5 days freedom for Christmas

JM14 said:
Just seems like another disaster waiting to happen once again. High infection rates and allowing 4 families to mix indoors, putting the elderly at risk when they may have a vaccine a few weeks after christmas, why on earth would anyone think this is a good idea. People have made sacrifices on an unprecedented scale over the last 9 months, why throw that away for the sake of waiting a few weeks for some
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Because people are going to do it anyway so it's reverse pyshcology. Here have these days and we'll go back to restrictions straight after.

And reading the reports on what the new 3 tiered system will be, then hopefully cases will continue dropping anyway as their are still restrictions in place.

Final point I'd make is that there are an awful lot of lonely people suffering mentally for the past 8 months that the thought of seeing their closest family (safely) for just a few days at Xmas , maybe the only thing keeping them on this earth.
 
the_holgate_roof said:
In this diverse society in which we live, I’m surprised there isn’t any kick back about favouritism to a Christian festival?
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Easter was "cancelled", that's the most important holiday to practicing Christians.

For most people in this country, Christmas has nothing to do with religion.
 
As usual, the measures are being leaked to the press with a view to gaining positive 'Boris saves Christmas' headlines among the usual cheerleading press, but not backed up by evidence. It just feels like as we all get used to a specific strategy and the logic behind the strategy starts to bear results, the government announces wholesale changes and a switch in direction that just bakes in problems 6-8 weeks down the line. I don't trust their judgement anymore, never mind trust their motives to keep grouchy backbenchers quiet. I just don't believe them, and I am as far from being a conspiracist or anti-vaxxer type as you can imagine.

Fundamentally this is no longer about keeping people free from infection, its about managing hospitalisation levels, because the test and trace system is so patchy.
 
As someone who has both an elderly mother and mother in law who normally come to ours on Christmas day I can't see how we can risk them visiting. As difficult as that is, the chance of passing on an infection doesn't diminish because it's Christmas.

Whatever the government does or doesn't decide I think you have to just use your own personal sense, can't say common sense any more as it doesn't seem to exist.
 
Yearby I am not so sure that it is just about common sense. My father in law is coming for Christmas, he is 86 and vulnerable. We have him the option and his take is that he would rather spend Christmas with family and take the risk as wait and see what happens and maybe not make it to another Christmas or to see his family again.

This is why some people argue for less restrictions and let people decide what level of risk they want to accept.

I get the counter argument but it isn't quite as black and white as we would like to think.
 
That's why I said personal sense in this case. Up to every family to decide what they think is the right decision in terms of small family gatherings.

I'm sure a lot of people will decide it's worth the risk for the reasons you stated. Not sure yet what we will be doing.
 
Yearbyred said:
As someone who has both an elderly mother and mother in law who normally come to ours on Christmas day I can't see how we can risk them visiting. As difficult as that is, the chance of passing on an infection doesn't diminish because it's Christmas.

Whatever the government does or doesn't decide I think you have to just use your own personal sense, can't say common sense any more as it doesn't seem to exist.
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I agree with the personal sense perspective. We've confirmed today we are travelling up to visit my parents for Christmas as my parents have only met their grandchild 3 times in his life. We are however putting protocols in place before travelling and are essentially going to self-isolate for 2 weeks beforehand and get all food shopping etc delivered, and will drive up with our own snacks for the journey rather than service station.

I did suggest the missus gets a she wee, it hasn't gone down well.
 
Jostler said:
I agree with the personal sense perspective. We've confirmed today we are travelling up to visit my parents for Christmas as my parents have only met their grandchild 3 times in his life. We are however putting protocols in place before travelling and are essentially going to self-isolate for 2 weeks beforehand and get all food shopping etc delivered, and will drive up with our own snacks for the journey rather than service station.

I did suggest the missus gets a she wee, it hasn't gone down well.
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Your parents will have a wicked time mate. Good luck.
 
uncle_rico said:
I think they know that people are going to do what they want at Christmas anyway so are going to try and facilitate it rather than fight it.

Ironically, if the government had a proper well thought out strategy and the many many selfish people had done as they needed to over the last 8 months then there wouldn't be any need for a 5 day window.

One thing is for sure, I won't be going anywhere near a pub during those 5 days.
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Can't see many pubs bothering if they can only open 5 days. They need notice to get beer ordered etc and then if they don't sell it all before closing again it just adds to losses.
 
What’s this about last orders being 10pm but pub doesn’t close til 11pm, surely people will just order 2 or 3 pints at 10pm, I don’t understand that one????
 
I think that is learned from the last time when chucking everyone out at 10 meant everyone on the street together. Yes some will order 2/3 pints but not everyone so people will drift away over that hour.

If possible my 90 yr old Dad will join me and my wife from Christmas Day, I see him every week anyway and on Boxing Day I will see my daughter so it should be no more of a risk than any weekend. We would in a normal year have others with us on the day but hey that's 2020...
 
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