To think most people would prefer pubs and restaurants close in December than miss out on Christmas with their families again.

[katedan]

Plan C of the health secretaries plan if numbers continue to rise and masks and SD don't work is to ban people going around peoples homes again, surely it is better and safer as it will be less people together if they close bars and restaurants and let people have Christmas with family this year.

I've got an early start Boxing Day and will probably be doing a 12 hour day, so will be in bed by 9pm Xmas Day. We'll keep it to my Mum as we'll never escape the others that early (and I don't want them downstairs when I'm trying to sleep). Even so, that'll mean no alcohol as I'll have to take her home (she normally stays over).

I'll go with the celebrating over a meal with friends or family beforehand any time.

[quote Ponoka7]@julieca
"About 4% of people spend Christmas Day alone."

The last survey was one in six. My sister does the Christmas dinner at her Church, it's always packed. Every street I've ever lived in has has a few people who've been alone, except for the pub. It isn't 4%.[/quote]
Perhaps it is more. This is from a survey before the pandemic. But maybe not everyone is honest.
And loads of people spend the day with those they live with and no one else.
Saying to all of them you can see family at Xmas day but have to make these sacrifices, is meaningless. The assumption in this suggestion is that everyone has a big family Xmas day.

Knowing that Boris and Carrie abused the childcare bubble exemption to have their mate over for a Christmas Day piss up - is ANYONE actually going to follow the instruction anyway?

This really bugged me and has just iterated that I won't follow guidelines that are detrimental to my wellbeing again.

I had to choose between my DM & DMIL for a childcare bubble. Mentally I was hugely struggling and could have done with birth being at hand. But I stuck to the rules.

All while Boris and Carrie switched around their bubble whenever it took their fancy. Including to have friends over.

The British public deserve to be completely locked down for Xmas for being so bloody stupid about mask wearing and distancing. Covid has made me ashamed to be British. I didn’t realise now many stupid and/or selfish people lived here. I’m now of the belief that it will serve everyone right.

By most people, you mean you.

Is it onandoff? Have you got a link to the data?

Nope - most of my family have passed away or live a long way from me.

My friends are at the pub so I'd much rather be there thanks...

Nope. Neither option is acceptable.

No, I don’t want to pay for stupid people that didnt get vaccinated. And the pub/restaurant owners shouldn’t have to either.

I've been a stickler for the rules throughout, but since I'm double jabbed and so are all my family, the government can piss right off of they want to shift blame for their inept handling of the pandemic back onto us.

Well if they ban us from meeting family members but keep pubs and restaurants open we'll start meeting family in pubs and restaurants then 😂

Surely the plan isn't to ban people from visiting each other at home but keep pubs/restaurants open?
If it is then doesn't matter anyway. People in hospitality keep their jobs and everyone will ignore the rules about seeing family so no need to close pubs etc

No thanks. Keep everything open and good luck with imposing not mixing households this year. No one I know would adhere to it this year. Plus it's press speculation and we've already been told it's highly unlikely to happen so I'm not sure what the point of all these threads is

I would put up with having a second Christmas without family, if certain things were enforced again, particularly mask wearing. Those who spout about ‘personal choice’ and refuse to wear a mask, are making it difficult for everyone else.

The vaccine rollout, which started so well, is now lagging and needs to get back on track. It’s no good telling people they should book their booster when you’re prevented from doing so when you try. The efficiency varies so much across the country and it should be a national initiative. Those who choose not to have the vaccine should be heavily encouraged to change their minds and anti vaxxers should be prevented from spreading their vitriol.

It’s about time too, that ‘slebs’ understood that they are no more special than anyone else and jetting off frequently is not what most folk do and they should stop. Just because you can afford to go on frequent trips, doesn’t mean you should. Even with a mask, planes are a hotbed of infection at any time.

@Justcallmebebes

No thanks. Keep everything open and good luck with imposing not mixing households this year. No one I know would adhere to it this year. Plus it's press speculation and we've already been told it's highly unlikely to happen so I'm not sure what the point of all these threads is

There is an agenda. I’m not sure if all these are threads are being driven by the chronically anxious or government bots sounding out the middle class.

@2typesofjungle

My family suck, I'd rather go to the pub.

