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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:
TheKeatingFive · 07/12/2021 22:37

I'm thinking of the damage to lives and the extreme hardship that prolonged lockdowns caused. I live in Leicester and my community was locked down almost the entire time. I don't want to see this happen again. Why is that anymore selfish than a pro lockdown stance?

At some point we decided that only the covid vulnerable counted.

Any other kind of vulnerable could go fuck themselves.

Didn't you get the memo?

aprilanne · 07/12/2021 22:41

Well doubt many will comply .well I sure as hell wont didn't last year either no one I mean no one was going to keep me away from my granddaughters and there dad at xmas .who does these idiots think they are .

Timeisavirtue · 07/12/2021 22:50

I’m not gonna complain if I’m on furlough in January, it’s very quiet for retail and we don’t go many places as it’s too cold....obviously I’d rather there wasn’t although I think maybe a 4 week one after Christmas could be on the cards....

megustalacerveza · 07/12/2021 22:51

@TheKeatingFive

I'm thinking of the damage to lives and the extreme hardship that prolonged lockdowns caused. I live in Leicester and my community was locked down almost the entire time. I don't want to see this happen again. Why is that anymore selfish than a pro lockdown stance?

At some point we decided that only the covid vulnerable counted.

Any other kind of vulnerable could go fuck themselves.

Didn't you get the memo?

This.

I have a vulnerable mentally ill brother who has basically been left to fend for himself throughout the pandemic and who is now severely depressed. A cousin who has stayed in an abusive relationship because every time she plans an escape, there are more sodding restrictions brought in and she loses her nerve. Another cousin has a toddler who won't go to anyone but her and cries when anyone but her picks him up, because he has never interacted with anyone else.

But who cares, right?

rrhuth · 07/12/2021 22:52

@HarrietteNightingale

Yes. I am asking how many you think will turn out? How many turned out in Bristol and London in 2011?

I also wonder if you want riots

No. I don't. But I think you're very naive if you think riots can't cause havoc.

Riots do cause havoc Confused

I just said that not many people actually riot

megustalacerveza · 07/12/2021 22:54

@Timeisavirtue

I’m not gonna complain if I’m on furlough in January, it’s very quiet for retail and we don’t go many places as it’s too cold....obviously I’d rather there wasn’t although I think maybe a 4 week one after Christmas could be on the cards....
The problem is that most of us have to work full time. We've been working and working with no respite, no holidays (for most of us), nothing to look forward to at all. All of the shit stuff with absolutely none of the fun stuff. I'm at absolute breaking point and so are most people I know.
HarrietteNightingale · 07/12/2021 22:57

I just said that not many people actually riot

If it causes havoc it's achieved its aim even if it isn't many people rioting Confused

Katie517 · 07/12/2021 23:10

@Timeisavirtue you realise that furlough isn’t “free money” don’t you? We are all paying for and will be paying for it for years to come, there won’t be another scheme we can’t afford it! so be careful what you wish for as you will be more likely to be out of a job than getting 80% for sitting at home this time.

CamQ · 07/12/2021 23:12

Valneva’s:

www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n2839

CamQ · 07/12/2021 23:15

Sorry, link above was for @Skysblue

julieca · 07/12/2021 23:16

I agree about working and little of the fun stuff.

freckles20 · 07/12/2021 23:35

@Timeisavirtue

I’m not gonna complain if I’m on furlough in January, it’s very quiet for retail and we don’t go many places as it’s too cold....obviously I’d rather there wasn’t although I think maybe a 4 week one after Christmas could be on the cards....
Seriously @Timeisavirtue? Furlough wasn't paid for by a money tree!

We paid for it. The taxpayer.

bumbleymummy · 07/12/2021 23:38

Zero. Particularly after the party revelations.

Kokeshi123 · 08/12/2021 00:26

Re riots: Not riots exactly, but some of the protests in Europe have been pretty heavy. But mostly, people would protest by just not complying (meeting in each others' homes instead of going to the pub etc.). It's already going that way.

have you got a link for that please? which vaccine got cancelled?
I'm guessing this was a reference to the French Valneva vaccine, a traditional "weakened whole virus" vaccine that does look very good. It is expected to hold up well against all variants of the virus. Whole-virus vaccines take longer to develop, which is why this one is only just getting approved now.

Kokeshi123 · 08/12/2021 00:32

Sorry @Kokeshi123, I was sort of thinking aloud!

