First ministers briefing

[Trichford]

Is there one on today? If so what time will it be? Thanks

That’s interesting. Even with them being keyworker kids just one case...

Hubs are a million miles from normal schools though. 6 children to one adult. Extra hand washing breaks (which can be done as, 6 children). I hope the report is right and can be replicated

Apparently the R rate in London has just doubled - from 0.5 to 1.

Just been reading the Brexit thread (Westministenders). Things are going to be so so grim next year, and onwards. Chlorine washed chicken is just the start of what we can look forward to from the US. I'm no fan of the SNP, especially what they're doing to women, and to education. But is independence and hopefully re-joining the EU (or EFTA) really likely to be worse than where the UK is currently headed?

Just to come back to comments earlier about feeling scared to raise issues. I think this is one of our biggest problems as a potentially independent action. It’s all a bit incestuous in the Edi/public sector/ScotGov scene. Everybody knows everyone, and ScotGov see,s intent on replicating the London bubble with everything focussed on Edi and central belt. I’d hate to be the civil servants at Holyrood, or the legal team trying to advise in such a politically charged atmosphere.

How can we have impartial public administration in such a small world? Is this an insuperable problem? I think it is heightened by the issue of independence — no effective opposition and an attitude of ‚we need to shut up til we get Indy....‘ — but how long before we get back to a proper plurality of political parties and opinion in Scotland?

That’s one of the reasons I was sad it was a No Vote in the referendum. This is only going to end one way, and I dreaded being stuck in this limbo for god knows how long, in what was clearly heading towards a one party state.

So what is the alternative? As pp says, Westminster seems on a self destruct course.

Agh — potentially independent nation, of course. Typos.

I've emailed the head of education at our council about the shitty standard of education DD is getting online.

I'm really pissed off about face masks. Horse. Bolted. Stable Door.

You've got people protesting in Glasgow Green this weekend coming about something (whilst awful) that happened on the other side of the world and its being allowed, yet we can't hug our grannies.

Not surprised the R rate is going up. They should have waited for phase 1 instead of letting us loose and assuming (wrongly) that we will all want to wear face masks and download an app. The majority wont bother.

They will keep the R rate quiet or gloss over it. Temporary glitch. If we all wear masks it will be fiiiiiiine.

I saw one of the organisers of the Glasgow event (at least I think that's what he was, i missed the bit coming up on the screen) and he was saying "historically, when has protesting on-line ever achieved the desired outcome" and "just come along and then go get tested or isolate for 7 days afterwards"

I get that they are passionate and I get that it's a really really good thing to be raising and joining in with, I agree wholeheartedly with the cause but....

The big problem is is that the app isn't ready. Westminster are saying it "might" be ready by the end of the month.

Nicola has said she'll tell us what the R number is next week. It's been released in England - just seems like another example of the "grownup conversation" with us not happening.

But then we aren't grown ups remember, we have been "disobedient"

Of course!! Only wish I could remember what I did when I was disobedient. All I did last weekend was see my mum for the first time in 10 weeks, during which time all I've been doing is trying to keep my business afloat.

That wasn't a dig at you, WaxOn, it was a reaction to the garbage she came out with at today's press briefing, about how much help they're giving businesses

Didn't take anything as a dig Tomorrow

I run the full range of views and emotions on this everyday.

On one hand, I'm a rational and socially aware individual who can look at the facts and assess risk and as long as I am not breaking the law then I should be able to work within and outwith the guidance as my risk and social conscious dictates.

I should also extend the same level of autonomy to everyone else.

However, everybody not complying (rather than disobeying) with the guidance last weekend ended up in a shitstorm and now they are closing roads relatively locally to me and all the carparks remain shut.

I didn't go anywhere but I was hoping to travel a bit further than 5 miles after next week as it's out summer holidays and while I wasn't intent on visiting popular beauty spots (more so quieter spots and going midweek), I'll not be able to do it as folk last week exercised their freedom to choose. Unfortunately when they realised everyone else had done the same, they stayed instead of finding somewhere else to go. So whilst I am annoyed that other people broke something I was planning in some way to also do myself, I find myself really annoyed!

I'm not sure what is being done in other areas in terms of road closures - plus it will be pissing rain for our fortnight off no doubt.

We want to go visit (outside at a distance) BiL who has been diagnosed with cancer and has had his first chemo, this obviously depends on how well he is, the weather and now also whether we will be allowed to pass through various popular tourist spots which are on the way to where he lives- much more than 5 miles away. We'd be going from and to areas of similar levels of infection plus we've already had it.

He's not really in the technological age, basic mobile which he and his wife share, no internet access or anything in his flat so we have no way of doing anything other than speak on the phone.

We haven't broken anything so far and this visit does fit within the guidance but I can't say we aren't tempted to also get out and stretch our legs in the countryside while we are there which would be leisure and should be within 5 miles.

I work in construction, we assess risks every day, and it frustrates me that so many people can't, or won't, do that at the moment. Equally, it annoys me that our governments won't let us make our own decisions based on that.

Although seeing some of the photographs from last weekend, I understand a bit more

The shitstorm last weekend was partly due to her ill judged decision to enter phase 1 a week later than when we should. Long range forecasts had indicated a great weekend of weather, coupled with pay weekend. Never a great combo in the best of times. A little bit of foresight and it could have been lessened.

