What would you like to hear from Boris Johnson's announcement on Sunday evening?

[Islineclear3_1]

We've probably had a few spoilers already but what would you like to hear from our Prime Minister?

 

[Bletchleyite]

We've probably had a few spoilers already but what would you like to hear from our Prime Minister?

Keep the lockdown for 3 more weeks but roll back some of the minor things that make barely any difference to R, like how many times you can go for exercise outdoors in a day or whether you can sit on your own in the park. (I know it's not in the legislation but it remains the advice).

Indeed, they could just make the advice the same as that Police interpretation of it. Which would be easy to do as the law wouldn't need to change.

I think we are going to be getting the above.

I would also like to see the "social bubble" thing, allowing pairs of households (only full households, else it gets complex) to merge if they want, on the condition that they consider themselves one in terms of self-isolation if one person shows symptoms. This would help those of us who live alone a lot, and would help my sister's family out by allowing the grandparents to see and look after the kids again (they're under 70). However I recognise that it creates enforcement issues and so is unlikely.

One more to add - a plan to fully isolate care homes, with staff working on a live-in basis in week or two-week shifts, with testing at the start and end of the shift and deliveries done on a fully contact-free basis, with nobody who is not living there allowed through the door at all unless absolutely unavoidable, and if absolutely unavoidable in full PPE (e.g. if the boiler breaks down). That really needs to be contained as it's really causing rather a lot of deaths.

 

[6862]

Personally, I would like to hear a clear position from the government on reopening universities for research activity. Unlikely, I realise. Also a gradual loosening of the lockdown for the under 65s.

 

[deltic]

That he is stepping down to spend more time with his children

 

[yorksrob]

I would like to see some sort of ability to visit friends and family - albeit possibly outdoors and whilst maintaining physical distancing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That he is stepping down to spend more time with his children

I don't like him that much either, but now is really not the time for a change of leadership or Government. We can have a GE later to decide that, and I suspect Labour would be led to a win by Keir Starmer.

 

[deltic]

Not sure he has shown much leadership to date - ignoring his own advice leading him to catching coronavirus and effectively being out of action for a month.

 

[nedchester]

Something like this:

ex Brit on Twitter

“Germany has introduced a threshold to define when restrictions will be reintroduced. If the number if new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in an area increases by more than 50 in a 7 day period, restriction will be reimposed Here is the current dashboard. Those in red are too high”

twitter.com

Germany has a massive track and trace network. Most of the country has gone back to normal albeit with face coverings. However, if the infection rate rising in certain areas the restrictions are reintroduced.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

In no particular order of importance:

I would like small businesses/sole traders to return to work whilst maintaining social distancing

Being able to see vulnerable elderly relatives if they live in their own homes

Schools and universities to resume on a phased return

 

[Bletchleyite]

Something like this:

ex Brit on Twitter

“Germany has introduced a threshold to define when restrictions will be reintroduced. If the number if new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in an area increases by more than 50 in a 7 day period, restriction will be reimposed Here is the current dashboard. Those in red are too high”

twitter.com

Germany has a massive track and trace network. Most of the country has gone back to normal albeit with face coverings. However, if the infection rate rising in certain areas the restrictions are reintroduced.

I like that. If there is a published threshold, people are strongly motivated to adapt their behaviour (and encourage others to do so) to "win" the "prize" (or not "lose" it). And it makes the Police's life easier as there is less enforcement needed.

 

[Tomp94]

That you can make non essential travel again. Aka get on a train.

 

[Hadders]

I wonder if we'll see something about non essential retail reopening as long as appropriate social distancing measures are in place.

 

[geoffk]

What's non-essential? I've been out to buy paint as decorating keeps me busy and it's something I wouldn't have time for otherwise. Also rails for my filing cabinet so I don't have piles of files on the floor, which are a trip hazard. The other week I walked six miles into Todmorden along the canal and came home on the train. My first train trip for six weeks!

 

[leightonbd]

I would like to see some sort of ability to visit friends and family - albeit possibly outdoors and whilst maintaining physical distancing.

Yes. Small gatherings of no more than, say, eight people, on private property (by which I mean indoors or in gardens).

On ‘non essential’ retail - I may be wrong but I don’t think this was ever obliged to close (unlike pubs, etc). It just found it impossible/ impractical to remain open. As such, some encouragement to reopen across the board could be forthcoming.

For both of the above (and more generally) a powerful stress on continuing to (a) keep distance and (b) wash hands. Those seem to me to be the forces most strongly within the control of everyone which, executed correctly, minimise risk. Absent a vaccine, people are going to have to control the risk themselves for a long time to come, and a strong focus on individual responsibility will be important.

 

[geoffk]

Any ideas on when we are going to see heritage railways running again, those that survive, that is?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Any ideas on when we are going to see heritage railways running again, those that survive, that is?

Logically at the same time the regular railway allows non-essential travel, as the measures they would need are logically the same.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes. Small gatherings of no more than, say, eight people, on private property (by which I mean indoors or in gardens).

On ‘non essential’ retail - I may be wrong but I don’t think this was ever obliged to close (unlike pubs, etc). It just found it impossible/ impractical to remain open. As such, some encouragement to reopen across the board could be forthcoming.

For both of the above (and more generally) a powerful stress on continuing to (a) keep distance and (b) wash hands. Those seem to me to be the forces most strongly within the control of everyone which, executed correctly, minimise risk. Absent a vaccine, people are going to have to control the risk themselves for a long time to come, and a strong focus on individual responsibility will be important.

I'm not sure about the private property bit necessarily. I don't see a problem with people meeting in a park or on a beach etc, however as you say, there needs to be an emphasis on physical distancing.

