Breaking News Boris press conference tonight 14/05/21

[Whichjab]

So, is Monday under threat? Change to school masks or hugs?

@RedcurrantPuff

I think the government think our heads button up the back

Before Christmas - misguided easing planned - Kent variant conveniently rocks up to kybosh it
Now - misguided easing planned - Indian variant rolls along

Honestly why are people falling for this total bullshit.

And,as usual, you're conveniently ignoring the facts. Following the concern over the Kent variant we did have huge numbers of hospitalisations & deaths and a lockdown was required to prevent it being even worse.

So WTAF do you want a repeat if that with the Indian variant?

Why not wait 2-3 weeks to see if the Indian variant is or isn't more transmissible &/or more deadly???

Stupidity & popularity AGAIN.

@Leonardsgirl

I'd like to understand what all those people travelling to and from India were doing. It's been illegal to travel for leisure so all these people were travelling for business? "

They didn't need to be travelling on business.

If you actually look at the UK guidance of "reasonable excuse(s) for travel abroad" here:

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-declaration-form-for-international-travel

You'll see a whole host of reasons such as caring for family, funerals, weddings of close family members, and more.

Of course the need to quarantine as/where appropriate on return to the UK but some travel for non business purposes was allowed.

The ban was on travel solely for holiday/leisure purposes.

I'd like to understand what all those people travelling to and from India were doing. It's been illegal to travel for leisure so all these people were travelling for business? Was their paperwork checked? Was anyone not travelling for business, and if so, were they fined Some of them were doing 'essential' things like going to weddings and funerals I would imagine. Know it's not India but that poor British girl who was gunned down in Pakistan a few weeks ago had gone over with her family for a wedding in February - they'd come back but she'd decided to stay on.

Before Christmas - misguided easing planned - Kent variant conveniently rocks up to kybosh it

very strange interpretation - did all the subsequent deaths pass you by, or are you a full-blown conspiracy theorist who thinks the death stats were lies?

Not sure the Kent variant was convenient for the tens of thousands of people it killed, which would have been multiplied many times without the (admittedly too late) lockdown.

Why not wait 2-3 weeks to see if the Indian variant is or isn't more transmissible &/or more deadly???

Because it’s never just 2/3 weeks is it. Our kids were supposed to have a “week of online learning” in January. It ended up being 3 months. This government are corrupt and lie constantly. Why does anyone believe a single thing they come out with?

@RedcurrantPuff

Why not wait 2-3 weeks to see if the Indian variant is or isn't more transmissible &/or more deadly???

Because it’s never just 2/3 weeks is it. Our kids were supposed to have a “week of online learning” in January. It ended up being 3 months. This government are corrupt and lie constantly. Why does anyone believe a single thing they come out with?

The fact it went so disastrously is an argument for being more cautious now, not less.

@picturesandpickles

Before Christmas - misguided easing planned - Kent variant conveniently rocks up to kybosh it

very strange interpretation - did all the subsequent deaths pass you by, or are you a full-blown conspiracy theorist who thinks the death stats were lies?

Not sure the Kent variant was convenient for the tens of thousands of people it killed, which would have been multiplied many times without the (admittedly too late) lockdown.

No I don’t think that. I am just extremely cynical how every time there is a planned easing a variant rolls around. Why is it you can’t express any cynicism or doubt without being called a conspiracy theorist? We are being totally played by the corrupt government and people are falling for it.

@RedcurrantPuff

Why not wait 2-3 weeks to see if the Indian variant is or isn't more transmissible &/or more deadly???

Because it’s never just 2/3 weeks is it. Our kids were supposed to have a “week of online learning” in January. It ended up being 3 months. This government are corrupt and lie constantly. Why does anyone believe a single thing they come out with?

I wholeheartedly agree they lie and are corrupt - but that doesn't mean that covid should be ignored.

You are drawing the wrong conclusions.

Listen to those who we know don't lie - scientists and doctors. Stop falling for Johnson's nonsense.

I guess the restrictions on weddings in India were different to here? So we couldn’t

have a wedding of more than a few people. Yet it was fine to travel abroad to another country, attend a large wedding then fly back. The law doesn’t make any sense. I think many people will have been postponing weddings over here so why are they essential travel?

Other countries wouldn’t have a wedding on their list for essential travel.

If we’re giving up so much time and time again. Essential really needs to be essential. 8,000 people arriving from India every day and that was all essential? And no it doesn’t look like the quarantine worked for whatever reason so no point saying ‘it’s ok they quarantined’.

I'd like to understand what all those people travelling to and from India were doing. It's been illegal to travel for leisure so all these people were travelling for business? Was their paperwork checked? Was anyone not travelling for business, and if so, were they fined?

The management of this, while the rest of us sat at home, sticking to the rules, was disgraceful. And now look where we are.

My profession has been decimated by this. Everything I've worked for has gone. And yet it continues because we allowed people to think the rules don't apply to them. Or so it seems. I'd just like to understand why they were travelling. Did anyone check people were quarantining?

I agree. I've known friend s who have gone abroad (their family were there - south Africa and Australia) and there has literally been no alternative but to enter a quarantine hotel. The plane landed, everyone goes on a coach to a mandatory hotel quarantine. A friend returned to the uk from NZ in the first peak, and wasnt required to quarantine at all. NZ probably posed no risk, but they would have travelled through several airports by the time they got to Heathrow...where they were free to travel on public transport.
A family member returned from Korea during the first peak. She was meant to quarantine for 14 days but used to go for a walk or bike ride at 5 or 6am. Whilst technically not allowed that probably posed minimal risk to others but the point was that there was nothing, or nobody stopping her.

