Changes to restrictions in England imminent

[shoulders]

Looks like Lord of Death Javid is due to substantially role back Plan B restrictions which will almost inevitably be the end, possibly for the foreseeable future, of full-time home working for millions.

Worse still, he might end the mask mandate. Given the UK's cold snap is often in February these days, bit of a call.


Watch this space/the telly

[Fambo Number Mive]

Scrapping plan B measures including mask mandate. Yesterday we had 94,432 cases. It would be sensible to at least wait until cases are a lot lower but, as so often with the Tory Party, this isn't about science but about votes.

He adds the decisions reflect the government's intention to trust the British people to make the right choices.

As we've seen throughout the pandemic, a significant minority of the British people do not make the right choices.

[bgmnts]

Guess covid is over now.

Ah well.

Is this just a desperate move to try and get public support and distract from his shenanigans?

[Fambo Number Mive]

And it looks like Johnson will try to send self-isolation when someone has covid from the end of March

He says the self-isolation regulations expire on 24 March and he does not expect to renew them

The prime minister adds that he would like to seek a vote in the Commons to bring that date forward if the data allows.

Disgusting.

[Kankurette]

Johnson is clearly getting desperate. And it's not the first time they've done this. They're absolving themselves of responsibility, they know people won't wear masks.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says he will support the relaxation of Plan B "as long as science says that it is safe" and asks Boris Johnson to release the scientific evidence behind his decision.

[SpiderChrist]

Ignore

[Icehaven]

Is this just a desperate move to try and get public support and distract from his shenanigans?

Abso-fucking-lutely it is.

[gilbertharding]

Well, I'm glad everyone thinks this is over.

[Fambo Number Mive]

ONS estimates one in 20 people tested positive last week. Hardly the time to be relaxing restrictions.

[Ferris]

And it looks like Johnson will try to send self-isolation when someone has covid from the end of March

But why? Alberta tried this over summer 2021 - first removing all normal precautions in July, then going a step further and removing restrictions on people who tested positive. So you could knowingly have covid, and head down to the old folks home for a laugh. It got so bad that within two weeks, elected officials were publicly apologizing which never fucking happens, and their healthcare system came close to collapse. And this isn't your creaky old NHS, this is turbo-fossil-fuel-economy-funded Alberta.

Read the second link if you skip everything else, because the quotes from their chief medical officer about the public's assumptions based on government health announcements are very apposite. If you signal that it's all over so go back to normal, people will assume it's all over and go back to normal. That isn't good for public health, it makes it harder to reimpose precautions, and politically people will dislike you more for the changing and mixed messages.

This was pre omicron so maybe the milder strain makes it more feasible, but just keeping the absolute basic "masks in buildings, social distance where you can, and if you're positive stay home until you test negative" seems to make a significant difference and is it really such an imposition? I don't understand the rush to abandon that. I mean I do, it's politics innit.

[Fambo Number Mive]

It absolutely makes sense to keep the Plan B restrictions in order to reduce hospital pressure, keep vulnerable people safe, reduce the number of people who get Long Covid and ensure public services can run but it feels like many people in the UK - in particular England - don't care about this and are more likely to support the Tories if they go full on ERG OPEN THE PUBS.

I'm so angry, I thought they would at least keep mandatory masks.

[Ferris]

There is an interesting research project in measuring mask compliance "before it is lifted and after it is reimposed" vs not lifting it in the first place.

The province next door is demographically similar to where I live, but they've removed and reimposed mask mandates two or three times and last time I was there (even in large cities) I'd say compliance was 75%. Where I live, it must be 99%+ (I've only seen one person flaunt it here that I can remember and he was clearly pretty mentally unwell).

Entirely anecdotal and non scientific of course.

[olliebean]

The way they're announcing it is very telling: essentially, "we're removing restrictions but you should still take sensible precautions." Passing the responsibility, and doubtless - should things go south - the blame, on to the public. It's a tactic we've seen before.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I wasn't even aware there were any restrictions currently.

