Wales 5

[DdraigGoch]

The old one filled up before we could link a new one but here we are.

My hairdresser's just been in touch to ask me when I could go in for a cut early next week! She must be pretty confident that they are going to be given the go ahead to open again. She said they are getting people in for cuts first as the people wanting colours will need patch tests, which will take a couple of days. Also, she's seen me a few times (lives around the corner, we share the same "walk route") and obviously realises how much I need a hair cut!

I'm in Newport btw.

Just seen an article on BBC news saying we may go on to alert level 3 till June. So better than nothing I suppose, but... 😥

Here www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56359403

It's advice only, though, so...

@Ymlaen

My daughter is in year 6, and I feel she's missed out on so much school already. I'm not happy they've cut 100 minutes off the school week. I keep hearing about "catch up" etc and it seems my daughter's school is going the other way!

We have been categorically told not to use the phrase ‘catch-up’. Our children do not need to catch-up, they simply need to continue.

When they return to school, we will be going above and beyond to not ‘catch-up’. This sort of language and perception of the situation needs to end now.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

Just seen an article on BBC news saying we may go on to alert level 3 till June. So better than nothing I suppose, but... 😥

I think some people will just drive into England if they want to have a drink or see family. Level 3 is like before Chrismtas where pubs/restaurants can open but no alcohol sold and no indoor visits with family but outdoors only. One good thing you can meet as a 4 outdoors in cafes etc. Shops will be open too. I feel sorry for the chidren in years 7-9 as it mentions staggering pupils back after Easter too. I want all the pupils I teach back, even if it is on a rota or such like. I just feel we are going back to before Christmas and I feel despondent about it.

I really was expecting things to move a lot faster than this, given how well the vaccinations were going. I do understand the reasoning behind it, but... it's hard.

My daughter's education over the last year has been very poor so cutting the school day is a further disappointment. I'm sure most schools aren't like this one.

Lots of schools are not going to have canteen provision and all children including FSM will have to bring a packed lunch and drinks for the day. This is until after Easter.

3 more months of level 3 it's madness

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

I really was expecting things to move a lot faster than this, given how well the vaccinations were going. I do understand the reasoning behind it, but... it's hard.

Do you understand the reasoning behind it? I really, really don't at this stage.

@ImAllOut well I'm trying

I know hospitals are still busier than they'd like, and the new variants are clearly causing a lot of concern. I think we'd be opening up much faster if it wasn't for that.

Despite my post earlier, I don't think Drakeford will dare fall too far out of step with England, because everyone will just fuck off over there and bring the virus back, so it'll be pointless.

I'd be happy with an approach that's somewhere in the middle between Science and Boris.

I can't believe it about level 3 until June. How can this be justified when vaccinations are going so well and the case rate is reducing every week?

Our family live too far away for be able to meet up with them outdoors for a few hours. We won't be able to see them until they can stay overnight.we haven't seen them since Christmas 2019 because of this!

So what is our way out then?

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear
I'm in the the same boat. I've only seen my brother once, not seen anyone else since 2019 either. I've booked accommodation to go and see them in July. I know it feels a long way off but it will soon be here. It's keeping me going atm. noone wants another lockdown, so it's better to opening up more slowly.

It sounds like they're planning on opening hair dressers next week before my son goes back to school. Well he will have one single day at school before Easter.

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear

So what is our way out then?

It's just silly now. The CDC in the US have said fully vaccinated people (two weeks after the second dose) can meet indoors without masks. I appreciate it's probably not the best country to be leading the way currently, but it's baffling how we can have had such strict rules for so long.

The guidelines also say fully vaccinated people can visit with unvaccinated people from a single household where there is no high risk of COVID-19. For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can visit indoors with their unvaccinated healthy daughter and her healthy children without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19.

Meanwhile we can't be trusted and the NHS we fund can't cope. Excellent...

The school day changes have been in force since September.
Every month since then WG have issued a legal notice which temporarily disapplies regulations 3 and 4 of the Changing of School Session Times (Wales) meaning schools can stagger entry and exit to avoid crowded playgrounds.
They can only issue a notice for a month at a time but I assume as long as social distancing is part of the schools guidance they will continue to issue the notices.

DS' school lopped half an hour off the school day in September and have kept it that way. Was annoying as had to change my working hours but I don't work now so it is no longer an issue.

I don't want a fucking hair cut, I want to see my family.

The world has gone mad !

How on Earth are hairdressers allowed to open before schools ! (and I don’t even have school age DC anymore )

Let alone shops ( I just want a new nightie , nothing too non essential )

Living rurally , how far is local ? I’m guessing we can go to the nearest beach

I don’t understand how we can go on internal welsh holidays but still have a stay local/five mile rule? So I can book a cottage in Pembroke (I’m in n Wales) for 29th March abs travel all that way but then be restricted to a five mile radius once I’m there, after I’ve dragged my covid germs from snowdonia anyway?

ImAllOut - totally agree. Couldn’t give a shit about a haircut or a round of golf, I need to see my mum and my auntie in a care home.

Mark Drakeford reminds me of Eyeore. He seems determined to dwell on the side of negativity.

Heaven forbid that anyone is happy ever again.

Those of you saying that people will just cross to England.... well yes they will. It’s been happening all along, whenever there are lockdown differences between England and Wales. Equally people have crossed into Wales.

The Brazil variant has been uncovered again now in South Gloucestershire. Yet still there is unchecked travel between South Wales and South Glos, where the bridges empty out. Everyone around here will be back in Cribbs Causeway to do their shopping in no time at all.

So no....I really don’t understand the strategy at all.

Yes totally agree, everyone will spend money in England if they open anything before us, and I don't blame them. I think he's only agreeing to open shops by mid April because of the English timescale. We should be opening everything 2-3 weeks ahead of England given the lockdown dates and figures?

If I was told I could meet friends or family in a restaurant in Bristol or in my garden on a rainy day, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to make the 45 minute drive.

He seems determined to dwell on the side of negativity

Yes this. A few weeks ago it was all positivity regarding how well vaccinations were going yet the closer it gets to a 3 week review it seems that something negative has to be leaked to the press. Yesterday's headlines in the BBC about us being on a knife edge seemed to coincide nicely with the FM bringing more disappointing news, even though rates are dropping daily? I just feel so frustrated.

Yes they seem to determined to bang on about low cases and high vaccination rates but not translating it into any kind of progress.

This hasn't been peer reviewed yet but there are a fair few indications that vaccines are having a positive effect:
abcnews.go.com/Health/pfizer-vaccine-shows-94-effectiveness-asymptomatic-transmission-covid/story?id=76389615

I don't understand where he's getting this "science" he's following.