Two week circuit breaker - who's in favour?

[zafferana]

Keir Starmer is in favour - so are you?

If they did it over the next two weeks I actually wouldn't mind that much, as it's half term.

Absolutely not. All it would do is push the can down the road by a few weeks, destroying businesses and livelihoods in the process.

The government have failed to get a test and trace system working in 6 months, now on earth could they do it in 2 weeks?

It is beyond me however why shielding has not been reintroduced on a voluntary and funded basis. This would be far more effective in preventing hospitals being overwhelmed.

Would it achieve anything? I'm not sure.

Not if I have to do keyworker/vulnerable child care - no way am I doing that again I'd quit my job before I did that.
Let's put all our children with SEMH needs all in one room with 1 TA, genius idea. That's before you add the sensitive cryers whose parents are working.
Properly close the schools to everyone and I'll do my interventions online from home.

I don’t believe it would be for two weeks if they did it.

Definitely. The current restrictions do not go far enough to decrease numbers significantly, even SAGE are advising the circuit breaker. It makes sense. It's not going to be easy by any means, but surely this has got to be the better option for now, especially over the current restrictions which are not enough and that is SAGE's words not mine.

No

It wouldn't be for just 2 weeks. And what would be the purpose?

It would just be kicking the can down the road.

I'm in.

My hospital is overwhelmed and patients and staff are already suffering. Patients electives are already needing to be cancelled due to lack of beds and appointments stepping down.

I don't get the 'kick the can down the road' thing. This is with us isn't it? Until it's not? I thought we were always going to have to cycle in and out of restrictions when the pendulum swings too far toward health effects (like March and now) and the economy effects (over the summer and likely xmas)

Last time we were in lockdown for months. Even then with high compliance and nearly everything shut, we only got cases so low, didn't take much for them to rise again.

How would two weeks achieve much?

We can't carry on with these half arsed measures.

It would make sense to lockdown for a couple of weeks incorporating half term but only if there's a functioning test and trace system at the other side.

If we carry on as we are we'll be effectively locked down all winter anyway because we'll all be in tier 3 soon enough, but the restrictions won't do enough to flatten the curve.

Yes, because I cling the can down the road is preferable to letting people die soon.

The more time we get gives a chance to sort out test and trace, stops things getting (even more) out of control.

We are spiralling again.

Yes

I cling = kicking

@YellowishZebra

Not if I have to do keyworker/vulnerable child care - no way am I doing that again I'd quit my job before I did that. Let's put all our children with SEMH needs all in one room with 1 TA, genius idea. That's before you add the sensitive cryers whose parents are working. Properly close the schools to everyone and I'll do my interventions online from home.

Please tell me that someone doesn't leave you in charge of children?! Your attitude is appalling. No wonder the kids cried.

Yes and I will happily continue to work in school to support vulnerable and key worker children.

I can see the benefits in terms of transmission for sure. It would have to be a harsh lockdown though- with a strict look at what is and is not truly essential to maximise the amount of people not leaving home.

Kier man ruined compensating hospitality workers who could not open in this scenario, but that felt like glossing over the huge amounts of other workers that would have to stop work. If people feel they have been forgotten they won't want to comply.

I'm self employed and entitled to zero help despite paying higher rate taxes for 25 years. I stopped work during lockdown, and am now clawing my way back. I'm getting fed up of being forgotten.

It won't be a popular opinion but IMO if we are going to do it I'd suggest everything except absolutely essential services and shops stop. Schools close. Universities should close but we can't send students home as so many have Covid. No help or handouts except to those who cannot afford basic bills and food.

Last time we were in lockdown for months. Even then with high compliance and nearly everything shut, we only got cases so low, didn't take much for them to rise again.

Because the government/PHE cocked up the testing so when things opened up again cases rose. The original lockdown cleared the first wave in London which was a tsunami in March.

Please tell me that someone doesn't leave you in charge of children?! Your attitude is appalling. No wonder the kids cried.

I thought the same. Scary the attitude some school staff on here have towards children and their parents.

How would two weeks achieve much?

I think if it was a full lockdown (i.e. only essential workers at work, all schools closed, all non-essential shops closed, hospitality closed, back to shopping just once a week and only allowed out otherwise for daily exericse), it could really help to reduce the numbers. The incubation time is 14 days, so if you stopped everyone from mixing for 14 days then it should work .... as long as compliance is high and would it be????

I am still skeptical it will achieve anything, I cannot see an example of a two week lockdown worldwide that has achieved anything.

...I do accept we are going in the wrong direction but I don’t know what we should do to stop it, most of the things I thought we should try (like mask wearing) we have tried and it’s not worked.

So I don’t know anymore although I am pleased we met up with people and had fun the summer while we could!

No

@Notselfish but there wasn't high compliance was there? And I don't agree that nearly everything was shut.

Loads of people carried on.

Loads of questionable things were open such as any shop selling any food or DIY items.

I've gone past caring one way or another right now

as long as compliance is high and would it be????

All depends on enforcement.

Because we don't have a fit for purpose test and trace system it will be inevitable soon.

And going forward with a slightly smaller exponential snowball is better than nothing.

But it's not an effective coronavirus strategy for 2021/2022. It what's you have to do when you don't have one.

If you did it and closed the schools for two weeks to actually break transmission lines, I would be in full support. Otherwise, there is no point-it will achieve nothing.