Massive turn in opinion…

[Normando91]

Is it just me or has opinion on a possible lockdown or circuit breaker in the coming days or week completely changed in the past 24 hours?

I hadn’t looked at Sky News in the last 2 days as it all just seemed speculation and bleak but having looked tonight it looks inevitable that we’re going to face some kind of stricter restrictions, most likely after Christmas, but possibly before.

Everyone I’ve spoke to has gone from, no we will not go into lockdown (or further restrictions) to yeah, it’s coming.

Who would have thought we’d be back here a year later from lasts Christmases shit show.

@5zeds

I really don’t understand people’s obsession with Christmas get togethers. Phone your family and tell them you love them. Go for a walk together if you must. We aren’t children unable to understand why. We can meet when it’s safer and do other things till then.

^ This. There was a thread a while ago where atheists were moaning about Christmas, trotting out all the usual b@llock$ about it being hi-jacked from the pagans, nothing to do with religion, no one believes in God any more, shouldn't be allowed, UK isn't a Christian country, why do my kids have to have Jesus shoved down their throats at school, it's wrong to have a State Religion ? etc etc

Now it looks like Christmas might be cancelled (I don't believe it will BTW as it's too late to make a difference) the world and his dog are up in arms. How dare Boris do this to us they cry !!

Unfortunately some people can't see the dichotomy in this.

@immersivereader

Live abroad and it's the same here. Christmas is basically cancelled

Quite.

Some people seem to think that "Boris" or the Tory goverment are doing this just to be shits and retort they won't be obeying!

Do these people never read the news.

Are they totally unaware that other countries are bringing in restrictions-The Netherlands are in a strict lockdown for example.

If anything, the Tory goverment does not want to bring in restrictions-that is why they have to rely on the votes of the Labour Party to get any restrictions through.

It really is bizarre to read how some people seem to think The Tories -Waaaah- are stealing Christmas; that England will be the only country sitting in the ashes while the rest of the world parties!

It is even more bizarre to see how many posters-mostly scientifically uneducated- will be happy to ignore the advice of top class world scientists.

So, to all those who think this will be a punishment from the Tory party.

1. The Tory party are avoiding doing it for as long as they can-wrongly in my opinion.

2. Much of the rest of the world have introduced/are planning restrictions. This is not a Tory plot aimed at you, Jayne, in Manchester.

3. The WORLD Health organisation is very concerned, as are most other top scientists around the world. Again, Emma in London, this is not a Tory plot against you.

4. Lockdown/ Breaker/Restrictions are not part of a Tory plot to stop you personally going to a panto or seeing your old mum, Katie in Yorkshire, it's to stop the infra structure of the country breaking down.

If Christmas is cancelled, then it will be the same in many other parts of the world. This is because of a world wide virus and not because, Hannah in Dorset, the Tory government hate you.

If it turns out that we are the only country in the world with restrictions, than yelping and moaning and donning the revolutionaries cap would be understandable. But we won't be. In fact, our government are woefully behind many other world governments.

So, let's hope all those who think this is part of Tory plot, manage to come out of their parochial shell and have a look around at what other countries are doing.

The Tories aren't cancelling Christmas. The virus is cancelling Christmas for most of the world.

Sorry posted too soon.

Whilst all the tv news was about a party a year ago there wasn’t any news about the people left behind in Afghanistan and the famine they are facing.
There was little coverage about what is happening in other parts of the world, the weather that has killed many people
Things that should be headline news. Instead we had what happened last year again and again and again and again for weeks until they had found enough people to be suitably offended.

BBC rolling news do have reports from Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
It's not on as much as the covid / party gate rules , but I have seen reports about other things on there.

Yes there is and people are lapping it up. I am already seeing "stay safe" and 'we are having a no guests over Christmas please stay', 'safe Christmas kitchen party' away posts on facebook.

My business will not survive another lockdown or even a soft one which will put my family in financial difficultly.

I cannot believe this is happening again despite the 90% of people being vaccinated.

@saleorbouy

Not surprised really. On my recent visit to see family in the U.K I wad aghast at the slack attitude towards the simple basics of sanitising hands and wearing masks in shops. The attitude of a significant of shoppers I saw in the supermarket was in stark contrast to where I live. Shame for raw businesses just getting going again but.looks like lockdown of some sort is really only means of control if some of the population are unwilling to help themselves and others by getting vaccinated and doing the basics of sanitising and mask wearing.

As someone living here, I have noted with frustration the obliviousness of most English people from ‘freedom day’ onwards to the stark reality that the pandemic had not yet conveniently gone away.

However, this is really no surprise given our sh*t of a PM who just couldn’t be asked to wear a mask around anyone including when visiting a hospital or sitting next to a 94 year old living treasure. Supported in his narcissism by our bloody thick cabinet who feel the privilege of their persons means their entitlement overrides expert knowledge as they all crowded cosily in parliament bunched up without masks.

We deserve better.

@TameDucksAtChatsworth - exactly.

@TameDucksAtChatsworth well said

Yes @Kennykenkencat

We have a generation or two of lazy, self aggrandising journalists who can't do proper journalism. Even Robert Peston - who I used to think was one of the good journo's - has been shamefully arrogant during covid interviews and pressers.

To get a decent look at news you have to go to the dedicated news site, BBC or otherwise. What hits our screens via the main channels is whitewashed pap. So Joe Public, those of us who watch the 6 and 9, sorry 10 o clock news, miss out on so much because it isn't deemed 'exciting enough for us.

I cannot believe this is happening again despite the 90% of people being vaccinated

90% of people aren’t vaccinated. Maybe a very high percentage of adults are, particularly adults over 50, but people….no.

