Don’t go to work but do go to parties

Parties are choice you can choose to go or not. Work tends to be mandatory unless your employer helps out with home working. I think they are trying to keep things as independent choices as far as they can. Until they find out more info.
The Scientists are at the moment being quite optimistic about the virulence but stating it is definitely more transmittable. Until we have more info its best not to upset too many people, we don't want even more demos.

GrannyGravy13

^I think the still socialise this Christmas is a nod to the hospitality industry which has in some areas been decimated over the last 20 months.

Advising folks to work from home only affects a small percentage of office/clerical/management jobs as many jobs cannot be done from home.

In my humble opinion the Government have acted now in order that they cannot be called out in the coming months for not acting quick enough against Omicron (anagram moronic).^

Totally agree - thank you for saying it for me!

aonk

I wrote my post yesterday in a hasty manner. Of course there are many other important issues apart from keeping schools open and seeing our families. I myself have recently met with 2 friends I haven’t seen for the best part of 2 years and it was such a lovely thing to do.
I have 7 grandchildren and all of them and their parents have been adversely affected by the school closures. It’s not good to see them struggle. Where I live we weren’t allowed to see anyone last Christmas so that’s why I’m prioritising that this year. Of course I’m aware of the other aspects which may be improved to others. I’m also very much in favour of taking all the appropriate precautions to help prevent the spread.

If you don't want schools to need to close, lobby your MP about introducing mitigations in schools.

rosie1959

Just a lighter touch Kali they want avoid decimating the economy and having to prop up all these businesses again is not a favourable option
We can't keep starting and stopping business especially as they do not know if Omicron will cause any problems or not
It is also a different directive from last year ie work from home if you can

I agree that it's not acceptable for business to keep stopping and starting, which is precisely why the government needs to do everything it can to prevent that happening. Mask wearing plays an important part in that.

However, I don't think it's acceptable for people to go to work while they're infected because they can't afford to lose pay and it's short-sighted for business to continue, if there can't be any mitigation measures.

ayse

From the BBC News website this morning

Masks will still not be needed in hospitality settings such as pubs or restaurants, nor in venues where it is "not practical to wear them" (for instance, where exercise or singing takes place).

It just leaves me scratching my head in wonderment. Surely far more loud voices go on in busy and noisy pubs than sitting quietly on the bus? Having said that I’m glad that more people are wearing them on public transport.

It all seems so piecemeal and not thought through. Big sigh ?

Why, no one makes you go to the pub, or dancing, you may have to use public transport for shopping, going to work.

growstuff 09.53

Yesterday 0-9 year olds made up 15.62% of all cases in England and 30-39 year olds (the probable age of their parents) made up another 17.7% of cases.

The most likely source of those cases - about a third of all cases - is schools.

I'll just leave this here:

Since 19th July "Freedom Day"

2564 children 0-5 admitted to hospital with Covid (http://gov.uk)
2976 children 6-17 " "

32 Children have died with Covid during that period to 28th Nov (ONS Death Certificate Data Provisional)

An up to date figure on child deaths:

116 children have died since the start of the pandemic

70,000+ have long covid

Without proper mitigation in schools these figures will get worse. I don't want my GS to be one of them.

I agree Growstuff people should not work if they are infected
We had to stop our staff coming in early November as my husband was displaying symptoms.
They have also been told to stay at home if they are unwell. This is done on full pay as agreed it is shortsighted to have people in the office who are not fit.
This is really down to the employer to look after their staff properly not the government but also we have valued staff who would not take the micky

GrannyGravy13, same at my SIL’s school where she is the bursar. One member of the office staff kept protesting it was just a cold. She went to the cinema in the evening and to a concert with other staff amd sat in the office, coughing and sneezing and refusing to go home “because it’s just a cold and it would look bad on my sickness record”. Finally when my SIL tested positive the other woman finally got a test and was positive! Now the whole admin staff is off with Covid thanks to that selfish xxx!

It would seem that apart from Boris and his band of thieves we are damned if we do, and damned if we don't................but doubtless he will be off on his jolly holls at Christmas ...........a ship of fools floundering with , as Chairman Mao succinctly put it ;The sailing of the seas depends upon the Helmsman;....better man the lifeboats and get the violin tuned to Nearer my God to Thee .............think as Capt Mainwaring's officer said We are all doomed ..............

Have a great trip, Lucca. I'm very envious. 23rd is a special date for me and you will certainly be included. ?

Most of last year all school teachers and teachers in further education were working from home sending lessons by email and holding classes on Zoom, here in Denmark.

Civil servants were working at home, as were politicians and using zoom or facetime to hold meetings.

The Germans were green with envy, as their digital solutions are no where near as advanced as ours - so far fewer were able to meet the challenge of fufilling a normal work-load.

Schools will close on the 15th here instead of on the 22nd, people have been advised not to hold Christmas parties, staff or otherwise, but it is not illegal to do so. Compensation has been promised to restaurants etc. who are receiving large numbers of cancellations. Events for a larger audience than 50 people have been cancelled and pubs and night clubs have to close at midnight. Masks are compulsory on public transport, in shops, and in hospitals.

How large a part of the population can work from home depends not on their work so much as which digital solutions are available to bridge the distance between client and workplace.

Working in an office, you are with people and travelling many days, possibly working all day in any week. Going to a party is relatively few hours, usually travel by car, so not a lot of people to interact with for any length of time. And at the end of the day it’s up to you what you do.

