Why are we not on a full, strict lockdown?

[newtierseve]

I don't understand. The rates are similar/higher than April when we were on a strict national lockdown, only this time it's a variant that is even more contagious.

Accounts from NHS frontline medics are incredibly harrowing and distressing to read.

I don't understand our government. I just don't understand them.

Our government are too scared to properly govern. Bunch of fucking twats. Lots of tories have massively profited from this though. Funny that.

I don't understand it either. Why don't they do something until it's far, far too late?

Because those rich enough for private health care don't give a shot about the nhs or normal families

The government doesn’t want to totally destroy the economy? People die when the economy falls - suicides, heart attack etc.

Because the government can't handle the tough decisions.

What midge said

All you plebs can die

People die when the economy falls - suicides, heart attack etc

People who would otherwise have lived are about to start dying. Covid is now the least of our worries. Any of us could need care we no longer have access to at any point.

@Serenschintte

The government doesn’t want to totally destroy the economy? People die when the economy falls - suicides, heart attack etc.

This.

Spain had a hard lockdown. France was harder too. They're in pretty much the same position as us anyway.

More people will die long term because of the economy tanking. For a start, the healthier the economy, the more we can invest in the NHS so it's not in crisis point every single winter. Plus suicides, mental health difficulties, the toll of poverty, and the costs of an inhibited education.

The more we lockdown, the more we polarise the fractures in our society for far longer than it will take to vaccinate our population.

It’s because Boris isn’t a leader he’s not able to make tough decisions. He wants to be popular so goes down the middle which is worse.

I understand about the economy but what is the other option? People always bring up the economy as a reason against lockdown but what is the other choice? The tiers system has not worked.

Unlike the first lockdown, we have two approved vaccines. People are catching and dying from a disease when there are vaccines available to prevent it. It's heartbreaking.

So we need to get control of the virus spread to support the economy. it isn't one thing or the other. We can't continue as normal if health care is collapsing and there is widespread illness / death in the community.

If we have a harder lock down. This will impact on mental health. How many people would fail to see light at the end of the tunnel? How many would fall deeper into despair and try suicide, fall into alcohol and drug abuse? Hospitals would then have to deal with that aftermath. Lockdowns are not the answer. It just keeps pushing the can down the road. It’s spring/summer weather that seems to have to most impact, like with normal flu. The longer this goes on, the more people will stop complying. You can’t blame them. It’s the governments we should be blaming for underfunding the NHS so it can’t cope. It can’t cope during a normal winter. But if we destroy the economy, we won’t be able to afford a life saving NHS system. Another virus could happen another time, one that is actually deadlier!!

What do you actually want to see changed? Schools closed? Tier 4 everywhere? Both of those are reasonable propositions but I just find the idea that 'we should be on lockdown' a bit confusing because it very much feels like we are but is that just because I (like 80% of the English population) am in tier 4 and it feels very much like lockdown to me?

Tier 4 basically is lockdown with schools open.
The only possible next step is to close schools. Most people (including me) don't want that happen- although I personally think many already closed will stay closed after the 16th anyway.

They’re too nervous of upsetting their core voters and put more stock in popularity over making unpopular decisions.

This goes back right to the beginning and more recently giving a definite date for the end of the second lockdown or implementing it when it was recommended alongside gambling tier restrictions in the face of pressure from quarters that show no understanding of cause and effect.

We’ve missed multiple opportunities to get a handle on this due to dithering and lack of focus. They’ve loosed the reins in multiple occasions despite it making no sense and this is what the consequences of that looks like.

Basically our government are Disney dads.

What more do you want? In tier 4, I am pretty much in lockdown, albeit by a different name. It's even illegal for me to work right now, that's how messed up it is. Self employed with no income at all, again.

All of the lockdowns but the first lockdown have been wet. The first one worked, but then we had the tier system etc etc.

The government have spent too much time pandering and trying to find a middle ground...

There isn’t a middle ground with this virus. You go out and have human contact you can transmit it.

OP will you back on the board posting in a years time saying -

‘Why are so many people homeless’?
‘Why are so many people unemployed?’
‘Why are so many homes being repossessed?

Or will none of that effect you so you wouldn’t be bothered to post about it?

You might be ok furloughed, WFH, on benefits or have a big pension - but many many of us are not.

So stop it with the ‘close every thing down and keep people in. Some of us have different lives to you.

@Neron

What more do you want? In tier 4, I am pretty much in lockdown, albeit by a different name. It's even illegal for me to work right now, that's how messed up it is. Self employed with no income at all, again.

I’ve realised a lot of people just dont give a shit. If they are ok - stuff every else..

It is moving harder & harder, OP. You'll get what you want soon.

My life feels like lockdown, the only differences between now & April is

• I can drive somewhere local to get exercise
• I can go out more than once a day for exercise
• By myself, I can meet a single friend for a walk outside

Garden centres are open, I hear, but I don't shop there so not relevant.

Everything else right now matches April -- or do I lie? Could pubs serve take-away beer in April?

I gather schools are open for some but not for my DC.

Oh, and the adult DC training to be keyworkers are allowed to keep training. Their lives ground to a halt in April. They probably prefer the pubs open but I haven't asked

Yes exactly @Seasaltyhair much easier to be at WFH or a supported SAHM, suffering no financial difficulties like some of us plebs. I'm sure I'd give more of a toss if my life wasn't being ruined by this. So much more going on than just covid.

What else would you like closed? Most of the country is in tier 4.

Schools are currently closed. We can hardly close food shops. Many churches have decided to close and those places of worship that are open are very strict with numbers, distancing, masks, etc. We could close garden centres - do you think they are responsible for much spread, or any?

Preventing people from exercising outside seems counter-productive: there's no evidence of spread that way and the whole population taking no exercise won't help keep them healthy.

We brought in support bubbles because of loneliness and mental health issues - it's harder to resist infection when one is struggling mentally.

There's not much point in preventing people fleeing danger. Dead is dead whether it's caused by Covid or something else. Ending up in hospital is quite a common way to catch Covid.

A lot of people are working from home. Some jobs have to be done outside the home. Some people need physical care and support.

Refusing small groups to meet to bury their dead seems inhumane in the extreme.

@Neron

Yes exactly *@Seasaltyhair* much easier to be at WFH or a supported SAHM, suffering no financial difficulties like some of us plebs. I'm sure I'd give more of a toss if my life wasn't being ruined by this. So much more going on than just covid.

I agree. The ‘I’m alright Jack’ brigade are really starting to piss me off.

I had a family member ring me tonight quite surprised I was still working. They wasn’t happy I was. Yet they are quite happy for me to still do the shopping for them like I have done for the past year so they could isolate. Honestly where do they think I’d get the petrol money that drives me around picking their shopping up and delivering it if I wasn’t working? The magic money tree in the back garden?

Because the government know full well it could never be enforced so what's the point?

The ONLY WAY this will sort itself out is if we PUNISH those who consistently break the rules. By PUNISHMENT I mean jail time or internment in an isolation camp facility no pissing around with fines. Lock these dirty bastards up so we can start to escape this hell.