No. Enough, now.
The vaccines do and are working to keep people out of hospital. The vast, vast majority of hospitalised cases are unvaccinated. They are the solution, and, bluntly, there's no other cavalry coming over the hill so its either keep the uptake high enough to be effective or accept the losses and the impact if we don't. There are no other long-term options.
Get Valneva and Novavax approved to open up an additional vaccine supply, push the booster programme, and open it to anyone whose second dose was 6+ months ago, push the 12-15 programme and give parents the option to take their kids to walk in clinics rather than waiting for it to come to the school, and push the flu vac programmes hard to reduce the impact of this.
I'd also be suggesting that we do bring in passports for large scale indoor events. Most theatres are doing this anyway and its really not a huge issue for staff or attendees, and nightclubs are already ID checking, so what's the harm to add a step? It's 10 seconds to show an app screen, and they allow a negative LFT that day to count as well for those who can't vax.
Bring back mask wearing now on public transport, tight indoor spaces and at large events. No, not everyone can, but a good majority can, and that will help cut transmission. Bring them back for Secondary schools on the buses and in the corridors and in assemblies.
A more out-there idea would be to consider going to remote learning for secondaries and sixth form for the last week of term or so in December, and considering closing all schools slightly earlier on the 13th or 14th, so that there's a clear ten days between the end of school mixing and Christmas. It would allow a planned space as a fire break, but that needs to be decided on and announced now, not in December, so people have time to plan.
But there should be no talk of shutting down the economy again - it simply can't take it. A second loss of Christmas trade for leisure, hospitality and retail will finish most of it off for good.
I also very much doubt people will cooperate with a household mixing ban, and the government should be proceeding on the assumption that they won't.
We won't. I've followed every rule, as have my family, but I have a mother and a MIL for whom (unless several minor miracles happen) this Christmas is very, very likely to be their last. I won't risk not seeing them (and asking them to be alone) and I won't 'pick' between them, either. We're all jabbed, we'll take very precaution around everyone testing but we won't follow an instruction not to see them.