To think they should pause meeting inside

[LastOrdersMaura]

In the last person to be overly concerned about the virus but the SAGE minutes show that there is something to be concerned about.
I think the economy can't take anymore and I really feel for all the businesses who are gearing up for opening on Monday. My friends cafe hasn't opened since October last year so she missed all the Christmas trade and has no outside seating. Her customer base are mostly elderly so unlikely to come out for takeaway. It would likely bankrupt her to hold off opening any longer.

The mixing in people's houses seems the least destructive part to hold off on. I know a lot of people have been looking forward to it but prolonged contact in a small space seems to be a major factor in transmission.
I'm looking forward to seeing others for a drink in their houses but I can see how it can go wrong. Most people aren't able to go for a meal in a restaurant every night of the week. I could however go to a different friends house every day, even multiple friends houses! Then if that friend does the same, that's a lot of indoor mixing. We have small children so the likelihood of them SD'ing is unlikely. Then there's older siblings at school, working parents, nursery etc leading to an increase in transmission. I feel restaurants are quite safe in comparison.
Those who want to will mix indoors anyway but it might make some think twice or not accept as many invitations. It has no impact on the economy. Yes it will have an impact on mental health but I think we're screwed on that part anyway. Anxiety is through the roof!
I'm fully expecting people to tell me to fuck off but this is the most sensible decision that BJ could make in light of the new variant. I'm not a lockdown lover, frankly as I haven't had a lockdown due to working out of the house throughout. I just want this to be over, properly over, not just kicking the can down the road.

Paranoid Well I don't know what to say, it's an airborne respitory diesese passed on by breathing in infected droplets from infected people.

Gusts of air will disperse the droplets moving them away and breaking them up so "clouds of covid" don't hang in the air.

Anyway, what can one say, people would rather wear what they want and not have fresh air.

Good luck to you all.

Ridiculous.

Time to get on with life. Fine, if you don’t want to them stay in and let everyone else crack on.

This has to stop now.

I don't see what isn't logical about stopping to think about a new variant which experts believe is 50% more transmissible than the original. When the roadmap was announced this variant didn't exist. Household mixing is thought to be a big factor in transmission. Even just stopping for a few weeks would give time to assess. Businesses could carry on as normal.

. Do we not owe these people protection?

If someone has been offered it, is eligible and is able to have the vaccine, but have chosen not to - then I'm afraid that's their choice. The rest of the population shouldn't have to have their lives restricted to 'protect' people who could have had it and made a choice not to or to delay it.

Different to those who are not yet able to book or the few who are not having the vaccine due to specific health conditions that means they are unable to have it.

No it’s been far too long. I’m not willing to sacrifice family life any longer. The risk for me to be visiting family who are all vaccinated and all taking twice weekly covid tests is no greater new variant or not.

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline sorry - what is it I am doing that is upsetting you so much? I am not particularly technical. Is it the tagging?

I agree OP but many already haven’t been complying for months so doubt it will change anything if they did delay it in reality.

I think how you feel about this depends on where you live. I'm in the NW, too close for comfort to Bolton where it has surged to 220 cases per 100,000 yesterday. We've had strict restrictions for most of time since March 2021 and our case rates have been higher than the rest of the UK for most of the time. It's been a bloody nightmare for everyone, I feel terrible for all the businesses too. I think we need to pause the lifting of restrictions in areas with a surge of the Indian variant for a few extra weeks, then do surge vaccinations on everyone over 16 and surge testing to try and catch the cases before they get completely out of control. Otherwise the NW could be back under restrictions for longer again.

How many weeks is a few weeks?

We've been doing this, in and off, for 14 months. In some places in the country they've had hardly any time out of restrictions.

I don't want 'a few more weeks' of not seeing my family who live too far for a day trip outside, when it's cold and wet.

Today here is is pouring with rain, windy and a high of 11 degrees.
Outdoor meeting isn't possible.
It might technically be spring but the weather is awful.

Re windows

I teach with the windows open and I'm freezing cold most of the time. It affects my arthritis quite badly. I've taken more painkillers recently than every before at this time of year. Cold damp does nothing to help.

I guess you're not in Glasgow then where they will stay in lock down.

Rose, I can't quite believe what I'm reading.

Are there people out there who really don't think small enclosed crowded spaces are covid convectors really?

What can’t you believe?

