Nationwide 'circuit break' (ie stricter rules) being 'considered'

[PennyDreadfuI]

From the BBC

Usually if they say they're considering a thing it's probably going to happen - they seem to let these bits of information out to soften us up so it won't be such a shock when it comes to pass.

Ugh.

The north east had the lowest rates in the country for weeks. They suddenly shot up again a few weeks ago and now we're in lockdown (sort of). So yes, things can and do change very quickly.

@eufycurious absolutely.

@DobbyTheHouseElk

Do we believe them when they say 2 weeks? Then it will become 4 and til Christmas.....

I'm coming to terms with the probability that Christmas will be completely fucked this year. I think we'll still be in in local lockdown here well into November/December - the students are back in the coming days and 50k people coming to the north east isn't going to help figures. Some places have been in lockdown since July and that's without the added burdens of schools/uni/workplaces being back open, and winter.

I also think we will be in lockdown until December, maybe even later. Too many not following the rules, children not being kept off school when sick etc.

So, how happy are we to see our lives slowly curtailed to encompass only one thing: work?
(or schooling, to allow others to work, and in preparation for future work)

I get the virus is a real threat.
But the value leisure activities bring to our lives is priceless.
... Therefore, not accounted for in government plans.
Not generating any GDP = not allowed.
... How happy are we with that?

Trouble is, they’re running out of options and a firm, short lockdown seems to be one of the few things some people will pay attention to.

And for those saying it shouldn’t apply to places with fewer cases have a think about this one. I’m in Birmingham, massive rates if you look at the whole city. But in my LSOA (and most of the surrounding ones we have only had 4 cases since those maps were launched). So can we also get a reprieve from restrictions?

@Kaiserin

So, how happy are we to see our lives slowly curtailed to encompass only one thing: work? (or schooling, to allow others to work, and in preparation for future work)

I get the virus is a real threat.
But the value leisure activities bring to our lives is priceless.
... Therefore, not accounted for in government plans.
Not generating any GDP = not allowed.
... How happy are we with that?

Not happy at all.

Lockdown, but with the schools open I can deal with. I'll struggle again though if it becomes open-ended and two weeks, becomes 4, becomes 6 and so on.

I think we all have to plan and prepare for a very different and much quieter Christmas this year. Anything else will be a bonus.

@eufycurious

Yesterday they were denying rumours of a two week lockdown, now this. Why can't they just be honest about things instead of treating us all like children?
Because so many adults are behaving like children and ignoring measures the Govt have initiated for our protection?

Obviously the Govt has to consider all manner of scenarios to deal with the changing situation. Wouldn't you if you had to deal with a changing situation in, say, the workplace (yet alone one in which the population can transmit a deadly illness to others)?

I’m in Birmingham, massive rates if you look at the whole city. But in my LSOA (and most of the surrounding ones we have only had 4 cases since those maps were launched).
Is there a website that gives a breakdown of a city's figures?

@squashyhat It's ok to be disappointed about your holiday. Whilst it's good to keep things in perspective and be aware of how our actions affect others, unless you've been out licking lift buttons and then coughing on random care home residents I don't think you should feel ashamed.

I don't understand why the emphasis is on hospitality. Isn't the current thinking that it's mainly spread between households?

I would welcome a short sharp lockdown like we had previously, where households can't mix. Having it over October half-term would seem to me to be a good idea too.

so many adults are behaving like children and ignoring measures the Govt have initiated for our protection

Measures like EOTHO? Telling people to go back to crowded workplaces on packed trains? Encouraging people to socialise to boost the economy? The shitshow that is testing? Measures like those?

Stop blaming 'the people' when from the outset government action/advice has been as clear as mud and utterly ineffective.

You can find the map I was referring to here - add in your postcode and you see rates for your area.

www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=47574f7a6e454dc6a42c5f6912ed7076

When is this due to come in?

The rumours i've read are that it will be end of October for 2 weeks, so basically half term. Schools will also close for both weeks which will possibly help stop the spread. But who knows, i read a different rumour every day.

@TeddyIsaHe exactly. This is totally distracting from the fact that the government have failed to get the test and trace working properly, thus furthering
the likelihood of further national lockdown

I do not think a two week lockdown is remotely possible as an effective measure it takes two weeks before we know if any measure has works. It would logically have to be at least a month - I cannot see any new lockdown not lasting until Christmas but intriguing what they do with the furlough scheme as without it a lockdown will not have much compliance or public support I would have thought!

I wish they’d just announce it as we have a U.K. holiday booked for the last week of October that I have to pay for soon and I don’t want to if they are going to announce a lockdown for that week

What do we think it will be like? Similar to the current rules in the NE or more like the original lockdown with only essential shops open?

I really don’t see the point in any lockdown unless those traveling from abroad are properly quarantined- ie bused to quarantine hotels. Otherwise it’s a bloody farce.

Dido Harding though, eh? Resoundly shit at a job she was given by a mate.

I thought they should have done this, only stricter, back in March. If everyone planned in advance to stay at home for a specific 2 weeks, except for emergencies, then we would pretty much have wiped out the virus.

Follow this up with strict quarantine entering the country and the whole country would be basically a safe zone where we didn’t need all these long term rules.

I know it would have been hard for the two weeks, but I think it could be done. The most obvious problem would be that some people don’t have the funds to buy two weeks of food in advance, but given all the money that has been spent on furlough, eat out to help out, etc. I am sure the government could have either supplied everyone or given out funds to cover the two week period.

Obviously essential jobs would have to continue (utilities, police, fire, medical, care etc.) but many jobs exist mostly to support other jobs, so I don’t see why the majority couldn’t just take a break from life as we know it for two weeks. It would have been unpleasant, but so is this alternative of dragging it all out for years.

Dido Harding though, eh? Resoundly shit at a job she was given by a mate.

Hasn't she been resoundly shit at just about everything?

@Firef1y72

Seriously starting to wonder why areas like mine with virtually no infections (3 in the last week) should be treated in the same way as those with 100s. Perhaps they should look at what makes our rates so different.

There should be a way of rewarding the areas that are behaving and keeping low rates, as an example to the areas misbehaving. Maybe tax rebates.

@Firef1y72

Seriously starting to wonder why areas like mine with virtually no infections (3 in the last week) should be treated in the same way as those with 100s. Perhaps they should look at what makes our rates so different.

Same here we have 22 in 1 million

@NotAnotherUserNumber

I thought they should have done this, only stricter, back in March. If everyone planned in advance to stay at home for a specific 2 weeks, except for emergencies, then we would pretty much have wiped out the virus.

Follow this up with strict quarantine entering the country and the whole country would be basically a safe zone where we didn’t need all these long term rules.

I know it would have been hard for the two weeks, but I think it could be done. The most obvious problem would be that some people don’t have the funds to buy two weeks of food in advance, but given all the money that has been spent on furlough, eat out to help out, etc. I am sure the government could have either supplied everyone or given out funds to cover the two week period.

Obviously essential jobs would have to continue (utilities, police, fire, medical, care etc.) but many jobs exist mostly to support other jobs, so I don’t see why the majority couldn’t just take a break from life as we know it for two weeks. It would have been unpleasant, but so is this alternative of dragging it all out for years.

as I said in a different thread, this did not work in New Zealand so had no chance of working here.