Tighter restrictions? What else can be "tighter"??

[R2221]

Schools closed, work places closed, nailbars, hairdressers, clothes shops, closed. My high street is dead and a couple of big shops are permanently closing down. We've been totally indoors, going out only to get grocery and exercise.

Oh, gyms are closed, no play dates, birthdays, dinners or even coffee with friends. WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO STOP THE SPREAD??? What would "tighter" restrictions mean? To me, next tighter level means no grocery and exercise :(

My local hospital is totally full. I don't understand why.

Curfew 7pm - 7am, medical emergencies and work only.
No bubbles.
Exercise only with family or alone near to home, small zone re 1 mile.
Encourage online food shopping, one person per family, limit visits, via scan codes.
Police patrols and controls, very strict, no fines, send people home.

To do this the treasury need to expand fiscal support.

There are lots of shops that are open which are full of people (from what I see on social media) buying non essential things like Valentine's Day ornaments and decorating supplies, shops like B&M need to restrict sales to cleaning supplies and food. Supermarkets likewise shouldn't be selling clothes and TVs.

There are too many dc in schools, still lots more restrictions that could be imposed.

I hope support bubbles are left in place, maybe with a curfew, for single adult households it's a lifeline, I think some clarification on the rules is needed I've heard of various people who seem to be in multiple bubbles which can't be right. I

Curfew 7pm - 7am, medical emergencies and work only. If you're a shift worker and you'd normally do your shopping or exercise at night, screw you. If you're vulnerable and so do these things at night when it's quiet, screw you. Not to mention the increased pressure on shops, some of whom just got their operational hours halved.
No bubbles. Alone and vulnerable? Not seen another adult for months let alone has one touch you? Screw it, no one's reporting the suicide rate.
Encourage online food shopping fine but how do you think supermarkets can magically create came and drivers and packer's? limit visits so will you cancel the shipping limits? I could only buy two boxes of formula let visit last time, that's no use of I only go weekly

Police patrols and controls, very strict, no fines, send people home. I do think we don't need enough police to police every street on every town, we need enough for a show of action. If you knew that the family down the road for dinner, you'll think twice. If you know that someone is checking postcodes before you're allowed to use X it'll make people think twice.

Supermarkets likewise shouldn't be selling clothes on what planet are clothes not essential, especially in Winter??

The tube in C London was quite shocking on Saturday. I had to travel for a medical appointment and it was packed. Not everyone was wearing a mask. Police were patrolling and telling them to cover.

@SleepingStandingUp

Supermarkets likewise shouldn't be selling clothes on what planet are clothes not essential, especially in Winter??

The planet Wales!

Hopefully Welsh people are now allowed to buy things like socks and books though!

sleepingstandingup OK so kids clothes maybe because they grown out of things, but do adults need new clothes just because it's winter? Last years fashions will still keep you warm.

Just think through the no selling clothes in supermarkets thing. It’s a huge amount of effort for very little payoff in terms of minimising covid transmission. Just saying “but people don’t need it!” is (1) not accurate and (2) creating pointless work for supermarket employees and people who have to make decisions about what the rules are and where there are exceptions

It's more that selling non essential things like clothes encourages people to go to the supermarket or Home Bargains or wherever, you can pick up wash powder and browse clothes, electric goods, toys, soft furnishings etc. it makes it a trip out when there's little else to do.

*fined for having a different belief? wow- that sets an interesting president, doesn't it? Slightly reminiscent of Germany quite a few years back. Should we make them all wear badges, too?

(and i 100% do believe its real btw)*

Yes. Because it is not public health issue. How would you react if it was ebola or anything more deadly?
I do believe that there is a fine line between personal opinion/choice and societal responsibility.
In all honesty I think that line was crossed long ago with a bus saying £350m/week for the NHS.

@ElfieElfington

sleepingstandingup OK so kids clothes maybe because they grown out of things, but do adults need new clothes just because it's winter? Last years fashions will still keep you warm.

Mine won't as they don't actually fit from last year.

COVID deniers should be fined.

So you want to start policing peoples' opinions now? Jesus, this gets worse by the minute.

