It’s only the North

[Vikingess]

There are now more Covid patients in hospitals in Manchester than there were after lockdown in March including some students in intensive care. People on here are still bleating about missing birthday parties. Do it matter less because it’s “only in the North”?

Did people not read what I said? I know there are areas where households can't meet I am in one of them. From something a pp said it sounds like rule if six doesn't apply (and not because it's stricter)

Op what do you want to happen?

That heat map, it looks like it follows the major road routes looks like an m1 corridor and m4 corridor forming.

You can still mix some households in the northern lockdown areas (Grt Man, West Yorks etc) If you're single you can still have another household as a support bubble

@Mosasaur

Imo people are misunderstanding the restrictions because they’re not nationwide. My mum was telling me about visiting her friend and was surprised when I said she’s not allowed. She said the rule is six? I said not if you live here! But she’s seen the BBC news and national newspapers so assumed the rules they discussed applied to everyone.

It was this one. I was confused by "not if you live here" - poster meant they were subject to stricter restrictions. Apologies.

So rule of six is general, unless in an area in which stricter rules apply? (which applies to me)

frumpety

That's it, nobody knows. It's just what they are saying, I didn't stand around enough to listen. Just reporting a general move from my area in the NW.
I thought it might interest as we have been on local lockdown all the time bar one week.
I've seen my new gd once since her birth and can't go again.
No parties of six.

Flax aren't they talking about getting rid of support bubbles in certain areas? That will be tough.

Local restrictions where I am -

You must not mix with people you do not live with in a private home or garden, either inside or outside your area. You are advised not to mix with people you do not live with at any indoors or outdoors public venue, including cafes, pubs, shops and parks. Households in a bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit public places together.

I live in south Yorkshire and we have a huge student population for example Sheffield university is a top uni and also sheffield hallam !!

Yes, my neighbour has a bubble with his gf. We are still allowed this.
But I can't see my dc who have their own households.
I can't see gc in their garden or mine or the park. Apparently we can meet in the pub.
I've had enough now, but at least dd is still ok in school, but who knows for how long. Boarding in Manchester and we have an hours notice to collect if they close.

I’m getting really pissed off with seeing headlines about ‘the north’ reading the article and still having no idea whether or not it applies to where I live. Eventually, finding an article with a list of cities or a map and realising it doesn’t apply to my city in ‘the north’ or not finding it and just thinking fuck it I don’t go to pubs anyway.

Londoner here.

If the south and London had been in lockdown/restrictions as long as some parts of the north have, I think it would be us southerners breaking the rules.

Rightly or wrongly, people have had enough !

People keep saying ' the north' what is the north it isn't one big entity

No but the vast majority of the north is the M62 corridor area. West & South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside. This is where the vast majority of northerners live and they are very close to each other and often travel to work in these areas

(Also the north east (Newcastle etc) has quite a high population as well.)

I think transport hubs and major routes play a big part in infection rates. Some of the first outbreaks before the norths local lockdowns were near the M62s busiest sections

I’m in London, and lots of people didn’t want to go back into the office when the govt was pushing it. Most are still working from home. My husband has been going in, and his company was paying for people to go in cabs / covering the cost of congestion charge and parking. I’ve been taking the tube and it’s way way waaaaay quieter than normal. Admittedly this is in the residential areas, rather than going into the centre as I was pre lockdown, but I’ve had times when I was the only person in my carriage. Buses are empty as well. We live (on what appears to be) a route to a number of hospitals, and in March / April there were constant sirens. My husband, DCs and I have managed to avoid it but we know plenty of people who had it. We’ve barely been socialising at all, but we have small kids so we’re used to it

People keep saying ' the north' what is the north it isn't one big entity.

North is one mile closer to Manchester after Watford.

Flax aren't they talking about getting rid of support bubbles in certain areas? That will be tough

I'm not sure. I saw something about it but dont think it was from anything official but yes that would be tough.

I think keeping primary schools open and the single person support bubbles are vital. I really don't want to see those allowances go

No but the vast majority of the north is the M62 corridor area. West & South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside. This is where the vast majority of northerners live and they are very close to each other and often travel to work in these areas

But you can't clasify all that area as one huge area, maybe we should clarify the Midlands and London Bristol ect as one entity.

My dd is unfortunate enough to need CAMHS the waiting lists were long enough before but they are inundated and can't cope with the increase.
Charities are doing their best but it's so tough on young people.
Many of my friends are struggling with mh people who can't understand it and say they never really get down.

I’m in the north and affected by local lockdowns. My council has been in and out of it!

There’s the socio-economic mix up here. You can have pretty little villages with no cases miles from wards with multiple cases, but everyone gets tarred with t’same brush. It feels like postcode punishment for choosing to live in the wrong area. You can follow the (inconsistent) rules strictly and still get locked down.

Another poster mentioned that northerners often live near family and visit them as opposed to Londoners being more isolated due to an incomer mix, there may be something in that.

Having briefly lived in the SE, one thing I noticed is that due to the high costs of living, there wasn’t much of a pub culture, and people didn’t really eat out much. Whereas in the northern towns and cities living costs are much cheaper so more disposal income= more of an eating and drinking out culture, busy bars, lots of mixing etc.

Finally, there are a lot of small businesses up here who have a different attitude about WFH to the big employers. Some small businesses don’t want employees to work from home. My friends and I who work for small businesses have all had to return to the office, whilst those with large employers are allowed to WFH. That’s before you even start looking at the businesses like factories where WFH is impossible.

I don't think people in support bubbles will stand for being told not to mix with anyone. I will not be leaving my sister who lost her partner to Cancer a few years ago at the age of 41 on her own. Removing support bubbles would be cruel and will lead to more illness and deaths from mental health issues.

I'm a Northerner and rather hoping I can still visit Liverpool

@Absy

I’m in London, and lots of people didn’t want to go back into the office when the govt was pushing it. Most are still working from home. My husband has been going in, and his company was paying for people to go in cabs / covering the cost of congestion charge and parking. I’ve been taking the tube and it’s way way waaaaay quieter than normal. Admittedly this is in the residential areas, rather than going into the centre as I was pre lockdown, but I’ve had times when I was the only person in my carriage. Buses are empty as well. We live (on what appears to be) a route to a number of hospitals, and in March / April there were constant sirens. My husband, DCs and I have managed to avoid it but we know plenty of people who had it. We’ve barely been socialising at all, but we have small kids so we’re used to it

The first part of this rings true with me. I am in the South East and when Boris pushed for us to go back in the offices, our management told us not to come back and continue working from home. I wonder if that is one of the reasons. Maybe more London & South East Employers have kept their workforce at home. In my own case our senior management said in a Teams meeting to staff, the Government are saying to go back ,but I think its driven by financial motives rather than it being safe to do so, and we want to protect our staff so to contine working from home where you can. There is only one person I know whose employer forced them to return when there really was no need as all could be done from home.

I'm a Northerner and was looking forward to a Liverpool trip

@Notverybright

I’m getting really pissed off with seeing headlines about ‘the north’ reading the article and still having no idea whether or not it applies to where I live. Eventually, finding an article with a list of cities or a map and realising it doesn’t apply to my city in ‘the north’ or not finding it and just thinking fuck it I don’t go to pubs anyway.
The press speculate and put leaked information though. Look at the Govt's website for official information and at your local authority website if your area has additional restrictions.
www.gov.uk/coronavirus

There must be areas of London that mimic parts of the North in terms of housing, ethnicity and so on. ( clearly on flat caps and whippets though)

Why is it all about The North?