Next announcement from Boris

[whoamitojudge]

Does anyone know when it is?
With all this new talk of this current lockdown not being enough I just wondered if maybe he’d step up and say something

@XenoBitch

A few people suggested a curfew here. So, where is the science behind curfews that would suggest they would help? Because the only reasons people have posted for having them is that it makes things easier for the police to monitor people.... which is absolutely chilling.

Curfews are my line in the sand.

@Nowmum43

I don't think this lockdown has been given enough chance to work. Surely all the deaths and cases are from the Christmas mixing? That lots of people seemed to still do seeing people the whole week and not just Christmas Day!

This virus strain is 50% more contagious than the strain in March and the lockdown restrictions are less strict than they were in March. It isn’t going to work.

@RedskyAtnight

So, where is the science behind curfews that would suggest they would help?

If you have to be in your house, then you can't be out mixing with anyone else? Fairly sure the science says that not mixing means you can't spread infection.

But we are told Covid is being spread by people meeting indoors.

I don’t think he’ll do anything but it would be helpful to reinforce the current message and for there to be more visible enforcement. Not seen a single copper round here throughout the whole lockdown.
Went to a local beauty spot today for a walk- along with thousands of others. Was rammed.
Most people were either in their family groups or just two people seemingly from different households so following the rules but a sizeable minority were not. And it didn’t feel particularly safe tbh.
Also very important to make it clear to employers that people should only go to work if they categorically can’t do their job from home. So much traffic round here atm, I do wonder where everyone else is going.

Getting rid of support bubbles would be cruel to anyone living alone and I don’t know think they’ll do that. They could get rid of childcare bubbles but they make things extra difficult for working families with schools closed.

Masks everywhere plus closing of playgrounds is two things they could do.

Hopefully Boris will have had a rummage and finally found his backbone and balls& you'll be getting the same message regarding lockdown as Dan Andrews gave us in Vic back in July: Lockdown requiring essential food stores only open, masks mandatory the minute you leave the house and re-assess the myriad(widely open to abuse/interpretation)"bubbles". 5 k radius restriction when you do "have to" leave the house for exercise.
We were up there with the most successful countries in the world at completely turning the virus around. None of us wanted to live like it was a police state either and it seemed overly harsh and draconian initially.
We've had a total of 909 deaths to date over here-less than a current 1day total in UK and most everyone completely gets on board with whatever rules are implemented here-thats the big difference I can see...
We've just had a lady(a cleaner in a Brisbane quarantine hotel)contract the UK strain and the QLD premiere immediately placed the entire city and greater Bris locked down for 3 days..our internal state borders closed again..No new cases since this happened 2 days ago.. People may slag off the Govt over here but I know that im bloody glad we dont live in the UK any more seeing the stats and talking to mates over there .

[quote StatisticalSense]@PinkSparklyPussyCat
Not as cruel as closing take-aways, or even coffee shops, in the middle of winter when a sizable number of people rely on such establishments in order to have access to hot food and drinks.[/quote]
Nonsense

He should stop all the people taking the absolute piss when it comes to keyworker places in schools. I know loads of SAHPs who are sending their children in because the other parent is a keyworker. They’re not genuinely in need, they just can’t be arsed. Fair play if you’re both keyworkers working outside the home. Otherwise, stop spreading the virus and thinking your need for a ‘break’ is greater than the need to stop the pandemic ASAP. Really winds me up!

The success of lockdown in Australia is significantly due to the restrictions on travel into and out of regions (much bigger than our regions) and the country as a whole. ,

@benedicto

The success of lockdown in Australia is significantly due to the restrictions on travel into and out of regions (much bigger than our regions) and the country as a whole. ,

And not due to the 5 km for your exercise walk. 10 km would not be any less safe.

@StCharlotte

Capital punishment for my neighbour's son who despite testing positive this week went out earlier this afternoon.

JOKE!

Maybe

Seriously though, I do think multiple bubbles should be banned. Well I think they are actually. But, for example, if your Mum is your childcare bubble, she could also be your emotional support bubble.

The point is most bubbles are are not being used as intended. People are using childcare bubbles as "social" support bubbles and then claiming another under another "need" such as baby under 12 months. Remove the bubbles and the ambiguity that is being applied. The fewer elements that can be misinterpreted etc, the fewer contacts people will have hopefully. Or at least then its possible to state what is wilful rule breaking. Likewise the absurdity of wilko/bnm/others being an essential is madness. Get back to absolute basics. If we're going to get this under control, we're going to need to lose some of these niceties temporarily too.

@Toocold

Why oh why does everyone calling for an extreme lock down not realise we need a sodding economy to pay for the NHS!

Yeah I have to say reading this thread, I suspect a lot of people are not fully appreciating the long term impact of these measures. These measures will cause untold poverty and hardship (furlough and the amnesty on evictions are not forever), and the downturn in GDP will have a terrible effect on public health and life expectancy.

For my part, I support this lockdown (the NHS being overwhelmed terrifies me), but there’s only so far you can go. I agree we could tighten up working from home, and better educate people on support bubbles, but I don agree you just keep going tighter, tougher, harder because there is a horrendous cost to these measures.

So @WombatChocolate I would turn your question on it’s head and say at what point do you say you’ve inflicted such harsh measures on the country which will cripple the country (socio-economically vulnerable in particular) for a generation, and rates are still going up, so it’s time to accept that we have to wait for the vaccine? Or is there no limit to the restrictions you would impose?

