Do you think they will extend the lockdown or stick with 21st June As Freedom day?

[ihatebindweed]

I hope they don't extend, because it moves the goalposts and then could lead to another extension. As it optional to go to certain places like clubs, when they open, then people vaccinated or not can make their choice.

I sadly think they will extend it and ruin my party planned for the end of June.

But the numbers are low, as in hospitalisations. I don't get it, has it changed from protect the NHS to eradicate Covid ??

I have just watched an interview where the speaker said something along the lines of, “We have to get Covid out of this country....”

It’s never going to happen and if that is the aim and the goalpost for the allowance of our freedom back, I have a feeling we’ll be wearing our masks for a very long time....

Half our ICU beds are occupied with Covid patients, all are under 40 !.

Half of which beds? Where?

Plenty of people are happy with the level of freedom we have now but it's still not normal life. And there are many industries operating at a loss. It must be hard for restaurants to make money at 50% capacity.
I am also really keen to allow schools to get back to normal, for them to have assemblies, mix with other classes, be able to have the summer fete and sports day. I am sick of wearing a mask to pick up my kids.
The economic benefits have to balanced against the benefits of delaying, at the moment I can't see the benefit of delaying.

@OliveTree75

Half our ICU beds are occupied with Covid patients, all are under 40 !.

Half of which beds? Where?

Mmm, I'd be interested to find out where this is as well. Something doesn't quite ring true.

We're one of those restaurants running at 50% capacity. We've never really expected to open fully on the 21st - quite honestly we were surprised to be able to open on the 17th May (no outside space). It's shit - we're struggling - but better a few weeks more to attempt to mitigate a 3rd wave.

From a selfish point of view, I really hope that the date doesn't change, as dd has her school prom at the end of June and she's really looking forward to it after a shitty year. I'd really like her to have that.

However, not at any cost. If the data suggests that it is too soon, then I hope that the government will learn from its previous mistakes and make a sensible decision. I'd be gutted if dd missed out on her prom, but that's nothing if people's lives are at risk.

I'm still holding onto the hope at the moment that the vaccines will somehow get us out of this. That enough of us will be double vaccinated to mean that the easing of restrictions can go ahead as planned. I guess time will tell!

*Where is your ICU half occupied with patients under 40?

I don’t actually believe you. DH is an ITU consultant in a major city. He has ONE patient with covid aged 64 who refused the vaccine.*

Why is it so unbelievable though?
Half of how many beds?

Half of ICU beds might only be 4 or 5 beds though

Och I know, I know; the dates were never set in stone blah blah. Yes, I did understand this, but I think hope got the better of me and I really thought it was happening. If it doesn't go ahead, I'm obviously prepared for that, but that doesn't mean people like op can't be a little dissapointed. I have a christening where I'm godmother to my friend's DD and I'd love to be able to go. I haven't seen any of them in about 2 years now. So yes, I was looking forward to that and I'll be dissapointed if I can't go. Doesn't mean I'll ignore the rules or that it isn't wholly unexpected, but I'll be dissapointed; sue me

Couldn’t you visit under the current rules @StevieKnickerbockerglory?

I could, but it's a pretty long journey, so we'd had his date in mind. True though, if it doesn't go ahead, I'll just go and visit them on my own. That actually is really helpful, thank you!

Delaying by 2 weeks would mean several million more people fully or partially vaccinated

@StevieKnickerbockerglory

I could, but it's a pretty long journey, so we'd had his date in mind. True though, if it doesn't go ahead, I'll just go and visit them on my own. That actually is really helpful, thank you!

I'm wearing my fancy outfit though god damn it! Even if I look like I've lost the plot entirely

Jam tomorrow.

I reckon it’ll be a mix.
Boris will introduce a few more freedoms. Maybe increase numbers allowed at outside gatherings. Maybe weddings.
Then he’ll be the bringer of good news. Which is what he loves.

The roadmap was always a target, not set in stone.

The reopening dates (12 April / 17 May / 21 June) were always set as no earlier than, not definite dates.

So the earliest we could reopen fully is 21 June, but it was never a definite.

No goalposts are being moved, they were already on wheels.

Could we also please stop calling it "Freedom Day"? It's very Daily Mail-esque.

@MaxNormal

Jam tomorrow.

Yep

Was always expecting that date to be extended, it seemed wildly optimistic. I think any further easing will more likely coincide with school Summer holidays, so either early July or towards mid July.

It's weird thinking that in a few weeks we could possibly be binning everything. I do wonder how some people will cope?

I think it will be pushed back and maybe split into other steps.

As long as nothing goes backwards and schools close again.

I thought that relaxation of all the rules was a bit unrealistic at the time. I think we’ll stay as we are till mid July when schools are out.

has it changed from protect the NHS to eradicate Covid ??

Sigh.

Do a little reading. It isn't difficult.

I hope they don't extend, because it moves the goalposts
They said all along DATA not DATES so if you've interpreted that as moving the goalposts then that's your fault. The dates we're never set in stone and they should be looking at the overall picture rather than an arbitrary date.

Hospital admissions and deaths may be steady but cases are rising but these new strains could impact the data a lot as transmission rates are higher. If cases are rising, and we're still only administering first round of jabs it could have a significant impact. A few weeks / a month of not being able to go dancing in a nightclub or slightly restricted numbers inside a house to just keep an eye on that data allowing the lags and to allow more people to be double jabbed seems very very sensible.

FFS 'freedom day' - it is not the end of the war, it is not the same as VE day or whatever.
As far as I know, Boris Johnson has not signed a peace deal or defeated the virus.

So it is downright stupid to suddenly and arbitrarily ditch the masks and cram people into enclosed spaces etc, especially while cases are rising.

Maybe if the government properly closed the borders like Aus and NZ, then we would have a fighting chance at 'freedom' internally within the UK, one day.

Cases are rocketing. Fortunately the actual numbers are still low but if we stop all precautions it won't stay like that.

Can't guarantee that our fuckwit prime minister will listen to reason, though.

And apparently 'freedom day' won't apply to schools anyway?
Kids still sent home for 10 days having been fully vaccinated (over 16s who have been) with no symptoms and a negative test....