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Original poster

News conference at 5pm [titled edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

358 replies

toolazytothinkofausername · 27/11/2021 14:27

I'm watching Sky News, and they have said there will be a news conference this afternoon... but why do they never say at what time? I've also had this on BBC news too previously. It is so infuriating Angry

YANBU- It is annoying they do not specify a time.
YABU- In 2021 you should search the internet to find it yourself.

I do not know how to do AIBU polls. One day I will figure it out and add it on.

OP posts:
ktel1 · 27/11/2021 19:46

I hope for the sake of people in the UK they don't go any further

These panic measures are all theatre anyway.

Quartz2208 · 27/11/2021 19:47

I think Chris Whitty was rightly concerned about Boris Johnson losing it and making sure he doesn't panic with the fact that actually they don't know yet exactly what it could bring. At the moment it is looking definitely more transmissible, has some vaccine escape but also antedoctally milder.

That said what can they do though? Transmission wise

Original poster
toolazytothinkofausername · 27/11/2021 19:47

I hate that the sunflower lanyards went from being for people with Autism pre-covid, to being repurposed for people who are exempt from wearing a face mask since covid. When I'm having a bad day, I wear the sunflower lanyard and a face mask which leaves people confused.

OP posts:
EileenGC · 27/11/2021 19:49

The day 2 PCR thing needs clarifying.

When does it come into effect?
Are there exceptions for those travelling for work?

Me and many colleagues are currently in limbo because we have short trips to the UK next week and the following weeks, and we don’t know if we can come anymore. We can’t add an extra 36/48h to each trip to allow for a PCR result to come back. We can’t work online. They need to say exactly how this will be policed and if there are exemptions (like there were last year for certain industries).

If this will be a blanket rule they need a centralised PCR system that gives results back within 12/15 hours. A friend waited 6 days for her day 2 PCR result in summer.

How is that going to work for people coming into the country for three days?

XenoBitch · 27/11/2021 19:50

@toolazytothinkofausername

I hate that the sunflower lanyards went from being for people with Autism pre-covid, to being repurposed for people who are exempt from wearing a face mask since covid. When I'm having a bad day, I wear the sunflower lanyard and a face mask which leaves people confused.
I hear you on this. I wore one prior to Covid due to MH issues I have. I don't wear it on good days.
EileenGC · 27/11/2021 19:51

Also, there is a difference between mask wearing and putting a piece of cloth over your face.

The former helps, when enforced properly.

The latter, which the UK has (and even then you can ignore it by being exempt), is pointless.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 27/11/2021 19:58

The longer this goes on the more surreal it feels..... if anyone had said 2 years ago that we'd be taking all this into consideration on top of all the other complications modern lives encounter we would likely have suggested gently they looked at getting their anxiety under control..... now we've just absorbed, adapted and carried on as best we can.. quite mind boggling..... I think what gets me is the lulls of semi normality and then the sudden alerts....

IcelandicCabin · 27/11/2021 20:03

@toolazytothinkofausername

I hate that the sunflower lanyards went from being for people with Autism pre-covid, to being repurposed for people who are exempt from wearing a face mask since covid. When I'm having a bad day, I wear the sunflower lanyard and a face mask which leaves people confused.
I agree with this. The sunflower lanyard was absolutely vital when we travelled with Ds1. it was a god send. Particularly at Heathrow where the staff all knew what it meant and were without exception thoughtful, generous and discreet. Now the meaning has changed (and is of course still important to those who use it in covid times) but it does mean that it's specific use for those with autism has been lost.
Vintagevixen · 27/11/2021 20:04

Stupid masks again...sigh...pointless. Was really enjoying going round the shops without steamed up glasses.

People in Sweden have managed to survive Covid pretty well without imposing pointless bits of material!

Will be digging out the silk scarves again.

expatmigrant · 27/11/2021 20:06

Just wear the masks people... what's the problem.
i work for the NHS and have to wear them all day.
Sick and tired of it...get vaccinated and wear the masks.

BoredZelda · 27/11/2021 20:08

These panic measures are all theatre anyway.

Or, to put it another way, if we’d done this with delta we might not be in the position we are in now.

User135644 · 27/11/2021 20:09

@MistressoftheDarkSide

The longer this goes on the more surreal it feels..... if anyone had said 2 years ago that we'd be taking all this into consideration on top of all the other complications modern lives encounter we would likely have suggested gently they looked at getting their anxiety under control..... now we've just absorbed, adapted and carried on as best we can.. quite mind boggling..... I think what gets me is the lulls of semi normality and then the sudden alerts....
It was always going to be in years once it got around the world. Vaccines have been a lifesaver and we have better treatments which has allowed most of 2021 to be normal outside of the winter months.
Vintagevixen · 27/11/2021 20:10

I work for the NHS and wear mask all day too - what a costly pointless exercise that has cost the NHS a fortune. We've all managed to catch a horrendous cold off each other at work despite wearing masks all day!

