Variant will be an excuse to reverse the irreversible.

[user1490814754]

I am very happy to be wrong but the moment that Boris said the only way that lifting of restrictions would be irreversible unless there was a new variant of concern. I would have put money on him knowing full well there would be a number of new variants he could pin restrictions/lockdowns on. I honestly think it will be soon. PLEASE someone tell me I'm wrong.

*reversible even

Mr Johnson will find another reason no doubt, or blame the devolved administrations, or the French.

What I would be certain about is extra restrictions will be announced so that there can be minimal or no Parliamentary vote or scrutiny, given the views of many Tory backbenchers and the Prime Minister avoiding questions in general.

He must know that there will be less compliance with another lockdown?

The lead scientist who worked on the AZ vaccine said sometime ago that any significant mutation on the spike protein of the coronavirus that causes covid would lessen its ability to infect. The virologist I follow on Twitter is also unconcerned about variants.

The media jumps on any morsel of potential doom they can find and reports it in as sensationalist way as they can.

If the government could get us out of restrictions and the economy back on track ahead of other countries they’d jump at the chance.

They have nothing to gain from more lockdowns unless it’s absolutely necessary.

If another variant appears, it will affect other countries too, not just us - do you think they are making up the variants for some reason?

What reason would that be, what would it achieve?

I'd say it would be a 'reason' not an 'excuse'.

Theres already a new "colombian" variant....announced yesterday

I think there would be far less compliance but the majority human of people are seld preserving and if there was enough fear, closed shops, cafes and pubs, schools etc. Then that would be a big enough restriction. People would assess there own risk regarding entering other people's homes etc.

Oh wow I'm going to give up typing on the train. I Don't think they are making it up. I Believe they knew this would happen all along and want to open up the economy first and appease the people who wanted to just carry on.

@Valhalla17

Theres already a new "colombian" variant....announced yesterday

As far as I’m aware that’s only new to the UK, not to the world. It was first seen in Jan and has since been seen in 26 countries with no evidence that it causes worse disease, or evades the vaccine.

If there are new, or more serious evolutions of current variants, there may need to be the reintroduction of restrictions?

Obviously.

Yes it's obvious. That's my point I suppose. They have always known this cannot be contained and a lockdown will be needed this autumn/winter it's the lack of transparency.

What does he gain from lockdowns? Realistically?

I don't think he gains anything from lockdowns. I Think it will be inevitable to stop the hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. I just think 'Freedom Day' was he equivalent of Eat out to help out' to get the biggest peak out the way now. That's my thoughts anyway.

I don’t understand what people think the government has to gain by keeping us locked up.

New variants are not always bad news. There is one line of thought that delta has actually rescued us from the mutation of alpha which in some cases had developed a E484k mutation (as also seen in beta) which results in more immune escape.

I don't think there is a greater plan to lock us up and 'lock down' is an absolute last resort. I just think that if he does U turn if his plan doesn't work . He will use a new variant as his reason. That has always been his plan B.

That's good to hear!

It's quite obvious now that the variant can change the circumstances very quickly. No one knows how virus evolve, and no one wants this pandemic to affect us forever.
I don't understand people saying gov or people actively want us in locked down, I'm sure no one would, but if the variant emerges that is uncontainable without measures, what else can they do?
Best thing we can do now is getting more people vaccinated and reduce the rate of transmit. Most are doing their part, and it's working.

He has already said it's not irreversible.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/roadmap-will-be-irreversible-only-if-we-proceed-with-caution-uks-johnson-2021-07-12/

Roadmap will be irreversible only if we proceed with caution -UK's Johnson

All he has to do is say we haven't been cautious enough, look, I told you so!

I am sure the last thing they and any of us want is more lockdowns though.

@Hallomother

I don’t understand what people think the government has to gain by keeping us locked up.

I heard if we are locked down, we watch more TV. The Government have enlisted use of subliminal messaging on all television channels (worldwide) to make us do what they want us to do. There's not an exhaustive list yet, but it's been evidenced that control includes:

getting vaccinated with a microchip that will be activated on September 23rd and make the population start turning on each other, Hunger Games style;

manipulate people into growing a fleece-like material all over their bodies and making a bleating sound;

only eat a strict Vegan diet;

vote Conservative in the next general election.

It's a scamdemic, please don't switch your TV on.

www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/variants-concern

There are plenty of variants about, some have been awarded their own Greek letter.

Whether they will become troublesome remains to be seen