It’s all a balancing act, but I feel the harms of lockdowns are not being given due weight because people can’t yet fully see he worst of those harms.

All the nurses and health care professionals that I know are the secondary earners within their households.

The reality is that if a school place wasn't available for their child they would not go to work. Their partner / husband wouldn't step in and provide childcare because as a family unit they couldn't cope without the primary salary.

It's wrong on many levels but that's the way it is.

[quote minisoksmakehardwork]@whoamitojudge - are your supermarket staff still wearing masks? Very few checkout staff are wearing them in ours, even though I thought they had been introduced for staff too, regardless of any screens etc.

[/quote]
The law says that you don't have to wear them in covid secure areas (behind screens) if you don't want to. I work in a supermarket so I've looked up the law and every time there's a change in tiers, lockdownss etc I've checked. You can if you want but you don't have to.

@Chaotic45

All the nurses and health care professionals that I know are the secondary earners within their households.

The reality is that if a school place wasn't available for their child they would not go to work. Their partner / husband wouldn't step in and provide childcare because as a family unit they couldn't cope without the primary salary.

It's wrong on many levels but that's the way it is.

This is true of several of my friends actually.

I will riot if playgrounds are shut again. I’ve followed every single bloody rule but a walk does not meet a 5 year old’s physical needs. Playgrounds are not causing this mess and my daughter is already sacrificing her right to an education.

@Curlygirl06 - thank you. I was very confused because for ages people were wearing them, even behind their screens. Then I noticed they weren't. Although in some shops this is staff without screens too. But as you shouldn't challenge because you don't know circumstances, I don't.

So, where is the science behind curfews that would suggest they would help?

If you have to be in your house, then you can't be out mixing with anyone else? Fairly sure the science says that not mixing means you can't spread infection.

Would there normally be anyone out and about to mix with after the time proposed for a curfew? Is people mixing outside in the dark really driving the spread of Covid? Surely not!

Deprivation is a risk factor for Covid deaths. Shutting down the economy still further and driving yet more families into poverty would surely exacerbate this and be counterproductive (data from ONS)

@HarryLimeFoxtrot where I live there are significant amounts of older teenagers out and mixing after dark.

I know because I see them whilst walking my dog.

In the summer they were out in big groups having a whale of a time.

The groups are smaller now, and they don't look to be having much fun but they are there hanging about for hours.

TBH I really feel for them. But in terms of rules they aren't following them.

The restrictions are fine as they are, it's people not adhering to them and no consequences for those that aren't.

So many people out and about, they can simply claim 'daily exercise' or 'shopping' no one will question them or check.
No schools locally are requesting proof of parents key worker status, those that aren't key workers call and say how their child count cope at home last time so they let them in because they're vulnerable.

So many local businesses proudly announcing on social media that they've found a way to stay open, either under the guise of click and collect (meet round the back door and come in) or they suddenly have started serving food or medication so all of a sudden they're 'essential.'

Businesses forcing workers in despite their ability to work at home. Refusing to consider furlough.

Whole extended family and friends groups meeting 'accidentally' in supermarkets.

People are taking the piss, getting away with it so doing it more and more frequently.

I'm in health care, I'm so, so tired and frustrated of the busy roads, the high streets full and everyone carrying on like their misdemeanour doesn't have an impact, like thousands of deaths aren't being recorded daily.

What will it take for people to do what the fuck they're told? No one is asking you to physically fight a war, you're being asked to stay at home as much as possible

Boris is in no position to in prison us any further destroying our livelihoods and freedom especially when all and sundry can fly in and out the UK whenever they want. I have had enough of this now.

[quote minisoksmakehardwork]@Curlygirl06 - thank you. I was very confused because for ages people were wearing them, even behind their screens. Then I noticed they weren't. Although in some shops this is staff without screens too. But as you shouldn't challenge because you don't know circumstances, I don't. [/quote]
On the shop floor and on the fresh food counters they have to be worn as there's no screens. Behind screens they don't. However, some stores, and I can only speak for mine, may insist that they want them worn everywhere, I don't know. I have seen in our local Morrisons a sign in the screens saying that cashiers don't have to wear them by law if they don't want to, so perhaps they've been questioned by the public? I can assure you, the law says you don't have to. Also if you're exempt you don't have to and you don't need to explain that to anyone.

Why all the opposition to support bubbles onMN?! My bubble takes me up to a household of 5, why on earth would you begrudge me that ! We act as one household! I see families of 4 and 5 everywhere - absolutely no difference .

[quote Ylvamoon]@bluebellscorner our country council run parks / reservoir were closed & policed during lockdown #1.
Many people do actually use the street / pavement for exercise in a regular basis. Just thinking about the joggers...
I have avoided said parks for a long time now, as they are very crowded at the moment. I take my dogs for walks around an nearby industrial estate... not ideal but it has plenty of space and just a few scattered walkers.[/quote]
I live in Central London so no industrial estates or other open spaces to enjoy. I don't find our local parks crowded all so perhaps we are lucky or have happened to take our walks during more quiet times, what do I know. I just feel that three months of walking around town seeing nothing but closed shops and meeting other pedestrians who are stressing about distancing would be rather gloomy - and I can't see how this would be the magic cure against covid either

If we mean childcare bubble , then say that. But support bubbles for single adults will stay - whether in law or not - we won’t be giving them up.