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Original poster

What are the chances of lockdown this Christmas?

559 replies

43leftfeet · 05/12/2021 23:19

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?

OP posts:
SpringRainbow · 06/12/2021 04:40

Boris will do everything he can to resist being the Grinch two years in a row. If a lockdown is needed he will wait until January if he can. Things must be very dire if he attempts to bring in a lockdown sooner.

Firstly economically we need Christmas, we need as many people out spending money on the High Steets, pubs & restaurants, and theatres.

Secondly, even Chris Witty has said public support for a full lockdown is very low. They know that if they try to impose a lockdown, especially over Christmas there will be very little public support. Even if you close businesses, a large proportion of people WILL still see their families in private residences. Very few will want to miss out on their families again.

I do think if anything will come back, it will be work from home. There is a lot of public support for that. I think if anything happens on the 17th, that will be the most likely contender.

Not sure how much of an impact it will have this side of Christmas since a lot of businesses will most likely be shutting down for Christmas around that date anyway.

I also think any lockdown that may happen will be in January and I don’t think it’ll be a full lockdown. They will want to keep as much open as possible.

Hemingwayscatz · 06/12/2021 04:45

Virtually no chance of another lockdown full stop because compliance will understandably be so low.

AnyFucker · 06/12/2021 04:49

If compliance with masks in shops etc at the moment is anything to go by, trying to get people to lockdown will be a futile exercise

FanGirlX · 06/12/2021 04:50

@Hemingwayscatz

Virtually no chance of another lockdown full stop because compliance will understandably be so low.
They can't afford another lockdown. If we do need to bring in preventative measures it will be a lockdown light ie restaurants still open but only allowed to do takeaway- so no furlough or grants.
fournonblondes · 06/12/2021 05:17

No, cos Boris wants his xmas party and he’s already had covid so isn’t bothered. Xmas will be normal.

What a ridiculous comment.

Whichjab · 06/12/2021 05:24

They can't afford another lockdown

Lockdown costs less than the NHS failing or areas of society having so many people off sick they can't function.

SonicBroom · 06/12/2021 05:35

For everyone saying no one will comply, there won’t be a lockdown unless things get really serious. If they get really serious, especially among younger people, then they’ll comply. For no other reason than to look after themselves.

My view is that there is a LOT we can do before locking down. HH isolation if someone in the family tests positive would make a big difference, that’s why it’s spreading in schools. Same for bubbles and limiting the size of social gatherings. Vaccine passports, wfh, more masking, all effective tools we have available that together add up to allowing us to continue the fundamental things we want to keep going like schools, NHS and keeping businesses open.

I’m in favour of extra measures, localised if need be, to avoid a lockdown. What we have at the moment is farcical. Rates are so high that schools are half empty and round us anyway and at a guess I’d say 1/20 families I know have Covid of some sort right now.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 06/12/2021 05:46

There won't be a lockdown for Christmas.

To lockdown, you'd have to reintroduce furlough, and who can see that happening? Not me.

It will be WFH and mandatory vaccine passports if anything.

HelenaJustina · 06/12/2021 05:51

Conveniently any decision will be made after the majority of schools have broken up so that the Government can maintain that Covid isn’t a problem in schools and continue to push us to prioritise school attendance.

OliveTree75 · 06/12/2021 06:00

Slim to none in my opinion

FanGirlX · 06/12/2021 06:00

@Waxonwaxoff0

There won't be a lockdown for Christmas.

To lockdown, you'd have to reintroduce furlough, and who can see that happening? Not me.

It will be WFH and mandatory vaccine passports if anything.

Yep and masks and social distancing.

Wash your hands and sing happy birthday Smile

PAFMO · 06/12/2021 06:09

I think there may well be more restrictions brought in, in line with most countries, but a full lockdown no. Not unless cases really get out of hand. And that will only happen if people refuse to comply with the restrictions now in place.

nannynick · 06/12/2021 06:21

Compliance will be an issue whatever they do. Imagine they said that overnight stays were banned... some people may comply if relatives live nearby but those with relatives some distance away I don't think will comply.

It may be a plea to act sensibility and limit contacts to close family as much as possible. It may be a plea to get vaccinated.

RichTeaRichTea · 06/12/2021 06:22

If cases get “out of hand” it won’t be because people aren’t complying with the restrictions currently in place.

Sweetener12 · 06/12/2021 06:23

I very much doubt that and I don't think many people would follow it anyway if it would be announced.

NatalieH2220 · 06/12/2021 06:23

I think maybe restrictions on bars and clubs but not mingling with family. It was different last year in my view as we hadn't been jabbed. This year we're as protected as we can be so just need to live with it now.

Reastie · 06/12/2021 06:24

Boris Johnson’s sister has a radio show on LBC. Last night she categorically said ‘there will not be another lockdown’ when talking about Christmas restrictions. I think Boris will do absolutely everything to avoid a Christmas lockdown, even at the cost of more deaths and cases in January abs potential harsher restrictions in January onwards. He really doesn’t want to be seen as cancelling Christmas again.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 06/12/2021 06:25

IF we did lockdown, what would be our way out of it? Majority of people are double/triple vaccinated now and the fear of restrictions is STILL there . What would we need to do to come out of another lockdown? Or will this become the norm every January 🤔

ElectraBlue · 06/12/2021 06:31

No, No more lockdowns.

They don't work, we don't have the money to keep furlough going, the economy would note recover and people are unlikely to accept not seeing friends and family again for something that simply has never stopped the virus.

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

milly74 · 06/12/2021 06:31

@Wellbythebloodyhell

IF we did lockdown, what would be our way out of it? Majority of people are double/triple vaccinated now and the fear of restrictions is STILL there . What would we need to do to come out of another lockdown? Or will this become the norm every January 🤔
Support for vaccination will plummet as people will just think "what is the point." It cannot be the norm just because the NHS can't cope and lets be honest NHS struggling in winter cannot be blamed on covid. This is news every winter
fabulouslyglamorousferret · 06/12/2021 06:32

The idea of lockdown wouldn't even have crossed my mind, schools are being decimated by Covid at the moment and it's not even featuring on any radars. I'm a teacher in a large 3 form entry school, We have around 50/60 children off with Covid and about 15 staff, no one (rightly so) is talking about closing schools!

HighlandCowbag · 06/12/2021 06:32

I can see rule of 6 coming back in tbh. Probably for 27th December. Add wfh if you can, school class bubbles and masks. Can also see university exam season in jan/feb being online instead to try and get students to stay with parents instead of going back to uni.

So nothing that needs furlough money but restricts mixing. Oh and vaccine passports for hospitality.

Omicron probably done bojo a favour, NHS was always going to struggle over winter, he can blame new variant rather than no funding or staff.

rrhuth · 06/12/2021 06:35

Even if were needed the politics are such that Johnson won't do it. We will have high deaths again before action is taken.

No one wants lockdowns for obvious reasons but England is in a very fucked up state now politically due to the constant mishandling and the news of last year's Downing Street parties.

november90 · 06/12/2021 06:37

If they send us into lockdown they will have to reintroduce furlough and the UC uplift... so I'd say we will be staying out of lockdown!

RhubarbAndMustard · 06/12/2021 06:40

I don't think there will be a lockdown, but anecdotally, lots of parents now talking about pulling kids from school early due to the soaring rates.

The Government are going to have to wake up soon and actually do something about the schools.