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Original poster

Chris Whitty to hold briefing tomorrow

386 replies

molifly14 · 20/09/2020 22:09

According to sky news, Chris Witty is to hold a briefing tomorrow and will not be joined by any members of the cabinet or Boris Johnson and won't take questions. He will apparently discuss different scenarios.

Does that sound odd to anyone else and does this maybe mean no further restrictions this week, let's just try and scare us all into being good instead?

Link: Coronavirus: 'Critical point' in pandemic as UK infection rate heading in wrong direction, says chief medical officer news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-critical-point-in-pandemic-as-uk-infection-rate-heading-in-wrong-direction-says-chief-medical-officer-12077482

OP posts:
PineappleUpsideDownCake · 21/09/2020 11:23

Maybe they are separating themselves from the political decisions - just putting the science out there. Then the politicians make the changes that they will.

Is there due another talk? Boris?

Hardbackwriter · 21/09/2020 11:24

I would be surprised if anybody who didn't already know all of that watched it. It was a really great, clear explanation but I think it's wildly optimistic to think that it will be widely watched.

Original poster
molifly14 · 21/09/2020 11:25

I also found it very strange, thought it would be followed by a prerecording of Boris telling us what the changes would be. Felt a very abrupt end

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 21/09/2020 11:25

A lot of people will be at work not even wfh which makes it harder

SqidgeBum · 21/09/2020 11:25

I took one main thing from that;

Long term, we will keep telling you not to socialise, but you have to go to work to keep the economy going.

Life seems pretty bleak to be honest. Work work work, go clothes shopping (alone) and keep spending, sit in your sitting room and skype your parents.

CovidPostingName · 21/09/2020 11:26

I'm disappointed, they said noting that anyone with two brain cells to rub together doesn't already know! They needed to be far more stark for the seemingly vast majority of the country who are hard of thinking.

MarshaBradyo · 21/09/2020 11:26

Covid I don’t think so. A lot of people are making their own narrative. Trouble is they may not watch

baytreetavern · 21/09/2020 11:27

@SqidgeBum

I took one main thing from that;

Long term, we will keep telling you not to socialise, but you have to go to work to keep the economy going.

Life seems pretty bleak to be honest. Work work work, go clothes shopping (alone) and keep spending, sit in your sitting room and skype your parents.

Yep this. At least we have skype. And luckily I like my family. Appreciate a lot of people will be having a horrible time
Jrobhatch29 · 21/09/2020 11:27

@EmmaGrundyForPM

I'm listening now. It's clear that they are aiming for a hard lockdown and also preparing us for another 6 months at least.
Why do you think they are aiming for hard lockdown? I didn't get that impression. It seemed to me it will be about reducing household contacts but we have to keep the economy going. They said rates haven't increased amongst children so I think that will be used as reason to keep schools open, thank god.
WestTen · 21/09/2020 11:27

Did they mention anything about people wfh returning to the office?

Shitfuckoh · 21/09/2020 11:27

The thing is, children in school aren't a way of reducing social contact.
I know education is important & in no way am I saying they must close schools etc.
I'm saying - take my household for example. I can see no one outside of my household but I send 2 DC to school. 1 is in a low pupil class due to it being a specialist setting. The other is in a class of 34 but his bubble is 63.
That's 62 other pupils, 4 members of staff just in that bubble.
1 of his friends household 'social contacts' is 7 households before we even get in to aunts / uncles / friends etc.

My other DC is due to visit nursery/pre-school this week. That's another 28 with another 20 in the other room. No idea if they keep them seperate but even if they do, the 'social contacts' there is again, fairly high.

So yes, whilst I am & can keep my social contacts low, I can not do anything about the school settings.

Not impressed that the chart showed rises in all age groups yet Whitty said not so much in children. Yes they were starting from a low number but that rise still looked pretty high to me considering ''children don't spread it''

colouringindoors · 21/09/2020 11:28

i caught thevsecond half... is it in catch up anywhere?

MarshaBradyo · 21/09/2020 11:28

@SqidgeBum

I took one main thing from that;

Long term, we will keep telling you not to socialise, but you have to go to work to keep the economy going.

Life seems pretty bleak to be honest. Work work work, go clothes shopping (alone) and keep spending, sit in your sitting room and skype your parents.

It’s stark but only way through.

I reckon you’ll be able to go out for lunch/ dinner though and hopefully see people outside

Polkadotties · 21/09/2020 11:29

So worst case 200 people die a day from it. That is still a tiny number. 450 die a day from cancer and that is likely to go through the roof due to cancelled services

The80sweregreat · 21/09/2020 11:29

Schools will stay open I feel.
It was more about trying to educate us what will happen if people do nothing and don't follow the rules. Which they won't.
It's a vicious circle really.

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 11:30

@molifly14

I also found it very strange, thought it would be followed by a prerecording of Boris telling us what the changes would be. Felt a very abrupt end
Me too. Are there to be any new measures then or not?!
baytreetavern · 21/09/2020 11:30

@Polkadotties

So worst case 200 people die a day from it. That is still a tiny number. 450 die a day from cancer and that is likely to go through the roof due to cancelled services
Yes but we don't want coronavirus monopolising services so that there are more deaths from cancer for example.
EmmaGrundyForPM · 21/09/2020 11:30

@Jrobhatch29. now that they said more i think you are right. I called it too soon.

Badbanana · 21/09/2020 11:31

They clearly had rose in children, it was right there on the graph!

Not as high as some but considerable when taking into account the low point they started from.

Underhisi · 21/09/2020 11:31

I reckon back to no households mixing.

WeAllHaveWings · 21/09/2020 11:31

That was informative but nothing new, and a bit awkward.

As usual our leaders are missing in action.

baytreetavern · 21/09/2020 11:31

And also, to point out: if we have 450 deaths from cancer, having another 200 from covid doesn't make it ok. It's makes it 650 deaths a day.

Doesn't matter what people are dying of, this pandemic is causing more death. Full stop.

The80sweregreat · 21/09/2020 11:32

New measures will come in time. It 'll be just go to work and stay at home as others have said! Hard to do if pubs and things are open , so maybe they might have to shut in October for a few weeks?

PeetaSue · 21/09/2020 11:32

I definitely didn't take another hard lockdown from that though. I think it was made quite clear that they are also aware of the potential damage to the economy from going too far and want to avoid that as well, which obviously a lockdown like March would do.

BuffaloCauliflower · 21/09/2020 11:32

@MarshaBradyoso so you can only see people if you’re spending money? Bleak and incredibly divisive, not everyone can afford to go out for a meal every time they want to see their mum. It’s putting economy before mental health.

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