" Go on holiday but don't"

[bookworm1632]

What exactly is wrong with this stupid government?

They simultaneously tell everyone they shouldn't be going on holiday, and relax restrictions preventing them from doing so....

If they think going abroad is a bad idea right now, why not leave the restrictions in place! If they DON'T think it's a risk, then why tell everyone not to?!

Whichever approach you think is right, you have to agree the mixed message approach is bonkers!

Why has it become so ingrained here that the government say "This is the guidance, here are the laws, do your best, don't act stupidly" and that means they are "just waiting to blame us again!"?

It's common sense... you just need to apply it to your specific circumstances and accept the risks.

Actually - national data suggests low hesitancy.

Hancock was, at some points, talking about areas with increasing R and infection rates, coupled with high vaccine hesitancy!

So we use modelling to see the possible big picture and data to identify hotspots, new variants etc...

I’m fine with this agree with pp just use your head a bit.

Means that they dont have to fund businesses that can open, even if there is no business.

There is demand, so there will be business. But when people say they don’t have to fund, it’s us really isn’t it. And the next generations.

I don't see any mixed messages - we are being told that restrictions imposed as part of an emergency situation are being lifted and we return (thankfully) to the status quo of being trusted to make our own risk assessments.

The volume or air conditioning must be on an even number.

Argh wrong thread.

@EileenGC

This is a return to adults making decisions for themselves.

The shocking part is that the word ‘return’ is needed. I completely agree with you, I don’t understand why people have been so reliant on government guidelines instead of taking their own decisions! We’re not children. I never stopped hugging people and thank goodness I live somewhere where the government treated us as adults throughout this things.

It's obviously this! Basic human rights reinstated etc. Each person can decide for themselves what risks they want to take.

It's not the government that's stupid.
They can't possibly take into account everyone's individual risk so are treating us like adults. We're given information and risk-assess based on our personal situation.
Surely people aren't so thick that they need to be told exactly what they're allowed to do?

I do feel for some of the holiday makers. People who booked before the pandemic, moved it to this year because Boris promised we'd be out of it in 12 weeks. Now can't get their money back as holidays are allowed .

I actually think the problem is with adults being treated like adults but then acting like children.

Holidays are allowed, but at the moment, it would be wise to be sensible. So - an older vaccinated couple who don't really mix, who don't know how many years they might have left (because people forget that other things other than covid can kill you) - probably worth the risk of a holiday and low risk to others. A family where neither parents yet vaccinated and children going back to school without isolating - socially irresponsible.

Meeting up with family who you're not really bothered about hugging - don't add the risk by bothering. Vs adult child going through a difficult time sees their mum for the first time in ages and wants a hug - probably worth the risk.

People have to take some responsibility for themselves and stop relying on things 'being safe'. Nothing has ever been safe.

The problem with the current messaging is that because people are now "allowed" to eg go on holiday, go to indoor pub, they are determined to do so as much as possible, "while they are still allowed". I've seen several messages to that effect on MN this morning - and I think it is very understandable. Whether that is "sensible" at a time when new variants are growing rapidly is another question.

Surely people aren't so thick that they need to be told exactly what they're allowed to do?
It's nothing to do with being "thick". Risk assessments are almost impossible to perform on an individual basis. Look at what happened after Christmas, when people (in some areas) were allowed to mix and presumably made a risk assessment in favour of doing so.

@CryingAtTheDiscotheque

The problem with the current messaging is that because people are now "allowed" to eg go on holiday, go to indoor pub, they are determined to do so as much as possible, "while they are still allowed". I've seen several messages to that effect on MN this morning - and I think it is very understandable. Whether that is "sensible" at a time when new variants are growing rapidly is another question.

The I wouldn’t take mn as much of an indication. Most people are unremarkably in the middle and generally you get a disproportionate number of posters at extremes, I reckon anyway.

I feel better about this. I had suggested a couple of days ago this personal responsibility would come next. It’s earlier than I thought and I prefer it.

@Crockof

I do feel for some of the holiday makers. People who booked before the pandemic, moved it to this year because Boris promised we'd be out of it in 12 weeks. Now can't get their money back as holidays are allowed .

He really didn't promise that at all!

But it did make good SM noise.

Last March he said we 'could turn the tide' but nobody could be certain how long the pandemic would last.

There have always been 2 ways of hearing what journalists like to call 'over promising' and all good journalists and SM feeds recognise and shout about it when sonmething does not happen.

