Month long lockdown to 'pay' for 5 days over Christmas

[NotAKaren]

PHE have confirmed Sage advice that for every one day of relaxation over Christmas would require 5 days of restrictions afterwards. So for 5 days relaxation, which is rumoured to be what the government have in mind, would mean 25 days of restrictions. Is it really worth it?

I'm sure someone has already said this but if I'm honest I'm tired, upset and just can't be added to read the full thread.

If they DONT loosen restrictions over Christmas and allow people to spend time indoors with their loved ones, A lot of people are going to do it anyway.

This will lead to higher numbers in January and probably another lockdown.

If they DO allow us to mix households over Christmas, this will lead to higher numbers in January and probably another lockdown.

The only difference is that the Govt gets to look like the good guys, and it may help morale amongst people and mean they stick to lockdown rules more closely next time.

A lot of the planning and decisions made by the government will be to do with psychology

*arsed

Yes, however I can imagine how those celebrating other festivals would be understandably annoyed. But we all know the massive increase in spending at Christmas Which very beneficial to our country's economy. Shopping, eating, travelling, our spending at Christmas averages around £20 billion, so I can see the benefit for businesses.

@ImMoana

Ask any small business owner who is currently shut (myself included) and the answer is a no brainier.

Allow small business to reopen and ask people to spend Christmas with members of their own household or genuine support bubbles only.

Aren’t support bubbles meant to be two households?

So my mum would have to choose me or my sister for Christmas?

It doesn’t make logical sense, 14 days does - so up to 4 households meeting 24-27th Dec, then a van on socialising for 14 days would make sense based on self isolation rules.

Tbh? I would do anything to see my family now. I lost my mum last year and have only seen my sister and her family (literally all I have left) for a total of 5 days this year. I’m pregnant again, and at the point where every time I think about her I start crying because I just feel so disconnected. We’ve obeyed all the rules, My husband and I have worked all through both lockdowns to keep our small business afloat, I’m at the end of my rope now and I just need my family.

@FuzzyPuffling

No. I won't be seeing any family over Christmas anyway (they live too far away). We've been shielding since March and are going quietly mad. It's my birthday in January and I'd like to live to see it.

But if you continue shielding over Christmas what others do will have little impact. A christmas lockdown will cause death from suicide and domestic voilence.

i think they have come up with a reason why normal christmas can't happen.
Tbh we are happy to do it just DH, DCs and I. It's what we are expecting. And no I don't want to shut down my business for an entire month to have a 'normal' Christmas whatever that would be. It's going to be a crap winter anyway, let's just press on

Yes, we need to bring the R rate right down. This half-arsed lockdown just means we'll have to do it for longer.

If we can get the numbers down to where they were in the summer I'll feel much happier seeing elderly relatives, and because we're not stupid, we'll still do it cautiously in my family.

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

I'm sure someone has already said this but if I'm honest I'm tired, upset and just can't be added to read the full thread.

If they DONT loosen restrictions over Christmas and allow people to spend time indoors with their loved ones, A lot of people are going to do it anyway.

This will lead to higher numbers in January and probably another lockdown.

If they DO allow us to mix households over Christmas, this will lead to higher numbers in January and probably another lockdown.

The only difference is that the Govt gets to look like the good guys, and it may help morale amongst people and mean they stick to lockdown rules more closely next time.

A lot of the planning and decisions made by the government will be to do with psychology

However if they DON'T loosen restrictions and the people that do stick to them see that other people ignore them and we all have to have another lockdown in January ... these are the people that have probably been compliant so far and are the crucial mass of people that are meaning the lockdowns actually have some effect. If the government loses the goodwill of these people, then we can have as many lockdowns as we like and they won't work any more.

I'd rather there was some sensible compromise that you could meet one other household indoors (as it was in England pre Rule of 6). Yes, people can't have huge family gatherings, but they can see everyone they want to (and will probably think careful about who fits into this category if there is a restriction), and hopefully there is some chance of people actually social distancing etc.

To add, the government doesn’t care about us socialising with loved ones, but they do care about us spending our money during Christmas to help boost the economy. Know one will spend half as much if they knew they weren’t going to be socialising with others.

Asking people to do further restrictions so others can see family (not everyone can) will very much be a strain too.

There’s no doubt many have had enough.

however as PP said I don't think anyone seriously thinks that the government will be able to stop people from seeing their families over Christmas. Am pretty sure that Police won't be going door to door sending people on their way.

@Lostinacloud

As far as I’m concerned this is all propaganda to achieve 2 things;

1. They want to keep running lockdowns into 2021 anyway but know this will be very unpopular and probably ignored by too large a percentage of the population. They also know that lots of families haven’t seen each other for many months, have lockdown fatigue and are desperately hoping to spend some quality, worry free time together at Christmas. By leaking this information today, they are effectively offering the general public a deal - 5 days off in return for 25 days lockdown (you naughty general public)!

