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 think that the lockdown will end on December 2nd (unless there is some catastrophic covid event), then everyone can have a 'sort of Christmas'

That's 3 weeks before Christmas though. If they do that the cases will be sky rocketing again just as it gets to Christmas Day

There's a lot of pissed off Tories on the backbenches and I don't think there's a strong appetite for an extension.

I think itll be back to the tiers. Maybe tier 3 for all. I don't agree with that but at least my girls can go to their dance classes again.

"@Hiddennameforever*

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.
Why would someone be singled out to receive an Email telling them this? If hotels in general were going to be closed until then, people would not be keeping quiet about it. I call BS.

This is reliable information as they own the hotel- according to them.
BS.

@ILookAtTheFloor

I think itll be back to the tiers.
We were told we will be going back to a tier system when they announced the lockdown.

@user1471562688

The problem is that anyone with a brain cell does not follow these ridiculous "Roolz" anyway. They are for the brainwashed. Go and be human. I dare you!

So cool!

Bet the virus stays away from your elderly relatives too, out of respect.

@Daisy829

Doesn’t really matter too much. We’ve been in tier 3/extra restrictions since august in Manchester. I’m hoping for better news in spring. I’d just like to keep my job, keep the kids in school & keep my parents safe as much as possible. I’m hopeful that we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel

I concur. I'm in Manchester too and lucky that these extra restrictions haven't affected me too much.

However, I work in retail and we will see the end of many more retailers if the high street isn't allowed any Christmas trade. I think central gov recognises this and we'll be put back into tiers come 02/12, with more lockdowns to come in the New Year, depending on how the hospitals are coping.

@Calmandmeasured1 there were not singled out.
She said this in public on her FB page.
They are some artisan hotel with very particular clientele.
My local shop knew quite few days before lockdown that lockdown will be happen- another mum from my child s class works there.
They were told too- from the bosses- not sure where the bosses got the info from..

"It seems like the sensible thing to do would be for secondary schools (with highest prevalence rate and highest rate of spread) close as parents of secondary children can still work, and re-open everything else."

Except for all the children who will become the forgotten generation, whose mental health and life chances have been unbelievably fucked over. Some children have thrived with home education but the vast majority have suffered. We need to prioritise young people - for our collective futures as well as for their mental health and wellbeing.

Did has just had a text from his driving instructor. They aren’t allowed to restart until 9th December.

Which is a week after lockdown ends. It’s been extended for driving schools.

Thing is, we are so close to the vaccine being rolled out.

Relatives working in hospitals in London are prepping for this. Medical staff being the first wave with private medical staff being included as well as NHS. (We have a mixture of NHS and private medical staff in the family)

This does mean the government can factor this in to the risk of a rise in cases over Christmas, if they can vaccinate the bulk of the NHS staff before Christmas, then most of the elderly in areas with high numbers, either over December/start of January.

If the vunerable have had the vaccination, does it really matter as much how many of the non-vunerable population have it? Obviously the economy will grind to a halt again for 2-3 weeks while everyone's on sick level/doing their 14 days, but as long as its just people who can bounce back catching it, does it matter if the R goes up over Christmas? Vaccines are total game changers. (And of course I might have to learn to walk in heels again...)

And some Tory backbencher s voted against this lockdown but not a huge majority. And Labour will probably support another lockdown so it could be extended.

They should close secondary schools 2 weeks early and let shops open SAFELY with proper social distancing. Not all piling in at once. This would maybe allow a bit more mixing at Christmas

But the vaccine is available to all vulnerable groups including the over 50’s. That’s not going to be completed in 2 weeks so the economy can open again at Christmas

If you need new state schools then you need to check the position with your local LA. Mine hasn't been processing applications for in year applications since March.

I would imagine there will be a lot of people not wanting elderly or vulnerable relatives mixing with children who have been packed into overcrowded schools until 22nd December. I expect some people will start withdrawing their children from school 2 weeks beforehand. Or a decision will be made to move learning online for a period before Christmas.

Margoskaftan have you got any idea of how long vaccination will take for staff. We are still doing normal flu! Months not weeks, it won't fix Xmas

I don't think it will be extended the R rate is already falling, it will be back to tiers though and maybe more places will find themselves in the higher tier.

I hope not. Hopefully a return to tiered restrictions even though we are likely to be tier 2 now at best as cases have been rising

Unless there's a significant reduction in the number of cases in the next week or so (which I would like obviously, but doubt) I think we will go back in to tiers (as Boris has been saying from the start) but most places will be in a higher tier than before the lockdown- there may even be more tiers (as in Scotland). So the Government will be able to say we are out of lockdown before Xmas but in reality lots of people will still be under very similar restrictions.

I very much doubt there will be a national or regional closing of schools though. Not because I think the Government cares too much about educating our children but because of the impact on parents being able to work. I suspect we'll end up with lots of individual schools closed (or closed to many year groups) and doing distance learning plus many children out of school self isolating but schools will remain open- even if it ends up effectively just being for child care.

Was hospitality / theme parks open in tier 3?

I think it would be a mistake to extend it as figures show it wasn't really necessary in the first place

@Zampa yes I agree about retail. They will definitely reopen shops. Boris will want the boost for the economy. Wouldn’t surprise me if they shut schools a week or two early to help slow the spread when the shops open too

No one will be vaccinated before Christmas.

The vaccine requires two doses, 28 days apart. Do the maths!

Also, a person cannot be vaccinated until a least a month after they have had their flu jab.

BefuddledPerson

Your username suits you. Are you aware that respiratory viruses such as flu and pneumonia kills thousands of the elderly every year. And are you aware that elderly people do actually die. It's called nature.

@Viv0321

Was hospitality / theme parks open in tier 3?

Yes partly. No pubs allowed to open unless they served food as a "substantial meal". We went to Gullivers world everyone over age3 had to wear a mask and there was limited spaces on each ride