When will this shit end?

[shoptildrop]

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

Boris can’t be the leaker ... he didn’t even make the cobra meeting !!  Must have had another more pressing need !! 

It was always between Gove and Cummings (He's still in the mix just behind the scenes until mid Dec)

It's bloody obvious but we can't finger point.. they know what they are doing

[shoptildrop]

Also with this everyone is in Tier 2 or 3 my opinion this is to show success when they move any area into Tier 1 so they can shout about it

Easy wins for places with low numbers and makes gov look good... yes I'm cynical 😑

[mcshed]

7 hours ago, Chapple12345 said:

They've essentially given hope to low infection areas and then pulled the rug right from underneath them.

Just imagine how happy we are here in Midlothian, when last week we were told we were going down a tier, only to be told "na, jokes" less than a day before the move was due to come into effect. 

[SwedgeAntilles]

Feel some sympathy for Sturgeon. She knows this whole Christmas thing is a bonkers decision but that going solo against rUK would be a bad look. I think she should've been stronger though, polls show her concerns are in line with the majority of the public mood.

Edited November 25, 2020 by SwedgeAntilles

[Chapple12345]

59 minutes ago, mcshed said:

Just imagine how happy we are here in Midlothian, when last week we were told we were going down a tier, only to be told "na, jokes" less than a day before the move was due to come into effect. 

I feel for you! I'm in Norfolk which has been faring okay since the start and was in tier 1 till before lockdown so I can see there being some resistance if we were placed under the tougher restrictions, I get it would be for the greater good but much like the aforementioned Cornwall I don't think placing us in the same tier as somewhere like Liverpool which has much higher rates would be a popular decision 

[Homer]

I've got to say, sodding off abroad somewhere quiet with the wife for a week or so really is starting to seem like the sensible option! We can always go to Bristol for Easter or whenever.

[parsonjack]

6 hours ago, FestivalJamie said:

The issue is if your area is tier 1 and surrounding areas are tier 2, there’s a risk of massive influx of people from surrounding areas bringing in and spreading higher levels of the virus and bringing rates up in Colchester too.

The Tier 2 policy does say to 'avoid travelling outside your area', so we can only hope that people follow that instruction.

[parsonjack]

Tiers haven't been announced yet obvs but do we know how frequently they will be reviewed so as to move areas into higher/lower etc.  Is it possible that we could start off in Tier 2, but be in Tier 1 before Christmas?

[steviewevie]

Just now, parsonjack said:

Tiers haven't been announced yet obvs but do we know how frequently they will be reviewed so as to move areas into higher/lower etc.  Is it possible that we could start off in Tier 2, but be in Tier 1 before Christmas?

It's possible, but maybe unlikely as they will want to keep the numbers down as much as poss before the 5 day christmas thing.

[TheFullShaboo]

4 minutes ago, Homer said:

I've got to say, sodding off abroad somewhere quiet with the wife for a week or so really is starting to seem like the sensible option! We can always go to Bristol for Easter or whenever.

Exactly my thoughts. Tier 2 effectively shuts all of the proper boozers in my little town and leaves us with Spoons for the Christmas period. 

What a pisstake that that absolute shit bucket can stay open but all the local pubs have to close. 

 

[RobertProsineckisLighter]

6 hours ago, FestivalJamie said:

Apologies @kingbadgerI’ve just taken a further look and the rate In Colchester is actually 54.7/100,000 over a 7 day incidence.

This I believe is genuinely low enough to justify tier 1 restrictions, so we will see what happens.

The issue is if your area is tier 1 and surrounding areas are tier 2, there’s a risk of massive influx of people from surrounding areas bringing in and spreading higher levels of the virus and bringing rates up in Colchester too.

Isn't that sort of the point of doing it regionally rather than just at the Local Level? And the reason that things like gigs aren't allowed irrespective of your level? You might get a handful of people who can't be bothered to go to the effort of traveling to different areas but it's not like one tier is normal and the rest aren't. They are all fairly limiting. 

[Homer]

1 minute ago, TheFullShaboo said:

Exactly my thoughts. Tier 2 effectively shuts all of the proper boozers in my little town and leaves us with Spoons for the Christmas period. 

What a pisstake that that absolute shit bucket can stay open but all the local pubs have to close. 

 

Is that right? How have they swung that? Because they serve food? 

[TheFullShaboo]

Just now, Homer said:

Is that right? How have they swung that? Because they serve food? 

Im making assumptions, but yeah, there isn't a single pub in my town that serves 'substantial meals' bar the Wetherspoons.

(There may be a couple but they're not what i would refer to as the 'proper pubs') 

[RobertProsineckisLighter]

3 minutes ago, Homer said:

Is that right? How have they swung that? Because they serve food? 

