Further Restrictions 'Stricter than March' Needed

[Bewareoftheblob]

From the Telegraph today:

Sage advisers are calling for a lockdown tougher than the one seen in March as they argue the current restrictions do not go far enough.

Professor Susan Michie, a health psychology professor at University College London who sits on a Sage subcommittee, said more stringent action was needed.

While around 90 per cent of Britons are sticking to the rules there are also "more people out and about”, Prof Michie told the Today programme.

"It should definitely be tightened,” she said. "This is quite a lax lockdown because we’ve still got a lot of household contact, people go in and out of other’s houses. We should have stricter rather than a less strict lockdown than we had in March.

“You have this wide definition of critical workers and therefore you’ve got really busy public transport. There's also this new variant, and we have the winter season and the virus survives for longer in the cold.”

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Do you think they'll follow through with this? Reduce the amount of children in schools, ban support bubbles, heavier policing of people going about their daily lives?

Being restricted to going out once a week just isn't practical. What do you do if you own a large dog, as I do? She needs lots of exercise and goes out every single day, sometimes twice. I bet they haven't thought that through!

@MerciSeat. I agree, and that is where the government should be stepping up.

I'm so sorry you were called a C**t by someone.

[quote EmmaGrundyForPM]@MerciSeat. I agree, and that is where the government should be stepping up.

I'm so sorry you were called a C**t by someone.[/quote]
Thank you for being understanding. Sometimes it feels like I'm bashing my head against a wall, trying to get people to understand that we have no choice but to carry on as we are. I wish there was support available - not being able to wear a mask but having to continue with daily life has honestly kept me awake at night for worry, not to mention the real life abuse almost every time I go anywhere.

I am mask exempt for reasons I will not go into. I sure as shit am not going to stop shopping for my family, or doing anything that requires me to wear a mask.
I have a life to live too. I'm not staying couped up indoors I will go out when essential . Thankfully I've not had comments in shoos etc. But If I did I'd tell them to wind their fucking neck in and mind their own business.

I've just been told on another thread that the country is fucked because of whining people like me (by the same person who said that 'the many many cunts not wearing them all have hidden disabilities and traumas').

What have we become.

My son's friend was out on his distanced walk yesterday and the police asked him where he was going. I cannot really see the point of that. He was not at a rave or walking with anyone. Surely there must be groups of people or parties they can concentrate on.

@Dawnlassie

Driving miles to take exercise is not essential. Walk outside your front door - I know the view is not so good but come on - its not essential to have a good view

Isnt it better to drive to somwhere less busy? Better view and less likely to spread the virus.

People are so blinkered. Have they really so little imagination that they can't accept that some people don't live anywhere where they can go for a walk from their front door, for example because there are no pavements, and/or it's very hilly, or it's a busy A road?

There is no issue with driving for exercise as long as you don't cross the country to do so. A distance limit would resolve this, but it needs to be relatively generous such as 10 miles.

As for the mask wearing, there is pretty much 100% compliance where I live now.

@Xenia

My son's friend was out on his distanced walk yesterday and the police asked him where he was going. I cannot really see the point of that. He was not at a rave or walking with anyone. Surely there must be groups of people or parties they can concentrate on.

that is ridiculous. Although, if you're in London, that happens a lot to young men, pandemic or no .

What I don't understand is, if all these measures are being discussed, then why in holy hell am I still getting a service check probably 8 times out of 10 when I go to Tesco? The assistant has to stand near me and touch lots of things from the trolley as well as the scanner, all of which I have touched, and then I need to touch them all again. Not once have they found anything I've not scanned. They didn't do any service checks in the first lockdown.

@puffinkoala exactly. Some people will step out of their front door onto a street full of people but could drive a small distance to walk where there is nobody. Surely a bit of common sense has to be allowed.

I don't think a lockdown can properly work - as in eradication without it being litrially locking people in their houses. I don't agree that that is a measure the government should be able to take.

The lockdowns we have just create a consentration of people in the few areas you can go to. Making the spread worse.

For me, it's either total locked in house or no enforcement at all, just provide people guidelines but leave it up to the individual to decide whether they want to go out. Ban mass gathering such as nightclubs, sporting events, festivals.

What I don't understand is, if all these measures are being discussed, then why in holy hell am I still getting a service check probably 8 times out of 10 when I go to Tesco?

DH always seems to get service checked and says the same thing. The woman is now touching all the shopping and the till.

Tesco seems to be the worst. I wonder if they have had a rise in shoplifting since more people signed up for scan and go.

There are lots of people wherever you try and walk down here. I have to walk the dog. We have tried to just walk from the house though.
There are teenagers wandering about and sitting together a lot here. I know it's hard for them I'm very sympathetic but parents are allowing this.

