Christmas mixing and Tiers

[meow1989]

I know we are all just guessing at the moment, but ..

I get that its likely we are allowed to mix 3 households total over the 5 days, but doesn't that become moot if your area is tier 1? Because in tier 1 you can mix up to 6 households technically (one from each). Do you think they will have the forethought to clarify this ir will it be more interpreting the rules as you go? (Fwiw I will follow whatever the guidance is, I'm not looking for loophole just curious as to how this would work)

For God's sake just ignore the rules and have whoever you want round at Christmas. The rules at the moment are utterly made up and bare no relation to reality - pubs are shut, but supermarkets (much larger vectors) are open. You cannot catch COVID from someone who doesn't have it. If your son or daughter has a regular cough, a temperature, and has lost their sense of taste and smell, tell them to isolate. If not, have them over to Christmas dinner. You cannot catch COVID from someone who doesn't have it.

@Lifeispassingby

So I’ve interpreted it as: we can see my parents and DH daughter on separate days as our bubble of 3. Parents and DH daughter can then have 1 other in their bubble to make 3?? If we had them on the same day we would all be the same 3?? Is this right?

No. If you see your parents and DH's daughter across any of the five days, that is your Xmas bubble full stop. None of you can see anyone else outside of that bubble on any other of those days.

Our choice isn't ideal by any means but isn't as tough as for some people, I really feel for people making those decisions.

I agree. It’s the one time I’m quite relieved I have only my parents to see and they only have me and the kids. I can’t imagine the headache of having to think about in laws and siblings.

Thanks @Longwhiskers14

@Benjispruce2 I thought areas with under 100 cases per 100,000 like mine would be Tier 1 but hopefully we will know by Thursday.

Just seen that travel restrictions will be lifted on travel between the four nations for this period. That's a relief.

I’m confused so my brother and his girlfriend are coming for Christmas so will be me, my parents and my brother and his girlfriend. Then they’re going to see her parents. My brother won’t see her parents before he sees us and won’t see us after he’s seen them. Why would I be in a bubble with her parents?

Dizzy1804 What about people who are asymptomatic? You can catch Covid from people who are have it but don't show symptoms.

But you crack on and we'll see you back here in Jan when we're all in another bloody strict lockdown because people like you don't give a shit about stopping the spread.

The tiers are all being strengthened so not sure the rule of 6 will exist anymore.

@middleager

We won't see anybody. Too risky with two kids in school.

Grow. Up. This isn't the plague. It's a bad dose of flu. If those who usually have round for Christmas dinner don't have it, you can't get it from them.

Ex and I have bubbled up for the sake of the children travelling between us, as we are combining resources on shopping etc. The question is whether we count as one household (extended) in the count of three or whether we count as two.

@Dizzy1804

So are you pretending to not know about asymptomatic spread (obtuse), or do you really not know about it (ignorant)?

My family are dead. We only see PIL and SIL/family so no change from usual for us.
I'd forego it all to keep my two exam year DC in school and avoid the inevitable round of repeated self isolation coming in January because of this.

Username198 They can't go to see her parents afterwards. They, you and your parents would be the three households in a single bubble. It doesn't matter whether he hasn't seen them before he sees you - he (and the girlfriend) cannot see them because he's seen you first.

@Dizzy1804

For God's sake just ignore the rules and have whoever you want round at Christmas. The rules at the moment are utterly made up and bare no relation to reality - pubs are shut, but supermarkets (much larger vectors) are open. You cannot catch COVID from someone who doesn't have it. If your son or daughter has a regular cough, a temperature, and has lost their sense of taste and smell, tell them to isolate. If not, have them over to Christmas dinner. You cannot catch COVID from someone who doesn't have it.

Except it can be very hard to work out in younger people who does have it. DS is 19 and was shown to have Covid by an asymptomatic test that his university carried out. He had no symptoms at all. Lucky for him - not so lucky if he had passed it on to his grandparents.

This is going to be soo difficult. I haven't seen my sibling for almost a year because of issues with housing, illness and covid. My DC hasn't seen cousins since then.
FIL & MIL are higher risk, as is our friend who we're in a bubble with.
Wondering if we do Xmas day with bubble - ask IL's if they want to come too...
And see about meeting sibling outdoors somewhere for a short while to exchange gifts.
That way we don't have everyone together and we get to do something good for everyone's mental health.
Still conflicted because of potential risks.

No idea if tier 1 will apply anywhere as they keep saying it will be stricter but I might be wrong.

So, the problem, or one of them, is that your 2 favourite households may not see you as one of their favourite households. Imagine the ill feeling THAT is going to cause.
I foresee the breakdown of society.

@Longwhiskers14 No we would be 2 households so he (and his girlfriend) can see her parents. Just seems unfair I then couldn’t see a third household myself.

Dizzy living up to their name!

@Lifeispassingby

So I’ve interpreted it as: we can see my parents and DH daughter on separate days as our bubble of 3. Parents and DH daughter can then have 1 other in their bubble to make 3?? If we had them on the same day we would all be the same 3?? Is this right?

No. It’s a bubble of three, the same three. It’s not open to interpretation. So you, parents and daughter would be the bubble, no one can see anyone else.

@Username198 so you might need to change your plans. Your DB needs to choose his parents or hers or they both spend the day separately.

@irememberthekoreanlady is the Dad in bubble living on his own, as far as am aware that bubble stays intact so he will be counted with them as one. Obviously going to depend on who else is in the family but if the husband wants his Dad round for Christmas, could the Dad bubble as one with them now so he counts as one with them?

We need to wait to read the law to see exactly what is allowed and what is not. I wonder who will be drawing the short straw to have their turkey served in the snow in larger families!

It doesn’t actually matter to me as we won’t be mixing at all, but it’s just goes to show how confusing it will be. It’s either 3 each max or the same 3 for all. No one can see any others over that 5 days period. We will be in tier 3 so won’t see anyone up to 22nd Dec or from 28th Dec so I don’t understand why it is safe for us to do so between 23rd-27th??

Agree with @Dizzy1804 the new rules are deliberately confusing/complicated enough to be unenforceable, most people will do what they want and the stickers can be satisfied they did their bit.
There will be a natural decline in transmission due to schools being shut.