Current Affairs

[towny44]

Merv, I agree that the overarching message was fairly clear, the easing will only happen if there is no surge in infections. But he should have been more circumspect in the detail, there really needed the rider on those he recommended returning to work, that this depended on agreement between employers and workers representatives on safe working practices, and the decision to allow some get togethers of family members was a right pigs breakfast.
IMO he undid a lot of the goodwill he had built up by a rather slapdash presentation.

[Kendhni]

I found the whole message entirely clear. "This is what we hope to do if these tests are met. These are the earliest dates these things will happen if the data says it's safe".

I Have to say I thought he was about as clear as he could have been - and he did say that more information would be coming out over the next few days ... probably better to wait for the information before throwing a tantrum. Having read various comments I think some people are being 'deliberately thick' (as my grandmother used to say).

For example, teachers have been saying they need three weeks notice to prepare before kids go back.

That I don't understand, apart from trying to extend their time off? What makes their job any different to anyone else?

The only thing that baffles me is the quarantine on travellers. Why are we excluding France from the rules? That has land borders with other EU countries. If we allow travel without quarantine from France we are by default allowing it from the entire Schengen area.

Yea, I thought that was a bit of a curved ball as well.

[barney]

I rarely disagree with Merv but will in this case.

The announcement was a shambles and the message was anything but clear.

Did you see the daily commute today on the news?


The German R number has now gone back to over 1

Why we didn’t just wait to see how the lifting affected other nations, I don’t know.

[Onelife]

I rarely disagree with Merv but will in this case.

The announcement was a shambles and the message was anything but clear.

Did you see the daily commute today on the news?


The German R number has now gone back to over 1

Why we didn’t just wait to see how the lifting affected other nations, I don’t know.

I agree Barney...it's was painful in places and I think it raised the question as to whether they know which direction is best for our Country....an extra three weeks would have made his decisions a lot easier

[Quizzical Bob]

Muddled messages all round. This should help clear things up for the incurably confused.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVs5AyjzwRM

[screwy]

I agree with Barney, another 3 weeks wouldnt have hurt too much.
South Korea has had an increase too.

As for the quarantine , apparently Macron was straight on the blower to Boris and demanded reciprical measures as france has allowed Brits in without Quarantine....We dont have a land border with anyone..

[Quizzical Bob]

I agree with Barney, another 3 weeks wouldnt have hurt too much.
South Korea has had an increase too.

As for the quarantine , apparently Macron was straight on the blower to Boris and demanded reciprical measures as france has allowed Brits in without Quarantine....We dont have a land border with anyone..

We have a land border with the Republic of Ireland.

[david63]

The whole thing was a waste of time because he never said when hairdressers are re-opening

[Onelife]

The whole thing was a waste of time because he never said when hairdressers are re-opening

Time to get the pudding bowl out David

[Ray B]

Didn’t he say ‘go back to work from from tomorrow’ or words to that effect?

I've been listening to to many commentators, having watched it again (sad) his words were
"actively encourage to return"

[Gill W]

The whole thing was a waste of time because he never said when hairdressers are re-opening

Hairdressers are in the hospitality and personal care sector, and can re-open on 4th July (assuming the time table doesn't have to be modified).

My hairdresser has already emailed me to confirm their intention to open on that date. They have made a plan for the re-opening. They'll open for reduced hours to keep the customer numbers down each day, and to allow more time for extensive cleaning. They'll be in PPE, and customers will have to wear PPE as well, at a £3 surcharge. Also, there'll be other measures like temperature checks for customers. Due to reduced opening hours, it's probably be a while before I get an appointment, so I think my husband will have to cut my hair at least one more time, if not twice !

[screwy]

I agree with Barney, another 3 weeks wouldnt have hurt too much.
South Korea has had an increase too.

As for the quarantine , apparently Macron was straight on the blower to Boris and demanded reciprical measures as france has allowed Brits in without Quarantine....We dont have a land border with anyone..

We have a land border with the Republic of Ireland.

Thers always one isn't there...anyway, they have freedom of movement to the Uk, if you know what i mean. Bloody smart alec Lol

[screwy]

The whole thing was a waste of time because he never said when hairdressers are re-opening

Hairdressers are in the hospitality and personal care sector, and can re-open on 4th July (assuming the time table doesn't have to be modified).

