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.

No.

Our track and trace system will not miraculously improve in two weeks and neither will our testing capacity
No, but the point is by squashing cases back down you gain six weeks, which would potentially be enough to make big improvements. You gain the two weeks of the lockdown plus the four weeks you push it back by. That's my understanding anyway.

@PracticingPerson

Actually, it won't, on the whole, as the average age of people who die with Covid (not "of" Covid) is 82.

You misunderstood me @RonaLisa, I mean the virus out of control will fuck the economy, which will destroy livelihoods, families etc.

I possibly have misunderstood you, @PracticingPerson, in which case I apologise.

My understanding of it is that the virus 'out of control' would fuck the economy far less than a second lockdown under a fancy name would do. Most people who are contributing to the economy are people of working age - and we are, on the whole, less likely to die of Covid than our retired counterparts. And if we do, our children are probably of an age where they could cope with it ok.

@PracticingPerson

Our track and trace system will not miraculously improve in two weeks and neither will our testing capacity No, but the point is by squashing cases back down you gain six weeks, which would potentially be enough to make big improvements. You gain the two weeks of the lockdown plus the four weeks you push it back by. That's my understanding anyway.

Six weeks ago from now was mid August. Do you really think things have moved on that much since then? Six weeks is a long time in politics, and in Corona politics all the more so.

I'd do it over half term for two weeks.

As it is, I see bugger all.of friends or family due to local restrictions. Kids will be off school anyway, so why not? What's another week.

If there were legitimate gains for doing so. Not if it was delaying the inevitable or at the cost of more jobs

If they do do it, they need to do it soon, so many businesses rely on trade around Christmas, it will be the nail in the coffin for many if they loose that Christmas trade.

My understanding of it is that the virus 'out of control' would fuck the economy far less than a second lockdown under a fancy name would do. Most people who are contributing to the economy are people of working age - and we are, on the whole, less likely to die of Covid than our retired counterparts. And if we do, our children are probably of an age where they could cope with it ok.

Do you mean you think your children could cope with you dying? Or have I now misunderstood you?

I think you are wrong about the economy. Look at Sweden. They didn't lock down, unlike Finland/Norway. Loads more deaths + same economic hit as their neighbours.

The economic hit of the virus out of control will be massive.

Six weeks ago from now was mid August. Do you really think things have moved on that much since then? Six weeks is a long time in politics, and in Corona politics all the more so

I don't see what the last six weeks has to do with what could be done with the next six weeks, sorry. If the government wanted to use the time, they could.

Six weeks is bugger all time for a failing UK government programme to sort itself out, especially one involving IT and public cooperation.

@Chaotic45

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.

I agree with most of your post but there are inconsistencies.

You say No help or handouts except to those who cannot afford basic bills and food.

But at the same time you say you've been a higher rate tax payer for 25 years and are fed up of being forgotten.

Can you afford basic bills and food?

@PostItJoyWeek

Six weeks is bugger all time for a failing UK government programme to sort itself out, especially one involving IT and public cooperation.

It would be six weeks more than we had without it though.

@Revealall are you going to pay my mortgage then? Along with all the other teachers/people working for the public sector? Thanks! What a daft idea.

IheartNiles@ or all baby boomers for that matter. Don’t be so judgemental.

@IheartNiles

Let’s keep fucking the working classes up the arse so that the middle classes and baby boomers can sit at home.

Indeed. Although many critical workers would be considered MC, it's definitely the MC who enjoy the privilege of working in safety at home, demanding that others take risks to service their lifestyles.

Rather than using beds and wards in hospitals for covid cases, why not use the purpose built Nightingale’s? They’re empty, they’ve got plenty of staff from airlines who were prepped to go and work there alongside fully trained professionals.

Instead you go into hospital for a knee op/hip op/ gastro problem and are put on a pre-test covid ward......

Three of the above I KNOW contracted covid whilst in hospital.

But nightingales, EVEN in the highest affected areas sit empty and have done for months.

Not in favour of a circuit breaker, dh has already lost his business due to covid and we’ve lost 40% of our income plus my company is in talks about redundancy so......

They’re empty, they’ve got plenty of staff from airlines who were prepped to go and work there alongside fully trained professionals.

Hospitals need medical staff, not air stewards the NHS is 40,000 nurses short.

Sorry “living” on 40% not lost - if only

[quote tisaginthing]@Revealall are you going to pay my mortgage then? Along with all the other teachers/people working for the public sector? Thanks! What a daft idea.[/quote]
Now now, we all know that those of us in the public sector don't do anything. Especially during pandemics! We all just sit around with our feet up while magical woodland animals deliver the furlough scheme and universal credit.

@PracticingPerson there is a deficit of at least 40,000 and they have “some” medical training. It’s not ideal but in war time civilians have been drafted into the army. It’s no different really.

Hi @Revealall

I am a teacher, taking daily risks and working harder than I ever have to do my best by my pupils. This comment makes me feel like a piece of unworthy shit.

I would also reduced public sector pay. Teachers get paid for two days to get a load of online resources done and that’s it’s. No work for them and 10 days pay, back to the public purse. Private sector have to lose pay so can we. Unpopular but there you go. In my circle teachers saved money on petrol and lifestyle.

I can't wait to get out of teaching thanks to posters like you.

[quote Onamugsearch]@PracticingPerson there is a deficit of at least 40,000 and they have “some” medical training. It’s not ideal but in war time civilians have been drafted into the army. It’s no different really.[/quote]
It is totally different - the tasks civilians did in the army were pretty basic - you can't get air stewards to care for in-patients

No thanks. We are in an unusual geographic area and have had very, very low cases even during the first peak. It would be complete overkill here.

I bet there are lots of tasks that could be done by lower skilled people freeing up the nurses to do more of the high skill parts of the job.

Yes, I would.
I’m really worried that people will travel over half term and spread the virus further. The cases are rising and we need to cut contacts as much as possible to get transmission down.
The idea is to keep schools open which will make WFH easier for parents and another week will be half term anyway. My only worry is about secondary schools students as they tend to mix over lunch time and after school so maybe mixture of on site and online for them.

@PracticingPerson fair enough - it was the original plan though so why they did do fast track training for them is beyond me. All those retired medical personnel could have passed on their knowledge in the last few months, those on furlough could have been gainfully trained (it’s not like airlines or hospitality appear to be allows fo go anywhere and in lockdown again they are truly screwed).

If we’d treated this like a previous world war, we might have the tools to fight it now.

I fail to see why we raced to build hospitals and morgues and then didn’t use them - it seems like peacocking to the rest of the world 🤦‍♀️

I get the idea of a lockdown, but the horse and goodwill have bolted.