[SpiderChrist]

Just fucking unbelievably cynical and complacent and, let's face it, callous. What about CV and ECV folk? What are they meant to do?

What a hateful shitty fucking country.

[Attila]

It worries me that other countries will ban UK travellers again. I've been trying to get back to the USA for almost 18 months now to sort out estate/funeral things with my brother, and I've either had to cancel because of covid restrictions or flight cancellations during the times I'd've been able to go (ie, outside of the semester). I know that's just a small, selfish thing in a greater issue, but lifting the restrictions like this is incredibly dumb.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Even Javid says he will "probably" still wear a face mask in shops and says it would be sensible to wear one on spaces such as the Tube. Given people who can't wear a face mask can say they are exempt and there appears to be little to no enforcement of the rule, this is a political decision done solely so the government can regain popularity amongst its backbenchers. It's revolting but a lot of the public seem to support it.

I don't know what can be done really, would a petition to keep face masks in indoor spaces make much difference? Or a letter writing campaign to MPs?

[Kankurette]

Just fucking unbelievably cynical and complacent and, let's face it, callous. What about CV and ECV folk? What are they meant to do?

What a hateful shitty fucking country.

Die, it seems. COVID has really hammered home how little our society values the disabled. And the working class too.

It worries me that other countries will ban UK travellers again. I've been trying to get back to the USA for almost 18 months now to sort out estate/funeral things with my brother, and I've either had to cancel because of covid restrictions or flight cancellations during the times I'd've been able to go (ie, outside of the semester). I know that's just a small, selfish thing in a greater issue, but lifting the restrictions like this is incredibly dumb.

I'm supposed to be going Primavera Sound this year. I have a bad feeling I won't make it.

[MojoJojo]

Just fucking unbelievably cynical and complacent and, let's face it, callous. What about CV and ECV folk? What are they meant to do?

What would you suggest, apart from eternal lockdown?

[katzenjammer]

At least keep the mask mandate, experts are recommending this and it has little to no effect on freedom or the economy, so why remove it?

[Cuellar]

freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedoms

[MojoJojo]

Yeah, fair enough on that front. I feel like it's been effectively optional for at least a year anyway, so can't get too upset about it.

[SpiderChrist]

What would you suggest, apart from eternal lockdown?

Oh yeah, cos they're the only two options, right? Prick.

[MojoJojo]

No need to be rude. I am generally interested in what you think can be done to protect CV vulnerable people. If there are lots of other options it should be easy for you to provide some.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Business groups have broadly welcomed the easing of Plan B restrictions in England, with the CBI calling for "greater consistency in how we live with the virus in the longer term".

Lord Stuart Rose, chairman of Asda and former boss of Marks and Spencer and Argos, hailed the decision to scrap the guidance.

"I cannot believe we have a nation sitting at home now cowered by this government, because they are fearful of this virus," he said.

"It is something we have to now live with."

People working from home aren't "sitting at home now cowered by this government". Easy to be so dismissive when you are wealthy. Does Lord Stuart Rose take public transport or work all day in an office of 20 people?

[Ferris]

At least keep the mask mandate, experts are recommending this and it has little to no effect on freedom or the economy, so why remove it?

It's baffling to me. You can argue about the benefit of a 4th or 5th additional precaution (or even further), but surely the difference between "absolutely no requirements" and "mask inside & distance when you can" is the biggest marginal improvement. Why not just keep those in place? Costs fuck all.

Answer - because the public don't care any more so it's not politically damaging.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Mask compliance on buses where I am has risen since the November announcement but not sure if the rise in cases prompted this as well. It was about 75% yesterday afternoon on the buses, which is a slight drop, wonder if it will start dropping again.

[SpiderChrist]

No need to be rude. I am generally interested in what you think can be done to protect CV vulnerable people. If there are lots of other options it should be easy for you to provide some.

Which is why you framed it in such all or nothing terms, right? Holy shit, where's that ignore button?

[MojoJojo]

*sigh* still a big fucking silence on what should be done.