Three options on the table - a guessing game

[Fivemoreminutes1]

It's the question we're all asking - are new restrictions going to be imposed in England to control Omicron, and if so, when?
Quote from the BBC:
“Our chief political correspondent Adam Fleming tells us that civil servants have prepared a "menu of three options" that range in stringency, according to a Whitehall source. Ministers are yet to make a choice.”

Anyone want to guess what they are?

@ballsdeep

Who is going to listen to a full lockdown though?

We will have to all listen. Out of our hands if businesses and schools have to close

People just won't wear curbs on households if pubs and restaurants are open. Also I think the stable door is wide open and the horse is nowhere to be seen.

If it's full lockdown for more than two weeks then let's be honest, we have years and years of this ahead of us. Two years in, successful vaccine program and still lockdowns. This might be going on until 2025 while the virus mutates. I dont fancy that really.

We need a long term outlook like scrapping nursing / health care degree fees and encouraging more students into stem. Where that money come from I have no idea as socail care and education is cut to the bone. So on that basis it looks like we are fucked. If people think one more lockdown will fix it they are deluded and dont understand biology. It might help the NHS. But it's not the last push to win the war. It's one of many aftershocks of a tsunami.

The possibility of more than a circulate breaker lockdown is truly depressing and makes me feel hopeless for the reasons above. So I hope not

As someone who works in the leisure sector so was badly affected by all 3 lockdowns so far, whilst I accept that we are already in debt from furlough, SEISS and loans etc so far, no way it it acceptable to close or even restrict non-essential areas of the economy that rely on the public without proper financial support.
I keep reading that we should lockdown often from people who are able to WFH, rely on home deliveries, who don't much socialise, who save money and time from no commuting but who also go on about no more furlough or help as we are in debt.
Lockdowns have really divided society - some people are much better off but others are in debt, people have killed themselves. Yes there is a pandemic but some people who previously worked fulltime had no help from the government and are in debt, relying on foodbanks, are at risk of losing their home - so many people!
Some selfish attitudes from some people. We are not all in this together from what I read on here!

Option 1 til Boxing Day then either 2 or 3 depending on how bad it gets in the meantime.

I mean, how he can expect anyone to comply given his own flagrant abuse of the rules I do not know. He’s such a terrible prime minister.

Reading them

• 1 maybe 2 after Christmas

@Thewiseoneincognito

As for those leaked pictures, people need to be asking themselves Who would benefit from undermining BJ just as lockdown looms. Only Someone devoid of concern for the health and well-being of us all would take an opportunity to release those images. It kinda smells like the Matt Hancock cctv leak would you not agree?

He is an utter idiot and completely incompetent but there’ll be far worse waiting in the wings to take his job. Truly an extremely dangerous time for the stability of the country when Omicron risks overwhelming the NHS and function of services across the nation.

:Yes the timing of the 'leaked pics' is interesting I agree. the powers that be are turning against Johnson. I suspect they'll let him take the flak for Covid & try to oust next summer.

I'm not convinced there is 'worse in the wings' re Tory Govt.
Johnson has been howlingly bad by any standards.
He has damaged the UK's reputation globally as well as damaging our country in every way. Truely, he has 'fiddled whilst Rome burned'.

Option 1

Johnson resigns and we get a serious grown-up.

Who do people expect to see as leader if Boris is outed? A challenge is much more likely to come from the right of him.

So be careful what you wish for.

Steve Baker or Michael Gove are my bets for leaking this latest picture.
How much access they get to number 10 I've no idea , I would imagine MG has more as he is in the cabinet.
It's obviously been taken from an upstairs window or something.

I suspect they'll let him take the flak for Covid

And why shouldn't he? He's in the top job. Which US president was it who had the sign on his desk saying 'the buck stops here?'

