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Original poster

Are they really going to cancel Christmas?

718 replies

fedupfrances · 15/12/2020 13:59

And if they do, will loads of people just break the rules anyway?

It’s sodding ridiculous - myself and DP have barely left the house last week and won’t be going out this week either, other than walks in our local park. My parents have also been at home pretty much constantly. None of us has Covid 19 and the risk of catching it if we get together at Christmas is practically zero. So fed up with this shite!

OP posts:
Unsure33 · 15/12/2020 15:02

@MarshaBradyo

As the government have actually said be sensible anyway within the rules do you think people will just look at their own individual circumstances and make an informed decision?

I think some will go ahead and just do what they want anyway whatever happens . Sadly

AgeLikeWine · 15/12/2020 15:02

@fedupfrances

the inevitable result will be carnage in hospitals in January.

Let’s see shall we. Like I say, people said the same about BLM (many on this forum) and guess what, it never materialized.

We know a LOT more about covid now than we did in the spring.

We now know that groups of predominantly young people congregating outdoors are not a major issue. Even if they do transmit covid between themselves, they are not at risk.

The big problem with family Christmas celebrations is that they bring together the elderly and vulnerable with children & young people who may be asymptomatic carriers, in unventilated indoor environments.

Twizbe · 15/12/2020 15:03

I'm also in the 'fucking done with this' camp. My mental health is close to the floor. I've had to cancel two trips already to see my family as rules changed last min. I'm not cancelling this one. We don't go anywhere, neither do my parents and it's only our households mixing.

In the 5 days we're there we plan to eat, drink and walk outside.

At this point they can do what they like about the 'rules' I'm going.

Tbf though, I'm the only person I know planning to travel this Christmas. Everyone else is either staying at home or joining for an already established support bubble.

Medievalist · 15/12/2020 15:03

Also I don't really understand why they need to reduce from 5 to 3 days? Really? Why? So long as peolle stick to their 3 household bubble, what difference do those days mean?

^ This.

Original poster
fedupfrances · 15/12/2020 15:03

and everyone’s going to give it to granny in ten days time

But like I said, people are adults. Why aren’t we allowed to make our own judgements over the risks within our own individual circumstances?

OP posts:
PrincessNutNuts · 15/12/2020 15:04

People will die because of who they see this Christmas.

The only way to guarantee it won't be my loved ones is not to see them.

So that's what I'm doing.

You may have other priorities.

nosswith · 15/12/2020 15:05

It is possible that the time or the scale of the window could be changed. Or not apply in say tier 3 areas.

As for rule breaking, there would be a lot less if we had a competent government and Dominic Cummings had been sacked.

SoupDragon · 15/12/2020 15:05

Why aren’t we allowed to make our own judgements over the risks within our own individual circumstances?

Because those decisions, base on what people believe to be their own superior knowledge and judgement, affect others

bjfgroot · 15/12/2020 15:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TicTacTwo · 15/12/2020 15:05

[quote MercyBooth]@TicTacTwo Speak for yourself................we are teetotal[/quote]
No hugging, kissing as well? People who haven't seen each other for a long time and don't know when they can see each other soon are obviously more likely to not social distance.

I am tee total too but alcohol will be at many gatherings and alcohol can make you less likely to social distance (hence pubs being closed in tier 3)

Original poster
fedupfrances · 15/12/2020 15:05

Even if they do transmit covid between themselves, they are not at risk.

@AgeLikeWine but they would presumably be a risk to other, older people who they then went on to interact with after the marches. And yet there was still no spike.

OP posts:
MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:06

"politics should not be brought into a pandemic"

Of course its bloody political Especially when the rich can break the rules and everyone else cant. e,g there are private tests avaliable............but not to the poor who cant afford it.

Whitty and co were waxing lyrical about the fact that it was all equal cos no one would skip the queue for the vaccine just because they have money. But never mention that that is exactly whats happening with the tests.

SoupDragon · 15/12/2020 15:06

As for rule breaking, there would be a lot less if we had a competent government and Dominic Cummings had been sacked.