No, I understand. I am thinking aloud too.

I think there is precedent for the idea that there can be practical limits to the idea that "I am a taxpayer, therefore I do get all the services I want for free regardless of my lifestyle choices."

Mountain rescue is free, mostly, in most countries, and is funded by taxpayers. But in many countries, if you insist on climbing up dangerous mountains at times of year where this is officially not recommended, after receiving clear warnings about this, then yes, you can be billed privately for the (very large) cost of any rescue that is necessitated.

In general, decent societies do try to stick to the principle of "we help people in difficulties and do not judge their lifestyle choices." However, if the costs are very great (such as car-crashing the NHS each winter), and the choice in question is perceived as being sufficiently wilful, society's patience may eventually run out.

If they are doing vaccine mandates in some countries, I think unvaccinated triage will start to be considered next winter, unless of course the COVID situation is much better then, which I really hope it will be.

Booklover3 · 08/12/2021 00:39

After the videos of their Christmas party last year… I’d say a very slim chance. A lot of people are justifiably angry. Has anyone shared this:

twitter.com/marinapurkiss/status/1468304337097142274?s=21

Apologies if it has been shared. Going back to read the thread now.

PrincessNutNuts · 08/12/2021 00:55

Do you think @Booklover3?

We had two lockdowns and months in tiers after Barnard Castle in May 2020.

A lot of people don't seem to mind those in government lying to them, laughing at them, and taking them for fools.

Booklover3 · 08/12/2021 01:10

To be honest @PrincessNutNuts I would like to think people won’t stand for it…. But when you phrase it like that, actually it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. A lot of people do seem very passive about what has been happening since the Tories got in.

I’d still like to think they won’t put up with it though!

westofnormal · 08/12/2021 01:13

@weddingpanicomicron
"you think they'd do it over Christmas just to upset people...? And they did it last year just to 'spoil' Christmas 🤦🏽‍♀️"
Yes. Did I look at the numbers? Totally irrelevant. There was no need to have it fall over Christmas. Please pay attention and don't reply to people like they're stupid.

"Do you look the numbers in hospital ever? It would explain why we aren't in one now quite simply."
What does that even mean? Be quiet

LivinLaVidaLoki · 08/12/2021 06:21

@canary1

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.
👏👏👏👏👏
sharkyandme · 08/12/2021 06:26

They'll try something

FanGirlX · 08/12/2021 07:27

@Timeisavirtue

I’m not gonna complain if I’m on furlough in January, it’s very quiet for retail and we don’t go many places as it’s too cold....obviously I’d rather there wasn’t although I think maybe a 4 week one after Christmas could be on the cards....
Would you complain if you are on UC for a month or 2, rather than furlough? I think that maybe on the cards...
weddingpanicomicron · 08/12/2021 07:29

@westofnormal your post was rather rude. Please don't tell me to 'be quiet'.

Last years lockdown didn't actually fall over Christmas. It started in Jan.

And sorry but if you really think the government 'cancelled' Christmas last year purely to upset people then you are stupid.

I'll explain my second point again... do you ever look at the government website that shows how many people are in hospital with Covid? Currently it's just over 7k. In January it was 40k, that's why your comment about a lockdown being 'overdue' was incorrect.

Lockdowns aren't announced to 'spoil' Christmas, they are a last ditch attempt at stopping the NHS from collapsing.

GiveMeNovocain · 08/12/2021 07:34

[quote weddingpanicomicron]@westofnormal your post was rather rude. Please don't tell me to 'be quiet'.

Last years lockdown didn't actually fall over Christmas. It started in Jan.

And sorry but if you really think the government 'cancelled' Christmas last year purely to upset people then you are stupid.

I'll explain my second point again... do you ever look at the government website that shows how many people are in hospital with Covid? Currently it's just over 7k. In January it was 40k, that's why your comment about a lockdown being 'overdue' was incorrect.

Lockdowns aren't announced to 'spoil' Christmas, they are a last ditch attempt at stopping the NHS from collapsing.[/quote]
If you actually want to help the NHS become a carer. We can't discharge as there's no capacity in care to take patients

thewhatsit · 08/12/2021 09:27

@weddingpanicomicron I think it depended where you were. London and the South East was put into Tier 4 on 20th December, which was full lockdown, and I do recall at the time papers talking about what % of England’s population that was - I’m sure it was about half. Then most of the North followed just before NYE leaving just some pockets that only went into lockdown in Jan.

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