1. Related to the above, it is also to manage expectations for the start of next year. The end of 2020 will be happily waved goodbye by most people and psychologically the start of a new year is significant. Of course people don’t think the virus will disappear at the stroke of midnight but they will be looking forward to a new year and to seeing the end of all the restrictions. I don’t think that’s going to be the case sadly and the government still wish to control us all through to spring at least.

The problem with this “deal” is that it’s being sold as something that’s perhaps maybe not worth it. However be mindful of the fact that none of them have said that a restricted Christmas without the 5 days doesn’t mean that there won’t still be restrictions in 2021!

It’s a win win for the government anyway. We ask for the 5 days and they get to implement their next lockdown guilt free as that’s the deal we took. We don’t take the deal but enough Brits break the rules anyway because it’s Christmas and that is the time for family and they will still run a lockdown anyway and blame it on the rule breakers.

Of course through none of this has it been accepted that since 99% of people survive covid, it’s really the government alone who are at fault for our hospitals failing to cope with an additional, but mostly standard winter respiratory illness, as if they had properly staffed and funded hospitals then we could all be living as normal.

Well bloody said

I’d go for looking after the most isolated and lonely with support groups as we are already and help make sure people have someone.

@MercyBooth

I thought the month long lockdown we are having NOW was to enable Christmas. More fucking gaslighting and emotional blackmail

I'm no fan of Johnson but that is not what he said. From a BBC News article dated 31st Oct: Mr Johnson said: "Christmas is going to be different this year, perhaps very different, but it's my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together."

Hopes and beliefs, that's all. Not guarantees.

Personally, I can do without Christmas for one year. Nobody needs it. People might want it but nobody needs it. We do need a healthy population, a functioning NHS, educated children, food on tables and money in pockets. It would be nice if 'special dispensation' could be given if it is going to be a person's last Christmas though.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54763956

Again, THIS FUCKING LOCKDOWN THAT WE ARE IN NOW was supposed to be what's allowing Christmas, not LOCKDOWN NUMBER 3!!!!!!!!!!

Let's remind the crowd that we were told:
(In March) We can turn thith viruth around in twelve weekth.
Normal by Theptember.
Normal by Chrithmas.
Normal by next thpring.
And now that the glorious news of the vaccine (which most of Mumsnet was saying "we can't have normal until we have a vaccine) is here, it's now "not normal until next winter".

Constantly moving the fucking goalposts.

And yes, Saint Boris told us, making us wait for three hours to do so, that the current restrictions would expire on 2nd Dec. I have this in black and white from my MP as well.

[quote MercyBooth]@SuperbGorgonzola People wont buy presents if Christmas is restricted

Mine will be going back for a refund.[/quote]
I'll be buying presents just the same, and I'm not sure why Lockdown would stop me just because I won't get to be there when they're opened. I'd like to think that people will buy what they had planned to from their usual local businesses who have been through so much this year.

My sister has a small but very busy beauty salon and she's normally be selling thousands of pounds worth of vouchers this time of year, on top of products, party gel nails and lashes etc. It would be helpful for her to be able to at least claw back some of those sales.

ViciousJackdaw “It would be nice if 'special dispensation' could be given if it is going to be a person's last Christmas though.“

How would you decide that?

But if you continue shielding over Christmas what others do will have little impact. A christmas lockdown will cause death from suicide and domestic voilence.

Well thanks for the deep sense of empathy I am NOT feeling here.
Yes, we will continue shielding (DH has a 30% chance of dying if he gets covid), but the most damaging thing for us so far is watching everyone else in our area having larks and visitors all summer, and the tourists pissing it up the wall, whilst our mental health goes absolutely to shit.

We'd rather like this whole thing to end sooner, rather than later.

I think they are going to extend this lockdown for another week or 2 on the proviso that we can then be unlocked for a few days at Christmas before being locked down again after. They're managing our expectations. It's shit as there are lots of households who wouldn't mix as the risk clearly won't have disappeared, or they're not bothered about seeing others over Christmas, yet the lockdown will affect everyone alike. In that circumstance you're likely to think fuck it, let's meet up because we won't be able to soon. Whereas if they weren't going to whack another lockdown on us all, you probably wouldn't have met up in the first place.

I think it's incredibly selfish to ask everyone to risk everything for 5 particular days.

Mental health is hugely important and not being taken into consideration by a lot of people.

It is hard for those on their own and suffering, but we need to remember those who have no choice but to isolate and shield. It's incredibly hard for those people and we need to avoid mixing to allow these people to be safe (mentally and physically).

It's one Christmas and we need to think of others in less fortunate circumstances.

@AcornAutumn

ViciousJackdaw “It would be nice if 'special dispensation' could be given if it is going to be a person's last Christmas though.“

How would you decide that?

In all honesty, I have no idea. It just seems like the humane thing to do. If I was in that situation myself, with a loved one at EOL, there's every chance I'd be a complete hypocrite after what I've just posted and go and be with them. I suppose that the best we can hope for is that if we are locked down for Christmas then the police use their discretion if reports are made.

No way. I’d rather not bother. They cancelled Eid so it’s not very fair is it.