Press Conference at 8

[Beebityboo]

Says Peston. Predictions?

@Coffeeandcocopops

My son needed specific grades for his career. Now he can’t even “resit”the A levels he didn’t sit last year and as he is not at college but is working he has no work to be assessed on. What a bloody waste of a year. I could cry.

It is really really crap.

I too think lockdown won't work any more than Tier 4 has at this late stage. And I don't think blaming the public is helpful - the vast majority of people have followed the rules as much as they can reasonably be expected to. It's not us as individuals at fault - it's just that you simply can't outrun or suppress a virus and I think it was foolish of the government to suggest we could. Viruses spread through the population, mutating as they go. It's what they do. Lockdown won't make any difference at this point.

@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.

Same here . DD should have level 3 exams next week for a practical course which in normal times would be mostly lab based. Online lessons just aren't the same at all. Cant see how it will work

It’s the attitude of other people that scares me. Those who have the same attitude of some posters on here; that they don’t think the lockdown is necessary, that their focus is just on their needs and wants. These people are the ones who will not observe the rules, and so will make it drag out far longer than March. What people should focus on is that the NHS is in serious danger of being totally swamped if we don’t get this virus under control. That will mean it won’t just be covid patients struggling to get treatment, but everyone else who needs urgent medical care.

It’s excessive.

I know no one gives a shit about business going bust on here but those businesses employee people who desperately need money. Furlough runs out soon. Business who have already had a grant or a loan to keep them afloat won’t be able to apply for another one.

Unemployment is going to have a catastrophic effect of everyone lives.

Dreadful.

@vickyp0llard

My mum lived through an economic collapse for 10 years, said she'd rather die of covid tomorrow than have her kids live through the same. As someone said on here, poverty isn't just eating value beans and putting heating on a bit less, it leads to death.

thing is, heaven forbid your mum should die of covid,everyone would do their best for her and look after her to make her comfortable in her last days. all right and proper of course but she would be using resources which could save others' lives used elsewhere. as a society it says something terrible about us if we weren't able to look after your mum, so best all pull together now and ensure this happens as little as possible surely

@vickyp0llard

How about you choose someone in your family. Who is disposable?

The only people with significant chance of death are grandparents, and they've all had it. Two symptomless. Everyone else has a minute chance, so it's a moot argument. I know many people who would still rather take the death of older relatives than the absolute decimation of her kids lives, in fact it can be considered absolutely selfish of older people to expect young people to ruin their lives in order to extend their lives.

Ok, so what I your kid, god forbid, needs life saving treatment and the hospital is too full of covid patients, half the staff are sick and they are not able to do it? Does that change your mind?

Its not ruining kids lives - they will be different. Think about the kids in war zones - they may qualify a bit later but life goes on we find a way. I am sure many brave grandparents would walk forward for their family - the point is we shouldn't be making that decision for them and be telling them they are worthless - or disabled people or younger vulnerable folk. We need to work together to survive not look after numero uno and fuck anyone else.

How can you accept loads of children and young adults having years of their life down the toilet, double-digit unemployment, 6 million people on antidepressants, suicide, lack of socialisation, a mountain of debt for generations and shit quality of life for years? It's not just about lives saved, it's also about actually enjoying that life too

It's a fair question, which so often gets missed among the noise and fury

I don't imagine for an instant that anyone wants countless more deaths; it's just that, desperate as it is, those deaths may become unavoidable no matter what we do
Unless the vaccines produce the needed effect of course, but that's by no means certain yet

@vickyp0llard

How about you choose someone in your family. Who is disposable?

The only people with significant chance of death are grandparents, and they've all had it. Two symptomless. Everyone else has a minute chance, so it's a moot argument. I know many people who would still rather take the death of older relatives than the absolute decimation of her kids lives, in fact it can be considered absolutely selfish of older people to expect young people to ruin their lives in order to extend their lives.

And what about when your kids need emergency hospital treatment, but there's none available? Will you be fine with that? Would you be 'happy to take your chances' with your own injured/dying child?

the point is we shouldn't be making that decision for them and be telling them they are worthless

But that's what we're doing with young people's development, children's education, entertainment, small business owners, etc.

@Livelovebehappy

It’s the attitude of other people that scares me. Those who have the same attitude of some posters on here; that they don’t think the lockdown is necessary, that their focus is just on their needs and wants. These people are the ones who will not observe the rules, and so will make it drag out far longer than March. What people should focus on is that the NHS is in serious danger of being totally swamped if we don’t get this virus under control. That will mean it won’t just be covid patients struggling to get treatment, but everyone else who needs urgent medical care.

No, what will make it drag out longer than March is this shite government fucking up the roll out of the vaccine. Or do you really think his ridiculous 'let's pull together' crap tonight is going make everyone comply to stay at home and not go to other people's homes?

For what it's worth, I don't think the position itself is all that awful- if you weight up short and long term effects- but the callus way it was sad was.

@Xenia

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

As long as it's only certain types of people, eh Xenia?

The hoi polloi, the halt and the lame, the untermenschen

You disgust me

@Coffeeandcocopops

My son needed specific grades for his career. Now he can’t even “resit”the A levels he didn’t sit last year and as he is not at college but is working he has no work to be assessed on. What a bloody waste of a year. I could cry.

Is it possible to enrol on one of those online courses with tutors?

No, what will make it drag out longer than March is this shite government fucking up the roll out of the vaccine. Or do you really think his ridiculous 'let's pull together' crap tonight is going make everyone comply to stay at home and not go to other people's homes?

Well, if people need the government to tell them what should be obvious... we don't actually need a law to say don't go in your mates house, don't gather in groups while in the middle of a pandemic- it's never been compulsory. At this point, people who break the guidelines (in most circumstances) are just being dicks.

The current information shows that the majority of the people dying are elderly but those being admitted to hospitals aren’t. The methods of treating patients in hospitals has got much better now the doctors understand more about the disease so hopefully more people will now survive treatment although long Covid can affect any age.
I think Boris and his gang of Tories are useless but unfortunately we don’t have a choice at the moment.

@vickyp0llard do you think youngsters are taking one for the team too much? I think its more to do with the NHS not getting overwhelmed

@HibernatingTill2030 exactly people can't take responsibility for there own actions
Although of only meant to go out for essential food wtc not sure how garden centres and macdonals etc fall in that catergory
And people will pile to then because they are open and won't think is this essential etc

@Coffeeandcocopops yes I did an a level independently come to think of it, you just get the syllabus and find an exam centre

@coffeeandcocopops i have ds doing gcse and all i heard was exams will not go ahead as normal and we will be working with ofqual so may not mean no exams at all ?

@southeastdweller well nothing will stop people like that will it
What can they do to stop people going to others , other than make it law and fine people
What do you suggest they do ?
Its about time some adults start taking responsibility, im sat at home with teeneagers who have had a year of life, when you should be carefree taken away , who will follow these rules and did in marc because they know that is the responsible thing to do , you only have to look at figures to know this is serious once again

Was there anything about support bubbles?

@AaronPurr

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! 😂😂😂

🤣. Apologies, that caveat had passed me by. Thank F’Alack it wasn’t uttered, slightly disappointed he didn’t get an alas in, I’m drinking far too sensibly in relation to how I’m feeling 🍷😂🤦🏻‍♀️