Stricter measures than ever before. Wales to restrict what supermarkets can sell.

[safariboot]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-54648194

We didn't have that in the "first wave". Despite some confusion, it was perfectly OK for essential shops to also sell non-essentials, and for customers to purchase them on the same visit as doing essential shopping. Now, in Wales, it's not OK, the stated reason being "fairness" to small businesses.

I think this could be a first sign of things to come. I fully expect measures at least as strict as, and possibly stricter than, what we saw in March. And I expect local to become regional to become national. Because anything less just isn't keeping Covid-19 under control.

I can see why the welsh government want to ‘play fair’ with independent shops.

However, they should try ‘playing fair’ with their citizens and putting them ahead of businesses. I can’t honestly imagine that many people caught covid by loitering over the pop socks in Sainsbury’s. I feel very sorry for our welsh friends having to put up with this.

Some excellent points being made on Welsh Government fb page like "better not break my phone as i wont be able to replace it" and "what if ppl need to buy stuff like PJs for a relative thats gone into hospital

Drakeford hasnt thought this through at all

@duffy888 me neither. Hospital admissions and those on ventilated beds now the same as they were in May.

All the 'what about other services being cancelled', what do they think is going to happen with rising cases? That hospitals are going to be able to magic up more staff to keep everything going? I'm hoping it works so that more people aren't going to have routine surgeries and treatment cancelled. But it seems buying non essential stuff is more important; not like the NHS in Wales isn't dire to begin with or anything.

I don't think its a big deal, you can buy online and its only 17 days..

Ysbyty Gwynedd 5 in the covid ward, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd 4 in the covid ward, 9 people over two counties, approx population 315k. I would not say they were on their knees.

I saw this and honestly, as if a lockdown birthday isn't shitty enough, we can't even get birthday cards now.

If this time next year, women are walking around in red gowns and white hats I really wouldn't be surprised. I just hope there's a rebellion at the same time going on though, a bit walking dead when it was good and groups fighting to save themselves from these mindless fucking people.

@justasking111 it wasn't meant in terms of covid. It's on it's knees anyway, without covid, is my point. Hospital admissions are increasing, and for hospitals like Morriston that haven't done an elective orthopaedic surgery since March last year to begin with, so that's people waiting 2 years already,for hip/knee replacements, closing down hospitals to cope with covid intake is going to kill it. Already expeccted to be 3 years plus for hip surgery as a result of covid here. Surely it's better to try and reduce numbers now to prevent yet another year being added to that.

Cwm Taf has more patients in hospital with covid now than at any other time, and overall we have half the cases in hospital that we did at the peak. I don't get the problem with a fortnight of restrictions if it means that the hospitals stand a chance of continuing to offer other services, unlike the Royal glam which has closed all electives, as has swansea bay.

'Wasn't meant solely in terms of current covid admissions' would have been a better description.

I think he's crossed a line with this. Pillows and bedding being taped off in some of our local stores. Those are items you might legitimately come to need as well as clothes, shoes etc.

I get people shouldn't be going to supermarkets for a jolly but this is a step too far.

Dang, I opened up a can of worms here. With a pointy rock because of course I couldn't buy a tin opener!

Regarding online shopping, can I just ask us to consider people who can't do that, whether due to lack of computers skills or due to poor connectivity in rural areas.

The photos of the stores are truly dystopian.

I can’t believe that the Welsh Government are able to prevent supermarkets selling a duvet or tin opener and yet their own Public Health Department told me yesterday that it’s not a legal requirement to self isolate if instructed to do so by Test, Trace and Protect. They said it is in England but not so in Wales.
When I queried this ( as I was in disbelief that this could be true ) a different Public Health employee told me that it was a legal requirement to isolate.
Their own officials don’t know the rules about the actual containment of the virus in a pool of identified people. One official insisted this is because there are no laws to support the requirement to isolate, as there are in England.
So to be clear, they CANNOT enforce the isolation of potentially infected people but they CAN enforce Tesco refusing to sell a pair of socks.
This government are dangerous and power crazed. I am terrified. Not least because clearly Test, Trace and Protect apparently have no powers to protect!!!

