Anyone in Greater Manchester, what do you want?

[starfish4]

Just wondering what the people of Greater Manchester want regarding it's Tier level? I'm aware your stuck in the middle of this mess with little say

1. Tier 3 to reduce the virus levels and save lives, long term side affects

1. Tier 2 (i) to help the economy or (ii) so you can continue to enjoy your lives as much as possible helping your mental health

1. Two week circuit break (i) for your area or (ii) whole country

I'm in Trafford and can argue a case for all options. I just don't know.

Study out this morning says one third of kids in GM is in poverty. This will only rise when you stop people working and tell them here’s 67% of your usual wage to low paid workers already struggling. It’s not acceptable and the harms to them are just as important as Covid patients.

This is another example of government short sightedness. Surely furlough could be 100% of average hours worked at minimum wage or 67% of salary (which ever is higher). This would make a massive difference to low paid workers.

Tier 3.
Also take 2 weeks off the next summer holiday and tag one on this half term, and one on the February half term.

Salford here. I think we need a 2 to 3 week national lockdown sadly.
Then I'd go tier 3 for areas like ours if the numbers are still high, but it needs to be funded properly and tier 2 also needs to be funded properly otherwise an area can never afford to get out of tier 3. I think this is what Andy Burnham is driving at
Also properly funded local track and trace and in tier 3 I think year 9 and above in schools should go to planned part-time school as this would actually be less disruptive educationally than random self- isolations.

Tier 3.
Also take 2 weeks off the next summer holiday and tag one on this half term, and one on the February half term.

@FippertyGibbett, what about all the people who’ve booked holidays including teachers? All the teachers getting married (as they do) during August. Some local authorities already only have 5wks in the summer. I know of 2 around here. It’s just unworkable less than 1yr in advance.

And it all won’t be happening anyway if were still in the grip of Covid !

And it all won’t be happening anyway if were still in the grip of Covid !

Yes, I don’t disagree. However, cancelled due to Covid or government lockdown would allow for insurance claims and refunds. Cancelled because you now can’t be on holiday at that time will mean you lose out.

Also in Stockport. It's very difficult but I think remain in tier 2 and have a national 2 week lockdown. We've had restrictions off and on since the end of July that haven't worked, everyone I know has complied but there's a definite feeling of GM (and particularly Bolton and Oldham) being singled out so far which doesn't do much for people's general trust of the government's handling of all this.

Back at the very beginning there was a sense of us all being 'in it together' but since then, especially when you think of the Barnard Castle incident, it's clear that in the main we very much aren't.

Although I think something needs to be done I admire Andy Burnham for standing up for GM businesses. The local economy will be decimated by all this whatever happens. And the Deputy CMO apparently told him that the proposed tier 3 restrictions won't work anyway so why would he agree to it?

It's a big mess. The answer is sort out the track and trace. I think it's absolutely unforgivable that 7 months into this it's still not sorted out and been outsourced when there was/is capability locally for both testing and tracing. I had to have a test recently and it took 3 days to come back. Was ok in my case but no contact tracing happens until results come back. People can't stay at home from work for days on end, time and time again, it's just unsustainable. Tests need to be back within 24 hours and we need proper local contact tracing on a local level.

Best analysis (as usual)

manchestermill.co.uk/p/andy-burnhams-last-stand

I'm afraid that Burnham is just grandstanding, but the evidence seems to support tier 2. Testing rates are up (I've heard that twice as many tests are being carried out per head of population in GM as against GLC) but infection rates have fallen.

We've been more or less in tier 3 lockdown since July - with a whole 11 days between the end of the national lockdown & the imposition of the local lockdown, I haven't seen any friends in person since March, haven't been able to see my widowed DM since July & have had 3 close relatives die (none Covid related) but I still don't know* anyone who's had it, even at several degrees removed. I'm not complacent and have followed all the rules and guidelines & will continue to do so. But* being in tier 3 rather than tier 2/local lockdown will make no practical difference to me or most of my neighbours.

I'm not clear about the details of the financial package that Burnham's trying to get. I understand that tier 3 payments are double those for tier 2. But the money go to the council not to businesses or individuals, do is it just going to disappear into a bottomless GMC pit?

@NellyJames

And it all won’t be happening anyway if were still in the grip of Covid !

Yes, I don’t disagree. However, cancelled due to Covid or government lockdown would allow for insurance claims and refunds. Cancelled because you now can’t be on holiday at that time will mean you lose out.

Anyone who has booked a holiday, wedding etc for the rest of this year or next year is off their rocker. This needs to be brought under control.