But little gets said, or revisited in light of new information, about the things that come good. At best they are begrudgingly mentioned, almost in passing, or emphatically recognised as someone elses success.

I know, it's politics. But just imagine how differently we would all feel if Starmer et al had all said in Parliament - "This is shit and we will hold you to account for everything you do but, in the spirit of saving lives and livelihoods, what can we do to help?"

What if journalists had chosen to do something similar?

If EU offical and heads of countries all round the world had chosen to be calm and reasoned instead of scared and casting around for someone to blame?

Blame can come later. Next spring at the earliest, apparently.

And still Starmer says no, it must start now!

But what good would that do, in the middle of the vaccination rollout with no end data?

It would be a bit like the Grenfell enquiry. Start with the fire service, let people hear what they did wrong without hearing what disinformation they were working under. Wrong way round and predisposes an outcome.

We are being led by the nose for certain, but if you think Boris is holding the longest/strongest lead you are sadly mistaken!

@Crockof

I do feel for some of the holiday makers. People who booked before the pandemic, moved it to this year because Boris promised we'd be out of it in 12 weeks. Now can't get their money back as holidays are allowed .

I don’t feel for anyone who believed Boris when he said that. Even before getting into his credibility track record, surely people know Boris Johnson is a politician, not a virus component who can decide when the pandemic is over? Did people not study basic science at school?

@ Crockof. Seriously stupid comment

@nancywhitehead

It's very strange how people complain about having restrictions imposed because it takes away their freedom, but then also complain about having them lifted because it gives them responsibility. We can't have it both ways.

In fairness it’s probably not the same people 🤷‍♀️

Personally I would rather err on the side of caution re: international travel and whilst I can do that for myself and family I can’t tell the rest of the country what to do.

I understand there has to be a shift back to letting people judge their own personal risk (which is fine to a point but sometimes the consequences of individuals actions need to be curtailed when they’re impacting the rest of society) but I can’t trust this government to step in and pull back until it’s painfully obvious there’s no other choice but to. They’ve proved themselves on more than one occasion too weak to make unpopular decisions to avoid the enormous amount of sacrifice everyone has had to make. It’s bonkers how much notice they give for closing travel corridors so they can avoid being unpopular; let people come back by all means but why give notice to avoid isolation restrictions? That should just be a given risk of travelling right now.

How about using a bit of common sense Whatever the government does some will complain
I have booked holidays be they in the UK or Channel isles but have to take some responsibility holiday insurance ect
It’s pretty obvious going abroad has risks at the moment and it’s up to the individual how much risk they want to take

@blueangel19

@ Crockof. Seriously stupid comment

Why? The boards were full this time last year of how we won't have another lockdown, it will be fine by Christmas etc. In fact it's still full of posters who refused to believe that there could be another lockdown/return to greater restrictions. Holidays abroad were allowed last summer so I do feel sorry for people who pushed it to this year thinking it would all be OK. Many have moved it on to next year I will feel sorry for them as well I'd imagine

Would I go to India to a wedding of 500 plus people if I am not vaccinated? come back and send my kids to school next day without quarantine ? I would not. Some would.

People should exercise common sense. You want to be live in a totalitarian regime? This is a free country. Advise would changed according to how are doing with Covid.

EileenGC Boris is the person the country voted in to lead the country, be in charge of the nuclear button. He is the voice of the nation and many would believe that he had been informed by virus competent people. The May elections show that people still believe Boris is the best man for the job.

And I believe AMBER colour is not and have never been for holidays but essential travel if that is what bookworm is referring to.

It is not the first post that you start about the government. You clearly have an agenda. I won’t bother to read your posts or comment anymore, it is getting boring and exhausting.

@bookworm1632

What exactly is wrong with this stupid government?

They simultaneously tell everyone they shouldn't be going on holiday, and relax restrictions preventing them from doing so....

If they think going abroad is a bad idea right now, why not leave the restrictions in place! If they DON'T think it's a risk, then why tell everyone not to?!

Whichever approach you think is right, you have to agree the mixed message approach is bonkers!

Have you forgotten that the government is led by someone who repeatedly voted against a Brexit deal because it was not good enough for him, only for when it was his time to negotiate managed to organise a worse deal. The same government that threaten to take schools to court for wanting to close in the interests of their students and staff safety. That opened schools for one day in January to prove some kind of point. Bonkers seems a very polite way of describing the current government.

What exactly is wrong with this stupid government?

It would take several pages to list all the things. Simpler to list the only thing that they have got right- the vaccination programme, implemented strictly according to the scientific advice.