Restrictions to be eased at Easter *MNHQ title edit to remind everyone not to get their hopes up.*

[sally067]

Not sure if it was mentioned in another thread but I saw tonight that it looks like the Government plans are that we will see this lockdown lifted at the beginning of April.

twitter.com/tnewtondunn/status/1351313981894483970

This thread of tweets seems to suggest that cities will likely only go back into Tier's 3 and 4 though so we'll still be in a lockdown of sorts until May regardless of the vaccine rollout due to the shear number of cases at present. I guess any hope of things opening in February or March were a bit of a long shot with the new variant.

All seems so endless. Easter is 12 weeks or 51 working days away. I've never wished my life away so much and really hope we get an early Spring.

I'm feeling increasing despair that we are never going to get out of this and things will never be the same again. We will always be in some kind of restrictive state, or under the threat of being thrust back into one.

I don't trust the government one bit and every single one of us is going to suffer I'm sorry, I'm just feeling so hopeless about it all today.

@Katie517 spot on!

[quote Beebityboo]Here Marsha

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-uk-to-look-very-carefully-at-vaccine-dosing-after-concerns-raised-over-level-of-protection-12193205[/quote]
Thanks

@LizardWar could I ask when and where Sage have said this. I’ve never seen or heard this?

Then at Easter it won't be safe enough and we'll still be here until September.

At this point I honestly don't care anymore so long as schools reopen as soon as they can.

I'm absolutely fed up of our children losing out due to the older population and nhs, I'm fed up of sub standard shitty home learning that my child refuses to engage in, I'm fed up that I'm starting a new job in 2 weeks and instead of the usual excitement you should feel I'm worried about how my child is going to manage at home with my DP and very little learning will be done as he has a busy job.

The Mh impact on families is astronomical

This is criminal. A whole year of people's lives under restrictions, bar a few weeks, and here in the NW it's been raining hard every day so it's effectively house arrest. How do they expect some workers to fund themselves until Easter, not everybody meets the criteria for Government help.

Steven Swinford @steven_swinford
Patrick Vallance gives strong warning about releasing lockdown too quickly

'It's worth remembering the definition of insanity by Einstein which is doing same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome

'Every time you release it too quickly you get that upswing'

He said Easter AT THE EARLIEST!!

Do we really think we'll be in a best-scanario for a restriction easing by then?!!

I'm thinking not.

I will likely get shot down on here for saying this but just see others if it's affecting your mental health, don't wait for a specific day when the Government says you're allowed to.

*Patrick Vallance gives strong warning about releasing lockdown too quickly

'It's worth remembering the definition of insanity by Einstein which is doing same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome

'Every time you release it too quickly you get that upswing'*

AND YET. Here we are, doing the same thing, for a third time. That doesn't fucking work obviously. This is a seasonal virus. We are ruining an entire generation for a seasonal virus.

We wouldn't have had to save the NHS at all if people hadn't repeatedly fucking voted for Tory governments who have been defunding and dismantling it for the last decade. We wouldn't have shit home learning if the education system hadn't been being defunded and dismantled for the last decade. People wouldn't be in such extreme poverty if the welfare system hadn't been dismantled and defunded for the last decade.

When are people going to wake up and see that the problem isn't a comparatively mild winter virus - IT'S TORIES.

I can't wait for people to stop accepting this shit and wake the fuck up.

@inquietant

I for one would not be staying in a lockdown to autumn! You can if you want, but the rest of us intend to get our lives back long before then!

Just regarding the comment about 'the rest of us' - current opinion polling (within last week) still has very high majority support for increasing lockdown measures.

The public in general is more in favour of lockdown than the government.

I don't know a soul in RL who is in favour of lockdown.

@leafygarden42

We were in Tier 4 before anyway, which didn't seem that different, to full lockdown.

I'm not sure how much I'll be rejoicing I'll be doing to be back in Tier 4.

We were in tier 4 too.

But the schools... If I'm honest I'm not sure I can cope until Easter with work, house, home education and worst I'm not sure how DD year 10 will cope with it all either.

I don't mind really about the shops and the restaurants though I worry about the awful impact on the economy but the schools make an incredible difference.

Shehz21: I don't know a soul in RL who is in favour of lockdown.
...
I do, plenty of them. They generally feel that if we had had a longer, proper lockdown first time around we'd have got it under control and wouldn't be in this position now.

People have to stick to the guidelines if we are ever going to beat this thing. It's a pain but it will be worth it.

“ I'd be happy to stay in lockdown until autumn to be honest. I'm sick of the uncertainty of 'will we won't we' go back into lockdown. I want it over and done with and if that means another 9 months of lockdown, so be it.”