I will be so fucking angry. I am CV (vaxed and boosted) but the negative effects on mine and my ASD childrens mental health is awful. We can not do this again.

If we are lucky @MrsMorningStarOfBethleh enough peopple will take additional care and we won't have to!

BambinaJAS:
Infections are doubling every 2 days

Except that the number of new infections yesterday (90418) was LESS than the total for the previous day (92,597).

@Florianus

BambinaJAS: Infections are doubling every 2 days

Except that the number of new infections yesterday (90418) was LESS than the total for the previous day (92,597).

Doubling rates fluctuate and numbers at the weekend always need correcting.

And at some point the doubling will slow down. That is why they measure it. Until there is a definite down turn interventions will remain in place.

If this is the week that they slow down then we can dance a happy dance. No need to dismiss the opinions and science that went before!

My DSis is scheduled for surgery on 23 December to remove, best case scenario, her womb, worse case scenario that plus spleen, bowel and bladder. She has a grapefruit sized lump on her ovaries and further shadows. She will only get this op if there is a trauma bed available and so to increase her chances she is being pre-oped at 2 hospitals. But it's not just a trauma bed that may be occupied by a covid patient but also the nursing team she will need who may be having to isolate or have covid themselves. This is why I implore everyone to do whatever is needed to reduce the call on trauma beds by Omicron patients so that they are free for cancer patients and others.
This virus is not an illness that is self contained to whoever has it or is asymptomatic with it, it is highly contagious and I think that is why the word "selfish" is banded about. It needs for us all to consider someone other than ourselves. Some struggle with that.

The two views aren’t mutually exclusive. Someone can say I’m not locking down but at the same time expect there to be a lockdown.

Tame ducks,

"The Tories aren't cancelling Christmas. The virus is cancelling Christmas for most of the world."

Some common sense at last.

Unbeknown to the keyboard warriors who continue to bash Boris, Hospitals in London are liaising with the Home Office.

When there is a major incident, the Home Office has National Emergency Mortuary Arrangements (NEMA) in place, this can provide body storage and a large mortuary facility that can be configured for up to 600 fatalities. This arrives “flat-packed” on several lorries, and needs utilities and a large area of land at ground level for assembly.

In July 2005, a temporary mortuary was set up in the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in central London, following the 7/7 bombings.

To date, this is the only time that the structure has been used in its entirety. The Home Office definition of mass fatality is: “Any incident where the number of fatalities is greater than normal local arrangements can manage.”

Some people need to get a sense of perspective.

the80sweregreat

BBC rolling news do have reports from Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
It's not on as much as the covid / party gate rules , but I have seen reports about other things on there

I would have thought the humanitarian crisis where 50% of a countries population face famine and death and are selling their children to afford food would have been given the most air time instead of an office Christmas party from a year ago. It is not as though many people were bothered initially, they had to put it out again and again to try and get enough people interested.
It is so blatant that it begs the question Why?

I think despite the BBC putting out a 10 point impartiality plan after getting its fingers burned over the Martin Bashir interview. I don’t think it is following its own guidelines.
Why only new journalists etc who get training on impartiality

AmaryllisNightAndDay
People care about political leaders giving parties while the rest of us had to isolate.

It was civil servants giving the parties, not politicians.

Doubling rates fluctuate and numbers at the weekend always need correcting..

The figures I quoted were not for a weekend - they were for Thursday and Friday. I agree that a single day should not be taken as a trend, but equally it is unwise to assume that infections are doubling daily when they haven't.

Tbf UKHSA has issued a memo on doubling rates

‘a methodology memo published by the UKHSA on Thursday states it is now wrong to assume that the doubling rate will remain constant, and so should no longer be used.’

I don't understand why the NHS has to go into crisis every winter - why can't it be funded properly?

This can't keep happening every year, it's not fair on businesses that rely on the Christmas trade for survival. I don't want to live in a world where only bloody Amazon survives.

If vaccines are only short lasting, don't stop the virus spreading and for the wealthiest countries, then that's not a long term plan either.

I'm not sure what the answer is (well I do have a good guess - but it wouldn't be popular!)

Those who say Christmas is not important?
It is for me, I live alone away from my family.
My friends have began to drop social events as they have families and want to protect their Christmases.
I work very hard this time of year, it's so full of gloom, I'm feeling bored, unloved and unmotivated and I was looking forward to being with my family and having fun and companionship and happy times to fill up my cup for the toughest part of the year for me (Jan-March).

They should've had a 2 week circuit breaker before Christmas with economic package to help businesses out. However Johnson is just a useless libertarian prick and in thrall to the ultra on the right of his party. Which, judging by their Whats App messages, appears not to be working because they are lunatics.
So there will have to be a lockdown which will be longer than it could have been, businesses will suffer, the NHS will suffer, more people will die. I do hope the grownups are talking to each other behind Johnsons back.
And still people will vote for these useless idiots.

@DeclineandFall

They should've had a 2 week circuit breaker before Christmas with economic package to help businesses out. However Johnson is just a useless libertarian prick and in thrall to the ultra on the right of his party. Which, judging by their Whats App messages, appears not to be working because they are lunatics. So there will have to be a lockdown which will be longer than it could have been, businesses will suffer, the NHS will suffer, more people will die. I do hope the grownups are talking to each other behind Johnsons back. And still people will vote for these useless idiots.

What about when it’s released?

How do you stop the same growth happening

@Foolsrule

For everyone saying they’re going on carry on regardless, will you simply not test? And potentially spread Covid and infect others?

Yes.