Wales in Lockdown

LauraNorder

Anglesey has very low infection rates. Our economy is almost totally reliant on tourism. We lost March to July. Small businesses were just getting back on their feet having spent a fortune to make themselves compliant. We all wear masks, we try to support our communities now that the tourists have gone and Mark Drakeford decides to lockdown everywhere. This makes no sense.
As far as not buying cards or kettles in Tesco out of fairness to small business, ludicrous. If I need a card or a kettle I’ll have to go on line so the money that would have gone in to an Anglesey supermarket has now gone elsewhere. That affects local jobs. It might be only 17 days but people could in that time decide online shopping is easier and never come back to the high street.
Mark Drakeford is a silly man. He should have given localised lockdowns a chance to see if it worked before shutting down the whole economy.
I’m so frustrated at the stupidity.

Good sensible post?
People will buy online all the time.

I have just heard that in response to the outcry, Mark Drakeford has agreed to “review” what may or may not be sold in supermarkets.
Good, but why don’t they think these things through first ?

Laura that pic and caption made me laugh?

The problem is, Barmeyoldbat, unless the virus mutated and became less dangerous or a safe, effective vaccine becomes available soon, people will revert to what they were doing before a 17 day lockdown ie going to pubs and clubs, socialising, ignoring guidelines and the 17 day lockdown would have been a waste of effort.
The places with high incidences were locked down anyway, those people who were concerned about themselves and others were careful and, as LauraNorder points out, some areas had few if any cases.

More money should have been given to the NHS and the Forces, who are also able to cope with emergencies, should have been called in as backup.

As soon as the lockdown is lifted, some people will just revert to their previous irresponsible behaviour and it may result in another lockdown at Christmas.

I saw books were marked as non-essential. To me books have been my saviour, as a person who prefers books to kindles. I have been reading about 3 books a week. Sometimes in doors, sometime in a cafe. Who's to say what's essential and what isn't.

sharon103

A simple solution if the kettle packs up, boil water in a saucepan on the stove for a cuppa.

Why bother when we can drink wine, beer and spirits?

Politicians in all the countries of the UK need to review urgently what's happening in schools, which is one of the main sources of transmission at the moment.

They also need to use the breathing space to improve Test and Trace.

If they don't, as you say, the firebreak will be a waste of time and another one will be needed in a few weeks to keep the pressure off hospitals.

growstuff

sharon103

I don't mean a great big saucepan. A milk saucepan with a lip with a cup full of water in it for a hot drink. No different from boiling vegetables and draining them surely.
A hot drink can be made in a microwave if need be.

Some people just like to be difficult! Of course you can boil water in a small pan.

Thank you very much.
A civil answer would have been nice without the sarcasm from Chewbacca.
They wonder why people leave.
Thanks again.

Callistemon

sharon103

A simple solution if the kettle packs up, boil water in a saucepan on the stove for a cuppa.

Why bother when we can drink wine, beer and spirits?

Yes, Calli, a nice cool gin and tonic goes down much better than a cuppa.

So many people can’t seem to see past alcohol being a joke and non essential.

For those with alcohol dependencies it is an essential. Many people could die without it and having to unsafely detox.

It’s not a punchline.

So many here who profess to care for others are blithely mocking those who need help.

It’s not a kind/caring look.

If I didn’t think it would hurt I would be banging my head against the wall.
The original post was not about cards and kettles it was about the ludicrous decision making that decided between essential and non essential. As someone has pointed out bedding is essential to someone with a limited amount and no tumble dryer when illness suddenly makes extra essential. What is or is not essential is personal to individual circumstances. Crisps, lemonade, chocolate all essential to an obese nation? I think not.
Please stop taking a narrow view. The intention of the thread was to discuss our view on the decision taken by the Welsh Assembly to list essential and non essential goods and by what criteria. Nothing to do with cards, kettles or management of schools.

Mountains and mole hills!

The Welsh Government not Welsh Assembly

Yes apologies Annie I am aware that the Welsh Assembly recently voted to change its name to Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament to reflect its current devolved powers.
Used the term Assembly from habit.

We're in a massive Tier 3 area in England (don't you just love the soundbites btw ' circuit breaker,Tier 1/2/3 - sorry Scotland 4/5! - as they make them up as they go along). I guess it's because our area is in 'the North' and politicians have no interest in what size it is. One town in the area has increasing rates of infection, all others have decreasing rates, and deaths all round less than average for this time of year. Is SAGE, a team which 'has no molecular virologists, immunologists or intensive care experts' (Guardian), not able to isolate the actual area where cases are rising and then de-isolate as soon as can be done so, so local businesses can reopen? Apparently Professor Chris Whitty has been asked several times how an area gets out of Tier 3 and has not once replied. Perhaps he has no idea and will think about that later? Very sorry for all these areas, like SW, which have few cases of the virus and have nevertheless been penalised because it appears to be too difficult for the relevant brains to analyse the stats in any detail.
Well, addressing the OP, I'm not sure how the virus knows it must only attach itself to a 'non-essential' item in a supermarket, or who drew the list up of things they think we can manage without. Maybe that group could explain it to your DGC. I sincerely hope your 2 weeks doesn't stretch into months!

Thanks LauraNorder
That is exactly what this is about.
What is deemed non-essential may be vital and urgent to another person.

It's yet another idiosyncratic result of devolution.

I sincerely hope your 2 weeks doesn't stretch into months!

Thanks justwokeup, let's hope it works.
Perhaps we need to build a wall along the border.

(Joke alert btw)

The numbers are still climbing, Anglesey is not looking so low now, it’s catching up to the Welsh average quickly. I’m in Powys, which is still low, but I support the lockdown nonetheless. It could well prove to be a timely decision by Welsh Government, let’s review in two weeks and see if the rates in Wales are lower than now, and lower than in England rather than condemn a decision which is incidental to the main intent of the lockdown before we know the results.

I’m sure rates of infection will fall during lockdown, wish I could say that they won’t rise again once the lockdown is over, in, out, in, out.
At least local lockdowns as and when would allow some businesses to survive. Have to acknowledge that it’s difficult to make the right decisions but silly decisions over essential and non essential items make it all laughable.
I’m sure businesses teetering on the brink won’t agree that it’s a mountains and molehills subject.

We're in Wales and in an area attractive to tourists. We are with Mark Drakeford all the way. Our local hospital has only 7 critical care beds and numbers of people infected with Covid are rising. More visitors from Tier 3 areas during half term would not improve matters. Get over it - it's only 2 weeks and if it makes a difference we will all have less to worry about.

Oh, for goodness' sake, someone else who doesn't understand the OP!!

Our local hospital has only 7 critical care beds
That was my other point.

I thought people in tier 3 areas were not supposed to travel to other areas. Again it’s about people behaving irresponsibly. Can’t legislate against stupid or selfish.

Really hope Mark Drakeford doesn't do a U-turn on this. I think he should stick to his guns and not reverse the decision. Surely people can wait two weeks for a non essential item. If it was that urgent they had 4 days when they could have bought it before lockdown kicked in.

I agree with you Calli.... up to a point. We can only try to change peoples behaviour and the Welsh lockdown in my mind might well change people if they think it could happen again, especially nearer to or over Christmas. By locking down every area it ensures that those in high risk areas can't travel into low risk area to access services not available in their areas. We will see how effective it is when lockdown is over and we are in a position to judge by numbers Wales v England. I also thin we should have a complete ban on people travelling and staying overnight and it needs to be policed.