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Coronavirus in the UK - news, lockdown and discussion

I'me getting a bit pissed of with the various hospitality trade bodies and senior execs lining up to say how terrible closing at 10pm will be (they were supposed to be doing the table service thing anyway). It seems to me that the industry has dodged a bit of a bullet here for the time being. I had anticipated closures and take-away only.

Do these people really think it would be better if we just carry on as we have been? They must surely know the inevitable consequence of that?
 
I am wondering what other measures we're going to see beyond pubs and restaurants? I think that at the moment you can still have small gatherings in your home of up to 6 people from different homes (exempting local measures where they apply). I can't see that continuing. We'll see.
 
I'me getting a bit pissed of with the various hospitality trade bodies and senior execs lining up to say how terrible closing at 10pm will be (they were supposed to be doing the table service thing anyway). It seems to me that the industry has dodged a bit of a bullet here for the time being. I had anticipated closures and take-away only.

Do these people really think it would be better if we just carry on as we have been? They must surely know the inevitable consequence of that?
Many bars were already on the edge of profitability before lockdown - there's a reason there's been so many pub closures in recent years, it's because the industry is pretty fucked. So actually, yeah - 10pm closing and table service only will push a lot of places over the edge. Closure / Takeaway only would have to come with a financial support package (ie, furlough) so for many, many places would actually be preferable.
 
yeah, from a personal perspective during the full lockdown it was like being on a mild sedative 24 hours a day - once things started easing a bit my anxiety levels rocketed. This seemed a common experience among people I've spoken to.

Dripping down to a 3 day week did wonders for someone I knows mental health despite them having to schlep into town for work throughout.
 
I'd bring in....

No household mixing indoors at all.
Socially distanced outdoor mixing of groups of 6, children under 12 don't count.
Close all non-essential shopping, pubs, restaurants, etc.
All universities to go online until spring 2021.
Back to working from home for all that can.
Massive cash input into mental health and education for a 6 month crisis period.
Furlough back on until spring 2021.
Widespread program of free online training in a range of topics and skills for all people wanting to re-train this winter.

It's not even being politically radical, it's all entirely possible in the current circumstances.
 
I think the way
I'd bring in....

No household mixing indoors at all.
Socially distanced outdoor mixing of groups of 6, children under 12 don't count.
Close all non-essential shopping, pubs, restaurants, etc.
All universities to go online until spring 2021.
Back to working from home for all that can.
Massive cash input into mental health and education for a 6 month crisis period.
Furlough back on until spring 2021.
Widespread program of free online re-training in a range of topic and skills for all people wanting to re-train this winter.

Not even being politically radical, that's what I'd do, all entirely possible in the current circumstances.

What about stuff like online deliveries of clothes etc?
 
Many bars were already on the edge of profitability before lockdown - there's a reason there's been so many pub closures in recent years, it's because the industry is pretty fucked. So actually, yeah - 10pm closing and table service only will push a lot of places over the edge. Closure / Takeaway only would have to come with a financial support package (ie, furlough) so for many, many places would actually be preferable.

Yes I can see how the impact will be very different region by region. Around here they've all been doing table service anyway and its pretty sleepy so they normally shut at 11pm anyway. I know a lot of the industry has been hanging on by fingernails but I don't think the table service thing should have that bigger impact, they were supposed to be doing it anyway that and having the tables properly distanced. The 10pm closing particularly for town centre locations I can see having an impact.
 
We haven't yet got full details on new measures yet, they are due to be agreed at the cabinet & COBRA meetings this morning, and presented by Johnson to parliament this afternoon, then addressing the nation at 8 pm.
Even though we don't know the full measures yet, it doesn't require much thought to predict that whatever is announced won't be sufficient, and it will be delivered in such a bumbling, confused and confusing way that it won't be well understood or properly implemented.

I predict that in just a few hours TopCat will be proved 100% correct.
 
I'd bring in....

No household mixing indoors at all.
Socially distanced outdoor mixing of groups of 6, children under 12 don't count.
Close all non-essential shopping, pubs, restaurants, etc.
All universities to go online until spring 2021.
Back to working from home for all that can.
Massive cash input into mental health and education for a 6 month crisis period.
Furlough back on until spring 2021.
Widespread program of free online training in a range of topics and skills for all people wanting to re-train this winter.

