To think the government should just lockdown and bring furlough back...

[Riskyrice]

.... As right now we might as well be in lockdown? Its like a lockdown by stealth-scaring the shit out of people so they stay at home, but not offering any support to businesses impacted.

I work in retail and this morning I have had 1 customer. This would usually be a busy week with people christmas shopping. It is also usually busy between Xmas and new year, but I imagine it will be tumbleweed. So many pubs are going to be in trouble because everyone has cancelled Xmas party bookings.

The government should just close shops and hospitality now and bring back furlough instead of this ridiculous middle ground.

London feels busy and festive. Soho and Covent garden were heaving last weekend!

@RogueV

What so you can go home and sit on your arse?

Righto

I'm now on unpaid leave. So I'm "sitting on my arse" with none of my usual salary. I'm currently doing a min wage job 4 hours stocking supermarket shelves overnight. This isn't paying me even 10% of my usual salary.

When my savings run out I won't be able to pay my mortgage.

I'm no fan of the government but when we had lockdowns before people were moaning about 'not being treated like adults' and saying how we should be allowed to take personal responsibility.

This time they've given out the facts and asked us to be responsible and people complain that we should be told what to do.

I do wonder if this may be preferable. I know a lot of people think that we can’t afford to furlough again. But I think i read previously that uncontrolled virus transmission could actually be worse for the countries economy for various reasons.

But we don't have uncontrolled virus transmission. The transmission and severity of the virus are reduced by the vaccines.

Absolutely not, no more lockdowns!

@Gertie75

I'm no fan of the government but when we had lockdowns before people were moaning about 'not being treated like adults' and saying how we should be allowed to take personal responsibility.

This time they've given out the facts and asked us to be responsible and people complain that we should be told what to do.

I'm not sure there's much overlap between these two complaining groups though!

Maybe they should hold a referendum on it.
Cause a bit more division :(

I'm sure that the majority of scientists, in general , would have us in full lockdown mode by now and try and protect their colleagues in the NHS and , ultimately, the population in general.
Most people are pretty anti doing another one because we have vaccines and the booster programme is going well ( at the moment)
(Obviously at Christmas it'll stop)

People are risk assessing their behavior now I think , by not going out or doing normal things means they will stay covid free at Christmas and be able to see otters.
It's what happens after Christmas that could be a problem, but then again it might not be as bad ? I don't think anyone really knows , the NHS is always stretched during the winter
I wished I could see how it's going to pan out , but whatever they decide will upset someone.

Others not otters!

No.

But I do think there should be a halfway house -;stricter mask enforcement, bring back social distancing, bubbles etc.

@Willyoujustbequiet

No.

But I do think there should be a halfway house -;stricter mask enforcement, bring back social distancing, bubbles etc.

The worst thing they ever did was to stop households isolating when somebody has covid. Makes zero sense. We have so many kids coming into our school who have tested negative but gradually it's working it's way through their family members. School is within the guidelines to mark them as unauthorised if the parents are considerate and keep them off. It almost certainly caused the 6 cases in my son's infant class... originating from a sibling in juniors who caught it from a girl in the same situation. Ludicrous.

I think even more businesses are going to have to start to look at making themselves financially viable and attractive to customers even when covid rates are high.

If I ran a restaurant, right now I'd be throwing absolutely everything at trying to become the best local place for street food, takeaway and home delivery. Or I'd buy really shit hot air purifiers and make sure I had the ability to have all the windows open and make even my indoors a bit like outdoor eating.

If I ran a shop, I'd be working out how I could make it exceptionally well ventilated and advertise that, even if that made the shopping experience feel very different inside to the way it does now.

And if I was starting any new business, I'd be looking for premises that could be easily opened up for very good ventilation whenever I wanted to, to future proof it against future covid variants or indeed flu or any other airborne virus.

Those things would make it less likely staff would be off as well as being more attractive to the most customers when rates are high. Continuing to depend on a 2019 model of customer behaviour and just hoping everything will be normal again soon (and will stay that way this time) seems risky.