Lockdown easing in England

[Maiden Stone]

5 miles as chosen by some other of the devolved parliaments seems a little on the small size. Several of my neighbours have family reasonably locally but more than 5 miles but less than 30.

https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19
Update 28th May. Phase 1 of the route map for moving out of lockdown.
Heading: "Travel for exercise, recreation and to meet family and friends"
"... our advice is that you should stay within your local area when you go out for exercise or other activities.
As a guide, rather than a fixed limit, 5 miles from your home would be within your local area. This is to reduce the risk that places such as beaches or popular beauty spots could become overcrowded."

It is suggested that travel to one's chosen destination for exercise or leisure should be on foot or cycle if possible.
There are exceptions to the "stay local" advice for people with specific health conditions. Examples are given such as autism or people who are wheelchair users who may need to travel further to access a suitable place.
Another reason to remain local is to make it less likely that someone will need toilet facilities while away from home.
Nicola Sturgeon said last Thursday and on Monday that she would consider seeking to put guidelines into legislation if it seems that easing restrictions risks an upsurge in the virus.
Police Scotland said they would have difficulty enforcing a 5 mile limit if it was legislation.
Scottish Government held an online public consultation in May. Framework document on moving from lockdown to normality in 4 phases. Friday 29th May was first day of Phase 1.

More consultation between Westminster government and English local authorities before announcing changes in England may have been helpful.

[groom]

More consultation between Westminster government and English local authorities before announcing changes in England may have been helpful.

I think that is the problem, they are announcing things before consulting people. Also they are allowing things to be leaked or announcing them too far in advance. There really shouldn't have been so many people meeting in non household groups over the weekend, as it didn't start until yesterday. Yet because it was announce on Thursday people though, "Oh well, what difference does a couple of days make?"

[roopat]

More consultation between Westminster government and English local authorities before announcing changes in England may have been helpful.

I think that is the problem, they are announcing things before consulting people. Also they are allowing things to be leaked or announcing them too far in advance. There really shouldn't have been so many people meeting in non household groups over the weekend, as it didn't start until yesterday. Yet because it was announce on Thursday people though, "Oh well, what difference does a couple of days make?"

I agree with you , Groom - but I don't think we can blame people for that, because so little has changed. The alert level has not gone down from 4 to 3, the test and trace system is not fully operational, daily cases are still high and the R is close to 1 in places ( ref Sir Patrick Vallance) so the '5 pillars' we have been brainwashed with every day for weeks have not been met, in spite of Boris telling us they have. We can see with our own eyes that they haven't. And now they've stopped showing that slide in the daily briefing. From supporting the government's efforts for many weeks, I'm afraid I've become very sceptical, quite disillusioned and disappointed at being treated like idiots.


For my own protection I shall carry on taking the same precautions as usual as far as possible - as far as I can see, although cases are relatively low in my area, I could still catch the virus and it would be just as lethal as 6 weeks ago.


Pat

[Kay99]

Yes - rather like Russian roulette!!

I had to go to the Post Office yesterday to get a form for my OH to renew his driving licence as online renewal isn't possible. The wonderful woman who runs the Post Office was off ill.   Fingers crossed it isn't the virus and she is OK 

Kay

[Gadget]

The Telegraph headline:

Exclusive: Boris Johnson takes back control of coronavirus crisis with Downing Street shake-up

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/06/02/exclusive-boris-johnson-takes-back-control-coronavirus-crisis/?utm_content=telegraph&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1591168947

You can read the first para if you don't have a sub.

Ummmm.....

[jillruss]

That's all we ever do in this country: set up endless committees so that things can be kicked into the long grass and nothing  effective ever gets done e.g Grenfell.

Lots of empty vessels sitting around a table, drinking their tea and eating their biscuits, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing.

I think our blessed government has now gone back to the 'herd immunity' approach in order that business can get going again. Perhaps the figures in their bank accounts are turning red at a rate of knots. Of course, they'll deny it - hence the committees.

[Nanna52]

The number of actual people tested per day has been missing from the PHE website for almost two weeks now. Yesterday and today the presenters of the BBC  Breakfast programme asked whichever government minister they had on that day to answer that question and they burbled on about the track and trace system, which was irrelevant. The presenter wanted the number 10 days or so ago, before track and trace started. Looking at PHE site the number of tests sent out each day is 40 - 50K. Who's got them all, I wonder. I thought maybe it was institutions like care homes, but reports a couple of days ago were saying that a high proportion of staff still had not been tested. Now they've started counting the antibody test kits and the target has changed to capacity not actual tests.

Lizzie I had an email the other day from an English friend, which said in part:

Son went off to do his work with the Army last weekend (finally)…he is part of a mobile testing unit going around Hampshire (neighbouring county) offering “self-testing” kits ….which are handed back to the soldiers  for the labs.

Don’t know how widespread it is.

[groom]

This last bit I could see is interesting, Gadget:

"Tory MPs said the changes could weaken the influence of chief adviser Dominic Cummings – who was heavily criticised for a 260-mile trip during lockdown – and allow Mr Johnson to tighten his grip on the fight against the pandemic after being treated in intensive care for the virus...."

Has he done it not to lose face? He backed DC so vehemently that he would find it hard to back track and sack him - is this a way out?

[Gadget]

back track and sack

Is this the new tracing system