Whitty saying we'll still have restrictions next winter

[bathsh3ba]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-55542393

Fan-fucking-tastic. And I don't swear. Honestly don't know how I'm going to get through this.

Life will,largely, go back to how it was pre Covid.

Somethings will change - like more businesses having wfh staff instead of rent huge office spaces.

But we will go back to being hugging,social, creatures. Going out for dinner, to the movies, god forbid -even soft play

Some people will choose to have more family time & less rushing around with ferrying kids to a shit load of activities, some will try to make up for 'lost time'

MN active threads will be full of parking & MIL threads...

👍 @WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

I really think what the government need to do is stop banging on about deaths etc.... Yes they are horrible for people and families involved but the deaths have zero to do with the restrictions...

All these people say it doesn't kill that many blah blah may have a point (yes I know many have died) the whole point is about hospitalisation. Maybe instead of Daily death tolls we should just be saying there are x amount of beds in the NHS this is currently how many we have left at the end of the day that is the worrying stat.

You have no spare beds in the NHS you have much more death from everything else... I think by them keeping banging on about deaths it gives people the impression it's like the black death which is just not true!

Lots of false comparisons between covid and flu on this thread, a common theme amongst those who want to downplay the serious risk covid poses.

They can all sod off. I’m not putting my life on hold for another year for a virus where 1/3 people don’t even know they have it!!

@nonono1

And how do you intend to force the government to restart things?

People talk such nonsense, you can see people on your own home, but which pub will you force your way into if they are shut?

And if the only restrictions are masks and general distancing - why would you not do that unless stupid?

Illegal shebeens (pubs) are popping up in outhouses and private houses in Ireland. So that’s an option.

@inquietant Um, who said anything about the pub? I will be seeing my family regularly once this current lockdown is over and that’s that. If you want to put your life on hold indefinitely then more fool you.

@nonono1

They can all sod off. I’m not putting my life on hold for another year for a virus where 1/3 people don’t even know they have it!!

It's the ones that ' don't know they have it' that can spread it to others who may then end up in hospital and finding there isn't any treatments available , sadly. I understand that nobody wants to hear about more restrictions till the end of this year , but millions need this vaccines and unless the government can roll it out very quickly now, this is the reality. I was depressed hearing this yesterday but when you think about it , this is the way it'll be :(

[quote nonono1]@inquietant Um, who said anything about the pub? I will be seeing my family regularly once this current lockdown is over and that’s that. If you want to put your life on hold indefinitely then more fool you.[/quote]
My life's not on hold but I care more about my own family so take care around them. I don't see sitting 2m from them, seeing them outside or wearing a mask as a big deal.

I don't mean I care more than others care about their families, I mean the people I personally care most about are obviously my family.

I hope @bathsh3ba that after 13 pages of comments you realise you misunderstood?

If you watch the announcement again, Whitty said he hoped everything would be normal - and restrictions would be eased gradually over the coming months, through spring, summer and autumn BUT if numbers rise in the winter there may have to be some minor restrictions then.

It all depends on people's behaviour. If people had followed the current rules more closely, we'd probably not be where we are now although the new mutant strain is an issue of course.

If we don't ring fence this virus sufficiently (by vaccinating a large amount of the community who are likely to come into contact with it) it will have freedom to mutate further and then we're looking at different set of vaccines being needed. Noone wants to carry on like this. But if a large % of the population stop trying to quench the virus (by not being vaccinated or self distancing if it's not been offered) not only we will we be doing this for longer, but we'll need new vaccines (and we'll continue to need big vaccination campaigns and self distancing etc).

Of course how you reconcile that with the economy, employment, education and mental health is probably the bigger challenge. But the scientists can't really advice on that....

I was depressed hearing this yesterday but when you think about it , this is the way it'll be

Only in worst case scenario, as in a new strain comes out they can’t control. With the vaccine program, it won’t occur, even if it’s slower that put forward.

I agree part of the answer is weekly testing, but people would need to be paid to isolate or they won’t.

