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Original poster

Next announcement from Boris

376 replies

whoamitojudge · 09/01/2021 16:11

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

OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 10/01/2021 12:59

@newyearnewname123

even just wandering in the vicinity increasing footfall on top of the people who are there

That's why we backed away, when we saw how busy it was.

It's one of the issues of living in a city, trying to find a vaguely pleasant walk.

Which is why this whole idea of people being wrong to travel a few miles to someone quiet and remote is crazy!

You can never write national guidance for a whole country as central London is not rural Devon!

And that's why people need flexibility to do the right thing within guidance rather than laws that actually increase inequality.

RedskyAtnight · 10/01/2021 13:15

seriously - you want the meeting outside with 1 person to go?

I don't want it to go. But we're running out of things that can make a difference, without knock on impacts elsewhere. Studies suggest outside transmission risk is 5-10%. It's know to be higher when colder (now) and it's known that B117 is more transmissable. So the risks are not insignificant. And it's not just meeting with 1 person which is the problem - it's the fact that people that do this meet up with different people on different days, and are encouraged to go out to mix.

Iheartmysmart · 10/01/2021 13:32

Sorry but why should I give up meeting with one other person outside? She lives alone, I live alone half the week when DS is at his dad’s, we both wfh and probably go shopping once a week. We meet up every day for a walk. I absolutely refuse to give that up.

RedskyAtnight · 10/01/2021 13:49

@Iheartmysmart

Sorry but why should I give up meeting with one other person outside? She lives alone, I live alone half the week when DS is at his dad’s, we both wfh and probably go shopping once a week. We meet up every day for a walk. I absolutely refuse to give that up.
Can't you form a support bubble if she lives alone?

Unfortunately the trouble with restrictions is that they can't cater for every scenario. And will end up banning things that are actually pretty fine to do.
My daughter can't walk for more than a few minutes (hasn't been able to all since early year, but as it's not Covid, not considered an NHS priority to deal with it). That means she now can't see anyone outside of her household because sitting in the park and talking to a friend doesn't count 'as exercise. But somehow no one wrote this scenario into the restrictions. She's sucking it up as for the greater good.

Delta1 · 10/01/2021 13:53

There isn't much left that can go. Places of Worship and Nurseries will no doubt close. There's lot much else. But it's people mixing indoors that is the problem and closing more stuff down won't stop that.

Woodenhearted · 10/01/2021 14:13

Places of worship definitely needs to go there’s no need. The worship/praying part of any religion can be done at home that’s the great thing about god he can hear you from anywhere doesn’t need to be from a specific location

MrsCalypsoGrant · 10/01/2021 14:13

I appreciate that everyone at the moment claims to know someone who is 'in the know' but I actually do (friend in Cabinet Office, though of course no-one has to believe a random on a forum!) & the decision has been taken that support bubbles will be the very last thing to go, only at a time when the nation is virtually shut. The rationale is that closing them would make the most lonely & vulnerable even more so & would be both cruel & unsustainable. They know people wouldn't observe it so it seeks to endanger what public compliance they have left at this stage.

CharBart · 10/01/2021 14:52

Current case numbers are still from Christmas mixing (c.7 days for symptoms to show, test a couple of days later, results reported a couple of days after that). Plus the close contacts they infected afterwards. Christmas mixing cases will just be starting to show in hospital numbers. So it is too early to say if current lockdown measures will bring case numbers down, we won’t see infections from this week in figures until later next week.
Interesting to see people fixate again on what is most visible to them: people being outside. What’s likely to be much more of an issue is people working together in workplaces where infection spreads. Many of these workplaces need to be open but plenty could have people working from home.

Delta1 · 10/01/2021 15:22

@MrsCalypsoGrant

I appreciate that everyone at the moment claims to know someone who is 'in the know' but I actually do (friend in Cabinet Office, though of course no-one has to believe a random on a forum!) & the decision has been taken that support bubbles will be the very last thing to go, only at a time when the nation is virtually shut. The rationale is that closing them would make the most lonely & vulnerable even more so & would be both cruel & unsustainable. They know people wouldn't observe it so it seeks to endanger what public compliance they have left at this stage.
Any inside info on schools?!
Dawnlassie · 10/01/2021 15:38

I wonder if they made an announcement that hospitals are now unable to accept further patients, that might stop people fucking about. Its not far from the truth anyway.

Lockdownbear · 10/01/2021 15:39

@MrsCalypsoGrant

I appreciate that everyone at the moment claims to know someone who is 'in the know' but I actually do (friend in Cabinet Office, though of course no-one has to believe a random on a forum!) & the decision has been taken that support bubbles will be the very last thing to go, only at a time when the nation is virtually shut. The rationale is that closing them would make the most lonely & vulnerable even more so & would be both cruel & unsustainable. They know people wouldn't observe it so it seeks to endanger what public compliance they have left at this stage.
That is very good to hear, because the line between support and caring for a vulnerable person is incredibly thin and grey.