Our school is 70% full with loads of parents that work an hour or 2 from home or are even furloughed, still sending their kids in!
Suddenly lots of sahms work for their husbands businesses and are key workers!
Its insane

The essential fucking scratchcard. Makes me rabid

@aquamarine2

The essential fucking scratchcard. Makes me rabid

It makes me want to go to the corner shop for a bar of chocolate!

@Trickyboy

Unfortunately we have been sold a pup by the government. They are 'trying to look tough' whilst not putting their hands in their pockets to pay for it.

It's all very well Chris Whitty talking about you staying at home if you should and 'minimise contact with other people' .. with what seems to be - absolutely no acknowledgement that a huge amount of people CANT AFFORD to follow this 'advice' as it's not 'Law'.

If he really does want this then he has to stop pandering to the politicians and come out and say ' coffee shops' need to close (that desperate for coffee then make a flask) . Takeaways should close (cook your own food for 4 weeks) or at least make delivery ONLY.
Last but not least. CLOSE ALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT ESSENTIAL. And REQUIRE them to furlough their staff. At the very least restrict the sales to that which is deemed 'essential'. For example Garden Centres. If they are allowed open because they sell pet food then limit them to that. The one in my village , walked past yesterday to see car park rammed. Very few people out buying pet food. They were out for a Sunday wander round the garden centre looking at plants ! With all the other Covidiots.

I don't think the CMO can tell businesses to close. That is beyond his remit.

Someone on a local forum talking about people visiting the park in numbers said "Human entitlement will keep this shit storm rolling. No one needs a walk and a hot chocolate in the park." I managed not to post any response, but that was one of the most joyless comments I've seen on any forum, ever. As there are sooo many other activities to do just now other than go for a walk.

Perhaps we should be able to sell our walk entitlements like a carbon off set or something. I have been on about 3 walks since March 2020. May be that means I have about 300 of them banked somewhere.

I think I’ve had yours, Zenia!

Honestly some people on this thread are trying to find holes in everything. Getting in your car and driving to a local beauty spot is not essential. It’s a nice to have. People saying that people living on hills or A roads cannot just walk outside their front door are just being pedantic.

The rules cannot cover every single scenario. If you give people the option to choose what they do you get what is happening now. Going to the park, sitting in benches, having coffee, food etc, meeting friends who just happen to be there too is why this lockdown is not working.

Close the places of worship, stop people family and couple shopping. It won’t be for long if we all do our bit. Also the mask exemption is just not working. People are taking the piss so sadly I believe anyone who cannot wear a mask in their opinion will have to shield. Supermarkets can organise slots for them, they can get others to do their shopping. It’s not a question of their being denied their rights. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we are all under restrictions.

I haven’t seen my Mum since mid summer, we cancelled our Xmas plans because we wanted to keep her safe. She is on her own and nearly 90. I could have collected her on Xmas Day but we are just too far away, she would have to have stayed overnight. She is my bubble but just because I could have potentially done something doesn’t mean it’s safe/right.

People are stretching the rules especially around bubbles and we have IMHO got to tighten up on this.

I think someone said it earlier on the thread, but I'm not convinced that mask wearing seems to be helping much. It would be interesting to know in the other countries that mandate it, if they expect PPE level masks to be worn or any old piece of cloth like we have here.

I'm in Italy and you have to wear a mask all the time outside your house. It can be a cloth mask or a surgical style mask but recently I have noticed more and more people wearing better-fitting, more "serious" masks.

@Bathroom12345

Honestly some people on this thread are trying to find holes in everything. Getting in your car and driving to a local beauty spot is not essential. It’s a nice to have. People saying that people living on hills or A roads cannot just walk outside their front door are just being pedantic.

The rules cannot cover every single scenario. If you give people the option to choose what they do you get what is happening now. Going to the park, sitting in benches, having coffee, food etc, meeting friends who just happen to be there too is why this lockdown is not working.

Close the places of worship, stop people family and couple shopping. It won’t be for long if we all do our bit. Also the mask exemption is just not working. People are taking the piss so sadly I believe anyone who cannot wear a mask in their opinion will have to shield. Supermarkets can organise slots for them, they can get others to do their shopping. It’s not a question of their being denied their rights. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we are all under restrictions.

I haven’t seen my Mum since mid summer, we cancelled our Xmas plans because we wanted to keep her safe. She is on her own and nearly 90. I could have collected her on Xmas Day but we are just too far away, she would have to have stayed overnight. She is my bubble but just because I could have potentially done something doesn’t mean it’s safe/right.

People are stretching the rules especially around bubbles and we have IMHO got to tighten up on this.

I've asked you this before - how do you expect those who are mask exempt to earn a living, care for family, attend medical appointments, use public transport etc if they're to stay at home?

Exempt people will not be asked to shield unless they're vulnerable, which very many are not.

"People are taking the piss so sadly I believe anyone who cannot wear a mask in their opinion will have to shield."

You do realise that people who are shielding are not actually banned from going to supermarkets?