The signs are there again....

[Workingman]

We have hit the 15 million mark of first doses, which is really good news, then it all goes downhill.

There wil be a lockdown 'review' on the 22nd. The PM is said to be "optimistic" about the easing of lockdown. It is beginning to look as though schools will reopen fully on the 8th of March A mixed group of restaurants, about 300, plus Deliveroo and their ilk want to run with "Eat out to spread it about" again. And some 60 Tory MPs are "demanding" that all government restrictions are lifted by May.

No, please NO!. Keep an eye on things, especially how the vaccinations are working in the general public and not only in the various care environments. From Monday more of the lower priority groups will start to get their vaccinations so keep going - keep checking. Loosen the reins gently in sectors where it looks safest to do so, but be prepared to be swift to lock them down hard again if needs be. Do not fixate on dates, times or occasions just see how things are at the time and act accordingly. Be cautious.

We have done so well these past few months so let's not blow it again.

[Kaz]

I couldn't agree more!

[Suff]

Now it should all be about the numbers. We have done over 81 million tests, we have a test cadence which will tell us, within a month or two, just how effective the vaccinations are a holding the spread.

But, of course, the earlier the restrictions end, if it all works, the bigger the rewards at the polls.

For a politician, this is like catnip to a cat.

[JoM]

Absolutely agree!
Look what happened in September when all education settings opened up fully again; it’s taken two lockdowns and the vaccines to start to get a handle on things. It’ll spread around schools and colleges again and get taken home to parents, most of whom won’t have been vaccinated, and up go the number of infections again.

[TheOstrich]

I also agree. I don't understand why those pushing for a rapid release of the lockdown can't see the danger of repeating the cycle we had in 2020.
The schools thing is very difficult, I know, but I think it would be madness to start reopening them from early next month.

....just how effective the vaccinations are a holding the spread.

This has to be the key indicator to reducing the current restrictions.

[cromwell]

I don't think you all have any reason to worry that lockdown will be eased too soon.

Here is Boris's latest pronouncement.
"If you have a large volume of circulation – if you have loads of people, even young people, getting the disease then a couple of things happen. First of all you have a higher risk of new variants – mutations – within the population where the disease is circulating. Secondly there will be a greater risk of the disease spreading out into the older groups again. Although the vaccines are effective and great, of course no vaccination programme is 100% effective.”

He went on to say that “if we possibly can we’ll be setting out dates… by which we hope we can do something at the earliest” saying people would much rather see a plan that is “cautious but irreversible". (My bold).

From what he is saying I can't see any reason why we won't be in lockdown for months yet; and maybe back in it again next winter.

[saundra]

So what happens when thousands of people refuse to have the vaccine?
So we all have to put up with lockdown
It will be with us for a long long time I'm sure of that Because there really isent an answer or a solution

[miasmum]

Absolutely agree!
Look what happened in September when all education settings opened up fully again; it’s taken two lockdowns and the vaccines to start to get a handle on things. It’ll spread around schools and colleges again and get taken home to parents, most of whom won’t have been vaccinated, and up go the number of infections again.

Jo, I have just driven down to the river where I often walk the dog. Couldn't park because the car park is being used for the overspill from the nearby skate park. There must have been about 30 older teens in the bowl, the same amount standing round the top, in the car park throwing their boards around. Groups of young girls sitting round the edge honestly it was rammed with youngsters. I parked elsewhere and actually rang the non emergency number and the police said they were already on their way. Walked back about an hour later, not much better. So I fail to see what is so scary for their parents from a school bubble when they are spending time like that? If the weather stays dry it will be like that every single day

[cromwell]

So what happens when thousands of people refuse to have the vaccine?

Now that's an interesting point Saundra.
Compulsory vaccination? I can't see that.
But they might say "If you don't have your vaccine passport we won't let you go to a supermarket, or a pub, or (whatever else)". Of course some groups won't obey and there will be lots of forged vaccine passports as well.

So we all have to put up with lockdown
It will be with us for a long long time I'm sure of that Because there really isent an answer or a solution

Imo the answer is that once we have vaccinated all those willing to be vaccinated (or a large percentage of them) then we lift lockdown and move on, because we have to. Living like this is not living, it's existing.

I take the point about schoolkids but on the other hand their education has been severely disrupted and by and large the virus doesn't affect them. So expecting them to behave like responsible adults was always a bit unlikely, because they aren't.

[Suff]

Imo the answer is that once we have vaccinated all those willing to be vaccinated (or a large percentage of them) then we lift lockdown and move on, because we have to.

Essentially this was what Hancock said. That once we had completed the vaccine roll out, we would then live with the ongoing virus situation the same way as we live with influenza. That is a pragmatic approach and decision. Whether the rest of the world will accept it is up to them, in a way, the UK cannot stay locked down because other countries are not fast enough with vaccinations.

I'm not hearing anything stupid being said right now, except for unconditional lockdown release dates based on political pressure and not on results but that is only what back benchers are whinging for and not the noises coming out of government itself.