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Original poster

Will London be locked down before Christmas?

388 replies

endoftether4 · 13/12/2021 22:03

Could Londoners be locked down again this Christmas? How likely do people think this is? I’m dreading having to spend another Christmas without my family and am considering leaving early to avoid another lockdown.

OP posts:
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7
VikingOnTheFridge · 14/12/2021 14:35

Truthfully, I think public appetite for lockdown is vastly reduced and most people would only pay lip service. There has to come a point where they stop just arbitrarily locking down sections of the economy, it is not really viable to keep doing so.

Agreed. I think for the most part people advocating it are thinking of stuff they'd voluntarily opt out of, and huge swathes of the population won't choose to observe any rule they can swerve.

RedToothBrush · 14/12/2021 14:54

So no PCR walk in test available across the country (particularly London).
Problems with lateral flow kit availability which has been largely blamed with staffing problems with the Royal Mail.

This is just the start....

We've now got this:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59638954
Musicals, plays and pantos cancel shows after Covid-19 outbreaks

West End hits The Lion King and The Life of Pi are among a number of shows that have been forced to cancel performances due to Covid-19 outbreaks.

The Lion King called off shows on Tuesday and Wednesday due "to Covid-enforced absences" among cast and crew.

The Life of Pi also had to scrap five performances between 9 and 13 December.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's Comedy of Errors at the Barbican in London has also cancelled all performances until 22 December due to Covid cases.

The company said scrapping performances "was a last resort".

The National Theatre had to scratch Monday's preview of its Christmas show Hex after one of its lead actors caught Covid.

Quartz2208 · 14/12/2021 15:01

TO be fair that was also happening in the summer. We went to the first showing of Prince of Egypt in August after it had been of for 10 days. Joseph had a similar issue as well

RedToothBrush · 14/12/2021 15:23

I don't doubt it. Was that when we were still under all contacts having to isolate though? Its now only if you test positive or are unvaccinated contact. This time we won't have a pingdemic because everyone pinged actually has covid!

Comefromaway · 14/12/2021 15:26

@Quartz2208

TO be fair that was also happening in the summer. We went to the first showing of Prince of Egypt in August after it had been of for 10 days. Joseph had a similar issue as well
In the summer it was because if one cast member caught it the rest had to isolate for 10 days.

Now simply too many cast and crew members are ill.

Jabbawasarollingstone · 14/12/2021 15:27

I'm working up to Christmas Eve. No word on the wind yet. It's been busy down my neck of the woods.

Jabbawasarollingstone · 14/12/2021 15:30

I'm in W London btw. Ppl shopping, going to/from school, visiting their mates, going to the pub...

Comefromaway · 14/12/2021 15:32

The tube strikes havn;t helped either. One train per half hour on the central line on a Friday night - packed in like sardines.

Comefromaway · 14/12/2021 16:11

@RedToothBrush

So no PCR walk in test available across the country (particularly London). Problems with lateral flow kit availability which has been largely blamed with staffing problems with the Royal Mail.

This is just the start....

We've now got this:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59638954
Musicals, plays and pantos cancel shows after Covid-19 outbreaks

West End hits The Lion King and The Life of Pi are among a number of shows that have been forced to cancel performances due to Covid-19 outbreaks.

The Lion King called off shows on Tuesday and Wednesday due "to Covid-enforced absences" among cast and crew.

The Life of Pi also had to scrap five performances between 9 and 13 December.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's Comedy of Errors at the Barbican in London has also cancelled all performances until 22 December due to Covid cases.

The company said scrapping performances "was a last resort".

The National Theatre had to scratch Monday's preview of its Christmas show Hex after one of its lead actors caught Covid.

Come From Away and Tina have both gone down too.
nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:18

There definitely are PCR walk in tests available in London, i’ve just done one, there was a massive queue of 2 people in front of me.
I know things are crap at the moment but let’s not make them worse by spreading stuff that’s not true

nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:21

Tests available to book across the whole country

Will London be locked down before Christmas?
RedToothBrush · 14/12/2021 16:21

@nancy75

There definitely are PCR walk in tests available in London, i’ve just done one, there was a massive queue of 2 people in front of me. I know things are crap at the moment but let’s not make them worse by spreading stuff that’s not true
There is definitely a problem with PCR test availability. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59651166

I can also provide the screen shot i took on my own phone earlier if you wish.

Its been like this all afternoon by all accounts, with appointments being put up occasionally and going almost immediately.

nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:23

The screen shot above for the booking pcrs is from 3 minutes ago!

HesterShaw1 · 14/12/2021 16:26

Pretty sure it would help a bit if we did what Tim Spector was advocating last week - if we have cold like symptoms, stay at home for a few days. It doesn't have to be ten days, because you're most infectious at the start.

That might mitigate some of the infrastructure problem, as long as people aren't actually feeling ill, obviously.

MarshaBradyo · 14/12/2021 16:31

Ten days is a long time

It sounds like a good idea

RedToothBrush · 14/12/2021 16:34

@HesterShaw1

Pretty sure it would help a bit if we did what Tim Spector was advocating last week - if we have cold like symptoms, stay at home for a few days. It doesn't have to be ten days, because you're most infectious at the start.

That might mitigate some of the infrastructure problem, as long as people aren't actually feeling ill, obviously.

Its December. That would probably mean me staying home all month!
vera99 · 14/12/2021 16:36

From a friend in the services - Defence Medical Services have cancelled all leave and put all personnel on 12 hours Notice to Move

Loads of units have had people dicked for Rescript, 1000+ already deployed, and force gen at AHQ has got another 5k on 24 NTM.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rescript

www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-medical-services

HesterShaw1 · 14/12/2021 16:36

Depends on your general health and immune system I guess. I don't have constant colds, but then I don't have little kids!

nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:37

[quote vera99]From a friend in the services - Defence Medical Services have cancelled all leave and put all personnel on 12 hours Notice to Move

Loads of units have had people dicked for Rescript, 1000+ already deployed, and force gen at AHQ has got another 5k on 24 NTM.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rescript

www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-medical-services[/quote]
Isn’t that for booster roll out? My 1st jab was done by a soldier

nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:39

Have we ever had a definitive ‘people can spread it for x number of days?’
10 days was brought in quite early, when we didn’t know much - I wonder if they now have a more definite idea

HesterShaw1 · 14/12/2021 16:42

@nancy75

Have we ever had a definitive ‘people can spread it for x number of days?’ 10 days was brought in quite early, when we didn’t know much - I wonder if they now have a more definite idea
Good question. I think this should be looked at very thoroughly, and if they can reduce the isolation period they really should. I have a friend who's a self employed electrician - he tested positive a couple of weeks ago, felt a bit grotty for the the first four days, and then was kicking his heels for the next six days, unable to to earn any money. He mostly works alone on building sites.
vera99 · 14/12/2021 16:42

Probably. Don't know what dicked means in that context - very surprised to see the forces medical services has nearly 12.5k personnel.

nancy75 · 14/12/2021 16:44

I guess it must have been looked at but I don’t recall any proper info about it.
I would like to know either way - if we don’t need 10 days that’s great, however if we actually need 12 days I’d like to know that too

MarshaBradyo · 14/12/2021 16:47

The ten days should be re looked at given the pressures we’ll be facing and the new variant

Quartz2208 · 14/12/2021 16:52

I agree I think that it should be 3-4 days