Welsh lockdown

[Evanivitch]

foobies said:

I hope Rishi refuses to get his cheque out for Drakeford and he has to scrap his ‘fire break’ plans. The Welsh government really are slippery, vile meddlers.

Why? Boris will do exactly the same, 2 weeks later.

wobert said:

If that’s true, then it’s a feckin’ disgrace.

Flintshire incidence rate as of Friday was 160/100k = lockdown

Cheshire West & Cheshire (less than a mile from my house 170/100k = no lockdown

Vale of Glamorgan has a relatively low level compared to most of South Wales but suffers the same lockdown! Most is probably concentrated in Barry, but unlike Llanelli they didn't impose a town only lockdown.

Edited by Evanivitch on Saturday 17th October 22:25

[foobies]

A copy of the leaked letter is embedded in this article:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wale...

If this is real, Drakeford straight up lied in yesterday’s press conference. And on his own twitter feed:

https://mobile.twitter.com/fmwales/status/13171639...

It’s an absolute disgrace that the private sector is left in the dark and left very little time to prepare. While councils and other public sector bodies are given at least one week of warning to prepare.

I hope these idiots are made to account for their deception and dishonesty, and the businesses and jobs they’re decimating in the process.

[MG CHRIS]

foobies said:

A copy of the leaked letter is embedded in this article:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wale...

If this is real, Drakeford straight up lied in yesterday’s press conference. And on his own twitter feed:

https://mobile.twitter.com/fmwales/status/13171639...

It’s an absolute disgrace that the private sector is left in the dark and left very little time to prepare. While councils and other public sector bodies are given at least one week of warning to prepare.

I hope these idiots are made to account for their deception and dishonesty, and the businesses and jobs they’re decimating in the process.

Yep my mother who works in a council run visitor centre has had the same letter come through this evening and it is circulating around. A lot of angry people about in the private sector the knock on effects are going to be massive and the worse thing is it wont solve anything in 2 weeks.

[foobies]

MG CHRIS said:

Yep my mother who works in a council run visitor centre has had the same letter come through this evening and it is circulating around. A lot of angry people about in the private sector the knock on effects are going to be massive and the worse thing is it wont solve anything in 2 weeks.

The Welsh government has two weeks to save hospitality and other sectors in Wales. Instead of doing that, they’re doubling down on this mental behaviour.

I know three places who closed down in October and re-furloughed staff. At the end of October those jobs go, some have already gone. I suppose there may be a new furlough scheme or further extension, but even so it’s just can kicking. And even more debt for us to repay - although our debt is so great now, what’s a few more billion I suppose.

Drakeford and co are absolutely vile.

I hope they have to answer in person to all the people who lose their jobs and businesses over this. No bodyguards, no security. I want them to front up and explain to the many, many people they’re about to put on their arses.

Yes Covid is real. Yes it can be deadly. Yes it presents a headache and a big challenge.

But we cannot hide from it forever. And businesses don’t have an unlimited pot of cash to dip into every time Drakeford fancies a ‘lockdown’.

I wonder when people will just say nah, enough is enough, and start to do something about what’s going on.

[wobert]

I see two issues looming if the contents of the letter are true:

Firstly, the ‘fire break’ will overhang the end of the furlough scheme by 10 days. So for those currently on the scheme, they will effectively lose the first week of November’s pay, unless Westminster step in.

Private businesses will be going to the wall this time...

Secondly, this is a sticking plaster, what happens in 5-6 weeks time, when case rates start to increase again? There’s no plan ‘B’ or longer term thinking here, we just lurch from one st decision to the next....

Each time we lock down, the compliance level drops and around the loop we go again.

I seriously hope this mismanagement comes home to bite Drakeford firmly on the arse come election time next year and hopefully the Labour incompetants are kicked out for a generation as the country is in a shambolic state under their stewardship.....

[MG CHRIS]

foobies said:

MG CHRIS said:

Yep my mother who works in a council run visitor centre has had the same letter come through this evening and it is circulating around. A lot of angry people about in the private sector the knock on effects are going to be massive and the worse thing is it wont solve anything in 2 weeks.

The Welsh government has two weeks to save hospitality and other sectors in Wales. Instead of doing that, they’re doubling down on this mental behaviour.

I know three places who closed down in October and re-furloughed staff. At the end of October those jobs go, some have already gone. I suppose there may be a new furlough scheme or further extension, but even so it’s just can kicking. And even more debt for us to repay - although our debt is so great now, what’s a few more billion I suppose.

Drakeford and co are absolutely vile.

I hope they have to answer in person to all the people who lose their jobs and businesses over this. No bodyguards, no security. I want them to front up and explain to the many, many people they’re about to put on their arses.

Yes Covid is real. Yes it can be deadly. Yes it presents a headache and a big challenge.

But we cannot hide from it forever. And businesses don’t have an unlimited pot of cash to dip into every time Drakeford fancies a ‘lockdown’.

I wonder when people will just say nah, enough is enough, and start to do something about what’s going on.

