Right now they have - but since it's not something that needs to be done tomorrow I'm happy to wait around until the 5th (or thereabouts) until they revisit the regulation. If they extend the validity of the UK ban then the consulate it is... if they don't, we'll see.

I don't think that a trucker who arrives in Dover and immediately picks up COVID will necessarily have incubated it sufficiently to test negative on a lateral flow test by the time the 48 hours are up.

What the French relaxation really speaks to is the ridiculousness of the assumption that we in the UK can do precisely what they do in NZ in terms of keeping the disease out - at least unless we want to stop all food arriving from the Continent.

Maybe a wider group of friends would be helpful: it sounds like you are in an echo-chamber.

But perhaps I am too - because the impression i get in my circle of friends, colleagues and acquaintances is that they are as anxious as I am to get protected


I think you probably know the answer to this.

We WILL get our lives back: it just won't be tomorrow. So ignoring social altruism, maybe it'd be best to get vaccinated so it's more likely you will be around, and in good heath, to enjoy that freedom, when it comes.

I don't see the issue with wanting to wait to be vaccinated provided that someone else can use your slot and it isn't going to be wasted. Personally I would like to wait as long as possible as I have no immediate need to travel out of the UK (that's why I did as much travel as I was logistically able to in Aug-Sep and Dec 2020), and I'm 32 so I probably won't be asked to get it until June or July anyway.

I would rather the UK be in a situation where I and anyone who now wants to have it, can just turn up to a vaccination centre, ask for it and get it straight away. But we'll see what happens with my GP (who I haven't been to since 2012, but they send me emails every 2 years so I should still be registered)

It just feels like something in antithesis to everything that's happening around travel (more tests, more quarantine etc).

It's quite clear to me that HMG has decided to completely re-write the playbook for tackling COVID. From a national consensus last Autumn that effective vaccination would get us out of this mess in early Spring, we now have HMG intending to ensure that we remain locked up throughout the summer - and dripping out the information about the plan in a slow series of disappointments.

For me, this is either necessary (in which case they should share the reasons why) or dishonest. If the latter, I'm not sure why I should care very much about altruism when I have number one to think about. I am in the process of being jabbed (ie had number one but not number two as I'm participating in HMG's untested experimentation with dosing regimes for the Pfizer jab), and that participation is the last bit of altruism I shall be showing towards the UK. And, from the evidence of the last few weeks, more and more people are coming to that conclusion. Lockdown is weakening even without HMG's say-so and I fully expect, for individuals, it to be largely ineffective by April. It will only remain effective in terms of punishing business and making society poorer.

I fear you will be disappointed. The NHS is not designed to respond to a patient's needs or wants - you are required to submit yourself to the NHS's needs.

From the Live broadcast: BoJo has said that a "Successor to the Global Travel Taskforce" will present a plan for reopening travel by the 12th of April - so that plans can be done for the summer.

Positive 13901: at least they're looking into it and we have some dates.
Skeptic 13901: the "Global Travel Taskforce" had no members from the travel industry, delivered something approximately one month late and delivered a policy (test to release) that survived for a grand total of 2 weeks before being thrashed by the Hotel confinement and 2-test policy

So I didn't hear the full speech live but it sounds like international travel is legally banned (except presumably the existing restrictions or something similar?) until at least May 17 but a full review will be done and released by April 12 to confirm whether and under what terms international travel can resume?

UK people are travelling to Italy to work, it is possible. It is also possible to get into France and Belgium for work.

The media is doing a fantastic job of spreading fear, and making it seem impossible but at the end of the day, all you have to do is convince a few separate people with a few bits of paper....

Good physical health maybe but not mental health, my husband is keeping a close eye on the sharp knives. I never used to have mental health problems before this and held a very senior position at work so used to dealing with huge amounts of stress but not this level of boredom and isolation.

Thanks. If anyone has specific details on Italy, please let me know.

Yes a review done by 12th April but no idea where 17th May comes from its not linked to the hospitality date, Theresa May challenged him on this timetable saying the industry needs 3 months notice and got fobbed off.

Well BoJo did mention international travel and another taskforce which will report on 12th April. I guess that Ian Blackford is probably not going to be in our Christmas card list :D

It's a shame I can only give one Like for this.

The conspiracy part of my mind says that they want us to break the lockdown so they can say "it was you, you didn't listen, see what happens, not our fault now".