There has been a year to get proper quarantine in place and see how other countries are doing it (and possibly provide a income for coach companies/caterers/hotels etc) but it still seems to be very much voluntary and exemptions

@AlmostSummer21

Wow you really love the lockdown life don’t you!

@Bagamoyo1

No, I don't. That's such a stupid thing to say.

I'd prefer a couple more weeks as we were (which was not a full lockdown) to investigate the Indian variant and see how it needs to be handled than rush into this next really big lifting of restrictions & risk going back into a harsher lockdown

How the living fuck people interpret that as 'lockdown loving' I don't know. I just assume it's lack of understanding about virus transmission & the consequences. After 16 months you'd think people would have a clue, but seemingly not

As soon as you mention hesitancy around lockdown reopening you are an instant ‘Lockdown Lover, frothing at the mouth desperate to rob everyone of their civil liberties, engulfing everyone in your cloud of doom.’

It’s the MN rules, try saying something on the Covid Good news thread that is remotely realistic and truthful and you’re immediately a doomplopper bursting their positively naive bubbles.

You’re right though, it’s a total lack of understanding about how quickly our situation could spiral out of control, some people just can not see the bigger picture. They think it’s the government trying to control their lives and we are manifesting it by having a discussion on a forum 🙄

Or a better way of putting it is let’s not restrict people anymore unless we have proof

No proof people will get sicker

No proof it evades vaccines

I don’t care if half the country get covid as long as infection is mild

Honestly some people have become so scared - honestly just get back out there living and back to work like the rest of us - it’s a joke calling for lockdowns when deaths ‘with covid’ are stupidly low and infections still not rising

No I don’t think that. I am just extremely cynical how every time there is a planned easing a variant rolls around. Why is it you can’t express any cynicism or doubt without being called a conspiracy theorist? We are being totally played by the corrupt government and people are falling for it.

@RedcurrantPuff you are correct to distrust the government but IMO you are going in the wrong direction. In these matters go back to the science. The truth is Johnson is overconfident and does not take covid seriously enough - not that he is overstaing it.

You are doubting the reality of the covid situation, which implies yoou think it is manufactured. belieiving the government is manufacturing a crisis is the very definition of a conspiracy theory.

Questioning the political response is one thing, questioning the reality fo the facts our scientists are telling us is consipracy theory.

Listen to those who we know don't lie - scientists and doctors.

And who are also sitting pretty in secure jobs caring not one shiny shit about the economy, the tanking of which has further implications for people’s health and well-being.

We’ve always known cases and deaths will increase once things reopen. We can’t keep them shut forever to avoid it. It’s always “just a few more weeks, jam tomorrow” etc.

Sage advise on covid

Boris also listens to all the other scientists and advisors on economy, hospital waiting lists, people losing homes, kids education

Sage are not the only scientists advising the government

You are doubting the reality of the covid situation,

Not agreeing with you doesn’t make me a conspiracy theorist.

@RedcurrantPuff

Listen to those who we know don't lie - scientists and doctors.

And who are also sitting pretty in secure jobs caring not one shiny shit about the economy, the tanking of which has further implications for people’s health and well-being.

We’ve always known cases and deaths will increase once things reopen. We can’t keep them shut forever to avoid it. It’s always “just a few more weeks, jam tomorrow” etc.

Would you prefer the decisions were made by Jeff teh Deliveroo worker?

Of course our leading scientists are in secure jobs, we'd be pretty fucked up if they weren't.

The fact they are exceedingly highly qualified and experienced is not a reason not to trust them.

Covid denial is common but not a sensible starting point. People will discount you because all of your opinions are based on a misunderstanding of how serious a risk the virus is to our way of life.

Thanks to those who have corrected me about reasons for travel. If it was permitted, then people had the right to go.

As others have said, incomprehensible that only tiny weddings and funerals were permitted here, yet attending gatherings, possibly large ones, overseas was allowed.

I still believe there has been a huge failure to check on quarantine.

@RedcurrantPuff

You are doubting the reality of the covid situation,

Not agreeing with you doesn’t make me a conspiracy theorist.

No, but believing that variants come along 'conveniently' does make you a conspiracy theorist.

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

Whatever they are paying Whitty to tolerate this it's not enough.

I'll provide the poor man an alibi.

@EnoughnowIthink

Why should we be restricted because others choose to carry on acting as if nothing has happened, mixing, ignoring rules and refusing vaccines?

It’s way more complex than that. You are blaming multi-generational living, poverty, people in jobs where rates and transmission is high etc.

But NONE of that prevents them having a FREE vaccine. The uptake is incredibly low in areas where the Indian variant of growing exponentially.

What's the excuse for that?

I am beyond dismayed that we were doing so well but because of these lax reasons to travel overseas, a new variant has snuck in and has already been allowed to spread. How can anyone know about the restriction on wedding/funeral numbers over here but think it's permissable to travel abroad to be at mass gatherings (and then come back and not have to quarantine as the rule until very reasonably)?

@picturesandpickles I agree with you.

@sadperson16

Just to give you a heads up ( especially the racists), the original Bolton Spike was caused by a stupid young white guy who was infected on holiday, refused to follow the rules and drank in numerous pubs...thereby infecting multiple people.

It is not racist. The fact is that vaccine take up is significantly lower in some populations.

The twat that infected a lot of people should be dealt with seriously. Absolutely.

However, it's highly unlikely to have spread like this if the vaccine had been had & the people in those areas had been following the rules, not having mass gatherings & meeting up inside peoples houses

I think a lot of people from all backgrounds had gatherings and met up inside other peoples houses.
My neighbours have been very very quietly doing exactly as they please from day one.