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.

[cologne4711]

You cannot buy a tin opener to get into a can of beans to feed yourself but you can buy alcohol

Can you buy a corkscrew or bottle opener?

[cologne4711]

(mind you most bottles of wine come with screwcaps these days)

[cologne4711]

@housemdwaswrong

I domt think it will be longer than 2 weeks because of schools. All schools will be back to normal by week 3, so wider restrictions futile. I will of course eat my words if he changes it, but I doubt it. Time will tell.

Ireland is keeping schools open but locking down, though.

[AldiAisleofCrap]

@CrappleUmble nothing wrong with pink gin it was simply an example of non essential alcohol. If someone is alcohol dependent standard larger will suffice.

[CrappleUmble]

[quote AldiAisleofCrap]@CrappleUmble nothing wrong with pink gin it was simply an example of non essential alcohol. If someone is alcohol dependent standard larger will suffice.[/quote]
There are two problems with this argument.

The first is that there are some people who have a very concentrated intake because they drink spirits, and whose usual unit level is so high that matching it from alcohol with a lower content would require them to imbibe a really large quantity of liquid. Put bluntly, if you're used to necking a shitload of vodka, you may not actually be able to get the equivalent amount of units in lager down you. This is a pretty severe form of dependency and I suspect the numbers aren't high, but in order for you to be right they'd have to be zero.

And secondly, the supply chain in Wales isn't currently set up to ensure it provides every alcohol dependent person in the country with enough lager to keep safely topped up. It just aims to meet the demand for lager from people who want to buy it, which is a totally different thing. So you don't actually know if the amount of lager that Welsh shops normally purchase would be enough and also be in the right locations. Even if somehow a foolproof way of stopping non-addicts from buying it could be magicked up. You're making assumptions about supply chains with absolutely no idea whether you're right or not.

[housemdwaswrong]

@cologne4711 aye, true. But I don't think it will happen here. Like I said, I could be wrong, all supposition at this stage, but I don't think he's strong enough to take on the wrath of business, rightly or wrongly. We shall see. I hope not, despite people prob thinking I'm pro lockdown for whatever reason. I'm actually having a hell of a time at the moment and could do with a bit more space, but time will tell. I think it will be a fortnight.

[TracyBeakerSoYeah]

Just seen this
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54676457

Looks like the petition could be starting a u-turn on this ridiculous policy

[justasking111]

@TracyBeakerSoYeah

Just seen this
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54676457

Looks like the petition could be starting a u-turn on this ridiculous policy

40k signatures wow

[housemdwaswrong]

I'm obviously in the minority then! Well, if that's what the people want, it hopefully works then.

The article seems like the guidance is not clear...a problem that seems to have plagued all the guidance. It seems like they're trying to walk the fine line between guidance and regulations, which leads to confusion, like one tesco store selling stationery and one not.

Still don't understand the huge furore but hey. Everyone on this thread will be happy and contented. :)

If it leads to better compliance for the remaining fortnight it can't be bad.

[MadameBlobby]

What a clusterfuck. I foresee a backtracking on this next week.

[justasking111]

The man who entertained the media with a video that went viral. It showed him ripping off the cellophane from kids clothing etc. in the supermarket.

North Wales Police
6m ·
Following an incident at Tesco in Bangor on the evening of Friday 23rd October, 28 year old Gwilym Owen from Anglesey has been charged with Criminal Damage, several Public Order offences, and Contravention of the Coronavirus Regulations.
He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Caernarfon Magistrates court on 24th November.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Why are schools somehow kept open when there was a spike that has kept on growing after they opened yet hospitality and shops are closed down. Pubs, restaurants and shops opened in the summer and the numbers continued going down.

School and universities opened and suddenly there is a spike that has continued to grow

[KittCat]

Just read about a man turned up at his local Tesco in just his boxers as a protest to the restrictions 😂😂😂

[TheClaws]

@Oliversmumsarmy

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

What with?

Card, coloured pens, glitter, even biros to sign it I would think come under the non essential items category.

So no you can’t just make a card.

I just get the impression that these restrictions by Wales and Scotland is ore to try and out do not just England but also themselves.

