So...does Borris really have a plan in the pipeline so families can be together for Christmas?

[BlowMeToBermuda]

Hi,

With rumours swirling, does anyone think there is actually a "together for Christmas" plan?

Before anyone shoots me down, I'm not saying I believe there should be one necessarily. There are certainly more important plans needing to be put together right now.

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love to be with family for Christmas, but I just can't see how.

Thoughts?

@TW2013

The best plan for me would be to extend the Christmas holidays for a week in Jan.

Other than the whole childcare issue it would probably make more sense to break up a week early. The virus is rampant now. It give families the opportunity to self isolate (where possible) so they can see vulnerable family members at Christmas. There won't be the usual nativity rehearsals to squeeze in. Not as much work is done in the last week of term before Christmas. There is still the positivity of looking forward to Christmas and things to prepare. By two weeks after Christmas everyone will be sick of each other.

There was a thread on this yesterday pointing out a) people still need to work in the lead up to Christmas b) children have already missed lots of education this year and c) there is no guarantee people would isolate prior to Christmas, another week in the lead up could provide more opportunity for mixing (especially when in a relaxed state after a drink) before potentially seeing older or vulnerable family members.

They definitely need one set of rules for movement across the UK. It would also make sense to issue guidelines for family visiting from Europe.

So many families won't have seen each other since last Christmas that actually something needs to happen.

We're just going to move this over to the Coronavirus section

No plan.

No clue.

HTH

I hope the plan is not to let people have free reign otherwise January will be utter carnage. Not sure why people are so keen to have gatherings knowing they could be spreading the virus, it would taint all future Christmases. Hospitals are needed for other things than just Covid.

I’d rather they got cases low and maybe add an extra two days bank holiday when safe enough to celebrate in groups.

Ummm.....ditch some of the stupid, farcical restrictions maybe?

I'm aware this won't happen before you all start having a go at me.

I think that plans need to go on where you are. Scotland on a whole is doing better. The R rate is possibly under 1.
The amount of cases rising in England is also related to mass testing.
The lockdown has not long started with results not normally improving til week 3.

I don't think the govt can do all they can to get students home but then deny single ppl the right to see their family.

If the numbers then are like they are now then I think it would be wrong to let families gather indoors. We didn't come up with a plan for Ramadan or Eid or Easter, we're not talking about plans for Hanukkah.

I understand that people like to get together at Xmas but it just isn't realistic to think we'll be in the position to do it safely this year.

I say this as an atheist by the way.

Maybe I’m being naive but I think they’ll go back to the tiered system (possibly with bigger regions rather than cities/towns) and whether you can meet with family with depend on your tier rules.

I don’t think they’ll keep lockdown after 2nd December, from reports I’ve seen Boris and Rishi weren’t keen on it anyway and to close shops and restaurants during December is effectively tanking these industries!

I don't think the govt can do all they can to get students home but then deny single ppl the right to see their family.

The government are doing sod all to get students home, it's the universities that have formulated a plan.

Single people can spend Christmas with people in their bubble.

I'll be with my 3 kids and that's fine by me. Zoom for everyone else.

There was a thread on this yesterday pointing out a) people still need to work in the lead up to Christmas b) children have already missed lots of education this year and c) there is no guarantee people would isolate prior to Christmas

Yes, but these things are all true after Christmas too. New Year sales can be vicious, lots of drinking around New Year and surely there is some personal responsibility about whether to socialise a lot before seeing vulnerable family members. I am not convinced though that shifting the week to after Christmas would be any better than a week before. I think it would be more miserable having an extra week after Christmas.

After Christmas we will have to deal with the end of Brexit Transition
which will be a massive mess

In reality does it matter?

We're doing a Zoom Christmas (looking forward to not having the stress of co ordinating travel) but the majority of people would just ignore rules/advice and mix households anyway.

But no, I don't think the government has a clue what to do (they'll all be doing what they want to do anyway, different rules for wealthy and powerful).

People I know are following the rules and not putting their elderly relatives at risk. Come Christmas Day granny will be driven all over the place to see family. But as long as the rules are followed .......

I think his pie in the sky plan was to get these rapid test centres rolled out so everyone could have a 30 minute test result to clear them to see their families. In reality there are huge issues with the test and doesn't pick up asymptomatic carriers.
They are using them to get uni students home but i think it's combined with an isolation period to be doubly sure.

I've made my own plan. I'm completely isolating for 2 weeks, bleaching all my deliveries and then paying for a private postal test in order to make sure I'm clear to see my vulnerable mother.

Single people can spend Christmas with people in their bubble.

This doesn't work for everyone, couples with a single parent on each side, families with 2 grown up single children who have to decide which to bubble with.

Also travel restrictions mean that a lot of people can't travel to be with their bubble or extended household at the moment

@EleanorShell

Single people can spend Christmas with people in their bubble.

This doesn't work for everyone, couples with a single parent on each side, families with 2 grown up single children who have to decide which to bubble with.

Also travel restrictions mean that a lot of people can't travel to be with their bubble or extended household at the moment

I can't comment on extended households but in England people are allowed to travel to visit their bubble. It's one of the reasons you are allowed to leave here house. It is encouraged to bubble with someone nearby to reduce travel but it isn't compulsory.

We have had bubbles since mid June, I would think most people who are eligible for a bubble, and who want one and have someone they can bubble with, have already made any tough decisions on which parent or child to bubble with.

Unlikely.
It'll be a mess. Sorely tempted to break a habit of a lifetime and pull the dc's out of school 10 days early so we have a break.

Having just strolled down Good Housekeepings fb feed i saw a link about Carole Middletons family Christmas plans, then further down tips on thoughtful food gifts to SEND to family and friends.

scrolled obviously

I envisage a dismal December and January (and February and March). Can't see school transmission dropping and therefore community cases and hospital admissions will still be the problem. Not in all areas of course but large parts of the UK.

Boris. ..... Plan......

Those are not two words that go together. So no, he doesn't I wouldn't imagine

Nah, Boris doesn't have a plan. Even if he did, it wouldn't be followed because....

-people will always find excuses about how the rules don't apply to them.

-some vunerable people will willingly take their chances anyway to have a family Christmas but they will still join the case/death statistics if the worst should happen.

Cases are high where we live.