What are the chances of lockdown this Christmas?

[43leftfeet]

I've been away this weekend (UK, but I've been distracted and not following the news).

I see there's been talk of Johnson announcing a "ban on Christmas" possibly, around the 17th - or not, depending on what happens with Omicron - is that about right?

I know we can't know yet what's going to happen, but what are people's feelings?

What do you think the restrictions, if any, are likely to be in England & Wales & in Scotland?

Yes MarshaBradyo - I think many people would just quietly do their own thing

I don’t think the uk could afford any more furlough..

@duffeldaisy: realistically, if this variant was a significant threat to small children, we would all have been told about it by now

All we've been made aware of is children being taken into hospital for observation : this is very normal (as kids condition changes quickly) for many conditions that would not warrant admissions for adults

I don't agree that its worth locking down to save kids lives but not adults however: but its not really relevant as we don't see any indicator that its more serious in kids with this variant

@duffeldaisy

"I have had my 3 vaccines, I follow good hygiene (hand sanitiser and so on) but will never follow lockdown restrictions again."

If this version is more deadly to small children, I'd imagine most people with any kind of heart would follow lockdown restrictions. And I can't see them bringing in a lockdown unless it is that severe a risk.

Hopefully it will be mild, but there's not enough data at the moment because there's always a lag of weeks before anyone dies.

I just wonder if that would be true... I'm pretty relaxed about more restrictions and would be more than happy to comply whatever, but the things I've read on here and heard people say IRL make me think even in a scenario where kids/young people were more affected lots wouldn't care at this point. I hope that isn't true.

I suspect they'll recommend people doing Lateral Flow tests and isolating if positive. I think people would just ignore anything more than that.

@DespairingHomeowner

It's still a bit in the air. You're right, it's normal for children to be taken to hospital more, when less ill, just in case. And the population is generally younger in South Africa, so there will statistically be more younger people affected. But it is still a concern, obviously, until proven otherwise, which will take another couple of weeks at least.
No need to panic, but it seems that taking precautions and thinking ahead is not a bad idea, rather than sudden, badly-thought-out reactions at the last minute.

They had better bloody not. I live abroad and already could not celebrate Christmas with my family in the U.K. last year. It would literally take a travel ban to stop me this year and I really pray it won’t happen (Omicron is already in the U.K. so how does a travel ban help now anyway? Already pissed off about the additional tests and the £££ it costs).

I can see a lockdown happening, although it may not do any good with people saying I'm not complying with it they can't tell me what to do! If the government tell me to stay at home then that's what I ll do! I had to bury family members last year and we had to pick and choose who could come to the funeral, I wouldn't wish that on anybody else! I've just had my booster jab and my flu jab, not because I'm a sheep but because I want to try my best to stay safe and healthy to look after my family!

First aive heard about a lockdown happening on 17th. This new variant has been blown out if proportion, I don't think we will lock down again. It might be the 3wk review is due then

I'm seeing a variant that's more infectious but less harmful. This is what's coming out of South Africa.

There won't be another lockdown.

There's no more furlough scheme. So the chances are very low

They had better bloody not. I live abroad and already could not celebrate Christmas with my family in the U.K. last year.

A lot of people who live in the UK couldn't spend Christmas with their families last year.

I don't think so - maybe similar to Ireland with clubs shutting work from home and some capacity things at a push.

I think were on the gentle upwards incline atmo. Give it a few weeks

Anyones guess really, if the new virus spreads very rapidly in the next two weeks. But lots of people will not take any notice of any controlling rules if that be the case.as in, have festive fun now, and worry later.

@Helspopje, I think the LH side of that cartoon should probably read "politicians"! Most public health scientists would be on the RH side

Personally, while I think there might be a case for stronger covid mitigations than we currently have, I think the government has blown all moral authority to order another lockdown, between Barnard Castle and Christmas Not-a-Partying. I suspect they'll therefore have to avoid one, as the non-compliance rates would be sky high.

Don't think anyone really cares and most won't be listening to them now.
Just live with it .

They can't lockdown. There's no more money for furlough, the economy will probably crumble completely. And no one will comply anyway.
Having said that this is the Torries so who knows?

The Government must realise that if they dared to announce a lockdown then no one would take the blindest bit of notice.

As a Tory supporter I’ve lost any confidence in Boris’s leadership. He’s a buffoon of the highest order stumbling his way through this like the imbecile he is. Time for him to go and put Rushi Sunak in the top job. Boris should never have been PM it was a job for Jeremy Hunt who I feel would have guided us through Brexit & COVID with far more professionalism and ease.

I think at this point, anyone who is vulnerable really has to isolate themselves during a wave of a new variant, and be supported to do so with grants or whatever they need. We cannot keep locking down the entire country for months on end. It's getting to the point a lot of people don't feel life is worth living anymore. The whole 'think about others' thing is ringing hollow now...what about all the young, healthy people who have just given up two years of their lives for something that likely would have been a bit of a cold for them? It's been a disproportionate burden for some age groups much more than others.

Tests should continue being free, maybe try to improve testing capacity/result time, bring in vaccine passports, mask wearing indoors, step up hygiene with campaigns to raise awareness of things like ventilation, hand washing and not shaking hands, maybe make as many things as possible touch free, like they do in Japan, but we absolutely cannot keep shutting everything down.

If there is a lockdown it will be in the New Year. No way there will be one before 2022. They wouldn't dare

They won't be announcing a lockdown for the 17th. 10 days away. Anything could happen before then.

A small chance I’d say. I’d be surprised though but then again they don’t rule anything out so if this variant appears to be more deadly, they will.

@siestalady

I doubt they will lock down as I think people will pay very little attention to it (and they know that)

I disagree. I'm surprised how much compliance there has been with masks been brought back.

I think the government will refuse to lock down at Christmas even if they really ought to (not saying they are) but if, say, the news is bad about Omicron they may do so afterwards, although a lot of the damage will have been done by then if that is the case.

And while it may be the case that Omicron is generally 'milder', that has to be put in context. Given how infectious it appears to be, unless it results in the most minimal requirement for hospitalisation, that could still potentially be a vast number of people simultaneously in hospital at the same time because so many are infected. Also 'mild' just means, not needing hospitalisation, it could still mean 'laid up in bed for 7+ days', which again, has consequences if huge numbers of people have it.