PMs message

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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???

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.

twitter.com/RealMattLucas/status/1259566662791106569

Varian

I should be interested in the opinion of our “resident “ Health &Safety expert Granddad - and would hope to be be reassured that businesses of all sizes have the capacity and willingness to comply with the necessary measures.
I would like to think we are no longer living in a dystopian Victorian era where 7 year olds picked up fluff under the weaving looms or helped drag coal trucks down mines.
And if sweatshops do still exist - this must highlight that scandal and put an end to them for once and for all.

MawB
Thank goodness for the voice of reason.