Full lockdown from Boxing Day?

[FedUpOfAllThis]

Does anyone else think this is what will be announced?

Surely the majority of people will be at home with their immediate family (as in the ones you live with all the tim than away though, this year, @jillypill?

Peston says rest of SE England, parts of E England, Cumbria and possibly more of the Midlands

twitter.com/peston/status/1341740951681855488?s=21

Most people are choosing not to mingle so it makes sense to change the tiers ASAP.

Probably tier changes eg Gloucester is tier 2, south Gloucestershire tier 3 but Gloucester has a higher rate now.

@november90

Noooo!!! I'm in Lancashire and we've had the worst time with local lockdowns and tier 3 since around august time! Tier 4 will probably hit us next 😩😩😩

@november90 Me too. Some areas here are steady or even decreasing. Even those that are seeing a rise currently are not doing so at anywhere like the speed in South. Apparently it's based on a likelihood that the new variant could be here. These restrictions are incredibly damaging to both lives and livelihoods so surely better to wait foractual evidencethey are actually needed rather than on a possibility or likelihood?

We will need something in place before New Year to at least attempt to stop gatherings and parties. The earlier it’s done, the earlier cases will drop.

They stated at the last one they'd have more information about the new variant in a matter of days so maybe that? And tier 4 expansion?

This is going to break me. Having the gym back I'd keeping me going. Losing the fucking gym again.

And I think there may be enforcement of restriction on inter-regional travel. Hopefully with some common sense for those who live close to boundaries (maybe living one side with work/school/nearest shops etc the other) but pretty strict for everyone else

Any suggestions for how that will work? There isn't one road in and one road out, you couldn't have road blocks on every road. I'm guessing you don't live near a boundary?

If it was lockdown then it would be BJ.
It will be that more places are going to T4, ruining a few more xmases!

@november90 I was just talking to family members who live in Lancashire, they were saying the same & seem quite fed up about it. They had covid a few weeks ago & got off pretty lightly, so they hope they're immune, at least for a bit... I don't know about that though.

We'll probably be in T3 soon. I don't know how we've escaped it so far, TBH. Bordered a T3 zone for months, & we're tourism hotspot. Had dozens of coachloads of tourists every weekend, all summer. Bloody awful, I don't know why they come - nothing's open for them to go to. They just mill about in the rain outside various cafe's.

There's something on the BBC News website now saying that more areas are likely to go into higher tiers shortly.

I think it will be tier 4 for everywhere from Saturday to stop all the Boxing Day shopping crowds...

@SophieB100

I think it will be tier 4 for everywhere from Saturday to stop all the Boxing Day shopping crowds...

All Retail and food shops should close on Boxing Day really. Those staff could do with a proper break I would imagine. I bet many won't though. Our local savers is open Boxing Day : bloody stupid really. The food they sell you can do without.

Bbc news just said "the new variant can spread up to 50 to 60 percent quicker/easier"

up to 50 to 60 percent.....I thought it was 70?

Well not long to go then we’ll know.

We have already been told (in Scotland) that there is a national lockdown from 00:01 on Boxing Day for 3 weeks. School holidays extended by a week then home schooling from 11th onwards. They say for a week but I doubt it.

Definitely. Matt looks petrified!

The leader of my local council didn’t even seem to be aware that we were going to be put into tier 4 before the announcement. He was expected is to be put into tier 2

@Batmanandbobbin

Definitely. Matt looks petrified!

He certainly does!

And another new variant detected from South Africa, which is even more transmissible than the new variant in the south east... bloody hell wheee does it all end?

*where

Well i thought by the look on his face that we were heading for another national lockdown. My area is still staying in tier 2 but I have family in Kent and Oxford who I really feel for.

@CremeEggThief
I assumed those in lower tiers would still be planning on visiting family.

I'm in tier 4 London & loads of my neighbours left sunday/monday. It normally happens at Christmas, it's the one time you can park outside your house easily. Im a Londoner so nowhere to go.

Good news for Oxford vaccine. But bloody hell this is tough.

HandCock's doing a good job of presenting it.
I can't stand him, but he's coming across better than BJ (not much...)
Will it he make it to the end without crying though?