My son has worked from home for 18 months …. He has no partner and no children….he walks from his bedroom to his sitting room , sits at his desk for 8 hours with two short breaks , staring at a screen. No interaction with his work colleagues, no meet ups once a months for a meal with a few drinks. He’s losing touch with real life!
This government has SO much to answer for. Mental health will be a real problem if these companies don’t start ignoring Boris, and let’s it’s people in to where they should be! Real work! Oh and he’s also put on just over a stone in weight because he used to walk six miles a day to and from work!

Oh and it’s not “ up to you” as some are saying …. my son works for an enormous company and apparently it’s “ up to them”. They obviously like people imprisoned in there own homes as they’re not respo so me for them. No heating to pay for… no health and safety to adhere to….nobody knocking on the managers door having a moan….. no cleaning services required.

Saggi

Oh and it’s not “ up to you” as some are saying …. my son works for an enormous company and apparently it’s “ up to them”. They obviously like people imprisoned in there own homes as they’re not respo so me for them. No heating to pay for… no health and safety to adhere to….nobody knocking on the managers door having a moan….. no cleaning services required.

But he doesn't have to pay for travel to work.

Nobody's imprisoning him. There's no reason why he can't go out.

The Covid fiasco has been a scandal from start to finish.
When has it ever been acceptable to lockdown the fit and healthy, preventing them from earning a living, or in the case of children, going to school.
We’ve known from very early on that it is the vulnerable and the over 65’s who are mostly effected by Covid, how easy it would have been to suggest the retired lockdown.
When has it ever been acceptable to give an unlicensed vaccine with no long term safety data to those who are least effected by Covid, including our children. Could this lead to a public health crisis; meanwhile the drug companies are protected from litigation.
I’m shocked by the extent of public compliance without question, nearly 2 years of our lives living under some kind of totalitarian rule.
It is a fact that we will all die at some point in the future, may be we should be less frightened of the inevitable and actually enjoy the years we have left.

Great to read all the different responses to my OP. Thankyou.

If it wasn't so disgusting it would be funny! An an obvious attempt to divert from his dirty goings on, must think we're all stoopid? I wonder if his child will get the 'what the headlines were on your birthday' cards in future? My money's on "NO" !!

There's a point! What if you have to go out to work say if there's an elderly granny or screaming kids etc at home who would muck up your working day at home?! Will they open up work for one or two I wonder?

AJKW

The Covid fiasco has been a scandal from start to finish.
When has it ever been acceptable to lockdown the fit and healthy, preventing them from earning a living, or in the case of children, going to school.
We’ve known from very early on that it is the vulnerable and the over 65’s who are mostly effected by Covid, how easy it would have been to suggest the retired lockdown.
When has it ever been acceptable to give an unlicensed vaccine with no long term safety data to those who are least effected by Covid, including our children. Could this lead to a public health crisis; meanwhile the drug companies are protected from litigation.
I’m shocked by the extent of public compliance without question, nearly 2 years of our lives living under some kind of totalitarian rule.
It is a fact that we will all die at some point in the future, may be we should be less frightened of the inevitable and actually enjoy the years we have left.

Have you been so unfortunate as to have contracted covid AJKW?

Or have you lost any loved ones to covid?

I got Covid AJKW and although I’m over 65 I’m not over 70. I’ve written about it a few times on Gransnet but for your benefit I’ll do it again. Apologies to those who’ve read it already. I was hospitalised and on oxygen for twelve days. I was given a cocktail of eight (I think) drugs which saved my life. I was lucky in that although I developed pneumonia I didn’t get clots in my lungs. When I was discharged home I couldn’t walk up the stairs. It took 3/4 months for me to get back to normal. Following an asthma review this week I’ve got to go for yet another chest X-ray because my asthma meds aren’t controlling my cough like they did before. The asthma nurse wonders if I have long Covid.
This has happened to thousands upon thousands of people across the country. Many others have sadly died. That’s why we have controls and we should comply with them. If it was up to me, I’d have stronger restrictions until we know the the effects of Omicrom. I don’t want this virus again, ever. I’m vaccinated and boostered and I never stopped wearing a mask. I sanitise my hands when I’m out and about.

Just read the post about Omicron being an anagram of moronic,when my dyslexic son first saw Omicron in print,he saw moronic

AJKW

You write that the elderly should be locked down, while everybody else gets on with life.

I don't know that you're even aware of the contradiction in your post. How do these same elderly people enjoy life, while they're waiting for the Grim Reaper to call?

Your claim that we're living in a totalitarian state is ridiculous.

We have just got home from a local restaurant which we have frequented for 30+ years.

We were the only people there, myself DH, DD and 2 GC. On any night of the week, any month of the year it would have been busy and buzzing I truly hope the Government (whoever it maybe) are going to accept responsibility and support the businesses they have sent to oblivion with their Plan B…

AJKW

The Covid fiasco has been a scandal from start to finish.
When has it ever been acceptable to lockdown the fit and healthy, preventing them from earning a living, or in the case of children, going to school.
We’ve known from very early on that it is the vulnerable and the over 65’s who are mostly effected by Covid, how easy it would have been to suggest the retired lockdown.
When has it ever been acceptable to give an unlicensed vaccine with no long term safety data to those who are least effected by Covid, including our children. Could this lead to a public health crisis; meanwhile the drug companies are protected from litigation.
I’m shocked by the extent of public compliance without question, nearly 2 years of our lives living under some kind of totalitarian rule.
It is a fact that we will all die at some point in the future, may be we should be less frightened of the inevitable and actually enjoy the years we have left.

Don’t be silly.
The vaccine is not unlicensed.
Covid has killed people of all ages.
If more people got themselves vaccinated and complied with some easy guidelines eg mask wearing we would stand a chance of getting Covid under control.,