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Covid

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Original poster

Rules 'ending' in 2 days but the BBC reports we might have new curbs in place by autumn and cases are rising fast. Why?

36 replies

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 17/07/2021 16:02

I want to get back to life as much as anyone but I can't see the benefit of ending all restrictions now and then potentially needing more in place by Autumn.

Particularly as that means it will again be affecting our youth, the education of the future and the mental health of a generation in such an important stage of their development.

Does anyone have a reason why this is happening right now?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-57872221

OP posts:

Waxonwaxoff0 · 17/07/2021 16:05

If not now, when?

Better to do it now in summer when people are spending more time outdoors and kids not in school.

AlecTrevelyan006 · 17/07/2021 16:05

the media love bad news - twas ever thus

Original poster

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 17/07/2021 16:09

@Waxonwaxoff0 wouldn't it be better when the kids are at school? They are already operating in bubbles so it shouldn't be a big thing. Whereas on holidays people are going all over the country or abroad and mixing with many multiples of the number of people they would be if the kids were at school and people were working (i.e not gallivanting around on day trips and holidays). I'm dying for a holiday as the name suggests but is now the time....

OP posts:

Noterook · 17/07/2021 16:10

Because schools are out, and they are a huge vector of transmission. It's also the summer, so aside from the toddler winter bugs and viruses which are increasing hospital admissions in paeds, it's a much better time of year re hospital capacity. Realistically it seems the only way out of this is by reaching some sort of herd immunity along with the vaccination programme, if we stay closed now until numbers are lower, they will just rise again when we reopen, which we have to at somepoint.

Original poster

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 17/07/2021 16:18

@Noterook I hope your view is right. I just don't want my children's education further disrupted and their mental health further impacted.

There is also this widely reported story about a virtual global scientific and government conference where a huge amount of scientists and it seems a number of governments and hugely opposed to the UK's plans, their comments seem to make sense to me ?
England’s lifting of Covid lockdowns is a danger to the entire world, experts warn

OP posts:

Whiskycav · 17/07/2021 16:20

An autumn/winter lock down was always a possibility.

But we need people spending money, we need to see if we can get through this wave while hospital admissions are generally low.

A new variant could pop up, or numbers could get out of control in winter. But now is a good time for restrictions to relax.

The government just shouldn't have done the 'once we are out there's no going back' or the rhetoric of if we will get through this wave it will be over

DecayedStrumpet · 17/07/2021 16:24

I think they're trying to get the peak out of the way before winter.... is the most generous interpretation.

The other interpretation would be that it's an entirely political decision and generally a pretty bad idea.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 17/07/2021 16:26

[quote SoTiredNeedHoliday]@Waxonwaxoff0 wouldn't it be better when the kids are at school? They are already operating in bubbles so it shouldn't be a big thing. Whereas on holidays people are going all over the country or abroad and mixing with many multiples of the number of people they would be if the kids were at school and people were working (i.e not gallivanting around on day trips and holidays). I'm dying for a holiday as the name suggests but is now the time....[/quote]
Not really, because Covid is spreading rapidly in schools.

SilverOak · 17/07/2021 16:29

Brits are insane. We have 50k cases per day and we are opening up. Australia has 11 cases and is locked down!

AlecTrevelyan006 · 17/07/2021 16:30

Maybe Australia is insane for locking down with just 11 cases?

ChequerBoard · 17/07/2021 16:32

It's madness but I think the government's 'logic' is to let people out to play for a few weeks whilst it's warm and sunny so that there is better chance of some level of compliance when the shit hits the fan in the autumn...

And please note am I defy NOT saying I agree with any of the above as a strategy.

Teaandjam · 17/07/2021 16:33

The science has long said that there will be a new wave in the Autumn/ winter. I don’t know why people think we are in for a free for all!

Waxonwaxoff0 · 17/07/2021 16:36

@SilverOak

Brits are insane. We have 50k cases per day and we are opening up. Australia has 11 cases and is locked down!

Locking down for 11 cases is insane.

Whiskycav · 17/07/2021 16:38

@ChequerBoard

And please note am I defy NOT saying I agree with any of the above as a strategy.