@Thewiseoneincognito

As for those leaked pictures, people need to be asking themselves Who would benefit from undermining BJ just as lockdown looms. Only Someone devoid of concern for the health and well-being of us all would take an opportunity to release those images. It kinda smells like the Matt Hancock cctv leak would you not agree?

He is an utter idiot and completely incompetent but there’ll be far worse waiting in the wings to take his job. Truly an extremely dangerous time for the stability of the country when Omicron risks overwhelming the NHS and function of services across the nation.

Yes someone has sat on those photos for 18/19 months!

I think he’ll go for option 2. Option 1 would be pointless and we can’t afford 3.

I hope it's option 1 but I don't know many people who would reduce contacts based on guidance.

It says as much about them as it says about Boris himself.

@ichundich

It says as much about them as it says about Boris himself.

Quote fail. In response to @Mummyratbag.

@Heckythump1

What's the point of option 2?! Are we more likely to catch covid after 8pm?! :P what a joke!

At this point, I think a full lockdown would be the only way to get any compliance, but I don't want that as I don't want my daughter to miss anymore bloody school!

Pubs closing at 8pm is likely to have an effect on how busy emergency services are, especially A&E and police. Nobody out drinking heavily until the small hours equals significantly fewer assaults, fights, road accidents, injuries, overdoses, stupid petty crimes that drunk people commit like climbing scaffolding or shoplifting from the off licence... I know a couple of A&E doctors and they said the difference after the 10pm closure rule came in last year was immediate and obvious. They were sitting around twiddling their thumbs on a Saturday night when they'd usually be rushed off their feet dealing with people who'd had 10 pints fallen off the night bus and cut their head open. So it makes space in an overstretched service making it slightly less likely the service will become completely overwhelmed by covid patients/staff shortages.

@TheKeatingFive

Who do people expect to see as leader if Boris is outed? A challenge is much more likely to come from the right of him.

So be careful what you wish for.

We don’t often agree on much but at least we fucking do on this.

People need to be very careful what they wish for.

Bozo the clown could be replaced with Pennywise.

Can anyone explain how option 1 is any different from the current guidance (plus comments from Whitty etc?)

Guidance via family pressure just doesn’t work, only rules - if people choose to break them that’s on them. But a lot of people will comply

@PilatesPeach I couldn't agree more. No thought whatsoever for those people who can't WFH and may not be able to work at all in the event of a lockdown: I can imagine that a January lockdown would be disastrous for the health & fitness industry.

There seems to be no balancing of the harms that this might cause, just a rush to avoid the worst case scenario without full information in the likelihood of that (per the Fraser Nelson/sage member twitter exchange).

The gap between rich and poor is ever widening in this country and no one seems to be taking it into account at all.

@goodnightsugarpop but a 8pm curfew means
Pubs will be on their knees financially as well as people who work in them who are often on zero hour contracts or only guaranteed x amount hours.
Unless they plan to financially compensate them.
They would be better closing them full stop and financially helping than saying close at 8pm.

@ichundich

It says as much about them as it says about Boris himself.

No, it doesn't.

Lots of people are already complying with option 1. Hence the pubs etc being relatively quiet for “mad weekend” before Xmas. The shopping centres are quiet, people are staying away from hospitality and cancelling celebrations outside the home.

I went food shopping this morning and it was like a normal Monday, shelves quite full, no evidence of panic buying.

@LadyIckenham i feel a lot calling for lockdown now are ones who wfh who it won't affect to much
I am currently wfh but my son is working as a temp he would just be sent home with no income , my niece in a pub again no income, other familie members bin men etc , people will still expect them to work obviously
Lockdowns may be needed but they shouldn't be seen as the only answer and not realising that they also have a huge impact on people incl the vulnerable , financially etc

Also I know many who are reducing contacts so as to be able to spend xmas with loved ones , who have cancelled plans to go out and are meeting outside or postponed etc
Some won't but then some won't if its brought in
Tbh i have followed the rules but I won't again on mixing if its a total outright ban