There really wouldn't. Neither of those things would change the behaviour of the Great British Public in general.

stepawayfromthekeyboard · 15/12/2020 15:06

I think the problem is the government announced the relaxation of restrictions far too early before anyone could see what the situation would be like in late December.
It was during lockdown and numbers had just started to dip. Maybe if they had kept the lockdown going until Christmas their relaxations would have been less controversial.

Now it is doubly hard because people have made plans.
It is worth considering that we are not the only country in this position. Germany has lockdown until January now. Netherlands, I think, has a max 3 guests at Christmas. Many European countries not relaxing restrictions anything like the UK proposals.

I think the UK media have gone from the storyline of 'save Christmas' to 'new variant' fear and have changed the plot of their newsfeed midway. I don't think either extremes are particularly responsible.

bumblingbovine49 · 15/12/2020 15:07

We are yet again out of step with Europe as most countries have introduced extra restrictions over the holiday period. I am not saying other countries are a lot better off at the moment but it is still interesting just how out of step we are, almost as much as Sweden has been who are now starting to implement more restrictions as their hospitals are in crisis

MarshaBradyo · 15/12/2020 15:07

It was far too early

And not much mention of with reviews and subject to change - which they normally say

SoupDragon · 15/12/2020 15:07

Especially when the rich can break the rules and everyone else cant

People are breaking the rules across all areas of society.

Medievalist · 15/12/2020 15:08

Bjfgroot -reported

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:08

Oh wow thats a coincidence I posted before i saw that post about the offer of tests. Proves my point nicely though.

lynsey91 · 15/12/2020 15:08

@fedupfrances

The risk may be small but no way are we taking that chance.

You’re right, the risk is small (very, very small actually).

But there is still a risk even if small. If there were no risk it would be different.

Too late when you or a loved one has it to think maybe you didn't do the right thing.

My parents are very elderly and have some health problems. They most likely would not survive covid. DH has some health problems. He too would likely not survive it or, if he did, might well be left with problems that would last a long time if not for ever.

I am reasonably healthy but had flu some 4 years ago and it completely floored me. Unable to even get out of bed for a week, then needing DH to shower and dress me for another week. Over 6 weeks later I could still hardly walk. I might be lucky in that covid would not have such a bad effect on me but I might not.

herecomesthsun · 15/12/2020 15:08

[quote Unsure33]@MercyBooth

And you are exactly the kind of person who annoys me as well .

Politics should not be bought into a pandemic . And you know nothing about me or the way I vote . I just am stating a fact . He has an autistic child and most of what he did was within the rules of arranging potential child care .

So basically jog on .

Refusing the vaccine is cutting off your nose to spite your face and I don’t think how you think it will punish the government.[/quote]
If we are talking Cummings here, that is nonsense. Driving 250 miles for no good reason while infected in a pandemic lockdown is literally criminal, by any sane measure.

If they were well enough to do that, they were well enough to look after the child for a bit.

Original poster
fedupfrances · 15/12/2020 15:09

As for rule breaking, there would be a lot less if we had a competent government

I don’t see why there would be less rule breaking under a different government?

OP posts:
Twizbe · 15/12/2020 15:10

@PrincessNutNuts

People will die because of who they see this Christmas.

The only way to guarantee it won't be my loved ones is not to see them.

So that's what I'm doing.

You may have other priorities.

And some will die regardless of who they see this year.

Some will die because of who they didn't see this year.

Some people will die today and some tomorrow.

Make the choice based on your situation

herecomesthsun · 15/12/2020 15:10

@SoupDragon

As for rule breaking, there would be a lot less if we had a competent government and Dominic Cummings had been sacked.

There really wouldn't. Neither of those things would change the behaviour of the Great British Public in general.

The current bunch aren't exactly inspirational. We don't even properly understand the rules (and neither do they, it would seem).

Good leadership would help, IMO.

MercyBooth · 15/12/2020 15:11

If there is any truth to a thread that was deleted from AIBU a few weeks back there is a big story about a rule break waiting to break