A petition has been started

www.change.org/p/uk-government-bodies-keep-shops-open-for-clothing-and-other-essential-items?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_25433580_en-GB%3A0&recruiter=874690526&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=G%3ESearch%3ESAP%3EUK%3ENonBrand%3EBMM

@Lupinhere37

@hamstersarse

It really is astounding that the Welsh are going to put up with this.

It is illogical.

It is power-crazed

It will achieve nothing other than to devastate business and economy

I have never had this thought before in my life about the 'Union' but I am starting to get really pissed that Scotland and Wales are implementing all these ridiculous restrictions and expecting England to pay for it all

We pay taxes too mind...ffs. Colonial mentality much? You are aware that £5billion in tax revenue from Wales is earmarked as our share for HS2? Despite the fact it doesn't benefit us a fucking jot?

Why are so many people that don't live in Wales outraged by a 2 week Welsh lockdown, but not half as bothered about serco etc? I'd be livid if the Welsh gov handed another 45 million pound contract to a company that was already failing and that was fined last year, by the gov for their conduct, and with the awarding of the contract the gov then removed contractual obligations so that they can set their own targets while 'acting in good faith'.

But no. Supermarket restrictions for 2 weeks in Wales is much more problematic. Something very odd about this thread.

@CoffeeInAnIV

I saw this and honestly, as if a lockdown birthday isn't shitty enough, we can't even get birthday cards now.

Have you never heard of making a card? That should do for a few weeks at least.

Ive been pretty much pro restrictions up until now, but this is just ridiculous. Life is miserable for plenty of peop!e and restricting supermarkets to essential only goods just adds to that. People will rebel if draconian measures are piled on unnecessarily like this, and I don't blame them, but I dread the consequences.

It's really weird how people can look at the picture of the birhday cards and think "hmm yes that's a good idea".

It's as if people are happy to believe that buying a birthday card from a supermarket will encourage the spread of Covid.

It's a ridiculous solution to make it more fair to the non essential shops that have had to close. It just gives buyers an even bigger taste for online shopping than they already do. If someone with a newborn needs a new kettle to make up formula then why shouldn't they be able to buy one when it's in the next aisle? The alternative is waiting for an online delivery in the meantime and risking burns from pouring hot water from a saucepan. It's an extreme example but may of the things in the 'non essential' aisle are actually essential. Especially for older people who wouldn't know what to do with online shopping

So to be clear, they CANNOT enforce the isolation of potentially infected people but they CAN enforce Tesco refusing to sell a pair of socks.

That’s just beyond nuts. It’s like we’ve collectively checked out our brains at this stage.

Why are so many people that don't live in Wales outraged by a 2 week Welsh lockdown, but not half as bothered about serco etc?
I am outraged by the bad political decisions that have been made, but to be honest I have a lot more understanding of what it's like to be a normal person in a lockdown. So that's why it hits home when you see them doing things like this in other parts of the country and think we could be next.

@housemdwaswrong

Why are so many people that don't live in Wales outraged by a 2 week Welsh lockdown, but not half as bothered about serco etc? I'd be livid if the Welsh gov handed another 45 million pound contract to a company that was already failing and that was fined last year, by the gov for their conduct, and with the awarding of the contract the gov then removed contractual obligations so that they can set their own targets while 'acting in good faith'.

But no. Supermarket restrictions for 2 weeks in Wales is much more problematic. Something very odd about this thread.

Many are troubled by all of it, in fact I don’t know anyone who is troubled by the one aspect but not the other.

How does anyone know what's essential for another person - maybe your kettle broke and you have a baby like pp said, maybe you need extra bedding because someone started wetting the bed, maybe your toilet seat broke or your shower curtain fell down
I think it's ridiculous it just puts everyone into martyr mode and is unsustainable

Well, if the welsh economy ends up fucked over this then Westminster bales them out, so it affects the entire union.