Breaking PM Covid statement 8pm

[MissMarpletheMurderer]

Will he be on time? What will he say?

Same as Scotland, full lockdown from midnight?

T4 everywhere and schools closed, Peston has leaked it.

I'd really like to be able to prepare my dc for school or not before they go to bed - inset day today, I hate this dithering

This indecisiveness is no way to lead a country.

It’s been at least 2 days since we had a u-turn, so I think we are due one.

Lockdown until end of Jan at least is my prediction. He should have done this last week. There hasn’t been a material change in the direction of the data over the last week, so there was no reason for this not to be announced earlier (assuming my prediction is correct)

I'm probably being daft, but who is Preston? I know he's on Twitter but how does he get the information to leak?

My daughter went to school today. If it was just for one day it seems like an utter waste. I have no idea whether I have childcare tomorrow or not. The lack of notice is just making things much worse.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he used the conference as an opportunity to apologise to the country for the omnishambles of a pandemic response.

Alas, that would require some ability for self reflection, decency and honesty.

Robert peston. ITV reporter

Oh fuck off with the Chinese lockdown.

I can't cope anymore.

Does that mean nurseries are also shutting?

If he announces school closures a day after saying they should all go back, then he has (if you didn’t already think so) officially lost the plot. That would be delivering us the worst of everything; a lockdown (horrible but seemingly necessary) and a surge in cases from pupils mixing for the day (who knows...will probably lead to an extra couple of weeks of lockdown needed).

I’ve tried to keep level headed and upbeat about everything but I am absolutely livid about the leadership (or lack of) the this country has experienced.

@thelionoutside

Oh fuck off with the Chinese lockdown.

I can't cope anymore.

Does that mean nurseries are also shutting?

But China is now back to normal and has been for quite some time. Bring on a strict lockdown if that is what it takes.

Tier 4 everywhere.
Schools closed.

Chinese lockdown my area!
They separately quarantined every Covid case.
Where are we gonna our 50,000 people.

Schools will suddenly have become unsafe!

They won’t close primaries yet. BJ did see that he has seen significant data to suggest transmission in secondaries. So I’m going to say secondaries/further education and tier 4 now. Primaries in a week or so.

Supposedly there was only about 50% attendance today for Primaries, parents are already voting with their feet

So what is the alternative? I heard Starmer earlier. He wasnt making any sense and wouldnt be drawn on whether he thought schools should close. Whereas Hunt was much clearer. Lock everything down.

@ineedaholidaynow

Supposedly there was only about 50% attendance today for Primaries, parents are already voting with their feet

In my children’s class I would say there was around 10% missing. No way 50%.

He can tighten up tiers as much as he likes but he actually needs to tighten up enforcement.

And people need to stop breaking the rules and/or finding imaginary fucking loopholes to break the rules.

What kind of idiot announces schools closures at 8pm (if that’s what he’s doing, which it seems to be).

And why do the leaks and journalists never mention nurseries. I’m assuming they will close if schools do, but then again they aren’t currently closed in London despite the primaries being closed. If I have to figure out something with my 18 month old from tomorrow, it would be nice to know before 8pm. Only someone who never has to consider childcare would do this.

MissMarple: So do you think that means lockdown from Thursday if Parliament have to agree on Wednesday?
......
I thought we were already in lockdown.

Im tempted that it might be only partial closures for primaries and more lateral testing for primary teachers. I'm thinking year r and year 1 in again at least.

I think if schools are closed some people may start taking it more seriously, well I hope they will. Obviously some will think it is fine to let their children play with other children as they need to socialise. People need to realise that this new variant spreads more easily and children spread it. None of the nonsense early on when it was thought children didn't catch it or spread it an it was fine to hug their granny.

And god forbid if we get the South African strain because that is meant to be even worse

If he has now decided to close all schools after the day we have had at work trying to put together a timetable to cover remote for some years and face to face for others plus a key worker group plus covering teachers who aren't coming in, I will be beyond annoyed. This is particularly after hearing him on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday saying schools are safe.