To think an announcement must be imminent

[WouldstrokeTomHardy]

Just that really. With the opposition leader calling for a national lockdown within 24 hours, cases rising, parents and school staff not knowing what's happening, people crossing tiers for legitimate activities like work in non essential retail etc. It's just not going well is it?

If BJ and his lot want to recoup ANY legitimacy and governance they need to pull their fingers out. Bloody hell, at least do a presser and tell us what they're thinking/planning.

The lack of communication is I think what irks most of us. Constantly up in the air.

Tell us you bastards 😠

@Allispretty Not all non-keyworkers' lines of business close (or can work from home). There are lots of jobs that aren't classed as 'keyworker roles' but it's still business as normal (the rule is to go to work only if you can't do your job from home), e.g

Manufacturing
Warehouse operator
Hairdresser
Gym instructor

All of these can work in tier 3 but aren't keyworker roles.

im north and don't know a single person working from home inc ofice workers!

I’m not expecting secondaries to go back on the 18th but I think they will try and keep primary in for as long as possible. I do think it’s true that secondaries are a much bigger infection risk, and the reports of the SAGE advice only say to shut secondaries (although we don’t know any details since it hasn’t been released!)

The problem here really is the lack of trust in BoJo and his cabinet. So none of us are likely to believe him when he tells us that schools are safe.

Well, children are safe, as they don't get seriously ill with this virus. But it isn't just about children; teachers and parents have every reason to be very nervous, especially if they're vulnerable. Particularly now, with this variant which is spreading like wildfire.

And BoJo has form for delaying too long. This happened during the first wave( he delayed and there were far more deaths than would have otherwise been the case. Then he didn't lock down soon enough in the autumn, he delayed two weeks.

As far as I know, DD2 (8) will be going back to school tomorrow. We're in tier 3 here, so it should be safe enough. For the moment. I'm speaking as a vulnerable parent (long Covid), whose DH is also vulgar (asthma). But the lack of trust in the government makes it very hard to trust that they know what they're doing, which is the reason for all the anxiety.

@Orf1abc completely agree, all they seem to do is gaslight

@DumplingsAndStew - I'm a public sector key worker (& on call for a week from weds for out of hours emergencies) & DH supplies materials to public sector for their covid response so is maxed out & his company won't furlough him. We've relocated since last time so need to see if DS new school will let him have a key worker space - just need to get my boss to sign a letter tomorrow!

I think they should go back to daily briefings, or at least every other day. There should be a presentation of : number of tests, number of resulting cases, number in hospital, number discharged from hospital and number of people who have received the vaccine - with no added comments, just facts.

That’s completely inaccurate for a huge mass of people. I’m not a key worker - but my workplace won’t just stop because schools close

I would welcome the daily announcements, they help me to manage my mother's anxiety, she's nearly 90 and the last few days has said she's lost interest in doing anything and feels like she is ready for her life to end because she is sick of worrying about why her second vaccine does is delayed, of me being in school, of not knowing what is happening with her grandchildrens A levels and GCSEs and of not being able to see anybody. Added to which all her friends are dying and she hasn't felt able to go to any of their funerals.

Yes, bring back the daily announcements as she worries less then.

Every single measure or restriction they have to be forced into kicking and screaming weeks too late.

Very recently moved to tier 3 - email from school this afternoon saying see you tomorrow

@bartymao my dad is 86 and he's been saying the same things.

Thanks Movingonup I'm hoping it will still be allowed but we are selling our old house as it needed work first and its in a different area and I don't know if that will cause issues. We are days from exchange though - we just need to get down twice to clear out rubbish and the buyers need to sign contract and get keys from EA. We are Tier 4 and other area is Tier 4 covid hotspot and buyers are in another Tier 4 covid hotspot again. It'll hopefully still be fine but really need the money from the sale now as I can't work atm due to SN child / on-off school. Though very glad surveys done etc. Solicitor part will be fine, keys I guess we could post though post is all over place here and maybe could give buyers money to clear. So there are probably work arounds but getting very jittery about it though think last time it was more houses not sold that had issues.

We also had the low rates then London/bordering counties with sky high rates went tier 3 and our rates shot up past 3 weeks or so and we got moved from 2 to 4 - suspect people were crossing the borders to get into Tier 2, also London was using our 999 as there's was over-capacity and then our hospitals went over-capacity. We were very careful to only visit house, clean it, and come straightback. It may be coincedence but timing matched and happened in other countries so suspect they may need to go to national rules.

[quote WankPuffins]@bartymao my dad is 86 and he's been saying the same things.[/quote]
@wankpuffins Shit isn't it?

It's shit. I don't think daily is necessary but jeez, the situation now is dire. Just hearing on the local news that Liverpool city council leaders are imploring Boris to impose another national lockdown like we had in march. Will more council leaders follow?

A proper lockdown is needed with border closures and only key/ essential/ emergency workers going in.
Schools to close to everyone, it's the only way we'll be rid.
I can't see any current immunisation being effective long term, or even short term tbh.

If you're a key worker you will still have a school place for your dc if your not a key worker your business will close and you will be furloughed what planning do people need to do?

It isn’t as straightforward as key worker or business closed. Plenty of people aren’t key workers but will still need to work and be expected to work, either from home or from their workplace. The only business that should close are the ones that have been instructed to under the tier rules.

There is a right to furlough for childcare purposes.

Wrong. There is a right to ask for furlough for childcare purposes. Employers don't have to agree.

Bojo is the only person I know who would knowingly steer his ship towards a big ass iceberg while shouting "I'm not navigating around it, I've made my decision and planned my route and I'm sticking to it!".

I'm a key worker but as DS2 is currently being assessed for SEN but without an actual diagnosis or EHCP the school can't accommodate his needs. And 25 minutes ago I had an email saying that due to staff shortages his class couldn't go in next week. You couldn't make it up

Have we actually been any the wiser after one of these fantastic "announcements"? They've mostly been piffle waffle piffle waffle, Saint Boris showing that his only strength is being the patron saint of clowns, interspersed with the occasional "next slide, please".

@BamboozledandBefuddled

There is a right to furlough for childcare purposes.

Wrong. There is a right to ask for furlough for childcare purposes. Employers don't have to agree.

Exactly this. At this moment in time people don't want to rock any boats.

Feels like there is a reason the general public can't make their own choices without waiting for the PM when they feel like they know better.

We are tier 4 in the north and quite a few primary schools have announced they are closed on a local radio stations facebook page whether a few more follow suit remains to be seen.

Mine are in Secondary and if things continue in this vein I can’t see them going back either. Think BoJo will maybe not make another announcement until it absolutely can’t be avoided maybe Wednesday.

I think extra masks and cleaner and limited extra funds will be found for primary if there enough protests about H&S from teachers. And tests will be rolled out sooner, possibly diverted from other areas. Shutting will cause so many knock on effects that I think they’ll concentrate safety measures on them first