Essex

[dollychopss]

Probably going to Tier2

Haha Southend revisiting the idea early next week! We will be rejoining Essex soon enough

A childcare bubble can only consist of two households. So, for example, two sets of grandparents can’t look after the same grandchildren. Nurseries, childminders etc are exempt. So, you could use a combination of nursery and a childcare bubble

Well that's just not going to happen, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Some of the rules seem impossible not to break tbh.

Flying in to Stansted, Essex looks pretty rural to me.

@lifestooshort123 72% of it is rural.

www.ealc.gov.uk/upload/files/Respecting%20our%20Past%20Embracing%20our%20Future%20A%20Strategy%20for%20Rural%20Essex%281%29.pdf

@Frequentcarpetflyer The majority of Essex is rural:

www.ealc.gov.uk/upload/files/Respecting%20our%20Past%20Embracing%20our%20Future%20A%20Strategy%20for%20Rural%20Essex%281%29.pdf

Since the council have been furiously denying that this move was for financial gain I wonder if a freedom of information request could clear this up?
If it was purely about keeping us safe then they should turn down any funding to prove it.

[quote BunsyGirl]@Frequentcarpetflyer The majority of Essex is rural:

www.ealc.gov.uk/upload/files/Respecting%20our%20Past%20Embracing%20our%20Future%20A%20Strategy%20for%20Rural%20Essex%281%29.pdf[/quote]
Ok, I suppose we have different definitions of what rural means ;)

@Frequentcarpetflyer Where do you live in Essex? I am in the 72% part surrounded by fields and farms.

The whole situation is a farce. I live close to the border with East Herts which is still in Tier 1 despite having a higher rate of infection. Where will people in East Herts go to hospital if they need inpatient treatment for coronavirus? Yes, you guessed it, Over the border in Essex.

I’m in Essex. Does this mean that I can’t go and help my elderly parents? I check on them every day, mum has Alzheimer’s and dad doesn’t cope well with her disease, they need my help. Am I supposed to just leave them to struggle and get on with it?

@ReeseWitherknife I think provide care for a vulnerable person is acceptable.

I don't think it is about the cash. I think it's pure paternalism. County knows best.

I read that the Chair of the council lives in Suffolk so the rules don't apply to him. Sticks in the craw.

I’m on the border, so he’s just and hop, skip and a jump away and has his freedom, how lovely for him!

I do believe it's about cash with the ECC ( just what I've read ) but it is still puzzling still especially as people will cross boundaries to go out etc! (Same problem everywhere though with local lockdowns I suppose!)
It won't stop people breaking rules.

People think its within the rules to cross the borders and can't see how it can be policed.
We are near the border and had lunch plans in Bishops stortford for next week which is East Herts. My friends are saying we can still go as its not in Essex.
Lots of people who love near borders will be doing the same I think.

@onedayinthefuture

Seeing as the majority of Essex is very rural, this seems so unfair? I would say Hertfordshire is more built up.

From a rural part of North West Essex here, I have to agree with this.

My elderly and vulnerable parents live in the Midlands. Very vulnerable with multiple health issues. Am I allowed to travel to see them if things go tits up for them again like they did during the first lockdown?

If they are at risk (that also happened) then I might just have to do it anyway, regardless of restrictions. We had several crises during lockdown one. Caring for vulnerable people is the loophole I will use if questioned (which is hopefully not too likely).

I've just been to a toddler swimming class (allowed even under tier 3, apparently!) where the main topic of conversation was how ridiculous it was, and how people felt no obligation to follow the rules because 'we shouldn't really be in tier 2, it's just what the council wanted for money'. Which is exactly what I thought would happen, and will undermine public confidence in the measures and willingness to comply in Essex long-term - even if the numbers do get to the point that the county would have been put into tier 2 'normally'. People were particularly annoyed about the inconsistency with Southend and Thurrock, and I've heard that a lot. This is exactly why I thought the government would say no to Essex's request, but then they never seem to have understood the importance of public confidence in the measures or the extent to which they're constantly undermining it.

ECC have removed this page off their tracker, this data clearly showed that cases were decreasing but obviously didn’t fit their narrative. Suspicious much??

@AvoidingRealHumans I am also close to the border with East Herts and have a Bishop Stortford dialling code. If I leave my tel number for track and trace no one would have any idea that I lived in Essex. Not saying that I would do that but it shows how ridiculous the situation is. If someone in Bishop Stortford becomes ill with Covid and needs hospital treatment they will go to PAH and will show under the Essex figures.

@BunsyGirl so true about east herts people counting in PAH covid figures 🤔 One of my kids has a party tomorrow in stortford that hasn't been cancelled as the venue is Herts so "how are they to know we're from Essex" everyone else is still going so I feel bad to say he isn't going. Most people are willing to bend the rules is what I've gathered from every conversation I've had today, its the main topic of conversation here.

@Polkadotties

ECC have removed this page off their tracker, this data clearly showed that cases were decreasing but obviously didn’t fit their narrative. Suspicious much??

They won't be able claim it was the restrictions that caused cases to drop if their figures are already showing a drop 😉

@AvoidingRealHumans It’s not just East Herts either that use PAH. They come up from Broxbourne just north of the M25. I would definitely still let him go. Some of the children in my village go to school in Bishop Stortford. Seems incredibly unfair that they are not allowed play dates with their classmates but those that are just over the border can. I believe that this tier change is going to make things worse as people are now going to refuse to comply with the rules given the ridiculousness of the situation. ECC have shot themselves in the foot and the Government have undermined the whole tier system by agreeing to the change.

someone in Bishop Stortford becomes ill with Covid and needs hospital treatment they will go to PAH and will show under the Essex figures

Same for Thurrock patients in Basildon Hospital

@lifestooshort123

Flying in to Stansted, Essex looks pretty rural to me.

I know this isn’t the point, but as an Essex girl now living in rural north wales, this has made me smile

There is no way that Essex boys aren’t gonna visit their Mums. They love em.