Did it seem a bit odd that the tone of today's announcement was so sombre?

[secretintrovert]

Bojo should have been doing his victory dance for freedom day! Instead the three of them looked as miserable as sin. There's trouble afoot methinks. This will be very very temporary

It is all so unsatisfactory. I don't think 19th will happen.

I'm used to being lied to by now - but at least I want it to be convincing.

A toddler could be better convincing than this. What are they playing at???

Sorry - I don't buy any of the bullshit they've tried this time. It's all hollow and contradictory.

Is the vaccine hopeless against this variant and they're throwing caution to the wind so that we forever hold onto the belief that their vaccination program and only 'success' so far was just that?

There are so many possibilities, other than the one Boris and Whitty are selling us.

Thank you RTB for the explanation.

Trouble is this government lost my trust too long ago. I don't believe a scrap of anything they say now. Nothing. It's got so bad I don't believe anything any one associated with them says either.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758739/Sage-warns-freedoms-WEEKS-Boris-Johnson-tells-Britons-NOT-demob-happy.html

@Dustyboots You arent the only one

www.independent.co.uk/voices/boris-johnson-press-conference-lockdown-easing-b1878497.html

Good old-fashioned British common sense can do that. And now it will. That’s also why, from 19 July, there’ll also be no more speed limits on the roads. If you want to do the school run at 90 miles an hour then you can, and if you don’t, then don’t. And if you wipe out the odd pedestrian or two then they were making an informed decision to cross the road, that’s their problem not yours.

Are ppl really going to keep going for repeat jabs if nothing seems to change?

Uptake for the second dose is lower than the first. Over 43 million people have had a first dose of the vaccine. (over 81% of the adult population) and over 31 million have had a second. Broken promises and double standards tend to piss people off. I dont think uptake of the autumn booster will be high if they try another Christmas lockdown.

Pleas don’t say the word lockdown I can’t cope with another

Speaking of double standards.......................bang on cue

metro.co.uk/2021/05/20/dr-hilary-defends-summer-cruise-as-he-slams-non-essential-holidays-14613382/?ito=article.desktop.share.top.twitter

Its last Christmas all over again when Piers Morgan said families should make the sacrifice for the greater good then fucked off to Antigua. Is being a bullying hypocrite a pre requisite for employment at GMB

Serious was the right tone to take.
Even Boris said that removing restrictions didn't mean that the pandemic was over and people would die from Covid.
Are we at 2.5 now? Few restrictions but high cases means we can't be at 2 yet ?

@TheGlassBlowersDaughter

It should be sombre. They're going against the science. They know the numbers are rising and that it's only going to get worse. They have failed the country, the vulnerable and the economy. But never mind, the paid-for shills will be along any minute telling us how delighted they are that they can act like selfish gits and that they don't care about the vulnerable, the elderly, the children

The ‘science’ is not certain and no expert has it right. Please don’t act as if there’s some sort of unified voice of ‘science’

(What a ridiculously stupid analogy in the Independent!)

This topic has been discussed to death for 16 or so months and still some people can't be trusted to think for themselves.

It is possible to continue to live as you have been if you really feel unable to cope. Continue washing your hands, sanitize everything ...
Wear masks when you want....It's your choice
Stay out of pubs, clubs, restaurants, where ever...It's your choice.
Stay away from mass gatherings, marches for 'Freedom' especially...It's your choice.
No one is being forced to do something they don't want to.

Why do you think it's ridiculous?

I'd say it's bang on.

@Boomisshiss

Pleas don’t say the word lockdown I can’t cope with another

The “l” word has been removed from political lexicon. The de facto same impact is transferred to the Test Track and Trace mobile app that obviously does not work despite being incorrectly pinged to self imprisonment aka lockdown by stealth. What do you expect with a system costing billions spent on mates at spend it like you stole it mates rates. And as you may have read as reported in today’s news - being in the Royal box at Wimbledon triggers a close contact (15 minutes within 2 meters proximity) Covid positive case for obligatory self isolation. Only small issue being there is no UK mandatory requirement to be a smart mobile phone user or owner! Not sure how apps work, even if they are well designed with necessary commandeered privacy protocols eg South Korea and Singapore etc, as the English official app is “hopeless” to borrow an accepted unofficial choice description.

I'd also say that the majority of scientific and medical experts know more than unqualified politicians. Particularly when those politicians have repeatedly made the same mistakes over the last 18 months. Their mistakes are why the pandemic has dragged out so long. How much more deja vu denial?

@Tealightsandd

Why do you think it's ridiculous?

I'd say it's bang on.

Seriously?

The UK is very much the canary in the mine for Europe, a huge First vaccination programme and now this. It's a huge pity for all of you that the mask wasn't kept.

Ths thread is the epitome of why the govt can never win.

I honestly don’t know what to believe anymore. I’ve been waiting for this for ages, but I do suddenly feel quite afraid.

But if we are going to have another surge then it’s probably best it’s over well before winter sets in

God it’s like some people can’t get enough of it.

Well, Winter is coming is effectively what Chris Witty said:

Standing alongside the prime minister, England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, warned that the epidemic was “significant and rising”. ... He said he expected this coming winter “may be very difficult for the NHS and I don’t think that’s a particularly controversial statement,” saying the health service would face the additional pressures of flu and waiting lists.

Blind Freddy could tell you a very significant wave of Delta is building.

[quote thelastgoldeneagle]@OnlyFoolsnMothers - what an appropriate user name!🙄🙄

Numbers are rising because we vaccinated the elderly first- we could have kept transmission numbers low and deaths high by vaccinating the young first!

Are you insane?? Why vaccinate the young against a virus that doesn't kill them but that kills older people? For fuck's sake.[/quote]
First of all no need to be sarky about my username and second calm down! - I’m pointing out why case numbers have risen as expected. There was an argument to vaccinate the younger generation to limit the numbers going up amongst the demographic most likely to mingle- ultimately I don’t agree with this but I was pointing out to another user why numbers going up isn’t a surprise !

Are ppl really going to keep going for repeat jabs if nothing seems to change?
Uptake for the second dose is lower than the first. Over 43 million people have had a first dose of the vaccine. (over 81% of the adult population) and over 31 million have had a second. Broken promises and double standards tend to piss people off. I dont think uptake of the autumn booster will be high if they try another Christmas lockdown.

Bojo said said there will be boosters for the vulnerable but what will the rest of us have? Nothing is being said about vaccinating all age groups again. I guess it will be like the flu jab, if you want it and you're not in a vulnerable category, you will have to pay for it.

It was like ‘if we don’t open up now, we can’t until next year as it’s too risky in autumn, so it’s now or never’

It doesn’t feel like the gradual move back to normality they spoke of. It feels quite an abrupt stop of mandatory measures. I’m also wondering how irreversible it will be, they were so keen to do slow and steady to make it irreversible.

@GiantToadstool

Winter is coming...