I think people have already done that the local lockdowns haven't been followed even by the followers, my work place most think its insane and the welsh assembly are taking the piss. I suspect loads of places will now say we are essential and will fight to remain open however pubs, restuarants hospitality is being used as the donkey to pin the tail on.

Im sick of it and I don't think it will go down well when it gets announced fully. On a more personal note im expecting the completion of my first house very soon just exchanged contracts so I wonder if the estate agent will try and push the final bit to get the sale done before Friday. Lucky im ok work wise mechanic but our work has dropped pretty much of a cliff this week compared to September which was our all time best month and a manic start to October.

I feel for the people in the hospitality industries they are being smashed by this with no hope in sight welsh labour/drakeford and co have a hell of a lot to answer for.

[foobies]

wobert said:

I see two issues looming if the contents of the letter are true:

Firstly, the ‘fire break’ will overhang the end of the furlough scheme by 10 days. So for those currently on the scheme, they will effectively lose the first week of November’s pay, unless Westminster step in.

Private businesses will be going to the wall this time...

Secondly, this is a sticking plaster, what happens in 5-6 weeks time, when case rates start to increase again? There’s no plan ‘B’ or longer term thinking here, we just lurch from one st decision to the next....

Each time we lock down, the compliance level drops and around the loop we go again.

I seriously hope this mismanagement comes home to bite Drakeford firmly on the arse come election time next year and hopefully the Labour incompetants are kicked out for a generation as the country is in a shambolic state under their stewardship.....

Dunno about biting him, I want criminal charges for the lying bd if he does announce this on Monday.

I think regional furlough has been discussed and I believe he’s sent Rishi a letter already.

But furlough is another blunt tool like ‘lockdown’ itself. And doesn’t address anything other than a business’ labour spend and employment figures. Most businesses have a load of other costs to cover too - which will be tricky after a long period of inactivity earlier in the year.

Edited by foobies on Saturday 17th October 23:11

[b0rk]

wobert said:

Secondly, this is a sticking plaster, what happens in 5-6 weeks time, when case rates start to increase again? There’s no plan ‘B’ or longer term thinking here, we just lurch from one st decision to the next....

In 5-6 weeks time from Nov its xmas and time for another firebreak then again in February and again in April.

Curious thing really back in the summer network rail announced they'd be installing a bridge near Bristol postponed from Easter and shutting the South Wales mainline Bristol to Newport for 2 weeks 24th Oct to 7th Nov getting such a long closure possession in normal times would be very very unusual.
Funny timing really as it now appears to coincide with the firebreak when demand will be even further suppressed almost perfect timing for the works. The original pre-covid plan had the bridge replacement done in four days, during covid its 15 days with social distancing.

[wobert]

So today is the day the endless dithering stops and Drippy Drakeford is forced to make a decision after days of drip feeding ‘news’ from various media outlets....



So Flintshire last week had an incidence rate of 76.9 cases / 100k, down from 171.7 / 100k the week before, and this is justification for a 23rd March style lockdown?

The guy is an idiot....

[BoRED S2upid]

foobies said:

Dunno about biting him, I want criminal charges for the lying bd if he does announce this on Monday.

I think regional furlough has been discussed and I believe he’s sent Rishi a letter already.

But furlough is another blunt tool like ‘lockdown’ itself. And doesn’t address anything other than a business’ labour spend and employment figures. Most businesses have a load of other costs to cover too - which will be tricky after a long period of inactivity earlier in the year.

Edited by foobies on Saturday 17th October 23:11

It’s not just the other costs that furlough doesn’t cover it’s the regular customers that businesses have to win back after lockdown. Most businesses have just built their businesses back up to an acceptable level after the first lockdown they can’t lockdown again keep most businesses and schools open at all cost. Wales will be hit really hard economically after this.

[ARHarh]

Population of Wales in 2019 = 3.136 million. say 10 in 100000 have it that's 313.6 people in wales infected even if its 50 in 100000 then its only 1568, and he is going to destroy every business in Wales. Madness.

[undred orse]

foobies said:

(snip) ……. Drakeford.

Enough is enough now. This man is a complete menace to enterprise and the private sector in Wales.

I agree completely. But look at his politics and the end game and the reason for way he acts becomes clearer. This is an ultra left Corbynista who has never had even a passing acquaintance with private enterprise and the responsibilities and burdens that brings along with the occasional reward. He wants and is looking to achieve an even more massive public sector with everyone a "client" of the state. This is just a way of achieving it which has fallen into his lap. All at no risk to his salary, pension etc. He is even managing to make Carwyn look capable.

His actions are shameful. Hopefully in years to come he will be derided in the way he deserves. His legacy should be shame.

Unfortunately the opposition - Plaid Cymru - are little if any better with added spite and division their M O .

[Bill]

ARHarh said:

Population of Wales in 2019 = 3.136 million. say 10 in 100000 have it that's 313.6 people in wales infected even if its 50 in 100000 then its only 1568, and he is going to destroy every business in Wales. Madness.