I❤️Chris Wittey and JVT. I love their calm manner. I bet both of them loathe Boris. They’re both bursting with brains and he has a cabbage instead🙄

In found his ‘next winter’ statement to be unnecessarily demoralising right now.

@donewithitalltodayandxmas

The standard rate ie what everyone gets depending on categories are as follows:

Single claimant aged under 25: £342.72 per month. Single claimant aged 25 or over: £409.89 per month. Joint claimants both aged under 25: £488.59 per month. Joint claimants either aged 25 or over: £594.04 per month. I'm not sure this excludes the extra covid top up.

A lot of people struggle on until they have no savings and need an advance which reduces that by up to over £100 a month. The phone broadband/ utilities/are also taken out of it. Rent is added separately but anyone would be a fool to count that as part of spending. I know no one - especially in London- except those living with parents etc who have any spending ability.

But it does seem to work out better claiming as a couple. Of course we are blessed to have a safety net, but this is what is being forgotten in all this. I haven't heard one politician really talk about the impact on those suffering at the lower end, not receiving furlough, I know 3 self employed people who are entitled to not even half what I mention above and are contemplating folding their businesses.

I think people have a right to be afraid. Statistically ending up in dire poverty and losing everything you have worked for as result of repeated lockdowns is a far more certain prospect than becoming seriously ill from Covid.

I think people have a right to be afraid. Statistically ending up in dire poverty and losing everything you have worked for as result of repeated lockdowns is a far more certain prospect than becoming seriously ill from Covid.

This. I’ve lost my livelihood thanks to this fucking virus - I’m done.

And yes I DO blame the Chinese government for getting the whole damn world into this horrific mess in the first place.

@tobee

Do you remember 9/11 @CanWeHaveSnow ? People thought that life would never go back to normal then too!

It didn't go back to the old normal.

It changed our foreign policy, it resulted in an escalation of tensions between us and other countries in the middle east. It changed the lives of many Iraq's forever, and Iraq itself. It contributed to rise of radical Islam and domestic terrorism in the West. It changed the Americans perceived themselves in the world and the way we did here. It burned an image in our collective consciousness.

After 9/11 we had a 'new normal' I would argue a less secure one.

After shockwaves like this you do not go back to normal that is why those of us who care about the cost in terms of our rights, mental health and economic wellbeing are frankly alarmed at what is happening here.

We are also seeing a massive transfer and concentration of wealth in the hands of a few people. Some of those people have enough money and influence to affect our politics and freedoms of free speech and have already shown that they have no qualms in shutting it down when they want.

Brace yourself for the new reality that is coming and stop soothing yourself about things going back to 'normal' That is done with.

‘Some of those people have enough money and influence to affect our politics and freedoms of free speech’

What bollocks. Britain and Europe aren’t doing this for fun. They’re doing it to protect healthcare. We are in an emergency situation. I fail to see how protecting the NHS is restricting freedom of speech. It’s laughable.😂

We are also seeing a massive transfer and concentration of wealth in the hands of a few people.

It’s true that the wealthy will only get wealthier from this. Those working in finance will be fine (for example my BIL is a financial adviser and is more in demand and busier than ever!)

HOWEVER, I wish he hadn't/wouldn't. The whole of the UK needs him too much, fir him to put himself in harms way like that. He has already had Covid, way back, about the time Boris did. It's why his tailored suits no longer fit him, shirt collars neither. For a while he sported a David Byrne look. It was a relief when he started to fill out his clothes again!

@nonono1

So sorry. Hang in there, hope something turns up for you

Unfortunately in the next few weeks they'll be more people in your position and god knows how many by the end of the year.

@WilsonMilson

In found his ‘next winter’ statement to be unnecessarily demoralising right now.

Yes, it feels that way, doesn't it? But I think he is trying to motivate us - be careful NOW and next Christmas will be better, don't and it - may- not ? That's how I read it. And I trust he has more integrity around the truth than Johnson.