That's what I think is happening too.

User135644 · 17/07/2021 16:39

Unlocking everything on Monday is madness. The government know it's madness, but Boris is a shitbag and too scared to scale back.

whittingtonmum · 17/07/2021 16:42

Because a lot of Tory MPs are libertarians & Boris doesn't like restrictions and doesn't want the blowback from his own party and the right wing press regarding going back on his road map dates. They are following the dates not the data. It makes no sense at all to me. But I am also not a Tory. Like with every wave so far these reckless government decisions will leave us all in a big fat mess again with many deaths & long Covid cases, which could have been prevented with a more cautious approach.

User135644 · 17/07/2021 16:42

@DecayedStrumpet

I think they're trying to get the peak out of the way before winter.... is the most generous interpretation.

The other interpretation would be that it's an entirely political decision and generally a pretty bad idea.

Boris, the government and the MPs want their summer holidays and it's recess next week. Boris and co living it up abroad all summer won't be a good look if nightclubs are shut and you can't order at the bar
Boris is too scared of the backlash from back benches and the right wing media to not open up now, no matter how many cases

nordica · 17/07/2021 16:43

Given every other thread here has been people saying "I'm done!", it would be very difficult to keep up with restrictions at the moment when people have stopped caring. Things might look different in autumn or winter if hospitals are really struggling and people are seeing their own more vulnerable family and friends getting seriously ill.

Motorina · 17/07/2021 16:44

@SilverOak

Brits are insane. We have 50k cases per day and we are opening up. Australia has 11 cases and is locked down!

We’ve pretty much vaccinated every adult who can and will have it. Aus has vaccinated hardly anyone.

Different situation.

There was always going to be an exit wave. Probably the least bad time for it is now - seperate from the winter flu season and whilst schools are out.

It’s a gamble, but I can see the logic. Crossing fingers it pays off.

User135644 · 17/07/2021 16:44

They are following the dates not the data. It makes no sense at all to me.

They made a rod for their own backs by going on about 'freedom day'. They had to scale back in June from that freedom day but the deal they've made with the backbenchers etc, after that delay, was no more.

ahoyshipmates · 17/07/2021 16:49

The unvaccinated (mostly children) need to catch it, and develop immunity. What better than for them to all get it together in the school holidays, and get it over with?

Then, come the autumn, a further lockdown might actually work.

Whiskycav · 17/07/2021 16:52

@ahoyshipmates

The unvaccinated (mostly children) need to catch it, and develop immunity. What better than for them to all get it together in the school holidays, and get it over with?

Then, come the autumn, a further lockdown might actually work.

My DS has had twice. So not sure how immunity works.

And that's a genuine statement. Not trying to be snarky. Just confused that people keep talking about immunity and I don't get what they mean, if you can get it twice.

Or people talking about natural immunity, despite having had it.

ChequerBoard · 17/07/2021 16:55

@ahoyshipmates

The unvaccinated (mostly children) need to catch it, and develop immunity. What better than for them to all get it together in the school holidays, and get it over with?

Then, come the autumn, a further lockdown might actually work.

This is utter bollocks.

Immunity doesn't work like that, sadly this is reality and not a Hollywood movie. Many people have had already Covid more than once and there are cases where people have had more than one variant simultaneously.

changingstages · 17/07/2021 16:57

it feels wrong... though it's not quite as scary as when we were opening up after Christmas and sending kids back to school, knowing it was a bad idea. I felt sick with worry then trying to make the decision about what to do.

Now that the vaccination programme is running well I can see the point in opening up more. But NOT dropping masks. I think that's madness and absolutely a political decision. I'm also not sure nightclubs opening is a good idea, but I understand that a) young people have had a shitty time and b) the hospitality industry is absolutely buggered. But I do think it should be dependent on an LFT test, at the very least, which it isn't going to be round here - not sure if other places are doing that.

HelloMissus · 17/07/2021 17:03

Whitty, Valance, Farrar etc think now is the time.
They’d rather manage an exit wave in Summer than in Winter.

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