Christmas Bubble for Covid

[roving-eye]

Who dreams this crap up ? One thing about a bubble its 100% certain that it POP's

The Government has agreed with the other nations of the UK (Scotland, Ireland and Wales) a set of Christmas ‘rules’ to ensure a consistent approach for people to follow. They have announced that from Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 27th December:

• you can form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ composed of people from no more than three households;
• you can only be in one Christmas bubble;
• you cannot change your Christmas bubble;
• you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble;
• you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces;
• you can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying;
• you cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble;
• people who are self isolating should not join a Christmas bubble.

[Toodles McGinty]

I'm not extending our 'bubble' until I know everyone currently excluded has had the vaccines. Christmas or not. I'll buy a turkey at Easter and have a family gathering then. I can cuddle the grandkids as long as I like then.

This '3 household bubble for 5 days' is insanity. Thousands are dying per week right now. That's going to shoot up in January / February.

As him indoors says, I'd rather avoid them this Christmas, then have many, many more with them when the pandemic is over. The 'festive period' is enough pressure for many, without having to worry your family are going to kill you.

Absolute insanity.

[Lamparilla]

All these 'bubble' rules seem to be about 23rd -27th December, but what about the period between now and then?

I havent seen anything about Christmas shopping trips, e.g. to Liverpool, which is within our tier. Is that non-essential travel?

[salus.populi]

All these 'bubble' rules seem to be about 23rd -27th December, but what about the period between now and then?

I havent seen anything about Christmas shopping trips, e.g. to Liverpool, which is within our tier. Is that non-essential travel?

A lot will depend on what tier we will be in and that will be announced tomorrow.

[Lamparilla]

A lot will depend on what tier we will be in and that will be announced tomorrow.

Oh, I thought we were lumped in with Liverpool and will still be on Tier 3, which is what the media seem to be saying.

However, the rate has come down a lot over the region (including Liverpool itself), although the government's website is about a week out of date. The region is now showing as 'below average'.

[gsgsgs]

For me this is a difficult one, I have followed all rules laid down since March.

I may be wrong and my apologies if I am but how many of us are in single person households like myself.

It is a much easier decision to make, not to form an additional Christmas bubble if you live with a partner/spouse and/or children etc. I really don't want to spend Christmas day alone!

My support bubble from when it was first mentioned is my brother and family who live in Manchester, even though I could I haven't used my bubble yet, under normal circumstances I would see my family alternate weekends, I've not seen them since February, so for me to spend what will be 3 days (more like 2 1/2) 24th (after work), 25th & 26th (travel home in the evening for work) I think is reasonable.

[salus.populi]

Oh, I thought we were lumped in with Liverpool and will still be on Tier 3, which is what the media seem to be saying.

However, the rate has come down a lot over the region (including Liverpool itself), although the government's website is about a week out of date. The region is now showing as 'below average'.

I suppose it depends which media you get your speculation from. The media I've seen suggests Lpool City Region are hopeful of avoiding being in tier 3. Until tomorrow it's nothing but speculation.

[Lamparilla]

I suppose it depends which media you get your speculation from. The media I've seen suggests Lpool City Region are hopeful of avoiding being in tier 3. Until tomorrow it's nothing but speculation.

I agree, but things have chopped and changed so much since this all started, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction!

[Lamparilla]

For me this is a difficult one, I have followed all rules laid down since March.

I may be wrong and my apologies if I am but how many of us are in single person households like myself.

It is a much easier decision to make, not to form an additional Christmas bubble if you live with a partner/spouse and/or children etc. I really don't want to spend Christmas day alone!

My support bubble from when it was first mentioned is my brother and family who live in Manchester, even though I could I haven't used my bubble yet, under normal circumstances I would see my family alternate weekends, I've not seen them since February, so for me to spend what will be 3 days (more like 2 1/2) 24th (after work), 25th & 26th (travel home in the evening for work) I think is reasonable.

I can sympathise with that.

Our household is just my wife and myself. She's a carer and has worked the last 7 Christmas Days, because the care home puts everyone on the rota so as to be fair. I spend every Christmas morning alone cooking the dinner, and pick her up from work at 2pm.

[duncet]

I agree, but things have chopped and changed so much since this all started, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction!

I should work on the assumption that very little is fact.

[local]

It is telling that four distinctly different governments have agreed.

It's usual on here to blame Boris or Hancock.

Countries around the world are doing the same thing.

Being in government rather than your armchair is a whole lot more difficult than the home experts think.

[jamyramy]

chrstmass what ere your spiritual bent is a symbol and reminder that we are fraily human and a beacon of our connection with each across the world we embrace.it doesnt need that expensive show of showered gifts,vast gastronomic feasting.but that recognition of eaches prescence and appreciation of being within eaches connected lives ,thruogh our turmoils angsts and joys ,yep its great to hug ,give and see joy .but remember it was the birth of love and being.just having those thoughts for each on that day is all it takes ,along with that phone call techy scypes cards etc.the rest is just the ride.just take that moment ,like rememberance day to connect with all those that mean an be in your heart is all xmas day needs to be..xxx

[gsgsgs]

I can sympathise with that.

Our household is just my wife and myself. She's a carer and has worked the last 7 Christmas Days, because the care home puts everyone on the rota so as to be fair. I spend every Christmas morning alone cooking the dinner, and pick her up from work at 2pm.

That seems anything but fair, couldn't a rota system be in place to allow a Christmas off?

And thank you to your wife for putting herself at great risk to look after our most vulnerable, as has been said not all heroes & heroines wear capes.

[Anon]

Who dreams this crap up ? One thing about a bubble its 100% certain that it POP's

The Government has agreed with the other nations of the UK (Scotland, Ireland and Wales) a set of Christmas ‘rules’ to ensure a consistent approach for people to follow. They have announced that from Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 27th December:

• you can form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ composed of people from no more than three households;
• you can only be in one Christmas bubble;
• you cannot change your Christmas bubble;
• you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble;
• you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces;
• you can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying;
• you cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble;
• people who are self isolating should not join a Christmas bubble.

I agree with you.

But I think the thought was that if the government said we couldn't see anyone, everyone would ignore it and just do what they wanted. At least, if people keep to the rules above, there might be some damage limitation.

I think the vast majority, especially the older people, will stick to the rules. However, there will be some idiots who don't.

The big problem will be Grandchildren seeing Grandparents. I think it's circulating wildly in children, especially those at school. Do you want to run the risk of a grandparent not being here after February?

Separately from the rules, I think you have to do what you think is safe for you. I usually go to my friend's house at that time of the year. However, they have a household of 6, 5 of whom go to work. I'm not sure I'd feel safe in that environment so I'll probably be spending it alone.

Personally, I think Christmas should be cancelled this year. That would be the most sensible option and would help to ensure that the majority of people will still be here for many Christmases after that. For some reason, many people seem to think that the virus isn't a problem because it's Christmas. FFS, the virus doesn't know that an annual religious festival is happening.

[Alikado]

It is telling that four distinctly different governments have agreed.

It's usual on here to blame Boris or Hancock.

Countries around the world are doing the same thing.

Being in government rather than your armchair is a whole lot more difficult than the home experts think.

The complaints are normally about halfarsed decisions that have been written on the back of a fag packet and not been thought through such as the tier 3 which we are about to have the 4th (at least) version this month. Countries that are more successful combatting the virus have made a plan and stuck with it.
The criteria for tier 3 now seems to be if you are worse than London you go to 3 if not tier 2.