Tougher lockdown measures to be announced on t.v at 8pm tonight

If UK does go into total lockdown I hope better measures are taken when restrictions start to lift.

What BJ put in place last time didn't work! After a few months, number of deaths started to rise quite quickly. Tougher, tighter management of restrictions is needed.

Scotland goes into lockdown, like the first one, at midnight.

To see any change, it would have to be until March at least. This would give a chance to the NHS to avoid being overwhelmed as we take into account winter illnesses etc which on their own can overload hospitals.

I lean more towards the health of the nation rather than the economy which will continue to tick over.

Well if it’s a race between the new variant and the vaccine, surely we need to hobble the variant for a bit by setting out tougher restrictions, to give us chance to vaccinate more people?

I agree with you EllanVannin

Surely the PM won’t put the country into complete lockdown after sending children back into schools where they can then catch the virus from school friends who haven’t been as careful over the Christmas holiday. Especially when schools could have just stayed closed immediately after the holiday period. I mean that would be downright stupid wouldn’t it

I don’t think it will be called a ‘lockdown’, I think there might be a new tier 5, which will be lockdown in all but name.

Tougher restrictions are the only way to cope with this new variant. We are still many months away from enough people being vaccinated to make a difference.
The NHS is already being overwhelmed in many areas and I would hate to think of people needing urgent hospital treatment and the hospital is at full capacity.

Scottish schools closed until February ,originally was just a two week extension of the usual return date but we're back on full lockdown from midnight tonight .Only able to meet one person form another household outside.

That might stop the swarms of folk piling off the train over the holidays,wish they would behave themselves we had a couple of months with no deaths and could have kept doing well if folk just listened to the rules

I get my Scotland ‘fix’ by looking at a Facebook page which shows photographs of Edinburgh, the recent ones obviously being covered in snow. It must be the most beautiful and photogenic city on earth: hauntingly beautiful.

The schools here were meant to be opening for teachers on Tuesday or Wednesday (public holiday here today) and then for key workers' and vulnerable children later on, with everyone else on distance learning until the 18th at the earliest. I'm glad they've decided to close the schools until February at the earliest, although presumably our family members who are teachers will still be going in this week to plan for online learning and to help with the children who will be there.

It has been very difficult to deal with whole classes and I can see blended learning being the only way to keep the virus under control when the schools do eventually go back.

I'm also glad from the point of view of our DGC, particularly if the new variant is affecting more children and young people. Before I am attacked, let me say that I am aware that ours are fortunate to have parental support and that not all children do.

Should have locked down before Christmas, the writing was on the wall. Could have incorporated the natural Christmas break with a complete ban on household mixing, plus the schools were closed anyway. Could have been more easily extended by two weeks, giving a months respite.

Oh come on Daisymae, that is surely too obvious! You can see it, I can see it, but the government?...

Boris is just following the sc ience ottish.

I suspect it was agreed with Boris Pittcity but Sturgeon does like to preempt anything he’s going to announce so she looks like a leader ?

He’ll be damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. We’ve got to do what we must to get this under control.

What was agreed with Boris? My granddaughter in England is to return tomorrow but my granddaughter here was not going back into school until the 18th. We knew this before the Christmas break. Boris didn’t agree to delaying schools opening and he is now having to cope with rebellion in his local authorities.

no mention of a four nations approach nanaandgrampy we dont ALWAYS have to do what Bojo says you know

paddyanne four nations conference call at 5pm.

As Parsley3 says, we knew before Christmas that the plan was for Scottish schools to have a delayed opening, Nanaandgrampy, so it's not a question of anyone "pre-empting" anyone else. Education has been a devolved issue in Scotland since the Union (like law and religion), and so we can make decisions which suit our circumstances and don't have to agree anything with Mr Johnson.

There was mention by NS of the 4 nations consensus. She referenced the UK furlough scheme too as well as firms being able to apply for grants from the Scottish government.

She has always had her broadcast around 2pm. Gets in first. Boris around tea-time.

Anyone else notice the flags? Scotland has 2 Saltires. Wales theirs. England? The Union Jack. 4 of them to represent all 4 of us! Not a St George flag anywhere behind Boris.

These devolved governments are good with their optics....

We never really had a proper lockdown in the UK. People were out and about all the time - while sticking to the rules.

I do hope the new measures are effective, not diluted half measures (easily ignored by many) this time. If not, the NHS will be swamped. The fallout from Christmas hasn't even hit us yet. It's totally out of control and truly terrifying.

I wonder what the situation is in Europe? A friend has just rung me from Malaga. My ladies group (4 of them) are all meeting up tomorrow in our usual bar for wine, tapas & chat. Lucky things!

How lovely for your friends, Urmstongran!

Found this. Still causing problems. I read that the Pope was sad about people ignoring lockdowns as well.

www.ft.com/content/3292fc38-7945-4d7e-b8ed-582146ebe782