 

[chris11256]

I'd like to see a change of message away from 'go outside & die' with encouragements for organisations that can resume work to do so. Along with a timeline for when various types of retailers can open, for example when can I get my car serviced? Despite being classed as essential every single garage/franchised dealer garage has completely closed in my area.

Plus a firm plan on ramping up public transport for increased passenger numbers over the next few months. Plus a plan for schools would be nice, I'm not directly involved(I just run IT) but there's significant planning & effort from the Head & senior Management to reopen in June. Would be nice to know whether it's all been a waste of time/effort and money or not.

I fully expect the work from home message to continue for some months, but maybe some different wording on physically going into work with a nudge towards construction and such resuming.

 

[Domh245]

On ‘non essential’ retail - I may be wrong but I don’t think this was ever obliged to close (unlike pubs, etc). It just found it impossible/ impractical to remain open. As such, some encouragement to reopen across the board could be forthcoming.

All retail was ordered to close with the exception of groceries, pharmacies, and a few other sectors on the Gov's list.

Along with a timeline for when various types of retailers can open, for example when can I get my car serviced? Despite being classed as essential every single garage/franchised dealer garage has completely closed.

Seeing as the Government allowed for Car Repair & MOT services to remain open, this is something that isn't really within their control (although I suspect that withdrawing the Job Retention Scheme will focus minds and get employers who'd closed without being required to back to work)

 

[MarlowDonkey]

On ‘non essential’ retail - I may be wrong but I don’t think this was ever obliged to close (unlike pubs, etc).

Garden Centres were obliged to close. That's despite many of them being as large as supermarkets with plenty of internal space and having "stores within stores" such as pet supplies and food counters that would have been allowed to stay open as stand alone premises. Also of course supermarkets were fully able to sell some of the goods you might otherwise source from a Garden Centre.

 

[chris11256]

Seeing as the Government allowed for Car Repair & MOT services to remain open, this is something that isn't really within their control (although I suspect that withdrawing the Job Retention Scheme will focus minds and get employers who'd closed without being required to back to work)

Agree on that one. I'd like to see a plan for the phasing out/winding down of the furlough scheme over 2-3 months to encourage as many as possible back to work.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seeing as the Government allowed for Car Repair & MOT services to remain open, this is something that isn't really within their control (although I suspect that withdrawing the Job Retention Scheme will focus minds and get employers who'd closed without being required to back to work)

I think it will need to be scaled back to cover only those businesses the Government have ordered to close, and that as any given business is reopened it should be reduced for that area of business over time.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Restoration of dental treatment services .

 

[Ianno87]

1) Return of nursery and primary school kids on a limited basis (e.g. 1 day a week max)

2) Social interactions permitted domestically within immediate family (or other social support groups)

3) Limited return for office based staff, prioritised by employers for those most in need of the office environment, and/or are within walking/cycling distance.

 

[ChrisC]

I would like to see some sort of ability to visit friends and family - albeit possibly outdoors and whilst maintaining physical distancing.

Totally agree. After seeing how so many people were celebrating VE Day yesterday in their streets whilst maintaining physical distancing, including elderly people, we should be able to travel to visit vulnerable elderly relatives in an outdoor situation.

 

[yorksrob]

Totally agree. After seeing how so many people were celebrating VE Day yesterday in their streets whilst maintaining physical distancing, including elderly people, we should be able to travel to visit vulnerable elderly relatives in an outdoor situation.

Absolutely agree.

 

[westv]

Seeing as the Government allowed for Car Repair & MOT services to remain open,

If MOT services are open why the need to extend MOT validities for 6 months?

 

[Aictos]

I wonder if we'll see something about non essential retail reopening as long as appropriate social distancing measures are in place.

Maybe, we will see though.

I don't like him that much either, but now is really not the time for a change of leadership or Government. We can have a GE later to decide that, and I suspect Labour would be led to a win by Keir Starmer.

I agree, now is NOT the time for yet another GE when we have Covid19 and Brexit to deal with.

In no particular order of importance:

I would like small businesses/sole traders to return to work whilst maintaining social distancing

On point 1, can anyone explain why local takeaways haven't been closed down atm due to Covid19 yet McDs, Starbucks, KFC etc have?

Secondly on point 1, if we take hairdressers as a example - would be a case of appointments only or come in at any time?

 

[Aictos]

That you can make non essential travel again. Aka get on a train.

No, travel until the crisis is over should be for essential travel only as otherwise you get trains full and standing leading to a breeding ground where the virus will flourish.

 

[Hadders]

On ‘non essential’ retail - I may be wrong but I don’t think this was ever obliged to close (unlike pubs, etc). It just found it impossible/ impractical to remain open. As such, some encouragement to reopen across the board could be forthcoming.

The following activities are the 'essential' ones that are allowed although some businesses providing these services decided to close voluntarily. Remaining retail businesses had to close.

The sale of food and drink for consumption off premises.
Workplace canteens where there is no practical alternative.
Room service.
Using premises for broadcast to people outside.
Using premises for blood donation.
Providing accommodation for the homeless.
Using a place of worship for funerals (attended by immediate family, or where there are none, close friends), to broadcast an act of worship to people outside, or to provide essential voluntary services.
Crematoriums for small gatherings.
Food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores, off-licences and corner shops.
Pharmacies and drugstores.
Newsagents.
Homeware, building supplies and hardware stores.
Petrol stations.
Car repair and MOT services.
Taxi or vehicle hire businesses.
Banks and building societies.
Post offices.
Funeral directors.
Laundrettes and dry cleaners.
Dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health.
Veterinary surgeons and pet shops.
Storage and distribution facilities, including delivery drop-off points.
Car parks in towns or cities.
Public toilets.
Bicycle shops.
Agricultural supply shops.