They're not going to impose new restrictions today

[mildtomoderate]

Most likely scenario is a 2 week circuit breaker on the 28th, which gives enough time to recall parliament.

So, if you wish, you can Christmas away with your loved ones to your heart's content.

@Livelifeinthebuslane

R4 PM has just said no decision today.

Like I said. But apparently I was whipping people up.

@puppeteer

if that's what they are going to do in the next couple of days anyway

As I read the situation they are intending not to deploy more restrictions.

They seem to be actively questioning and challenging SAGE models.

These are both novel approaches for our government indeed — but they already make me feel much safer.

But I take your point— we are still a long way from a settled in to this 'new normal'.

But do I want to go anyway if things are this bad that restrictions are being thought about?

As some others have pointed out, there are some promising indicators. (Denmark, and the past few day's case numbers.)

Unless you're thinking of travelling to SA or something (joke) I'd continue to plan ahead.

Live life for the moment. Plan your way out of it later if you have to.

Yes, I'm cautiously optimistic too.

I understand the anxiety over all the speculation, but I think full lockdown, or 'circuit breaker' or 'firebreak' or whatever, is unlikely.

I tend to like certainty to be able to plan too, but I also don't want restrictions, so I think this is probably the best outcome for me at present, I'll take the uncertainty to not be restricted prematurely.

If SAGE have it right though, it will become too late to make much difference.

Hurray!

but your head isn't required in this thread anyway so it's probably better off elsewhere

< sticks tongue out >

Boris Johnson has no support from his MPs for more restrictions, whatever the science says.

@aliceca

If it is advisory, it will make zero difference.

I don't think that's generally true.

Certainly, I'll be exploiting it to my own family's advantage.

But in general, many will follow the advice. You only have to look out on the streets to see that shops are far quieter than normal. Many people will follow. And many companies will feel under obligation to not encourage their staff to feel they have to go beyond the advice.

Any advice would make a ton of difference to businesses.

That's why I'm happy about today's announcement — it doesn't even introduce advisory measures. And given the data so far, that's a good thing, and also appropriate.

It’s really important to report any potential effects after the vaccines and boosters, even if you’re not sure they’re related, so the incidence can be recorded and causality established. This is so important for patient safety and development of safe vaccines.

Anyone can report their symptoms, it doesn’t have to be a nurse or doctor.

Here’s the link:

yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

Sorry, meant to post the above link on the booster/ periods issues thread.

@puppeteer I think those who will follow the guidance are already limiting what they do. Those who aren't will ignore it.

They should of. But he didn't. He needed to, but didn't have the guts.

On the one hand I’m glad they are leaving it late to announce anything because I really don’t want any restrictions and I do think they are trying to avoid them. On the other hand, we are meant to be having a U.K. break with another family starting on the 27th. If indoor mixing is banned and only announced Boxing Day we are all going to be gutted. So if it had to be done I selfishly want two households rather than rule of 6. Rule of 6 is so hard for families with more than one child.

@GoldenOmber

I’m glad they’re not, but I’m not much looking forward to a Christmas with my loved ones still stressing about whether or when I need to change my plans to travel back home again on 48 hours’ notice.

If you're already with your loved ones for Christmas, why would you have to travel home any earlier? It won't make you any less likely to catch covid if you've been with them for several days 🤷🏼‍♀️ We are staying at my daughter's and we will come home when it suits us!

If you're already with your loved ones for Christmas, why would you have to travel home any earlier?

Because there might be legal restrictions against me being on the train I would need to travel home on after Christmas, and in previous lockdowns there have been police at train stations checking people had an acceptable reason for using public transport. Glad you’re fine though!

@GoldenOmber I didn't realise you were going by train. However, I can't see them installing police checks at train stations for a two week circuit breaker, if it happens.

My DD regularly travelled by train to see her BF last year when she wasn't supposed to and was never stopped. I can't imagine the police are going to be that rigorous this time either, there are going to be so many people who just do their own thing they'll be overwhelmed.

@GoldenOmber

If you're already with your loved ones for Christmas, why would you have to travel home any earlier?

Because there might be legal restrictions against me being on the train I would need to travel home on after Christmas, and in previous lockdowns there have been police at train stations checking people had an acceptable reason for using public transport. Glad you’re fine though!

They aren’t going to stop people travelling back to their houses if they announce on Boxing Day that there are restrictions from 27th/28th.

It would be completely counterproductive for one thing - force everyone to travel all together on 27th because on 28th you won’t allow it, or let people travel across a few days.

or let people travel across a few days.

I’m sure they would, but my planned train back might be after the end of whenever those few days are, in which case, still a problem. As, potentially, crossing the border with Scotland has been a problem before if that’s banned - it’s not like they stop the train at Berwick or anything but it’s a fairly easy one for police to check on at destinations.

I do appreciate that the odds of getting fined for breaking The Rules may not be very high, but they are still considerably higher if you’re relying on public transport - like I said earlier, there absolutely have been police at mainline stations checking and enforcing this in previous lockdowns and that included the last ‘circuit breaker’. And I don’t have massive confidence in the police using their discretion on sensible things given past lockdowns.

Current plans are to stick to original scheduled train and, if questioned, a combo of “we’re travelling home and couldn’t go earlier as were waiting for test results”, but 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, it just gets a bit irritating when people who don’t have to worry about most of this and can easily pile all the kids and presents into their car come trooping in to go “but WHY would you change your plans just because Boris says so? I’m certainly not!”

So, assuming this is the case - am I okay to go away on 28th? (This may have been answered up thread so apols is has).

@valerianroot

So, assuming this is the case - am I okay to go away on 28th? (This may have been answered up thread so apols is has).

They’ve not confirmed anything for after Christmas. There are various rumours, some of which say that there would be no household mixing indoors from 28th-ish, but nothing is confirmed.