Fingers crossed that the numbers start to drop soon, after the Christmas and NY mixing.

LickEmbysmiling · 10/01/2021 16:00

Mrs calypso, can you pass onto the cabinet please that targeting people from the sitting on a bench is ridiculous, and police need to work on the harder to find and catch transient population eg people meeting in parks after dark to drink and do drugs? Gangs and so on, unregulated hmos... And so on.

Chaotic45 · 10/01/2021 16:19

@Dawnlassie

I wonder if they made an announcement that hospitals are now unable to accept further patients, that might stop people fucking about. Its not far from the truth anyway.
They can't suddenly make something up that isn't true? I accept that it may be looming but it's just not true.

What would that do to the already fragile public confidence?

What about people who need to go to hospital and have been tile it is full?

Emmie12345 · 10/01/2021 17:44

@MrsCalypsoGrant

I appreciate that everyone at the moment claims to know someone who is 'in the know' but I actually do (friend in Cabinet Office, though of course no-one has to believe a random on a forum!) & the decision has been taken that support bubbles will be the very last thing to go, only at a time when the nation is virtually shut. The rationale is that closing them would make the most lonely & vulnerable even more so & would be both cruel & unsustainable. They know people wouldn't observe it so it seeks to endanger what public compliance they have left at this stage.
Phew this is reassuring

Though I am sure it will come to it that we are literally under curfew in about a month’s time (

JanewaysBun · 10/01/2021 17:53

At my place of worship they said they are now closing (by choice but think the rest will be told to close)

Surfdayssun · 10/01/2021 18:46

I have to agree with those who have mentioned school places. Back in March there were 8 children in DD’s school who’s parents were key workers. Since going back after Christmas the school currently has 85 children in and 50% of the staff to enable these children to be cared for safely, however DD year bubble which is a mixed class of year 3/4 is currently at 30 children. This isn’t ideal and even the head has said it completely defeats the point of reduce numbers.
Where have all these key workers from? I know some people are adapting their job titles to fit the criteria! Should it be critical workers only?

Emmie12345 · 10/01/2021 18:51

People who work in Costa for eg count as key workers currently! Madness

Surfdayssun · 10/01/2021 19:28

@Emmie12345 that’s exactly what I mean. The list of key workers are huge but some of these are not essential and very different to critical workers. There is no way that in my DD’s school situation that 22 children’s parents are now both suddenly working in key worker/critical worker roles but wernt in March.

Dugee · 10/01/2021 20:15

We've had letters stating we are key workers. Agree that the front line in our organisation are key workers, these are people who are also out on site. I am not a key worker, I work in Marketing. DD is entitled to a school place apparently but she's staying at home.

Ledkr · 10/01/2021 21:40

The school i work in has sent out an email asking parents to reconsider sending their child in. It has low nunbers in school. About 6 per year.
My daughters school has sent nothing and has about 50% attendance Shock

RedToothBrush · 10/01/2021 22:43

Front page of the Telegraph tomorrow.
Headline Ministers consider tightening lockdown.

Key points:
People from different households exercising together, top of the list of things under consideration as its being used as an excuse for people to go for a coffee in the park.
Introduction of wearing masks in offices
A focus on supermarkets after fears some had relaxe the rules putting customers at risk (they will be reminded about one way systems, customers wearing masks and customers properly distancing)
Expanding rules on mask wearing to outdoor queues

Front Page of the Times
Shops told to get tough on the Covid rule breakers

Shops face being legally required to enforce mask wearing
Ensuring that limits on people in store are carried out

Front Page of the Guardian
Stricter rules could be on the way as mass vaccination centres open

This doesn't say what is rumoured to be top of the list - only that Hancock refused to rule tighter restrictions out.

Pastanred · 10/01/2021 23:45

So basically the new potential rules are minimal and ones no one can enforce!!

It’s bubble and workplaces which allow cross generational mixing

Not supermarkets and outdoor spaces

Who stands next to someone in a Supermarket for 15 mins

CountessFrog · 11/01/2021 00:16

Agreed.

PrincessNutNuts · 11/01/2021 02:21

They really should tighten up on masks and distancing in supermarkets.

But all this talking about maybe toughening up in 5 days or 9 feels a bit like giving the horse plenty of time to bolt before you shut the stable door.

(I do understand that they are waiting to see if this lockdown brings the numbers down enough.)

Turtleshelly · 11/01/2021 02:48

Quiet remote places cease to be quiet and remote when people drive there en masse as happens where I live.

We have to avoid most of our own area in lockdowns because it’s too busy.

We also have a ridiculously high rate of Covid for a rural village.