If we are going to regain any sort of control over the next few weeks then it needs a rethink of what we class 'lockdown' as and the public really will have to buy into this else we are heading for the worst of the pandemic just as we've got ourselves a vaccine.
Everyday at work I'm dealing with companies who have their offices open and staff in when there is absolutely no reason their business couldn't continue uninterrupted with everyone working from home.
What I can't understand is that even when they brought in the new tiers they admitted only tier 3 would reduce cases yet we continued with huge sections of the country in tier 2 as cases continued to increase.
Independent said:
New tough Covid-19 restrictions that will continue for 99 per cent of England are unlikely to be relaxed this winter, Chris Whitty has warned.
The chief medical officer appeared to rule out any more areas moving down into tier 1, with the loosest curbs – arguing cases “will rise” if that happened.
Professor Whitty also warned that only the harshest tier 3 regime would cut infections, with tier 2 only strong enough to “hold the line”.
“If you're in tier one, the rates start to go up so you do not want to do that in winter, just before Christmas, going into the worst time for the NHS,” Professor Whitty told a press conference.
So the question now is do the increased restrictions in tier 4, closing non-essential shops and gyms seems pretty much it, do enough to offset the increased transmission of the new variant?
But as you say if people don't buy in and stick to the rules we'll get nowhere fast. There was a nurse on TV yesterday in tears talking about how much pressure they were under yet people still ignore the rules. Also a paramedic who said when they're going into peoples homes its clear they haven't been keeping to the rules.
Of course the inconsistencies don't help with the messaging. You can go on a hunt but can't play 5-a-side in the park. Can't have 2K in St Andrews socially distanced but can cram kids into schools. These are the things those breaking the rules highlight to justify their actions.