Five miles gets us nowhere, I feel very much like my liberty and freedom has gone. We were looking forward to driving somewhere this weekend, as we are both exhausted and stressed. Picking our destination carefully to ensure it was quiet and taking a picnic. But now we feel we can’t after last weekends shenanigans.

Agree Sweetpotato I also noted that she was at great pains to let us know that she chose not to go and visit family ate the weekend - apparently leaving the roads clear for us. In other words she knew it would be a shitstorm and wanted to be able to demonstrate that she wasn't part of it.

I can see a hill out my window, it's less than 5 miles away, they've shut the carpark to stop visitors and are undertaking patrols so effectively we are not allowed to go. Technically we could walk there but funnily enough I'm not that fit at the moment as I'm working from home and live on the flat and didn't have the foresight to be walking up and down stairs to train for walking up a hill. So essentially I'll be gubbed before I reach where the car park is :(

I just really really want to stand on the top of a hill and breath in the air

I did find that bit of her speech a little bit vomit-inducing. I doubt it had anything to do with choosing to stay off the roads.

Although I may be a bit more cynical than normal. In my defence, I'm exhausted, and more stressed than normal

Five miles is just a guideline. Not law, so you can go further it's just to try to stop Flocking.

The R number also becomes less tejevsbt the fewer people are infected as it shows an inflated number when the numbers get too low. Also local groups.

And @fascinated I like your analysis, I think
On this a lot.

Me too. Working same pace as normal (which is good) but on a small laptop instead of 2 big screens so it makes it much more difficult. have extra conference calls to fit in as we "keep connected", DH is front line NHS transporting covid patients. We missed our easter break, are missing our summer getaway and it's my birthday coming up too. I'm completely un-materialistic, I'm really not bothered about gifts - which DH still struggles with even though we've been together nearly 26 years - but I love going out for a nice meal and that's clearly not happening. A bbq would be nice but we've missed the nice weather I think and the forecast is really poor. Which leaves take-away or cooking. We don't bother much with takeaway, prefer to eat in or cook myself. DH says he'll cook if I want but getting hold of some nice ingredients seems more complicated than it should be.

Five miles is just a guideline. Not law, so you can go further it's just to try to stop Flocking.

I agree it is, but they are shutting off roads and car parks in our area so even the 5 miles becomes more or less impossible to achieve. Lots of comments on the council website about how it's not illegal to travel so not sure how they are getting away with shutting off the roads - anyway, another week before we need to try and see where we can get to. I'm guessing it might be quieter this weekend regardless as A: people will maybe have got it out their system and B:weather will be shite.

She’s doing better than Boris but I am still fed up being spoken to like I’m a toddler. Telling us we can’t go into loved ones houses as it’s high risk. Is it fuck given the rate of the virus dropping if both my parents and I haven’t been anywhere. I’ve been complying with the rules but it’s not going to be high risk to sit in their house. As for the face covering nonsense. A few weeks ago there was limited evidence they might make a slight difference and now they make a significant difference? Which is it?

I stumbled across the local teenagers' hangout today. A gang of 16 year olds with no social distancing.

We've had groups of over 20 wandering through our estate heading for the river to hang out, drink and make a mess. We've had groups setting a fire and chucking aerosols into it. Most of them aren't even near 16. Where exactly do their parents think they are?

Does no-one raise their DC to have a social conscious or pick up after themselves anymore? Jeez, mine are not that much older but have complied without issue and other than something blowing out their pocket by accident, haven't littered in their lives - as evidence but their pockets full of rubbish.

I can't wait to be back in school teaching socially distanced groups of these teenagers who are mixing freely outside of school

Most people have been very compliant. I can't judge teenagers too much for gathering now.. it's been too long and it must be awful to have your life wrecked and no fun, school or friends. Mine is younger and I'm not too fussed by him strictly socially distancing when out with his friend, but strict on litter!

I'm hoping for a clear and swift path out of all this now. Protect the vulnerable, and free the rest of us. I thought the app was just for England, btw, and we now have the hotline?

Mistress - indeed. Saw a comm from the headmaster of DCs old school saying that he's had many reports of teens hanging around and apart from the social distance stuff etc they are also making it hard for other residents to pass etc.

I don't disagree with you Mascotte, but imo, we either need to be allowed to judge ourselves or we should be following the guidance. We are in a kind of half way house. I'd say that around 50% of my neighbours are completely complying based on what I see from my window. Obviously that's not everything as I'm not glued to my window 24/7, but I work facing the window so tend to glance up when I hear something. However, most of those not complying aren't doing anything particularly risky, things like being out multiple times for exercise back in the days when we were only supposed to be out once. A couple are much more e.g. being away from the house a lot and overnight (staying with relatives I presume), one lot meant to be shielding and therefore not working out of the house (key workers) but still out in the car most days (but getting supermarket deliveries), their son's GF staying over, getting work done on their house, having more than one family round. Another 2 allowing their DC to play together out in the street.

It just breeds resentment imo and just annoys the feck out of those who are complying and would also like to do the things that others are doing.