. Couldn’t agree more with you !

Much more sensible to keep the hospitality sector open. True that a lot of people will ignore the restrictions on home gatherings but every family that doesn't ignore it and books something at a hospitality venue instead will give a little boost to the economy, rather than giving it a further kicking. And someone selfish and in denial about their covid symptoms can be more easily politely turned away from a restaurant than they can be refused entry to the family gathering, as it isn't their own relatives telling them they can't come in if they are coughing like that.

No thanks. The result of this potential lockdown is not guaranteed.

@2typesofjungle

My family suck, I'd rather go to the pub.

This is what every one in my family says, so apparently we'll all be at the pub any way!

@HeyDugeesCakeBadge

Is it onandoff? Have you got a link to the data?

Yes, it really is the unvaccinated who represent the vast majority of people in ITU with COVID

90% of people in Barts ICU with covid are not fully vaccinated www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/news/almost-90-of-patients-admitted-to-intensive-care-units-in-north-east-london-are-not-fully-vaccinated-11544

1 in 6 people receiving the highest level of intensive care are both pregnant and unvaccinated (obviously there are others who are unvaccinated but not pregnant) www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/11/one-in-six-most-critically-ill-patients-are-unvaccinated-pregnant-women-with-covid

Interesting graph showing, age and vaccination status of those in ICU in Scotland www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58736720

Between 2 Jan and 2 July 2021, 51,281 people died with covid. Of those, only 256 were people who caught covid more than 2 weeks after their second dose (0.5%) www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/deathsinvolvingcovid19byvaccinationstatusengland/deathsoccurringbetween2januaryand2july2021

GO AND GET JABBED.

I think we should have been allowed to vote on this one!

No, as far as I’m concerned I’m happy to skip Christmas with the family in order to have the opportunity see them and my friends in pubs and restaurants throughout December.

If you feel that strongly about a turkey dinner, why not do Thanksgiving this year?

Hmmmm I’ve been thinking about this

Seeing family is incredibly important to a lot of people, and it seems very cruel to ban it.

On the other hand, keeping businesses open is people’s livelihood, and we really can’t afford more furlough.

I guess the thing is that livelihoods are vital.

Not that I think anyone will keep to rules about not visiting now after this government’s behaviour.

Very hard all around.

In homes seems to be the biggest transition danger too, as people let their/ our guard down😬

What you would prefer and whats more effective are two different things.

One of the key points here is inter-generational mixing and transmission.

People who are vulnerable are also less likely to go to the pub or a restuarant because they recognise a risk. However they are still likely to mix with family members indoors because other factors mean they either ignore the risk or feel an obligation to see family in a way they don't about pubs etc.

The rate of household transmission is a significant issue which shouldn't just be shoved under the carpet because it ruins your christmas plans. We need to have some honesty here about it.

I don't think its an either/or argument for that reason.

More, an 'is it appropriate?' question - which they public themselves perhaps need to seriously consider.

Is it worth having that large family Christmas dinner with elderly relatives. In some cases I think people will deem it fine as boosters have been given or because the chances of next christmas might be limited. For others - for example people 50s to early 60s, still waiting on a booster with unvaccinated young adults or children who don't live in the same household - maybe not the best plan. Better to have a Plan B option of perhaps meeting up and going for a walk rather than spending the whole day indoors in an enclosed space.

I'm not holding out on the ability of people to engage their brains fully over the 'but I want to...' mentality.

@Meatshake

For me I complied last year knowing that it could protect my elderly (87y o) grandad. The thing is avoiding him to stop him getting covid is ultimately going be fruitless- all its going to do is deprive my kids of a few years of memories, and deprive him of family and comfort during what could very well be his last few Christmases.

For a man who has always been a line toeing, rule follower, he himself has begun to have a much more fatalistic, "I'm going to die in a couple of years anyway so blow the rules I'm going to see my family" outlook. He doesn't want to waste those last few years sitting indoors staring at the walls closing in, and I think I can appreciate that.

Same for me @Meatshake - sadly it was pointless as he caught Covid 3 weeks into January and died very quickly. I desperately wish I'd ignored the rules and had him at ours that last Christmas Day

I won't be going into lockdown again.