Boris Johnson to hold press conference at 4pm

[pb21]

Fairly certain Public Health England lady said the new information given to the government on friday was after their boffins had come to a conclusion after monitoring the information for a while but prior to that didnt really understand the transmissibility of the new known about variant until this week.

If you have a calculation to work out, and cant figure out the answer until friday it doesnt mean you had the answer before friday even though you were looking at the equations before that.

The new information was given to Matt Hancock as early as at least last Monday 14th as he 'announced' it in Parliament, almost certainly earlier considering PHE is part of the Department of Health and Social Care, i.e. the Government. If not, that would be a bit worrying...

At the time I thought this unusual (as did epidemiologists), why announce such new information in Parliament, when it was still so new and uncertain; you would want some level of confidence with what you were saying.

In reality, PHE, have known about this for a reasonable amount of time, since September/October, over which time it would have become increasing likely to be considered to be very important information. Likely enough for Hancock to announce it in Parliament last week, and PHE then 'confirming' it (what ever that means), conveniently on Friday.

So whilst they didn't have the answer 'confirmed' before Friday, they would have been confident what the answer was.

Obviously though, you cant expect a Government to make decisions on the basis of something that is unconfirmed, otherwise they would have to be doing everything.

 

[beorhthelm]

Your missing the point regarding political language. Until Wednesday last week our PM was steadfast in Christmas rules would not change. ...

yes, the language and position taken in PMQ was childish. the numbers never really supported a Christmas amnesty and PM wanted some hope for everyone. they didnt take that position out of malice, situation changed. if we'd followed lockdown advocates we'd simply have cancelled christmas a few weeks earlier, regardless of infection rates. whats happening is a widespread false believe this information have been know for months and we've been tricked.

 

[Bold Seagull]

yes, the language and position taken in PMQ was childish. the numbers never really supported a Christmas amnesty and PM wanted some hope for everyone. they didnt take that position out of malice, situation changed. if we'd followed lockdown advocates we'd simply have cancelled christmas a few weeks earlier, regardless of infection rates. whats happening is a widespread false believe this information have been know for months and we've been tricked.

It was out of political popularity rather than responsible pragmatism.

Forget lockdown advocates, this is about giving people the guidance they need to plan - if this means telling them things are up in the air you do so. Thousands of businesses have planned on the Christmas rules that they were assured weren’t going to change until Saturday. It should have been ‘this is what we hope to do at Xmas, but this will very much be under review as we consider the data and evidence regularly’ - you would have a chance to plan contingency into your preparations. As it is, he gave an absolute answer it would go ahead as planned as late as last Wednesday and Thursday.

 

[beorhthelm]

It was out of political popularity rather than responsible pragmatism.

Forget lockdown advocates, this is about giving people the guidance they need to plan - if this means telling them things are up in the air you do so. Thousands of businesses have planned on the Christmas rules that they were assured weren’t going to change until Saturday. It should have been ‘this is what we hope to do at Xmas, but this will very much be under review as we consider the data and evidence regularly’ - you would have a chance to plan contingency into your preparations. As it is, he gave an absolute answer it would go ahead as planned as late as last Wednesday and Thursday.

i think you're conflating issues there. the Xmas amnesty shouldn't have featured in business preparations, it was for people visiting family not a promise business would stay open. cant blame government for business failure to make contingency plans, there was a review scheduled for 16th and was always a possibility of stronger restrictions. unfortunately people dont plan, your suggestion of telling people things are up in the air is what half the complaint is from people and business, they keep asking to be told what to do.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I must stress this could be completely wrong from the outset, but still, source does work in a government department quite high up. Reckons it will be announced shortly that England will be entering a full National Lockdown over Xmas. Today might be a softening up announcement, tomorrow to confirm it's happening. Don't shoot the messenger, I agree I read these type of posts with skepticism too.

Does mean I'm going out to buy an emergency Xmas meal for us if we can't go to another family household as planned - just in case...

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I must stress this could be completely wrong from the outset, but still, source does work in a government department quite high up. Reckons it will be announced shortly that England will be entering a full National Lockdown over Xmas. Today might be a softening up announcement, tomorrow to confirm it's happening. Don't shoot the messenger, I agree I read these type of posts with skepticism too.

Does mean I'm going out to buy an emergency Xmas meal for us if we can't go to another family household as planned - just in case...

Presser later today.

It’s not going to be good news is it lol

Wonder if the backbenchers will start sending letters in if the source you provide is right and it’s full lockdown

 

[Bold Seagull]

Presser later today.

It’s not going to be good news is it lol

Wonder if the backbenchers will start sending letters in if the source you provide is right and it’s full lockdown

Just seen that, expected 4 or 5pm after an emergency cobra meeting today.

The expected content is about food shortages, EU supply chains, medicines coming in etc. and not to panic buy.

 

[sparkie]

I must stress this could be completely wrong from the outset, but still, source does work in a government department quite high up. Reckons it will be announced shortly that England will be entering a full National Lockdown over Xmas. Today might be a softening up announcement, tomorrow to confirm it's happening. Don't shoot the messenger, I agree I read these type of posts with skepticism too.

Does mean I'm going out to buy an emergency Xmas meal for us if we can't go to another family household as planned - just in case...

Can anyone highlight the differences between Tier 4 and Lockdown ?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Can anyone highlight the differences between Tier 4 and Lockdown ?

I assumed the only difference was that it's not national, so called Tier 4 because it's relevant to a specified area.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just seen that, expected 4 or 5pm after an emergency cobra meeting today.

The expected content is about food shortages, EU supply chains, medicines coming in etc. and not to panic buy.

If there’s one way to start Brits panic buying it’s to tell them not to panic buy!

 

[Motogull]

If there’s one way to start Brits panic buying it’s to tell them not to panic buy!

Especially if the instruction comes from a lying bungle****.

 

[Notters]

Can anyone highlight the differences between Tier 4 and Lockdown ?

Schools open?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Schools open?

Schools were open during the November national lockdown.

 

[sparkie]

Schools open?

Ah yes - that seems to be a difference with the first, stricter lockdown.

 

[cloud]

Also the first time round we could only leave the house once a day for exercise.

 

[A1X]

And couldn't form social bubbles as single person households

 

[WATFORD zero]

Especially if the instruction comes from a lying bungle****.

That won't be allowed stay on the main board for long

 

[pb21]

France has opened it's UK border now, but you need to have a negative PCR test within 72 hours.

It's going to take quite some time to shift the backlog with that condition in place!

I wonder who will be paying for it too?