It's not even being politically radical, it's all entirely possible in the current circumstances.

So essentially where we were back in April? Just with some more targeted investment.

Personally I would hope that it doesn't have to go that far but fear you may be right.
 
So essentially where we were back in April? Just with some more targeted investment.

Given we're going into what might be a grim winter of 6 months or so I think mostly we should be back then, but not exactly. Clearer rules for a start. Children not included in rules. More money for those impacted by lockdown mental health and poorer long term prospects. Schools open as well. And with a longer term outlook for furlough and employment (re-training for example).
 
Even though we don't know the full measures yet, it doesn't require much thought to predict that whatever is announced won't be sufficient, and it will be delivered in such a bumbling, confused and confusing way that it won't be well understood or properly implemented.

I predict that in just a few hours TopCat will be proved 100% correct.

It's always just too late. Its why the rules are constantly changing. It was only a few days back that it was all about the rule of 6. I imagine that come this evening that will be largely redundant.
 
Yeah fuck all the chopping and changing, it's a nightmare for everyone. Bring it in now, review end of each month in open public way, but make it simple and brace people it's highly likely to be in place until end of March 2021.

And fuck all this "Oh the economy" bollocks, especially from lefties. It kills people every day, it's not some benign system of chocolate coins and quaint little shops ffs. Fuck the economy, it was killing us all and the planet anyway. Let's look after people instead.
 
Well that's a big part of my job and unfortunately it's been linked with outbreaks like the one in Leicester. If people order non essential items like clothes, makeup, toys etc. should they still be able to get it delivered?

Yeah totally. I just think shops shut, but online shopping go for it.
 
The government should certainly be more active in ensuring safe working conditions (and nobody below minimum wage) for people - wasn't that the major problem in Leicester?

It was one of the problems in Leicester but I never got a sense of whether it was the only big one there.

Sorting that stuff out properly is not something our political classes have in mind, especially not quickly.

But 'work from home if you can' seems to be firmly back on the agenda now.
 
Please dont make me shield again world.

The reintroduction of shielding seems likely, soon if not today, but I had heard that they plan to be more nuanced with who is deemed to need to shield this time around. I dont have much confidence that they will do it properly but I would try to keep an open mind about the detail until it happens, dont assume you will be on the shielding list this time etc.
 
I think I'm going to have to retire my 'Triggle warning' section at this rate, since he it too prolofic with his shit this week and my mental reserves are low as a result.

On this occasion I think I have to quote the whole thing to really do the weasel justice.

First it was the scientists, now it’s the turn of ministers.
On Monday the government's two most senior coronavirus advisers - Prof Chris Witty and Sir Patrick Vallance - set out the scale of the problem. Today ministers are coming forward with the solution.
The scientists' warning was dire – the UK could see 50,000 cases by mid October – up from under 4,000 a day on average currently.
The government's response? So far what we’ve heard on government policy for England is that pubs will have to close early and that you should work from home if you can (although more restrictions may be announced later).
There seems to be a disconnect between the two. Why?

Some experts have described the 50,000 figures as implausible. France and Spain – who are a few weeks ahead of us – are nowhere near that trajectory. What is more, the "rule of six" brought in last week has not had a chance to have an impact.
Many believe what we are seeing now is a natural drift upwards – society has reopened and it is the time of year when respiratory viruses circulate more.

So why all the doom and gloom? There are three ways of looking at it. Firstly, that we are truly on the brink of an explosion in cases (they after all are the experts and have access to all the data).
Secondly, that they are panicking and have turned to scaremongering to soften the public up for more restrictions. The other is that they are trying to influence behaviour so more Draconian restrictions are not needed.
Just how far the prime minister goes this afternoon will be telling.

I'm not sure which article that analysis is destined for, I've just seen it on their live updates page, th 10:29 entry https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-54245931

I'm not even going to bother picking apart each bit of what he said, but I will look at the France and Spain comparisons and 50,000 plausibility a bit later.
 
But 'work from home if you can' seems to be firmly back on the agenda now.
My company was apparently about to announce mandatory working back in the office from the start of October. From what I've heard, that's been canned for the moment. Makes no sense either, it's a tech company FFS and we've have all been WFH since before lockdown due to a case of Covid in the office. They've tried this a couple of times already and it hasn't gone down very well. I don't understand why they keep trying to force the issue, makes no sense.
 
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