PMs message

Varian

twitter.com/RealMattLucas/status/1259566662791106569

GabriellaG54 I agree, it took s less than half a day to sort out Social Distancing in the office, trade counter (one in at a time, wait in car/van phone through order collect when told), warehouse etc. Our own delivery drivers have masks gloves and hand sanitizer.

Ì missed it. Didnt realise it was on at different time to usual..I thought that they said previous that we MUST get that number below 1???

I think it was exactly the speech we should have expected from this bumbling fuckwitted clown. God help us. Brexit? Can’t wait...

Jishere he said Wednesday and if some businesses can start up again, why should their staff be furloughed?
Many small business, including the self- employed did not enjoy that luxury anyway.

Gabrielle G54 what a mean response when everyones work situation is different and even big companies you have to fight to get your health and safety rights.Last week my company wanted me to be in my office with 2 workmen it's considered essential work, they wasn't wearing any ppe and I wasn't prepared to have them in. One poor new employer sat in a small office with 3 workmen in. It's easy to say do this do that but not every company adheres do it. As for hand sanitizer we only got some two weeks ago although we have been open throughout. So common sense doesn't actually come in to play with lots of companies.In fact it goes out the window.

I thought it was ok but he did say that many things could be clarified as we went along...and some of that he would discuss tomorrow.i.e.today now. All of it is underpinned by keeping a social distance at all times.

Those who commented that there was less waffle than usual. You do know that it was pre-recorded OVER TWO DAYS! Lots of cut and edit! And it took a team of people to come up with it. I despair!

I was not impressed. It was very ambiguous. I really do not know what we are/are not allowed to do.

I am no fan of Johnson, I think he is out of his depth, but I do acknowledge that he was concise last night, unlike his usual spluttering and blustering. I was pleased that he showed the aims in graph form and explained what we must aim for, but as to the actual details, like always, they were rather unclear and very open to misinterpretation by those who wish to do so. I just wish that he had shown a bit more 'leadership' and dare I say it, interest, in this catastrophe as it was unfolding, rather than leave it to Matt Hancock while he holidayed in the Carribean. Still, that is past now and we must look forward. The press however, have been completely irresponsible, all those front pages 'promising' lockdown easing will have disappointed many people.

Because MawB unless they can drive or not use public transport we will go backwards and not forwards. And lots have the problem of child care as well. So unless safe to they should stay furlonged.

I agree with Pittcity that schools could forfeit a large part of the six weeks summer holidays. By then hopefully the virus will be much less serious, no one will be travelling far, and they have had at least six weeks off already.

For Year 10 students like my GS, that would go a long way to making up missed GCSE prep time.

He's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. BBC just stating we have highest figure in Europe. No country has calculated their figures in the same way. Until we know what others counted we won't have it correctly.

Maw
I’ve been fighting this battle on two threads. I listened to the speech. BJ said people can return to work on Wednesday. I don’t understand why people are saying they can go to work today! They can’t because he said Wednesday, and he said from Wednesday, so not necessarily on Wednesday, only if social distancing measures are in place by Wednesday. And only if a person can’t work from home. If you can work from home, continue to work from home.
It would appear that many people can’t retain or understand the information given in a ten minute speech. No wonder the government said further advice will be given today.

My friend owns a painter decorators firm employing about 12 people. He has worked throughout the lockdown on empty houses as here in Devon many of his customers are holiday homes that are empty. He has asked his workers to come back to work but several of them have said they can’t because their ‘wife has asthma, no one to look after children, don’t feel safe and one admitted he preferred being furloughed until it was all over! They would all be working in separate houses with full facilities and not need to see anyone all day. Loads of work piling up and no one to do it!
I am shielded but a youngish 66 and fit other than a compromised immune system due to the drugs that keep me fit so will stay in till the R rate is low. Lucky to be able to do that when others will have to work. We really have to take responsibility for our own health and make our work places safe. It is very difficult for the Government to plan for every trade and workplace, they all have their little quirks.

GillT57 for god's sake the man's been ill that is why Matt Hancock has been doing it and he is to Health Minister.

Furloughed

At present I have a friend whose SIL is in the Met.
He has to take the train to London has throughout.
In addition TBH buses here in the country are empty (and few and far between) and I think that they will be very slow to refill in any case. Let’s face it many workers will continue to WFH wherever possible, but we have to learn to accommodate a level of risk.
Many on GN will remember the 1968 flu epidemic, most if not all, will remember SARS, MERS , Avian flu or Mexican flu (I can’t remember which of those was which) but with only essential travel, staggered working hours, flexitime or whatever I would stake my last chocolate Hobnob on public transport being very quiet for weeks even months to come.

Marieeliz
You’ve made another good point that all too many people on here are unable to comprehend.

Actually Marieeliz two posts, both good points that many can’t understand.

Maddyone, it was you who wrote "spoon fed". I pointed out it's a right wing slogan. Slogans don't mean anything specific but sound good emotionally and superficially. 'Spoon fed' obviously approves of slight government control.

At this time of grave danger we need strong and honest government directives.

I think it was assumed that most people had common sense.
I see nothing complicated about it.

My dd is a keyworker in shop/supermarket chain.she cant get to work without a bus.its too far to walk.she cant drive..i also fear for my middle son.hes a bus driver.there was down to approx 6 passengers on in lockdown.Now there will be many.NO ONE is going to Avoid the buses if its up to them and they need to get to work!!! Boris just went down in my estimation..i thought he'd have been more cautious after he nearly died himself! So is this the next 'experiment' then?"oh we'll let them decide for themselves and then see if that gets the message through!?"

I thought it was an excellent speech. No looking at notes or pauses - direct, understandable, positive, had gravitas instead of clowning and I thought it was as clear as it could be, given the unknown of the virus.
People criticising it for being unclear weren't listening properly. At no point did he say people who have to go to work because they can't work from home have to be back at work within 12 hours. He actively wants people to go back to work, no doubt to kickstart the economy again, but the workplace needs to be safe to go back to first, which is also what he said. In some instances that will be quick and easy and in others less so. And of course there will be questions from some companies as well as individuals, depending on what their work is, but that cannot be covered in a short speech which needs to keep everyone's attention.
I think he is doing as well as anyone could with the situation now, after a very poor start.
Fingers crossed we have a vaccine soon, that the economy recovers fairly soon and importantly that China is made to close all its open "wet" markets. Otherwise there will be another, possibly much worse, virus on its way.
Brexit has disappeared off the news, but will have to be addressed soon, like it or not!

I am aware of that Marieleez thank you. But, while the rest of the world was watching what was happening in China and acting accordingly, Johnson was boasting about shaking hands with Covid19 patients. I don't think he took it seriously until his own attack forced what looks like a Damascene conversion. I am also aware that Hancock is Health Secretary, but thanks again for pointing this out.