Are we being prepared for an extension of the lockdown?

[mamamia2020]

www.bbc.com/news/uk-54944125

I return to the UK on 4th December, the day after lockdown ends. I noticed this report being discussed on BBC World an hour ago and it also popped up on social media. Do you think they are testing the waters regarding an extension?

I don't think the lockdown in England will be extended per se, but they will introduce a new tier system and no doubt those of us who were in tier one before lockdown will find ourselves under stricter rules than we were pre-lockdown.

My main concern would be to stop indoor mixing. So maybe reopen all retail and outdoor leisure/exercise facilities and go back to the rule of six outdoors?

I've not been in the country since Summer 2019. From what I am reading over here I get a sense that the lockdown is not being taken as seriously as the first time around. Do you think this is true?

Either

a) lockdown will be extended

or

b) lockdown will end and the entire country will go into Tier 4

But the current situation is not ending on December 2nd

Allowing indoor mixing would undo any progress made in the lockdown so maybe they will open the retail and beauty industry and leave everything else as it is. Pointless doing rule of six outdoors as people will get cold and wet and just move indoors anyway.

Technically the law they passed for this lockdown automatically ends on Decembers 2nd so they have to go back to parliament to extend. But they are planning to get all students to travel home between 3 and 9th December so I suspect a week or two of get yourselves home and get your Xmas stuff sorted out with new rules into Christmas and harsher rules in the new year.

I just wonder what will happen with regard to the spread in schools. 5 schools within walking distance to me have closed 2 bubbles each due to staff and pupil cases. It feels like it's so getting much, much worse and nothing is in place to stop it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54937486

[quote PudseyPatch]I just wonder what will happen with regard to the spread in schools. 5 schools within walking distance to me have closed 2 bubbles each due to staff and pupil cases. It feels like it's so getting much, much worse and nothing is in place to stop it.

[[https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54937486]][/quote]
I wondered if they would close the schools and reopen everything else allowing the economy to run during its busiest month and keeping cases down by closing the sector they are high in. Would make sense.

I don’t think it would make sense, infections in school age children is much better than infection in adults. If you look at the bbc articles it says families of school age children are not at greater risk of Coronavirus complications and teachers are at no more risk then other workers.

@PudseyPatch
I can't help but wonder about schools. I have two children who both need to be in new schools in January. We were supposed to have moved back in May but it was cancelled due to Covid-19. I've been homeschooling them both since March - that's 9 months. I can't think of a worst time for them to start new schools but no other option, I can't continue with homeschooling. We've delayed for long enough and we're just stuck in this crazy limbo. I'm starting to see more reports acknowledging cases in children. Do you think this is leading to schools perhaps closing in hard-hit areas?

I think indoor mixing with 1 should be allowed.

I am definitely seeing and hearing of many more year group closures at the moment in schools in this area.

I don't think we will go into another lock down as such, but we will be moving into different tiers. And I guess if for those whose area becomes a Tier 3 or 4 then it pretty much will feel like a lockdown anyway. Meanwhile businesses go down the pan, suicide rates increase, health care is ignored. And undoubtedly after Christmas most areas will see themselves in one of the high tiers again anyway.

Yes we have been being prepared from the day after it was announced (give appeared on Andrew marr and said it could be longer)

@mamamia2020

I've not been in the country since Summer 2019. From what I am reading over here I get a sense that the lockdown is not being taken as seriously as the first time around. Do you think this is true?

I think it's not seen as a "proper" lockdown. Schools are open which makes a HUGE difference and lots of really non essential shops like garden centres have been allowed to stay open. A craft centre near me was advertising a farmers market today and DH was going to go to get veg and meat but there were lots of people there at opening time so he came home instead. It seems very half hearted this time

I've been doing some paid on-line surveys today and two of them asked questions about attitudes towards different announcements that could be made about Christmas and the lockdown. One specifically asked about the lockdown being extended to the 13th and also a question about a further lockdown straight after Christmas to 2nd January. There were also a few vaccination questions but more along the lines of how long it would take for an approved vaccine to be available to all.

the lockdown is not being taken as seriously as the first time around

It's not so much that it's not being taken seriously, more that not much is locked down! The English lockdown has not been anywhere near as strict as most EU countries, and now it's so light that a good number of people don't even know we're having one.

In addition to Snorkelface's observations, I'd expect tomorrow's newspapers to have possible scenarios as headlines, the responses to which the government will use to work out policy/ how to increase their ratings.

@Snorkelfacesame as me.
I also do lots of surveys online and most is enquiring about lockdown extension lately.

Also someone who works and run their hotel in central London received an email to let them know that they have to be stay shut until 1st of March.
She is absolutely shocked as was hoping to reopen upon re opening on 2nd of December.
This is reliable information as they own the hotel- according to them.

uk.yahoo.com/news/restrictions-needed-beyond-lockdown-over-190053699.html
This just popped up.

I fully expect lockdown to continue either as all of England or as Tier 2 or 3 until about Dec 20th.

It's hardly a surprise given the figures.

Not really as have been in Tier 3 so it already feels forever and our rate is below national average!!

I'll roll with what is decided but don't want it to be extended

If we go back to tier 3 that's perfectly ok for me. Any lower tier would be bonus.

Theyd better stop showing all these Christmas adverts featuring Christmas shopping and family get togethers then. Because if this is extended people wont want salt rubbed into the wound. It will cause resentment and anger to build and i wouldnt like to see the result of that.

Also someone who works and run their hotel in central London received an email to let them know that they have to be stay shut until 1st of March.
She is absolutely shocked as was hoping to reopen upon re opening on 2nd of December.
This is reliable information as they own the hotel- according to them.

This is bullshit. Received an email from who? The govt don’t do emails to hoteliers and they don’t realise detailed guidance like this first. They make proclamations and then guidance is delivered a week or so later, generally at 11.30pm