Think of them and any other pub that serves food as a restaurant for the purposes of this - you cant got and order a bowl of chips and 15 pints.

Edited November 25, 2020 by RobertProsineckisLighter

[Homer]

1 minute ago, RobertProsineckisLighter said:

Think of them and any other pub that serves food as a restaurant for the purposes of this - you can go and order a bowl of chips and 15 pints.

That's my Xmas Day present to the wife sorted then.

[zahidf]

8 minutes ago, RobertProsineckisLighter said:

Isn't that sort of the point of doing it regionally rather than just at the Local Level? And the reason that things like gigs aren't allowed irrespective of your level? You might get a handful of people who can't be bothered to go to the effort of traveling to different areas but it's not like one tier is normal and the rest aren't. They are all fairly limiting. 

Gigs are allowed in Tier 2

[Ozanne]

55 minutes ago, SwedgeAntilles said:

Feel some sympathy for Sturgeon. She knows this whole Christmas thing is a bonkers decision but that going solo against rUK would be a bad look. I think she should've been stronger though, polls show her concerns are in line with the majority of the public mood.

This was my point last night in a way, but I think if she had those valid concerns then she could’ve put a block in Scotland doing it?

[Ozanne]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/24/the-five-day-christmas-covid-bubble-how-will-it-work?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
 

This is a helpful guide to what you can do this Christmas. 

[SwedgeAntilles]

12 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

This was my point last night in a way, but I think if she had those valid concerns then she could’ve put a block in Scotland doing it?

She certainly could have, but that would have meant going it alone, and until now the devolved nations have done a pretty good job of staying aligned even when England has decided to do it's own thing. Even if it's against her better judgement it would be a difficult message to give to Scotland that everyone else in the UK will be doing something different for Christmas but they just need to suck it up.

That being said, my close family back home is exactly three households (my parents, 1 set of aunt and uncle and 1 more aunt) who always usually spend Christmas together. They're were all pretty vocal on Facebook last night that they think the whole idea is mental and will be continuing to isolate as normal despite the easing of restrictions. If my aunt who lives alone is so strong in taking that view it's difficult to see who this benefits.

Edited November 25, 2020 by SwedgeAntilles
autocorrect

[eFestivals]

6 hours ago, shoptildrop said:

Also with this everyone is in Tier 2 or 3 my opinion this is to show success when they move any area into Tier 1 so they can shout about it

Easy wins for places with low numbers and makes gov look good... yes I'm cynical 😑

yeah, you've about nailed it.

And in theory everywhere will eventually move to tier one as the vaccine gets rolled out - which will also probably be used for ending restrictions, too.

Don't get too hung up on the infection rates in an area tho, as what tier will depend on hospital demand as well as infection rate - and because of the vaccine in a month or two we might see infection rates going up while hospital demand is falling.

[parsonjack]

They're not saying so but is Boris taking a gamble that infection rates and consequent admissions and deaths due to greater mixing at Christmas will be offset by a lot of the most vulnerable being vaccinated by then?

[Zoo Music Girl]

Surely the main reason they won't put anyone in tier 1 is because of this Christmas stuff? They're trying to keep infections down as much as possible to allow for that five days. If people want to do that then there has to be some sacrifices (I know not everybody does and would rather be in a lower tier instead, but to me everything done in the run-up is being done with Christmas mitigation in mind). 

I actually thought there was a strong possibility they might just extend the current lockdown until Christmas, so if anything I'm surprised they're going as light as they are.

[st dan]

7 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

They're not saying so but is Boris taking a gamble that infection rates and consequent admissions and deaths due to greater mixing at Christmas will be offset by a lot of the most vulnerable being vaccinated by then?

I still think the most vulnerable need to make their own decisions on gatherings, and weigh up the risk vs reward for their own personal situation. Whilst they may now be permitted to mix, it doesn’t mean it is  safe to do so. 
If you have a medical condition or are over 70 then in my opinion you should probably have Christmas at home this year regardless.

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by st dan

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, st dan said:

I still think the most vulnerable need to make their own decisions on gatherings, and weigh up the risk vs reward for their own personal situation. 

Yup. A conversation I need to have with my Mum.

[JoeyT]

Does anyone else's parent's literally not give a s**t about the virus or taking precautions?

Not to say my parents are going mental and breaking all the rules as to be honest even in "normal" times their life's wouldn't be doing so but they just have a general disregard to the dangers the virus could pose them (both mid 60's)

Last Saturday they turned up at our house and let themselves in for instance without batting an eyelid. I literally had to tell them to leave. We eventually settled on speaking to them as they stood in our back garden and we stood at the entrance to our back doors (yes breaking the rule but better than them being in the house)