The problem is they don't make a difference and are pointless and also give me hypercapnoec headaches by the end of the day, plus make my menopausal hot flushes even more hot.

User135644 · 27/11/2021 20:10

@BoredZelda

These panic measures are all theatre anyway.

Or, to put it another way, if we’d done this with delta we might not be in the position we are in now.

We did the same thing with Delta, didn't we? Shut flights into India when it was already here anyway.

Wearing masks in shops isn't going to stop it spreading now that it's here.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 27/11/2021 20:11

Ah, the "just do this" "just do that" clarion call, answered by most and yet, and yet, here we still are on a seemingly never ending cycle.... not saying anything is right or wrong but oh Lord it is tedious.....

BoredZelda · 27/11/2021 20:11

The latter, which the UK has (and even then you can ignore it by being exempt), is pointless.

🙄

Yes yes, we know, any excuse not to take the most basic of precautions.

notimagain · 27/11/2021 20:17

@EileenGC

The day 2 PCR thing needs clarifying.

It does, there are various versions knocking around in the reports this evening, most especially confusion over whether it’s a test on day two or test by day two…….as you point out makes a big difference if travel is related to work.

The U.K. gov website doesn’t seem to have been amended to reflect tonight’s announcement so it’s Confused..

Good Luck…

EileenGC · 27/11/2021 20:23

The U.K. gov website doesn’t seem to have been amended to reflect tonight’s announcement so it’s Confused ..

That’s the thing. Who knows when they’ll amend it.

I have colleagues who need to give notice by Monday 8am if they’re not going to take their December trips as planned. People need to move flights, cancel accommodation, organise childcare and reschedule work in their own countries. And most importantly, businesses need to either find replacements for these people unable to travel, or cancel the projects. And these things need to be done ASAP.

Cornettoninja · 27/11/2021 20:30

The U.K. gov website doesn’t seem to have been amended to reflect tonight’s announcement so it’s confused..

This cabinet don’t seem to regard keeping their own agencies in the loop with this stuff, when they announced over 40’s would be able to book boosters it took about a week for the NHS site to update so they clearly heard the news the same time as everyone else. Same with schools throughout.

They’re quite happy to announce things without giving any sort of heads up to the people who will likely be inundated with questions about it.

Auntycorruption · 27/11/2021 20:30

@EileenGC

The U.K. gov website doesn’t seem to have been amended to reflect tonight’s announcement so it’s Confused ..

That’s the thing. Who knows when they’ll amend it.

I have colleagues who need to give notice by Monday 8am if they’re not going to take their December trips as planned. People need to move flights, cancel accommodation, organise childcare and reschedule work in their own countries. And most importantly, businesses need to either find replacements for these people unable to travel, or cancel the projects. And these things need to be done ASAP.

Why would they change plans based on having to do a PCR instead of LFT? A test is a test, does it really matter to the traveller? Switching to a PCR just means they can identify the variant more quickly.
SickAndTiredAgain · 27/11/2021 20:37

Why would they change plans based on having to do a PCR instead of LFT? A test is a test, does it really matter to the traveller? Switching to a PCR just means they can identify the variant more quickly.

Having to isolate while waiting for a PCR test result is much longer than just doing an LFT.

QueenofKattegat · 27/11/2021 20:39

Stay safe everyone

I feel the red mist descend when I see or hear this tedious nothing phrase. I really thought we had left it behind. Can I expect the return of Facebook profile photo frames? Something about "our NHS" or some badly spelled bollocks about heroes and rainbows?

kowari · 27/11/2021 20:41

@QueenofKattegat

Stay safe everyone

I feel the red mist descend when I see or hear this tedious nothing phrase. I really thought we had left it behind. Can I expect the return of Facebook profile photo frames? Something about "our NHS" or some badly spelled bollocks about heroes and rainbows?

I prefer Stay Sane
EileenGC · 27/11/2021 20:42

Why would they change plans based on having to do a PCR instead of LFT? A test is a test, does it really matter to the traveller? Switching to a PCR just means they can identify the variant more quickly.

I don’t care if it’s PCR or LFT.

The difference is that you will now have to isolate whilst waiting for results. Until now you didn’t need to isolate at all.

So you land on Monday and take your test straight away, post it that afternoon, it reaches the lab on Tuesday, they analyse it on Wednesday and if you’re lucky you get the result that evening. You flew to the UK on Monday and can’t start working until Thursday morning. I don’t have 3 free days before each project, to dedicate to the wait for a PCR result.

That’s assuming they mean before day 2. If they actually mean day 2, I wouldn’t be able to work until Saturday. So I fly on Monday and can’t work until Saturday. That’s just not doable.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 27/11/2021 20:46

I'm liming stay sane. Or stay drunk. I try to maintain a balance between those two....