Point of order.

It's the number of new cases diagnosed per day, averaged over the last 7 days. Parts of Wales are at 200-400/100,000 new cases.

[ARHarh]

Bill said:

Point of order.

It's the number of new cases diagnosed per day, averaged over the last 7 days. Parts of Wales are at 200-400/100,000 new cases.

Oh Ok. Thought I must be wrong somehow.

[wobert]

Bill said:

ARHarh said:

Population of Wales in 2019 = 3.136 million. say 10 in 100000 have it that's 313.6 people in wales infected even if its 50 in 100000 then its only 1568, and he is going to destroy every business in Wales. Madness.

Point of order.

It's the number of new cases diagnosed per day, averaged over the last 7 days. Parts of Wales are at 200-400/100,000 new cases.

The pictorial I posted says similar, in some areas of Wales but not all.

The point is, 17 counties already have restrictions and in most case levels have peaked and are reducing.

Other areas such as Powys etc are low.

So the response to the above is to double-down and lockdown harder....where’s the logic?

By locking down harder we may well reduce the numbers, but what then?

We remove the lockdown and the numbers head upwards again, meanwhile further business go to the wall as they simply cannot accommodate more change and restrictions...

Who pays?

[Evanivitch]

wobert said:

So the response to the above is to double-down and lockdown harder....where’s the logic?

This is what's getting me. I don't think the issues are the rules that are currently in place, or the way they are applied in pubs/restaurants.

The issue is that people aren't following the rules, either not distancing or not isolating.

More rules won't make any difference without more enforcement. The reluctant willingness of the initial lockdown is evaporating quickly amongst those that followed the rules from the beginning.

[Bill]

wobert said:

The pictorial I posted says similar, in some areas of Wales but not all.

The point is, 17 counties already have restrictions and in most case levels have peaked and are reducing.

Other areas such as Powys etc are low.

So the response to the above is to double-down and lockdown harder....where’s the logic?

By locking down harder we may well reduce the numbers, but what then?

We remove the lockdown and the numbers head upwards again, meanwhile further business go to the wall as they simply cannot accommodate more change and restrictions...

Who pays?

I'm making no comment about the plan, just pointing out a misunderstanding.

FWIW I agree, a national lockdown is disproportionate.

[foobies]

The only possible reason for this action (if it's based on any kind of logic and not Drakeford's fetish for controlling people) is that Drakeford knows the NHS in Wales cannot cope with any kind of rise in hospital admissions. Looking at the state of the NHS in Wales, I think this is likely. It's a shambles at the best of times and has been for years.

What I find utterly disgraceful is that I have people all around me trying to run businesses, big and small, who have not had any kind of heads up from the Welsh Government. While it seems that councils and other public sector bodies have had a heads up and been given time to prepare.

The public sector doesn't have to worry too much about paying wages and putting food on the table. While the private sector is already reeling from the previous lockdown. Friends in various sectors are absolutely desperate now, having burned through reserves earlier in the year.

Are we going to just keep locking ourselves up and shutting down the economy to hide the mess Welsh Labour have made of the NHS?

On another note, my five year old son has nearly finished two weeks in self isolation after someone in his school tested positive. He'll have about 24 hours of being back to 'the new normal' before I have to say sorry son, you are now confined to the house and garden AGAIN with one hour of exercise each day, until 9th November at the earliest.

The NHS here is rubbish, they can't even deal with physical conditions like cancer in a timely manner. So the mental health timebomb that's brewing is going to devastate Wales for years to come, long after the virus is [hopefully] addressed.

The only thing that has made me smile is the anti-English, anti-Boris, anti-Westminster rhetoric being used to divide us from the rest of the UK - while Drakeford begs Rishi for more cash to act out his insane fantasies. I'd be quite happy if Boris & Rishi to tell Drakeford to fk off.

If this 'fire break' does happen, I want Drakeford properly tried for the misery and pain he'll cause. And at the very least, I want him sharing a cell with his son.

[Escy]

The English government will end up doing the same thing but in a few weeks time when it's too late. Same with the first lock down, left that too late and we ended up stuck in it for longer.

[foobies]

Escy said:

The English government will end up doing the same thing but in a few weeks time when it's too late. Same with the first lock down, left that too late and we ended up stuck in it for longer.

We had much longer restrictions in place here in Wales and we're _still_ set for another national lockdown. Maybe, just maybe, these restrictions aren't actually working.

Whether we like or not, this virus is going to rip through at some point. It's a horrible prospect but largely inescapable.

Let's do hands, face, space - exercise common sense, and get on with it. Most older people who are particularly vulnerable to this are worldly people. They don't live to 60, 70 or 80 years old by not taking care of themselves (on the whole anyway).

Everyone surviving the virus would be amazing stuff. But little point if we're going to be plagued with anxiety, depression and suicides for the next few years as entire sectors collapse leaving a wake of job losses and poverty for us to use even more borrowed money to try and address.