Freedom Day, June 21st, will go ahead.

[Kermit power]

snuffy said:

That's true, but only in your personal interactions (mates, family, BBQs as you say). But companies can't ignore it, the pub can't, the shops can't, the theatre can't, public transport can't, the hairdresser can't, and so on.

The pub I was in in Leominster last week could. Not a mask in sight either side of the bar. Lovely feeling!

[Maximus_Meridius101]

PBCD said:

Just in time for the "potentially 60% more transmissible" Epsilon variant??

Quite, it’s all a bit tedious now. Unfortunately human Coronaviruses have always been a total and utter nightmare whenever they’ve appeared, the way the modern world works, is far more advantageous to the buggers than at any time in history. We are up against it, it’s how it’s managed by governments that’s going to be critical to how it goes, moving forward.

[gazapc]

williamp said:

Has any other country opened up, or would we be the first (if we did on the 21st)

Many US states including Florida and Texas have got rid of mandatory requirements including face masks. Did cases and deaths rise dramatically when this happened... No. Has the mainstream British media even mentioned this once..no.

France has the end of June as their freedom day. We had such a lead in vaccines. We could have abandoned all legal measures once the vulnerable had been vaccinated months ago as promised by Hancock. An opportunity to lead the world thrown away.

[Maximus_Meridius101]

gazapc said:

Many US states including Florida and Texas have got rid of mandatory requirements including face masks. Did cases and deaths rise dramatically when this happened... No. Has the mainstream British media even mentioned this once..no.

France has the end of June as their freedom day. We had such a lead in vaccines. We could have abandoned all legal measures once the vulnerable had been vaccinated months ago as promised by Hancock. An opportunity to lead the world thrown away.

The U.S. hasn’t had an issue with the Delta variant ( yet ). As if any more complications were needed, there’s a debate / question about how long the vulnerable group’s immunity will last. If they were vaccinated in January, will they still have a suitable / adequate level of protection now? That’s another reason why the collective government sphincters are twitching.

[johnboy1975]

Maximus_Meridius101 said:

gazapc said:

Many US states including Florida and Texas have got rid of mandatory requirements including face masks. Did cases and deaths rise dramatically when this happened... No. Has the mainstream British media even mentioned this once..no.

France has the end of June as their freedom day. We had such a lead in vaccines. We could have abandoned all legal measures once the vulnerable had been vaccinated months ago as promised by Hancock. An opportunity to lead the world thrown away.

The U.S. hasn’t had an issue with the Delta variant ( yet ). As if any more complications were needed, there’s a debate / question about how long the vulnerable group’s immunity will last. If they were vaccinated in January, will they still have a suitable / adequate level of protection now? That’s another reason why the collective government sphincters are twitching.

Their 2nd jab would have been April.....they should be chock full of antibodies, or as full as they are going to be (see ONS report - 80%+ have sntibodies). They may require a booster in the autumn - and will probably receive one regardless of whether they actually do or not.

The reason collective arses may be twitching will be the abject failure to double vaccinate all the over 50s by the 5th or 6th of June.

Edited by johnboy1975 on Thursday 10th June 08:13

[sim72]

If it is delayed I suspect they will still be looking at July 19 at the latest, first week of the school holidays (for most).

[snuffy]

Kermit power said:

snuffy said:

That's true, but only in your personal interactions (mates, family, BBQs as you say). But companies can't ignore it, the pub can't, the shops can't, the theatre can't, public transport can't, the hairdresser can't, and so on.

The pub I was in in Leominster last week could. Not a mask in sight either side of the bar. Lovely feeling!

I think you'll find that is not the case for the vast majority of pubs however.

[paulw123]

4 week extension till the 19th July is too tempting. Will be delayed till after Euros/start of summer holidays and to hell with another month of lost business. No biggie remember.

All the success of the vax process has been squandered in true Boris fashion.

Edited by paulw123 on Thursday 10th June 13:06

[williamp]

Remember when boris told us its not the vaccine which has helped, but the lockdowns...

And that we need to flatten the curve...

Save the nhs...

There are no more excuses left. There will always be variants, and people will die of them. Just like flu each winter. Protect the vulneeable and let everyone else be free.

Of course, they will keep delaying the decision until the autumn, when flu season starts and people get sick again.

[oyster]

I don't think it'll make a lot of difference even if they go ahead on the 21st.
The bigger issue will be getting the fearful and the rule-lovers to remove their restrictions.

I can't see my childrens' school going to full freedom on 21st June even if the Government say so.

[JagLover]

oyster said:

I don't think it'll make a lot of difference even if they go ahead on the 21st.
The bigger issue will be getting the fearful and the rule-lovers to remove their restrictions.

I can't see my childrens' school going to full freedom on 21st June even if the Government say so.

Maybe some will be reluctant but at least the rest will have a choice and most likely normality will spread as places go back to normal and the scared see that the sky hasn't fallen in.

It will take a long time to undo the damage that has been done by the Media and government, but maintaining pointless restrictions won't help in that.

[snuffy]

oyster said:

I don't think it'll make a lot of difference even if they go ahead on the 21st.
The bigger issue will be getting the fearful and the rule-lovers to remove their restrictions.

I can't see my childrens' school going to full freedom on 21st June even if the Government say so.

That's true.

Yesterday I saw a chap in a van drive past me, he was the only person in his van, but he had a mask covering most of his face. Obviously he did not know why he was wearing it.

[Lagom]

It’s a no from the FT

https://www.ft.com/content/fa7c25be-d3df-4edd-b86f...

[AJL308]

Lagom said:

It’s a no from the FT

https://www.ft.com/content/fa7c25be-d3df-4edd-b86f...

Paywalled but Express saying that same.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1448733/Lockdown...

[valiant]

Not a chance of all restrictions being lifted on the 21st.

Every cabinet member who’s been on tv are saying the same thing of caution with regards to the date and ‘science’. They are prepping us for an extension but won’t yet come out and say it.

If they were confident they’d be singing it from the rooftops. At the moment they are trying to craft the message that it ain’t happening without the people going nuts.

[Lagom]

AJL308 said:

Paywalled but Express saying that same.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1448733/Lockdown...

I honestly thought the headline was all you needed, until Boris speaks on Monday with more details.

[snuffy]

It was always going to happen because as things ease, so cases will go up.

Up go cases, as expected, Boris sts his pants and locks down again.

It's a positive feedback control loop.

[grumbledoak]

We've been strung along three weeks at a time for fifteen months. Only a Goldfish would expect anything else now.

And straight into the school holidays. I bet the teachers are gutted.

[Supercilious Sid]

williamp said:

Remember when boris told us its not the vaccine which has helped, but the lockdowns...

And that we need to flatten the curve...

Save the nhs...

There are no more excuses left. There will always be variants, and people will die of them. Just like flu each winter. Protect the vulneeable and let everyone else be free.

Of course, they will keep delaying the decision until the autumn, when flu season starts and people get sick again.

It's an addiction to control and the worry that the 'thought leaders' will be redundant.

[andySC]

Norfolk & Chance.