Press Conference at 8

[Beebityboo]

Says Peston. Predictions?

@nevernotstruggling

Kids had a good day today at school. We are tier 3 and not a hot spot. Dreading 8

Mine did too. Delighted to be back in school. Head really proud of the fact they've had no cases or closures. I feel bad for her.

We were proud of no cases until 18/12!

@Lauren1983

I actually don't see them closing all schools. It would be such a massive climbdown. My predictions are everyone in tier 4 (maybe not those in the isles of scilly!) with London in a new tier 5 level. All schools in tier 5 closed, tier 4 primary schools to remain open but all secondary schools in both tiers to do remote learning until Feb half term.

Ooohhhhhh, that's an interesting call. You may have some good thoughts there.

The unions have not forced schools to close, the virus has.

You can't be proud of no cases unless you managed to find a spell Harry Potter style to create covid shields around the school.

Transmission in schools reflect community transmission. It then in turn increases community transmission as proven now the evidence has been released under 17's are up to 7 times more likely to be index case in a household.

We were covid free when we had 20/100k.

One bubble burst when it went up to 150/200.

Then no more cases when it went down to 60/100.

We were back to 150/100 on 18/12.

We are now at almost 500

@MarshaBradyo

Like others, I’m off to get the wine out the cupboard.

Today’s challenge how long you can wait before cracking the red open before 8pm

I’m going for 6.30pm

@MarshaBradyo @HeronLanyon - I’ve managed to hold out until 7.33pm. Now slightly worried that it’s too late for any effect to take place before listening to the announcement.

I shall catch up by taking a swig every time he says “alas”. Not adding any other caveats in or else I’ll be on the floor!

They've had more severe lockdown measures going on in Scotland for months. The virus must be all but eradicated by now ?

Was sent this by a friend. Taken from PHE apparently. Was this already out there for the public to view? If so then it appears it’s been obvious that schools need to be shut down to bring the numbers down. No wonder we have ridiculously high rates currently.
I knew schools must be a factor in the increased cases, but was never aware of this!

I shall catch up by taking a swig every time he says “alas”. Not adding any other caveats in or else I’ll be on the floor!

No other caveats? I thought it was well know that you have to down the bottle if he says Alack! 😂😂😂

Closing all schools for one month.

Shielding is back.

He will be very emphatic about the shit slogan from lockdown 1.0 - 'stay home stay lives'. Of course it will mean fuck all because people are increasingly getting tired and bored of the restrictions and the government can't enforce it.

@Jaypreen - here you go

@2boysand1princess

Was sent this by a friend. Taken from PHE apparently. Was this already out there for the public to view? If so then it appears it’s been obvious that schools need to be shut down to bring the numbers down. No wonder we have ridiculously high rates currently. I knew schools must be a factor in the increased cases, but was never aware of this!

Educational settings will also include universities and colleges where there are large numbers coming into contact with each other in confined spaces.

I need to clarify my remark about unions forcing government's hand ov
er this.
Yes, you're right, poster above, the virus is of course driving this imminent lockdown. The unions have, however, forced the issue (for example half of the primary schools in Norfolk have closed today).
I work in a secondary, we all went in for inset today - and we were sent home by the Trust at lunchtime, following Union intervention. And were told to stay at home from now on.
I do think unions have stepped up the pace a bit - if they hadn't been involved this weekend, schools might have limped along (wrongly in my view) for a few more days.

@2boysand1princess

Was sent this by a friend. Taken from PHE apparently. Was this already out there for the public to view? If so then it appears it’s been obvious that schools need to be shut down to bring the numbers down. No wonder we have ridiculously high rates currently. I knew schools must be a factor in the increased cases, but was never aware of this!

Funny Boris didn't wave that chart about on the TV yesterday when he was insisting that schools were safe and was encouraging primary children all to get back in there today though.

I hope all watching BBC right now noticed tha banner line about construction work being allowed to go ahead 😂

it appears it’s been obvious that schools need to be shut down

Perhaps we ought to lock down the supermarket workers. The farmers all the food producers, the logistics companies, the delivery drivers? the people who keep the lights on, the water flowing in the taps, the sewers flowing? the phones and internet up and running too?

In short, all the people who have to work every day to keep the all sneering moral judges safe, fed and watered in their splendid isolation?

Well done Furries I got to 6.15 and now at a bit bored waiting

I also dread how long it’s going to take for all the words to come out and tell us what’s happening. I’ve developed a slight panic at his voice ;

2boys I work in a secondary school and I saw this months ago.
It's extremely grating when I hear people say schools are safe.
They can not safely carry on like they have been, due to the sheer numbers of young people mixing in corridors and classrooms and dining areas.

@SophieB100 This is why it's an announcement, pre-recorded, so no awkward questions.

I really hope they don't let him off the hook for this. People seem to have sympathy for him when in reality he is reckless - needlessly sending in thousands of children and staff to mix today. Our primary had sensibly announced distance learning already.

@LoudTree

Hopefully he will announce a real lockdown for the first time- no one leaves home until April 1st unless a genuine key worker.
A keyworker is a subjective term though isn't it?

A neighbour in my street is a (totally non-essential) construction worker and has been asked repeatedly by myself, DH and several neighbours to go on furlough to reduce the risk of transmission to the area. He has refused
You can go to work if you cannot wfh. A construction worker can't wfh so it is fine to go to work. Depending on where they work, many construction workers can have very little contact with others.
You can't just decide to be furloughed. It is your employer who decides to put staff on furlough, not the other way around. You are being ridiculous in asking your neighbour to give up his work. Why is he any more of a risk than you or other neighbours in contracting and transmitting the virus?

All these announcements over the months:
It's getting to the stage where we've all seen more of our PM and his cabinet than we have our own families :(

Here goes......

@southeastdweller

Closing all schools for one month.

Shielding is back.

He will be very emphatic about the shit slogan from lockdown 1.0 - 'stay home stay lives'. Of course it will mean fuck all because people are increasingly getting tired and bored of the restrictions and the government can't enforce it.

Not least of all because May decimated the police force and the Army has also been cut to the bone Then there’s total lack of goodwill thanks to the lies and mismanagement and rule breaking by his henchmen that he endorsed publicly along with stratospheric pay rises

Here we fuckin go kids

Wow. All those statistics and he's only deciding now to act