Apparently the Government believe significant numbers of people will ignore any attempt to ban gatherings over the Christmas period.
Really? How many studies did it take to come to that conclusion, lol? Let’s face it, people have had to be apart from their families for many months during this year. They have presents to deliver and receive, and there is only so much social isolation they can take.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had conversations with many people at work recently and I’ve yet to speak to anybody who intends to stay away from their families at Christmas. Boris will make another statement tomorrow regarding Christmas arrangements, but let’s face it, who is going to listen?
At the moment I have 2 adults, 2 boys + tiny baby coming to see us on Christmas Day, and 2 adults and 2 teenagers on Boxing Day. Usually we would all gather together at some point, but this year the families have to be separated due to the Safe Six rule (okay, the tiny baby makes 7, but we can’t leave him on his own, poor little sod).
If Boris wants to curry favour with the population, then I think he should relax the rules for the Christmas week and let people mix. After all, who is going to enforce a possible ban? The Army? The Police? There are not enough of them to go around the whole country knocking on doors and pulling people out of front rooms and into the streets. Christmas is the time when families get together, and he should consider this.
If any family member does not want to mix, then it’s their choice. My 90 year old mother-in-law has chosen not to see anybody this year, and we’ve all respected her decision. Nobody can force their loved ones to meet up if they do not want to . We all have a free choice here.
So come on Boris… give us all a break from Covid for Christmas and let us meet up with our loved ones if we want to. Some of us will anyway, but others are waiting on tenterhooks for instructions.
Sam and I have been to work over the last few months, our grandchildren have been to school, and as regards the general population during this last lockdown, adhering to restrictions has not been as stringent as in the first one. We’ve all got Covid fatigue…
A week off hopefully might make people more inclined to follow rules in the New Year. A ban on households mixing over Christmas will make the peasants revolt…
We’re in semi lockdown here again. Nobody I know or talk to is having any extended family over for the holidays or going anywhere. I personally wouldn’t want to be near anyone that I don’t know who they’ve been in contact with – including those with grandchildren. The way I see it is, giving up one year so we can all stay alive and spend the rest of them together. We’re staying home. xx
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On Thursday Boris is going to announce what we can do over Christmas.
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Much of the western world is in lockdown again. We’re partially shut down again til just before Christmas. Difficult for all of us, especially the shops that aren’t open for seasonal shopping, which many businesses hope to recoup some loss during the season. So sad. x
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Our shops open on 2nd December. However, I think most people have been shopping online. Two more clothing retailers have gone into administration this week. The High Street is disintegrating before our eyes.
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Here too! We have been taken down to only one department store left and 5 of their doors closed yesterday! What a royal clusterf*ck!
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Thank goodness for the ‘Zon…
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🙂 x
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Stevie, I know this COVID business is tiring, and I agree a ban on holiday gatherings would be hard to inforce, but I can understand why your priminister sees the need for it. What I don’t think people realize is that many are dying. This virus is more contageous and more serious than the common flu or cold. A person could have it and not know it and inadvertently pass it on to someone more vulnerable. For survivors, it could have long-lasting effects such as loss of taste or appetite.
Choosing not to gather in person over the holidays is a sacrifice we all must make in order to keep the virus from spreading. I’ll miss seeing family and friends in person over Thanksgiving and Christmas, but to me, it’s a good feeling to know that I’ll be keeping them safe by not being with them. If everyone in the world saw it this way, there would be no need for such regulations because people would always wear masks and social distance and not gather in large groups for any reason. It’s too sad that there are so many selfish people in the world.
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Unfortunately many do not care for rules and regulations. Over here police have had to break up raves and parties and gatherings in the street.
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That is such a shame. You know, if people would just open their hearts and do the right thing, we wouldn’t have a need for such regulations.
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I’m sure the politicians are thinking as you are. Nothing looks more ineffectual than declaring rules that are unenforceable (as every mother knows).
All ‘they’ can do is warn us to be careful and remind us what is at stake. After that, it’s up to the individual to look after themselves and their family (as it always has been).
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Absolutely. The older we are the more we realise our mortality and are more willing to comply. The young however think they’re going to live forever!
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I just wrote on my blog how we reluctantly gave up Thanksgiving to prevent the spread of covid, Stevie. It sucks, for sure, but covid doesn’t care. I hope you can make it work with your family.
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We have the rule of 6 at the moment. Whether that will change I don’t know yet.
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That’s good! California imposed a curfew for nights, which our local law enforcement refuses to enforce.
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Oh, so people are carrying on as before?
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Most counties are at what they call the highest tier, meaning covid is widespread. The governor instituted a curfew from 10pm-5am to prevent people from doing what, no one knows, since everything is closed again. Sure people can eat outside, but here in Northern California, it is too darn cold to do so. I think people are still being more careful and wearing masks. No one is really sure what the time curfew will accomplish.
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Our pubs are still open until 10pm, which is ridiculous. They need to be closed until the majority of the population are vaccinated.
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Sorry, I fundamentally disagree with you. The virus does not give a monkey’s what day it is. While you are absolutely right that he cannot ban anything, he has a duty to make it clear that gatherings are 100% a bad idea.
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Everybody knows it is a bad idea, but the majority are not going to take any notice. He is wasting his time.
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I think a surprising number of people *do* listen to him. For example, you mentioned a rule of six. Where did that come from? From Boris.
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Yes, we’ve been sticking to that rule. Hopefully it’ll carry on over Christmas? We’ll find out tomorrow.
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There were 20,000 new cases yesterday, and 350 deaths. It’s too early to make any serious proclamation about christmas., because this lockdown has not yet affected the numbers. Anything he might say tomorrow will be for the cameras.
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One lady I know has invited, indeed has insisted, her grandchildren visit her this Christmas. As she says, she might have two Christmases left, perhaps three. She wants to see her great grand children, she might not get another chance.
As it is, the rate of infection is falling, the deaths are falling (which means that it isn’t lockdown that has done it)
We’re grown-ups, we can weigh up the odds and take our own chances
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Absolutely, Jim.
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