Christ, no!
I've been sticking to the rules all the way through, I as much as anyone want out of this and the whole in and out game, but you seriously can't expect everyone to be fine with another 8/9 months of this?!
As awful as the virus is, there's so much more at stake - people's mental health is important too.
You can already see it on MN, with the tone of the boards lately.

@OloBo

Just issue a clear “when these conditions are met, we intend to review the opening of x, y and z

Totally agree with you. Why is this not the approach that is being taken? Aside from it being less maddeningly inaccurate, it would help focus everyone's minds on what is needed, rather than some fictitious date

@Notanotherteenmovie1

I will likely get shot down on here for saying this but just see others if it's affecting your mental health, don't wait for a specific day when the Government says you're allowed to.

I agree with you. Obviously I have DH and DDs but I won't see my parents because they are in their 80s and I'd never forgive myself if I broke restrictions and caused them illness or death. For me it's more the impact of schools being shut again and the constant worry of when, how and how long they'll open for. It's not being about to go out as I please, even just for a mooch around the shops. It's being confined to one space; where we're living, working, schooling, sleeping - every single day for almost a year! It's putting celebrations on hold all the time, birthdays, Easter, my daughter's first holy communion, Christmas and now Easter again - and so it continues. I can't go on with such a joyless fucking existence - but of course I will do because I have no other choice.

What I find incredible is that people think Scotland and NS are doing any better than BoJo. We really aren’t. We’ve been pretty much under the heaviest restrictions since September and our deaths and cases while a bit better than England’s aren’t much better really. She doesn’t bumble as much as Boris is about all there is in her favour.

@LizardWar

Independent SAGE have been very clear that lockdown must continue until the whole population is vaccinated.

There will then need to be some restrictions retained indefinitely- no indoor gatherings and no schools open full time.

It is no surprise though that the far right tories are going to be putting money over lives again by opening up too quickly.

Staying in lockdown until September and then still keeping schools closed and preventing people seeing anyone?

I wouldn’t call that putting money over lives, how many lives do you think a plan like that will cost? Even Healthy people would not cope with that, even if they did there will be no jobs, no money the suicide rate would go through the roof, people would be die through other illnesses that remain untreated. I don’t think anyone would sign up to that plan.

It will be Tier 4 or 3 at Easter at the earliest.

That means the only difference will be schools will be open in some places.

And they are unlikely to reopen schools AND shops in many places at the same time because of the effect on the R. So you can probably expect T4 in most areas following lockdown (after Easter) and will remain in that for a number of weeks while they see how the R does. And only THEN are they going to even consider reopening shops. (so T3 for the worst hit places is only likely the end of April at the earliest.

We still won't have done enough vaccinations (remember you still need 2 to 3 weeks for immunity to kick in - the scientists won't want to lift restrictions too early for that reason too) and the hospitals and case levels will only be getting back on track around then...

I think T3 is most likely option for many places at the start of May. T2 SHOULD follow relatively soon after that.

But yes I wouldn't be making plans to see many people prior to that. Its not happening. They don't want to fuck it up again.

@RedToothBrush

It will be Tier 4 or 3 at Easter at the earliest.

That means the only difference will be schools will be open in some places.

And they are unlikely to reopen schools AND shops in many places at the same time because of the effect on the R. So you can probably expect T4 in most areas following lockdown (after Easter) and will remain in that for a number of weeks while they see how the R does. And only THEN are they going to even consider reopening shops. (so T3 for the worst hit places is only likely the end of April at the earliest.

We still won't have done enough vaccinations (remember you still need 2 to 3 weeks for immunity to kick in - the scientists won't want to lift restrictions too early for that reason too) and the hospitals and case levels will only be getting back on track around then...

I think T3 is most likely option for many places at the start of May. T2 SHOULD follow relatively soon after that.

But yes I wouldn't be making plans to see many people prior to that. Its not happening. They don't want to fuck it up again.

Thank you for your sensible and measured comment. Do you see any hope for lifting the majority of restrictions by the school summer holidays?

@peak2021

I think one of the restrictions will be eased before then- some schools either regionally or by year group will be re-opened to all pupils.

I think so too - and things like outdoor sports and venues allowed again so you can run in small groups or play tennis or golf.

Yay. Just in time for everyone to dash out and see their relatives for Easter. And then...

They have said possible Easter with exception of schools

Schools will open March I’m sure

Tier 3 and even 4 are a bit different to what we have now - in tier 4 outdoor sport for kids was still allowed and you could play golf and tennis (I think) and in tier 3 gyms and hairdressers etc are allowed to open.

The main thing for me is that they continue to restrict indoor mixing as much as possible.

I was interested to read yesterday that you will have to wear medical grade masks in shops and on public transport in Germany - I wonder where the population are going to get that many masks from. Disposable too - not very eco-friendly.