At this rate I am expecting Nicola Sturgeon to announce a 3 week lock down, then Mark Drakeford to extend the lockdown by 2 weeks and close off the ready meal isles in Supermarkets.

It is getting to be farcical. Anyone laugh when Boris announced the 3 tier system then Nicola announced the 5 tier.

Honestly, I find the COVID minimisers on here to be the biggest whiners of all. You can't find the bits and pieces to make a birthday card? It doesn't need to extravagant. You can't last two weeks without buying anything non-essential? Unbelievable. Grow up.

[MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously]

How is it criminal damage to take cellophane off a clothing rack? The police are getting carried away with all this power.

[PicsInRed]

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

How is it criminal damage to take cellophane off a clothing rack? The police are getting carried away with all this power.

That will be one interesting court case. I hope it gets tested in court. I'll bet Mark Drakeford wouldn't want that.

Here come the test cases.

[MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously]

If MD was worried about the spread, maybe it would have been more sensible to insist universities taught online except for those subjects where lab access etc is needed. Then we wouldn't have thousands of kids paying £££ for accommodation they don't need to be at and causing spikes in those areas. Bit more sensible than roping off the babygros.

[MushMonster]

@justasking111 thanks for that link.
Well the sad logical outcome has already happened. First example in the link, mother trying to buy clean PJs for child just admitted to hospital because current clothing was covered in blood. She could not get any in the supermarket 5 min from the hospital.

[AllPlayedOut]

Honestly, I find the COVID minimisers on here to be the biggest whiners of all. You can't find the bits and pieces to make a birthday card? It doesn't need to extravagant. You can't last two weeks without buying anything non-essential? Unbelievable. Grow up.

I'd rather be a "whiner" and object to our rights being taken from us, than act like a fawning cur accepting whatever scraps the governments allow us to have, while licking them in gratitude.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

TheClaws

I was answering someone who made out it was so easy to just make a card.

Don’t think in my post I said anything about Covid. I was laughing at Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford in their one upmanship and trying to outdo the other to show how caring they are.

At worse Covid kills about 16% of the elderly. Which means it isn’t an automatic death sentence. It has an 84% recovery rate.
The younger you are then the easier this disease is to get over.

I know a family all perfectly healthy and in the younger age group who haven’t been outside their garden since March
Apparently according to them both Dp (cancer) and my MIL (95 with dementia and in a care home) should be dead as they both had Covid. To them anyone who gets it is facing a death sentence.

Is this how you feel? Do you think that every elderly or ill person who gets Covid means they are going to die.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Also what makes things non essential?

To me alcohol, cigarettes and make up are non essential. To my dd she needs make up to do her job.
To me I might need a kettle and a microwave to take to work. I might need pens and paper and envelopes.
And no I couldn’t do without for 17 days

[MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously]

No one is being a Covid minimiser. Buying a frying pan in a shop you are already in, doesn't cause an increase in transmission.

[MadameBlobby]

Thinking that the rules on non essentials in Wales are ridiculous is not the same as being a Covid minimiser or denier. You seem to think anything other than agreeing with all the measures and supporting the government fully is being a Covid minimiser or denier. It is actually possible to agree that restrictions are required, comply with them and accept that the virus is serious, whilst thinking that they don’t make sense and the governments don’t have a clue and are tone deaf. Governments are actually elected to serve the people, not for us to unquestioningly do their bidding.

[MadameBlobby]

I suspect Drakeford has seen the backlash and will be backtracking soon anyway.

[IcedPurple]

Honestly, I find the COVID minimisers on here to be the biggest whiners of all. You can't find the bits and pieces to make a birthday card? It doesn't need to extravagant. You can't last two weeks without buying anything non-essential? Unbelievable. Grow up.

This has already been discussed above.

It's not just about not being able to buy crayons and paper. It's about being expected to comply with more and more seemingly random and ridiculous 'rules' just because it's Covid. If you can proivde evidence that blocking off aisles of duvets and taping over greetings card is going to have hte slightest impact on virus spread, you'll be able to do something that nobody has managed to do thus far.

It's shocking how people have abandoned independent thinking and would seek to deny others the right to question their 'leaders' almost overnight.

Grow up.