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?

There won't be a lockdown in my house for sure. I'm having family and friends and noone is stopping me.

@HesterShaw1

I still can't get over how many people now casually fling around the possibility of "lockdown" as though it's a normal thing to do in the face of an infectious disease which, compared to previous pandemics, is pretty mild.

Can they please try and keep in mind the real, long term implications of lockdowns, which were always blindingly obvious to some people, but which are now only starting to be discussed in the mainstream media.

It beggars belief, it really does. And to think no country would have done it if authoritarian China hadn't done it first. A fine example to follow

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I don't think we'll go into another lockdown as the country just can't afford one. Also people just won't comply until the nhs collapses

No lockdown in our house.
We can’t trust our politicians to do the right thing by us. They seem to do what they want, so why would we listen anymore?
We have all done our best , this new variant doesn’t seem to put anyone in hospital and we are all just going to have to get on with it.

@inmyslippers

I don't think we'll go into another lockdown as the country just can't afford one. Also people just won't comply until the nhs collapses

Don't think they will even if it collapses.

Anyone- and it’s so sad to see- clamouring for school closure has no business on a parenting site. Schools are essential, just as hospitals, police etc. Look at the damage the school closure caused. It redirected damage from those vulnerable to Covid towards another vulnerable group in society, the young.
Anyone promoting that should hang their heads in shame.

@Benjispruce5

Austria are lifting their lockdown this weekend but only for the fully vaccinated. Perhaps they’ll do something like that here?

How long did Austrias lockdown last?

This is the contempt the government held the rest of us in for following lockdown rules last December:

www.spectator.co.uk/article/watch-no-10-staff-joking-about-downing-street-christmas-party

I don’t think they’d have a led to stand on this year

I doubt many would comply; very few seem to be wearing masks in shops around here as it is

If they follow the science, no lockdown.

Maybe ,just as a gesture to placate the people they've scared, lots of silly, ineffective things like testing before and after travel, some venues or events shut, with similar ones open, masks in some places and not others, etc.
You can never tell with govts, but I don't think they would dare, unless the bodies were literally piling up in the streets. As others said, not many people would obey.

I still can't get over how many people now casually fling around the possibility of "lockdown" as though it's a normal thing to do in the face of an infectious disease which, compared to previous pandemics, is pretty mild

EXACTLY.

People spouting on that "a lockdown is overdue"? I've no bloody words!!

Mitigations (masks, lockdowns, even vaccines) have very stupidly become politicised. I despise this government and the way they've handled things, but when recommendations come in, you do need to read up from the majority of scientists and those on the front line of the NHS, and if they're saying we need to wear masks or have boosters, then listen to them, rather than say 'no, I did it before and now I can't be bothered any more'. Otherwise this just won't go away.

I doubt there will be any extreme measures needed now, but if a new variant comes that's really dangerous, it'd be insane to ignore any measures just because the government lie.

The thing about lockdowns is they need to be short and sharp. Not half arsed things that drag on and on and on with no end in sight as the goalposts keep moving. I think what we experienced in the first few months of this year was bordering on a human rights violation, in all honesty. Depriving people of seeing loved ones, doing activities, going out for a drink, for months and months on end. And this was within a year of the initial long lockdown in 2020.

Can you imagine ever thinking this would be possible pre 2020?

@noblegiraffe I’ve been wondering why it’s taken so long for this to come out, makes sense!

@SivvyPlath

Having to wear a mask whilst in a shop is totally different from not being allowed to see your family though.

Think this is an important point - mitigations I can see happening, lockdown I can't.

We can't refuse all health mitigations because Johnson is a lying twat, that makes no sense. The ITV film is really infuriating, can you imagine Gordon Brown letting his staff get away with taking the piss like that? A proper PM's staff wouldn't be joking about a fucking party. The whole Downing Street operation is a fucking joke.

Zero! My son works at Heathrow and we are ‘open for business’! Flights have picked up and plenty flying in for holidays, Christmas shopping, family visits. All the hotels around the airport are changing back to normal business as usual, only a few still quarantine hotels.

@Joystir59

There won't be a lockdown in my house for sure. I'm having family and friends and noone is stopping me.

Selfish entitled attitudes like this are the reason we were in such a mess and still are. "I'll do what I want regardless of anyone else or anything and no-one will stop me"

@RichTeaRichTea

I don’t think there would be riots. I think a lot of people would go very quiet on social media.

I think there could be small riots. However if a lockdown were deemed necessary, that would have to be dealt with. I am not saying it is necessary, but you wouldn't not have a lockdown because some anti-vaxxers were angry.

You have to do what is right for the moderate majority, that is who you govern for. If Piers Corbyn wants to sing about farts in trousers he can carry on.

@rrhuth it wouldn't just be 'a few antivaxxers angry'

Given the reaction in Europe, there would absolutely be riots

@duffeldaisy

Mitigations (masks, lockdowns, even vaccines) have very stupidly become politicised. I despise this government and the way they've handled things, but when recommendations come in, you do need to read up from the majority of scientists and those on the front line of the NHS, and if they're saying we need to wear masks or have boosters, then listen to them, rather than say 'no, I did it before and now I can't be bothered any more'. Otherwise this just won't go away.

I doubt there will be any extreme measures needed now, but if a new variant comes that's really dangerous, it'd be insane to ignore any measures just because the government lie.

I'm very very happy to wear a mask. I'm not sure how effective it is but I'm absolutely going to wear one.

I'm happy to take all sorts of mitigating measures but I draw the line at another lockdown whereby I can't have loved ones in my home, and my teen sees no one but me and his step dad for months on end.

@QueenofKattegat

I still can't get over how many people now casually fling around the possibility of "lockdown" as though it's a normal thing to do in the face of an infectious disease which, compared to previous pandemics, is pretty mild

EXACTLY.

People spouting on that "a lockdown is overdue"? I've no bloody words!!

This with bells on!!

[quote weddingpanicomicron]@rrhuth it wouldn't just be 'a few antivaxxers angry'

Given the reaction in Europe, there would absolutely be riots [/quote]
How many? Realistically, given the UK's tendency towards rioting - how many do you think?

Most riots are small when you count the people involved.

@rrhuth I'm no antivaccer but I'd absolutely want to protest loudly if future lockdowns were announced.

It's not simple though, as I appreciate gatherings of people are a major issue in a pandemic- so protests are not a straightforward option.

@rrhuth straw poll of the people I'm in a taxi with- 7 out of 8 would protest loudly / riot (in a Covid safe way, Simonides how that works).

We are 2 hospital doctors, a solicitor, a GP, a TA, dog Walker and a gardener.

There might be some riots perhaps, but I think most people would just do as those of us who were non-compliant did last time. That is, quietly carry on regardless. I don't much fancy rioting, I'd rather just have family over for a meal when I fancy it and pop round to see a friend.