(And I'm not a covid denier)

Tightening of keyworker criteria (schools)

Last time we tried to avoid online grocery shopping so those slots would be available for elderly and vulnerable plus going to the supermarket was something to do outside the house. Is that the right thing to do ?

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

COVID deniers should be fined.

So you want to start policing peoples' opinions now? Jesus, this gets worse by the minute.

(And I'm not a covid denier)

how is a covid denier different than someone advocating for mass murder or a serial killer doing a promo tour? And yet, you'd be very happy if those were fined/jailed.

Yes. Because it is not public health issue. How would you react if it was ebola or anything more deadly? I still don't want thought-police charging people for wrong-thoughts. People should be punished for their actions. If they break the rules, fine. If they have their own thoughts, you don't get a say.
If they're "inciting" something with protests or hate speech again it's their actions you police

how is a covid denier different than someone advocating for mass murder or a serial killer doing a promo tour? And yet, you'd be very happy if those were fined/jailed. How is Aunty Ethel saying she doesn't believe an this covid nonsense and is just the government wanting to make money but she'd better stick to the rules because she doesn't want the police knocking on her for comparable to inciting violence?

how is a covid denier different than someone advocating for mass murder or a serial killer doing a promo tour? And yet, you'd be very happy if those were fined/jailed.

@SleepingStandingUp has summed it up perfectly.

@user1497207191 I live in a small village and there's a lot of rule breaking going on. Teenagers are having parties in the woods most weekends, I know people with several support bubbles, there's no social distancing in the street. There are no police around, or anyone else of authority, to encourage people to stick to the rules.

I've heard talk about them saying you can only leave the house once a week! I don't mind staying in personally but I would really struggle with getting enough food and household supplies in to last that time. All through the last lockdown and this one I've always had to go to the shop at least once a day!

@rookiemere

Last time we tried to avoid online grocery shopping so those slots would be available for elderly and vulnerable plus going to the supermarket was something to do outside the house. Is that the right thing to do ?

No because you can't win. You're just wrong.

Booked a slot to avoid the shops? You selfish dick. Someone vulnerable might have needed that.
Used the shop to avoid booking a slot? You selfish dick, spreading your dirty germs around the key workers. If it wasn't for you they could all go home.

@AlphaJura

I've heard talk about them saying you can only leave the house once a week! I don't mind staying in personally but I would really struggle with getting enough food and household supplies in to last that time. All through the last lockdown and this one I've always had to go to the shop at least once a day!

Unfortunately people won't understand that if you're getting benefits etc paid on different days, if you don't drive and can't afford taxis or if you can't physically carry a ton of shopping then you can't just go once a week and buy everything you need.

I don’t understand why some areas comply and some don’t.

Strict compliance where l am. Masks on everyone. Local shops deserted, queuing to get in. No teens hanging round. All inside doing lessons. My 14 year old hasn’t left the house since lockdown.

@ElfieElfington

sleepingstandingup OK so kids clothes maybe because they grown out of things, but do adults need new clothes just because it's winter? Last years fashions will still keep you warm.

My children are in adult sized clothes. Their stuff from last year doesn't fit. I'm not sure they'd be happy to walk around naked

Actually making it affordable to self isolate would be a good idea. I can't work out why they're happy to pay healthy people 80% of their wage to stay at home, but people with covid who can't be furloughed get nothing.

Only people who are already on benefits are guaranteed to get the £500. The discretionary version is a joke - most people get turned down, with reasons I've heard cited including that the council has run out of money, or the person doesn't have 3 years worth of tax returns.

If I get a phone call telling me to self isolate, I'd be expected to totally shut down my business for 10 days, bin perishable stock, refund customers, still pay out for all my business overheads and still have all my personal expenses (rent, council tax etc) to pay.

And I'd get nothing - not a penny in help. I wouldn't even get SSP. I haven't even received SEISS because I went self employed after April 2019. I'm fucking skint, after most of my work was cancelled.

It's worth noting that the penalty for not self isolating (Wales, first offence) is £60. The penalty for not paying your council tax (even if you can't pay because you've self isolated) is up to 3 months in prison. It's self evident which is considered a higher priority.

Why are people like me expected to choose between self isolating and paying the rent / council tax? As things stand, the entirely rational choice is just to keep working.