My hairdresser has already emailed me to confirm their intention to open on that date. They have made a plan for the re-opening. They'll open for reduced hours to keep the customer numbers down each day, and to allow more time for extensive cleaning. They'll be in PPE, and customers will have to wear PPE as well, at a £3 surcharge. Also, there'll be other measures like temperature checks for customers. Due to reduced opening hours, it's probably be a while before I get an appointment, so I think my husband will have to cut my hair at least one more time, if not twice !

Might be awkward cutting my hair if i have to wear a face mask..!

[Gill W]

Didn’t he say ‘go back to work from from tomorrow’ or words to that effect?

I've been listening to to many commentators, having watched it again (sad) his words were
"actively encourage to return"

Really, it's all down to the employers. The employers will have to make provision to ensure the workplace is safe, and of course there's got to be work available for the employees to do. If the furlough scheme ends and there's no work available, no doubt there will be mass redundancies.

[Gill W]

The whole thing was a waste of time because he never said when hairdressers are re-opening

Hairdressers are in the hospitality and personal care sector, and can re-open on 4th July (assuming the time table doesn't have to be modified).

My hairdresser has already emailed me to confirm their intention to open on that date. They have made a plan for the re-opening. They'll open for reduced hours to keep the customer numbers down each day, and to allow more time for extensive cleaning. They'll be in PPE, and customers will have to wear PPE as well, at a £3 surcharge. Also, there'll be other measures like temperature checks for customers. Due to reduced opening hours, it's probably be a while before I get an appointment, so I think my husband will have to cut my hair at least one more time, if not twice !

Might be awkward cutting my hair if i have to wear a face mask..!

Yes, I'm wondering how that is going to work !

[Manoverboard]

Just a beard trim today if you will, than you ( Mr ) Barber ....

[Happydays]

https://youtu.be/wVs5AyjzwRM

This will explain everything.... I hope

[towny44]

Didn’t he say ‘go back to work from from tomorrow’ or words to that effect?

I've been listening to to many commentators, having watched it again (sad) his words were
"actively encourage to return"

Really, it's all down to the employers. The employers will have to make provision to ensure the workplace is safe, and of course there's got to be work available for the employees to do. If the furlough scheme ends and there's no work available, no doubt there will be mass redundancies.

Yes that wasn't really made clear and appears not to have been well thought out, although there do seem to have been some discussions with business and trade unions to start to work out safe working practices.

[oldbluefox]

"Remember when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It's only painful to others.
The same applies when you are stupid".
Ricky Gervaise

[Onelife]

"Remember when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It's only painful to others.
The same applies when you are stupid".
Ricky Gervaise

And let this tragedy be a reminder to us all….

Eyitolami Olaolorun
An 'exceptional' mother-of-four nurse who devoted her life to terminally-ill children has become the latest healthcare worker to be killed by coronavirus.
RIP
.

[Onelife]

I'm sure we'll all have different take on this, but for me, having listened to today's briefings, the emphasis has now changed from one of containing the virus to one of saving the economic future of the our country. This l believe, having watched the body language of the two scientist will have been done through gritted teeth as for sure the two scientists wanted lockdown to last a few weeks longer.

Well we are where we are and the waiting game of serching for a vaccine continues, life as we have known it has changed for the foreseeable future and our economic recovery begins.

We will live or die by the decisions that our Government makes so l for one will be playing by the rules.

Gawd help us all.

[Stephen]

The government is dammed if it does and dammed if it don't by the public and media.

They are doing they're best for the country. OK, they might not get everything perfect, who would. But I for one will be supporting them.

[towny44]

I suspect that the long term damage to the economy is going to be a heck a lot worse than the virus; although it is difficult to make comparisons between numbers of deaths and the ongoing poverty that mass unemployment will undoubtedly bring, then there is the impact the economic downturn will have on our public services. If we think that the last 10 years of austerity were hard, the next 10, 20 or maybe 50 years are going to be ten times worse.

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's a tough balance and I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions for the country. Personally we can be more careful than those who have their incomes to consider. I am, maybe unfairly, deeply suspicious of some of those criticising the government. There are certainly some quite happen to be "on holiday " paid by the state. There are some round here who are outraged and don't think it's safe to go back to work but are debating whether they're allowed to drive 100 miles to the coast at the weekend! Oh the irony.

[Kenmo1]

The government is dammed if it does and dammed if it don't by the public and media.

They are doing they're best for the country. OK, they might not get everything perfect, who would. But I for one will be supporting them.

I'm sure Piers Morgan on GMB would get everything perfect, or at least thinks he would.