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

[toolazytothinkofausername]

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

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.

Liking, rather. Guess what I'm modelling at the moment.....

Day 2 will continue to mean day 2 I assume- you can take the test up to and including day 2 after you arrive in UK (the day you arrive is day 0).

What they do need to clarify though is whether it’s in effect from now, or Monday, or some other day. Some people are flying home this weekend and will have already purchased lateral flows and filled out their passenger locator forms with this!

@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’m sure there are therapists that can help with your uncontrollable rage towards well wishers. 🤗

I like Stay Sane. Thanks.

So a variant no one's died from is suddenly the focus of all media attention. Some people will believe anything, eh?

@Cornettoninja

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.

Yeah, I work in the NHS and vaccine centres and people assume we are 'in the know' about stuff. I always say, we will find out on the news, the same time you do! Often, things like vaccine rules get announced and it takes days for our guidance and systems to update!

@valnevavaxx

Day 2 will continue to mean day 2 I assume- you can take the test up to and including day 2 after you arrive in UK (the day you arrive is day 0).

What they do need to clarify though is whether it’s in effect from now, or Monday, or some other day. Some people are flying home this weekend and will have already purchased lateral flows and filled out their passenger locator forms with this!

I’m assuming none of it (PCR tests or masks) is in effect from now, since he seemed to say that Sajid Javid would confirm details “in the coming days”. He definitely said that for masks anyway.

I imagine the household isolating if you have the new variant is already in effect though, I think they’ve said the households of the two cases are all isolating?

@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?

It's Hill Street Blues. 'Let's be careful out there'.

@WombOfOnesOwn

So a variant no one's died from is suddenly the focus of all media attention. Some people will believe anything, eh?

If they waited until people die from it there would be shouts "why did they wait so long, why didn't they take measures to prevent it??". Like when Delta started. They can't win either way.

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.

@EileenGC there is a tweet from the Downing Street account calling it a mandatory “day two PCR test” so that does sound like it can’t be taken before day two. Unless it’s just badly worded.

@Saucery

By the time Test And Trace have decided you were in contact with the new variant, the new variant will have spread as much as it needed to to keep going.

90% of Test and trace services end next week (wierd it's not in the news tbh thousands have lost their jobs just before Christmas) so they won't be deciding anything.

Wearing masks makes no difference but lets mandate them so people feel safer.

It's similar to many other mandates and rules that have been put in place over the last 20 months. Clearly shown to make no difference if you look globally.

Let's double down anyway. Let's all panic and make our lives even more restrictive.

What's the plan, the end game?

Rinse and repeat every time a new and seemingly serious variant is discovered?

Where I live I've always had to wear a mask in public indoor settings- it's total bs but it's mandated.

Well, I guess they will get extended cotracts now.

@SickAndTiredAgain they’ve always been called day 2 tests.

If they mean test-on-arrival though, why don’t call it that. No one will voluntarily extend their isolation by 2 days and not take their test as soon as they land.

Florida currently lowest per capita at moment, maybe there statergy worked.

I’ve had a 4 day visit to the UK planned for 3 months. I need to see my elderly dm and my dc.
They live 200miles apart.
Now I have to wait for my pcr result I’m not sure if I’ll get time to travel to both.
Absolutely sick of it now.

@SickAndTiredAgain

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.

@EileenGC there is a tweet from the Downing Street account calling it a mandatory “day two PCR test” so that does sound like it can’t be taken before day two. Unless it’s just badly worded.

A day 2 test was always on or before day 2. You can get a pcr on arrival at the airport I think. I’m prepared to be wrong.

A day 2 test was always on or before day 2.
You can get a pcr on arrival at the airport I think.
I’m prepared to be wrong.

That's correct (at least for now).

The problem with airport PCRs is that they're so expensive, and don't guarantee quick results either. If you were offering me a 12h turnaround PCR I can do at the airport for £50 then sure, I'll take it.

The issue is paying that amount of money and then waiting up to a week, or longer, for a test result. Which is what has happened to many people already, when isolation wasn't even an issue.

Wearing masks makes no difference but lets mandate them so people feel safer.

This is untrue.
This is just one study showing that even simple cloth masks make a significant difference.
theconversation.com/evidence-shows-that-yes-masks-prevent-covid-19-and-surgical-masks-are-the-way-to-go-167963

This is untrue.
This is just one study showing that even simple cloth masks make a significant difference.
theconversation.com/evidence-shows-that-yes-masks-prevent-covid-19-and-surgical-masks-are-the-way-to-go-167963

Such a biased shitty survey it's so untrue.

@Againstmachine

*This is untrue. This is just one study showing that even simple cloth masks make a significant difference. theconversation.com/evidence-shows-that-yes-masks-prevent-covid-19-and-surgical-masks-are-the-way-to-go-167963*

Such a biased shitty survey it's so untrue.

huh?

It's an RCT, not a survey. It was well designed, what specifically in the methods/analysis do you think induced bias?

No it's biased it's based on various villages that have no reflection on the UK but let's use them.

@Againstmachine

No it's biased it's based on various villages that have no reflection on the UK but let's use them.

That doesn't make it biased @Againstmachine

Running an RCT in another country means the findings may not be generalisable to the other populations, but I do not see how this would be the case for efficacy of surgical masks.

Twillow

Sure Jan

I nominate Leafygreens as Defender of all restrictions and rules .

Anyone who deems to have an input or express a different opinion beware.

I base my nomination on tireless posting on numerous threads .