I'm so, so angry this morning. I'd hoped I'd feel better!
So we're told for weeks that Christmas mixing was only for those who really needed it. Those who's mental health would suffer. Those with caring responsibilities needing a break, those who couldn't get through without seeing their families. And then in one fell swoop, that is changed. Now you're only allowed to mix if you have your own transport, live within easy travelling distance of wherever you're going and don't work on Christmas day. Fuck the rest of you. We didn't mean that about mental health being important or anything.
And once the stressful, joyless Christmas is over, you get 3 weeks of level 4, regardless of where you live (which will be extended at whim...), because we think you're going to spread this super-spready version of the virus, that has the same mild impacts on the vast, vast majority of the population, while we vaccinate the most vulnerable. And which has been in Kent since September and is only now becoming a problem, so maybe not that super-spready at all. (Actually, I wonder if the news a couple of weeks ago about the "March" strain being virtually eradicated in Scotland by lockdown, but then new strains being introduced from Spain and England was actually being "promoted" because the SG was predicting something like this. So lockdown doesn't eradicate all the virus, but can eradicate certain strains... It just happens that the strain we want eradicated only pops up as a problem in Christmas week...).
And to make things even better, we're going to close schools to children for a fortnight (albeit with work provided for a week, possibly) so all you non-key workers who could potentially work from home can forget about being able to do that. And your children can forget about prelims, or socialisation with their peers. And just in case you make the mistake of considering teachers to be babysitters and schools childcare, we're going to close actual paid for childcare too, so you really can't work from home. Of course, some children will be allowed in school, and the teachers will have to teach them as well as providing work for the rest, so we think that'll work really well for everyone. Oh, and apparently engaged parents who recognise the importance of face to face schooling will be able to advocate for their children to have a place due to adverse effects on the DCs mental health. But those who cant "play the system" as well won't, or will see sending their child on a "vulnerable" place may not play well with social services or their neighbours. So children who really need the places won't be able to take them and will be forgotten, again. Wonder how well online learning will work in the communities of govanhill.
I'm on the verge of rejoining Us For Them, frankly. That's how mad I'm feeling...
Fuck me, that's long.