I don't really care. I go to work with 100+ people daily, dc at a 3 form primary school, dp on a building site all day, my mum works in a school, sisters and close friends are NHS. Out of all of us, 1 has had covid with no symptoms. I'll just carry on as I am regardless, we aren't able to hide from the virus so we won't isolate from eachother again.

This is another example of government short sightedness. Surely furlough could be 100% of average hours worked at minimum wage or 67% of salary (which ever is higher). This would make a massive difference to low paid workers

I agree. What’s the point of having a min. wage when the government can close your place of work and tell you you’re only going to get 67%? It wouldn’t wash in London because everyone would be screaming about cost of living. Well the same pressures apply to families in Manchester, where we have a third of kids living in poverty. They don’t deserve a lesser rate just because of geography. Such a slap in the face when Whitehall is pissing millions up the wall on consultants and dodgy contracts.

I’m glad Andy Burnham has stood to No. 10 on this.

I'm in Wigan. These tier restrictions haven't been working because we've been under them for weeks now and cases are still rising. Shutting pubs and gyms, really what is that going to do?

I'm also not convinced a circuit breaker will work either, it will just delay cases rising again by a few weeks down the line and we can't just keep doing a lock down bloomin hokey cokey every few months.

I would really like the government to consider, debate and present facts as to why shielding the vulnerable isn't being invested into and the healthy being allowed to live more normal lives (with masks, hand washing, distancing etc). As a sensible viable alternative.

I'm not a scientist by any stretch but I am getting incredibly frustrated why other options other than lockdown aren't being discussed and presented to us.

I can say this as someone who hasn't lost anybody due to covid so appreciate my views on this are biased, but the economy is being destroyed for a virus that isn't any deadlier than flu. I might be over simplifying that but that's where I stand.

@BeakyWinder

I don't really care. I go to work with 100+ people daily, dc at a 3 form primary school, dp on a building site all day, my mum works in a school, sisters and close friends are NHS. Out of all of us, 1 has had covid with no symptoms. I'll just carry on as I am regardless, we aren't able to hide from the virus so we won't isolate from eachother again.

Anyone who has booked a holiday, wedding etc for the rest of this year or next year is off their rocker.

Agreed. There is no end in sight.

It is a disgrace that testing in the UK is still so bad after all these months. Testing is only meant to be for three symptoms but everyone knows that Covid has many more symptoms than that, especially in children.

This has lead to everyone having to at least partially self diagnose and therefore sending children to school with ‘just a cold’ when it may very well be Covid. This would never happen in the countries where the testing regime has been successful.

Hmm double quote fail!

@mutuallyassureddestruction

all this dithering is actually costing lives. This government's inaction regarding this pandamic has been absolutely shameful. We should have a full national lockdown as recommended by the scientists.

I know people are going to come on and comment about jobs, etc, but lives are being lost here, jobs can be regotten and economies rebuilt in the future. Worry about the money later, save lives NOW.

I have had to stop watching the news, it is just unbelievable to me that at a time of national crisis, people are bickering like children. We need a decent strong leader to take the action that is required, palatable or not.

I'm not from the North West, but in an area likely heading to level 3. This sums up exactly how I feel, dithering about until we realise that it's out of control, again.

Oh and after the failures at government level they turn around and blame the people. Infuriating.

I'm in Manchester. I think we need a three week circuit break including schools and with furlough at 80%.

It helps break the chain of the virus. We need to prevent it getting out of control as is starting to happen.

Treatment for covid is improving every month, we are getting (hopefully) closer to a vaccine and we need to keep the curve flat so that the nhs can keep running non covid related services throughout the winter months.

Greater manchester here.

I would like Politicians who actually understand the NW towns and their borders, for a start. For them to actually know what towns there are and how many.

Ito tiers. It makes absolutely no difference this is the problem. We've been in the equivalent tier 2 with local lockdowns. I think we've had 2 weeks tops since march where we could visit another household.

I want something that actually works, not just more useless restrictions and no job, or likelihood atm.

My family are visiting today, we'll go for a long walk in the park, take a cup of coffee with us.

I want people and businesses to be properly financially supported to get through restrictions. There is no point imposing Tier 3 or anything else if people are left unsupported because desperate people will breach restrictions if they feel they need to. I am mostly in support of Andy Burnham's approach at present.

2 - I do not want tier 3. We have been in local lockdown since July anyway! I had to send my son to holiday clubs as grandparents couldn’t provide childcare, then low and behold when it was rolled out across the country grandparents can now provide childcare.

3ii
however i am lucky i can work from home so career not affected

OP - you assume that Tier 3 will save lives. Even Sage doesn’t think it will make much difference, but it will have a disproportionate impact on livelihoods.

Tier 3 is window-dressing that allows the government to claim they are doing something.