all doing it voluntarily!

@yoikes yes you can still come up to Northumberland for a holiday, all the councils have stated that on their guidelines today. You just have to follow the same rules while you are here.

@yoikes
From Northumberland council guidelines today

Hi, north west county Durham here too. It's depressing going into local lockdown, I agree.

My mam has gone all rebellious in her 70s, and is saying 'tough, I'm still meeting my friends'. The govt have squandered the good will and willingness to comply we had at the start...

Co Durham here too. Stuffed for tomorrow as PIL look after DD on a Friday and nursery have no extra capacity to have her. DH and I both secondary teachers in the same school. Fed up and sad.

The child care situation is really tough.

Makes me cross when people can go to the pub