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss including myself. I have been in grandparents for a coffee as we're vaccinated. I think opening up will mean everyone will go one further, so the rule of six will become 8, 10, multiple households meeting etc

Abraxan, I think there is difference between a sensible middle ground of two windows open in a pub or restaurant at different ends to help draw air around, occasionally open the door, or evry half hour open windows and doors to shift air around.

Sensible, rather than keeping it sealed shut with people in hot stuffy atmosphere?

Fox I also said I am tested three times a week too!
I had covid in November and now have the vaccine. I feel I'm very low risk of catching again let alone passing it onto people.
If any of my friends who aren't vaccinated don't want to meet me that's fine! I can wait a few more months.
But just saying most of my family have been so feel safe meeting them.

No way do I have the attitude of 'I'm vaccinated so I'm fine'. I was just saying that having the vaccine and also being tested Weekly I feel comfortable having people inside my house, which is perfectly fine from Monday.

I don’t think banning people from meeting indoors is the right way to go for households

I do wonder about cafes, cinemas etc, but I won’t be using them, and it’s up to others to decide. I do live in one of the current hotspot areas and a lot is schools, and that’s where the focus needs to be with confirmation masks have to stay in schools from next week and SD followed

Even if vaccinated you can still catch and transmit, albeit at lower levels and have seen the devastating effect first hand of what covid can do I don’t want to have any chance of getting it , and the Indian variant looks like it’s extremely transmissible

I’m an NHS worker and disagree. I’ve followed resurrections and supported lockdowns to manage the NHS as it was truly awful, however we all need to see people, go out, enjoy life now

Hospital cases are low they aren’t overwhelmed. We need to live and not just exist. I’m fully vaccinated and most of my family and friends have at least had one dose. It does work.

I read an article before on Twitter that those sick in Bolton hospital with covid mostly haven’t had their vaccine and most are of an age where they would of been offered. The area in Bolton affected also has a lower vaccine uptake than other areas of Bolton. Speaks volumes. The vaccine seems to be holding up against the variant.

It frustrates me that people vulnerable to the vaccine wether that’s age/health or race related refuse a vaccine (without good reason I should add) and then we get put at risk of lockdowns/economic problems again when they get sick and need hospitals. No sorry. If people are choosing not to get vaccinated then they can stay home or they take the risk of covid.

There’s no evidence so far that the Indian variant will be in danger of overwhelming the NHS because the majority of the most vulnerable are vaccinated.

Yes, there are pockets where vaccine take up is not as high.
Yes, there are places cases are rising - but cases does not = deaths or hospitalisation necessarily.

The government needs to be cautious and watch and wait - yes. But as PPs say, the horse has bolted from the ‘don’t mix indoors’ restriction - people are doing it anyway. And if they fuck with half-term socialising I (and a lot of others) will be livid - we haven’t seen distant but dearest family for months. It’s not possible on day trips to do this.

I’m sorry your friend is an idiot. There are loads around. Tell her your concerns.

The government needs to encourage vaccine uptake, be clear about ‘safe socialising’ (even if no one listens!) and watch and wait. At the moment there’s no evidence to prevent indoor mixing.

It’s time to lift all restrictions and get on with life.

@Bluntness100

Op, if it helps, as I think you may have misunderstood, lock down is to prevent the nhs being overwhelmed. It is not to eradicate Covid. With that in mind, I think logically you must know of course it shouldn’t be paused. Right?

This.

FFS *restrictions not resurrections

@RoseRedRoseBlue

Yes it's the tagging.

There is a tagging etticute and there is no need to tag people in these circumstances. I tag people when I'm asked a question like, what was that TV programme or beauty product.

It feels aggressive to be tagged on a thread like this for every single response, it seems to me like someone saying, my response to you is so vital and crucial, you cannot miss what I have to say.

Honestly, not trying to sound flippant but from what I can see around me.. a demographic of decent people who have all done the very best they can for the last year plus... Everyone has lost it now and are already doing pretty much what they want.

[quote LastOrdersMaura]@IceCreamAndCandyfloss including myself. I have been in grandparents for a coffee as we're vaccinated. I think opening up will mean everyone will go one further, so the rule of six will become 8, 10, multiple households meeting etc[/quote]
So it’s better that we all break the law a little bit?

I am fully vaccinated and will be staying overnight with my fully vaccinated parents regardless of what the government say. We are people, not robots, and can’t live like this indefinitely.

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

I guess you're not in Glasgow then where they will stay in lock down.

Rose, I can't quite believe what I'm reading.

Are there people out there who really don't think small enclosed crowded spaces are covid convectors really?

Yeah, that's going really well at Ibrox right now.