Thread by @hines_stephen

Today's #WordsOfWisdom :

Trying it differently - let me know if you prefer it this way...

Well that little survey last night produced all shades of opinion from strongly no relaxation for Christmas to we may as well anyhow because people will take no notice!
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There is no right or wrong answer to the question but it does just illustrate how hard it is for our Government to make the right decision at the right time. I was struck by the appeal of the Bishop of Paisley describing relaxation of some of the rules as a "Christmas cease fire"

He compared it to the cease fire on the western front in the first world war when troops cautiously met up in no man's land for a game of football and to exchange Christmas greetings, only to continue the fighting the next day.
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My own view is that IF the R rate does not start to rise again and the current measures do begin to show a levelling of the second peak, then it would be reasonable and a great psychological boost if we relaxed the rules on Christmas day so that a nuclear family
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(that's parents and children) could meet up to 4 others, normally both sets of grandparents for a family meal at home but not in restaurants or public houses. This would bring the numbers up to 10. The number could be exceeded if there were more than 6 in the nuclear family. 5/x

Naturally any one with symptoms or recently positive without a negative test would have to be excluded. Every-one involved must be prepared to go into isolation afterwards if someone subsequently became symptomatic. Guests would normally have to travel between homes in
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private transport.
We can never cost a life but I believe the relatively slight risk to increasing the spread would be more than off set by the psychological boost to many thousands of families.

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I accept that many of our brethren from other faiths have not been able to meet as a family during some of their festivals. Let's allow them the same relaxations over our Christmas holidays and encourage them all in the same way to celebrate with family meals.
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There are suggestions today that Baroness Dido Harding should stand down as head of track and trace and have a well earned rest. She is taking the flack for the fact it is not working as well as it should and results of tests take too long.

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However she cannot be blamed for the large number of inaccurate addresses and contacts being given to them. Please make sure a group you may be in always give accurate and reliable data.

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Flack is still flying over the Government's refusal to fund free school meals. As many individuals and food outlets have offered to do it anyhow why should the government do it for half term. Perhaps better they work something out for the longer Christmas and Easter breaks

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It is appalling that children are likely to go hungry next week. If its true for you and your family please let me know by PM so we can do everything possible to assist. The Children's Commissioner described the situation as Dickensian, akin to the situation in Oliver Twist.
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There is debate in medical and scientific circles that if the quarantine period were to be reduced from 14 days to 7,8 or 10 days there might be better compliance. It is known that many get fed up and go out after a week or so.

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There is a need for further investigation ; it is thought that 8 days is the maximum incubation period with 5 days the average. 14 days was set originally to give a safety margin in case there were longer incubation periods.

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I think this would help but would get criticism for the Government changing its mind. It's not that, it is being lead by science reviewing the evidence and making fresh recommendations.

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Remember it's a Sunday and figures will be at their lowest due to the reporting system and some days delay in publishing. 19,970 positive tests were reported today with 151 deaths. Over 340,00 tests were done on Thursday last, not reported since.

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Similarly the hospital data has not been updated since Thursday 22nd October.
In Italy there is a further month of tight restrictions with gyms, pools movie theatres all closed with a curfew on cafes and restaurants closing at 6pm.

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There is a mandatory requirement for people to wear masks outside their home. Spain has declared a state of emergency which is their term for further tight restrictions. This is the second state of emergency in Spain in this pandemic.

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We know we can stop this second wave , we did it with the first wave. It requires each and every one of us to influence our families friends and neighbours to stick to the rules all the time and not just when it suits us .

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Please stay positive and stay safe and seek help if you are desperate.

<<The original is on my Father's FB page - Kenneth Hines - if you enjoy reading this, please let him know>>

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A quick question from me. For regular readers, how do you prefer to read this?

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