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

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

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

Whisky I know, this is what I don't understand either.

Opening up now won't prevent a winter wave. We are just going to take a running start at it over summer. They could have at least vaccinated 12-18 year olds. The hospital near us is gearing up for a huge influx of very sick children this autumn and winter. No other western nation is willing to the gamble we are about to take with the health of our children.

I thinks its a political move. Also I agree with one of the comments above they aren't following the data.

I'm not concerned for myself, I'm concerned for the kids and yet again another huge impact to their schooling lives

Here is a quote from the conference that is in full here:
William Haseltine, a U.S. virologist and chair and president of ACCESS Health International, told the panel at Friday’s summit that the world had “always looked to the U.K. for great, sensible policies.”
“Unfortunately, that has not been the case for the Covid pandemic,” he said. “What I fear is that some of the worst impulses in many of our states will follow the U.K. example.”

AND another extract:
Michael Baker, a professor of public health and a member of the New Zealand Ministry of Health’s advisory group, said he was “amazed” by the British government’s plans to lift almost all restrictions on Monday.
Baker suggested the U.K. government seemed to be reverting to a “herd immunity approach,” which he dubbed “completely unacceptable,” arguing that the strategy had “failed dismally around the globe.” again in full here

@PiggingPig Exactly!!!

Australia doesn't have 11 cases. They had over 100 new cases just today and last few days have been similar. Not saying they should be locking down, I don't know enough about conditions and public feeling over there to have an opinion. But it's not as crazy as 11 cases.

I really hope we're doing the right thing. I can see the logic of it. And, in cold, economic terms, it's probably right. But in human terms, I can see it both ways. I think restrictions are negatively affecting more people than opening up will. But those effects are likely less severe than they could be for the smaller number of people negatively affected by opening up.

Sounds awful, but the hospitality industry can literally fuck themselves right now with their cynical overpricing and £10 minimum spends in country pubs.

But yeh, the masks thing sounds like pretty bad idea, but I do wonder where this all ends, if new variants are coming continuously and we can never reach immunity. It makes one wonder how awesome the vaccine even is, and of course it's better than nothing, but I am hoping we havent all been excited for nothing.

If there are further lockdowns after autumn, this country will be economically fucked.

And dont even get me started on the North West. It is one giant clusterfuck. As soon as it get the cases down they spring right back up again.

@Lemonmelonsun

Whisky I know, this is what I don't understand either.

I am glad its not just me.

I am a fairly intelligent women witha responsible job. But I just don't get why people keep talking about immunity. Or naturally immunity. I can't follow it.

Money

And dont even get me started on the North West. It is one giant clusterfuck. As soon as it get the cases down they spring right back up again.

They may as well have just opened up throughout in the NW as they clearly pay no attention to the rules.

@changingstages

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.

Why? LFTs as a condition of entry are pointless. Even if they were reliable in themselves, which they're obviously not, people can avoid doing the test properly or even at all, register the test number as negative and get a text/email confirming the 'result'.