Downing Street to hold press conference this afternoon

[FairyAtTheBottomOfTheGarden]

From BBC News -

UK government Health Secretary Matt Hancock is to host a virtual press conference from Downing Street later today, it's just been confirmed.

He is going to be joined by NHS England national medical director Steve Powis and chief medical adviser Chris Whitty.

Were we expecting one today?

Agree, why do they have to wait until the 19th to put these measures in place? If it’s that bad in London going in to Christmas then surely it’s best to act now. I guess they are weighing up the impact in on hospitality?

It’s not even 6 days. They announce on the 16th and it comes in to effect on the 19th. So 9 days time.

@Blacktothepink

Just shut the fucking schools...they are the main source of transmission, but no one wants to hear that 🤨

Exactly. Go remote and stop the biggest area of cases. Also increase fines for parents who let teens break the rules.

I remember saying right at the beginning of all this that it would be impossible to make schools safe. It is just common sense. Something that has been completely lacking throughout this whole fiasco.

JacobReesMogadishu
I'm steaming. So mobile, mass testing of secondary school kids in London to be rolled out.

But up north/in the Midlands where I'm in the 2nd highest area there's nothing like this.

Fuck off.

This if they paid any sort of attention to the crisis in schools in the North West maybe my dd wouldn’t be on her fourth isolation in y11 and I wouldn’t be ill with covid now that I caught in school and another 5 members of my class caught to. We have been desperate up here and had no help at all

This really is a disgrace.

My husband and I both teach in the London borough with the highest rate and it has noticeably got a lot worse in the last week. I think it’s good to mass test secondary school students but wish other areas could have had this as well.

Sticking my head out here but maybe, just maybe, teachers were right when they said schools are not COVID safe. We did try to make them so with no funding or extra space. Weirdly the threat of detention did not keep COVID away. Shame they couldn't have funded screens and masks.

But but but ... schools are covid safe, aren't they, Gav?

Well- they are unless you're precious Londoners, of course
Fuck the rest of the country...

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss so many parents will disagree with you. I think you are right. I'm lucky that my DS breaks up this Friday, but I wonder how many people will take their children out of other schools next week.

It makes even less sense to wait given Xmas is just round the corner. Do it now and you can get cases down much lower before the free for all. Leaving it until 7 days before you loosen the rules is stupid. Especially given we are starting from a high point. If cases were low and rising it would be different.

@MotherOfDragonite the problem is a vast amount of people aren't listening
The ones who are shouting conspiracy, fake news etc.. they won't be bothered who they have in their house or how many people they see
I've just seen a comment saying "well at least flu has disappeared, suspicious"
Duh - distancing, hand washing, masks, no socialising and people isolating with symptoms that are often the start of flu so they aren't spreading it 🤦🏽‍♀️

Secondary schools in Basildon have already been given permission to close this Friday & go online by the County Council, as 50% of secondary school children are already at home isolating!

Very important that schools remain open..... for the last week before Christmas when all they do is watch movies and seasonal quizzes.

Great that London gets the tests while the rest of us are left to our own devices though. Really appreciate that.

Is Tier 3 in London definitely happening?

@mumsneedwine of course teachers were right (and I am not a teacher) but so many people on here just told them they were lazy and work shy.

They just said they are worried about London but a decision will be made next week.

Given that the govt has spent hundreds of thousands on Downing St takeaways, you'd think there would be a bit of money to get Chris Whitty a smaller suit and Matt Hancock a bigger jacket.

There must be loads of tailors in London who would appreciate a bit of work.

@IntermittentParps

Is Tier 3 in London definitely happening?

Next week, I’d be very surprised if not.

@PuppyMonkey

Very important that schools remain open..... for the last week before Christmas when all they do is watch movies and seasonal quizzes.

Great that London gets the tests while the rest of us are left to our own devices though. Really appreciate that.

Surely not in exam year secondary

Next week, I’d be very surprised if not.
Fuck, I'm meant to be going away for Xmas.

Friends kids in South London all sick. Parents now sick.
People sitting on buses and trains at home time are at risk.
Keep the kids home , the cases will decrease immediately.

Anyone know what the 7 boroughs are?

@IntermittentParps

Next week, I’d be very surprised if not. Fuck, I'm meant to be going away for Xmas.

Christmas bubbles are different. Are you staying in private accommodation or with family?

Given the state of Boris and Frost last night I don't think there's a tailor within 100 miles of Downing Street.

Presumably the whole of Savile Row have decamped somewhere.

A rented flat in a seaside town, just me and DP. Getting train there and back.