Press Conference at 8

[Beebityboo]

Says Peston. Predictions?

Just great. My sons btec exam is supposed to be next week. Stupid college were insisting it would be going ahead instead of looking into what if they can't. They always concentrate on GCSEs and a levels and forget Btecs with their ongoing assessments.

I feel so sorry for early years, no support package, no extra funding, nothing... it’s a disgrace.
The only glimmer of hope for them is that in theory with the schools and everything shut no one should be spreading the virus making nurseries safer for children and staff.

@OvaHere

Are exams cancelled from now or was he referring to GCSEs/A Levels in the spring? DS is doing a vocational FE course and was due to sit one on Thursday.

Mine too. Level 3 exam next week.

@Oodlenoodle12

#itsgettingweird Boris didn't categorically say that the lockdown would end by Feb half term. He said they want to get the top 4 groups vaccinated with the first dose by then. That's an aim, not a definite end date.

Yes, sounds like it's a closure until highest risk people have been vaccinated.

And by extension it seems the situation is even worse than I thought.

Oh my goodness.

C4 News saying NHS will be overwhelmed by this Monday.

There are people literally screaming for schools to close on MN. They won’t hear anything other than that. They should be celebrating.

I honestly hope some teachers do actually step up this time but I fear the gap between private and state is about to get even bigger. I have a friend whose daughter reckons she and her friends are going to all be given A*, A and the odd B for GCSE’s because after all they have had such a tough time!!

Levelling will occur to ensure this doesn’t happen.

@Xenia

It is the wrong decision. Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4 - i.e. it won't work. We were conned into accepting the first 3 week lockdown in March by being told it was only 3 weeks. This has been far too long. I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.

With you 100% on this.

@Babysharkdoodoodood

Just great. My sons btec exam is supposed to be next week. Stupid college were insisting it would be going ahead instead of looking into what if they can't. They always concentrate on GCSEs and a levels and forget Btecs with their ongoing assessments.

Yes that's what I was wondering above. DS should be sitting one on Thursday. Most of his course is practical based so I don't know how this will work out.

@CherieBabySpliffUp

Commentator on BBC said 'exams scrapped'.

@Xenia

It is the wrong decision. Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4 - i.e. it won't work. We were conned into accepting the first 3 week lockdown in March by being told it was only 3 weeks. This has been far too long. I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.

As long as none of them are in your close family eh...

This has been far too long. I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.
What do you mean by that???

Labour really need to push for support for

• those who get sick
• those who can't work

Furlough doesn't cut it. And sick pay really needs to be ramped up.

And I know people worry about the debt but borrowing rates are still low - and we need it if we want to get to the other side without the NHS crumbling.

I think it's the right decision. He said he'd try to get the schools re-opened after Feb 1/2 term. That seems sensible to me.

@borntohula

Argh will my 8yo with ehcp be in school tomorrow or not then!? 😬
Not. The measures are with immediate effect and will be enshrined in law by early hours of Wednesday morning with MPs meeting later on Wednesday.

I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.

Even if one of them was you?

I could accept 600,000 extra people dying

How magnanimous of you, @Xenia

@Calmandmeasured1 so no 'vulnerable' children will be in school at all tomorrow?

Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4
There is not a tier 5 and the PM did not refer to it as such. It is a National Lockdown.

www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae

It is the wrong decision. Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4 - i.e. it won't work

Completely agree with you, Xenia, but still they pretend lockdown and the vaccines will solve everything
Sooner or later they'll come to appreciate that we'll just have to live with Vivid, but how long that'll take - and what may or may not be left by the time they do it - is anyone's guess

I could accept 600,000 extra people dying

That's a fuck ton of people - in another context "accept[ing] 600,000 people dying" amounts to genocide.

Just told ds8 that he’s not going in tomorrow, and asked how he felt about it.

He said it’s ok, but can you just not be so annoying when you teach me

@Xenia

It is the wrong decision. Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4 - i.e. it won't work. We were conned into accepting the first 3 week lockdown in March by being told it was only 3 weeks. This has been far too long. I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.

I agree, I'm so sick of this crap. We can't go on with this, more will die from poverty and unemployment/economic collapse over next 10 years. I could accept hospitals being overwhelmed and more excess deaths, even if me - we all take our chances but actually live rather than just get by. In fact if hospitals are responsible for most spread why not just shut the hospitals, no chance of NHS being overwhelmed if it's shut!

I’m just waiting for the numerous MN posts starting with....

‘Can I still.......’

@Xenia

It is the wrong decision. Tier 5 will work no better than tier 4 - i.e. it won't work. We were conned into accepting the first 3 week lockdown in March by being told it was only 3 weeks. This has been far too long. I could accept 600,000 extra people dying.

That would bring the total to around 1% of the population! I don’t think it would be a very popular strategy with the electorate...