I should stop reading this thread. Now morbid old me is impatient for death statistics by variant (and I wouldn't be too surprised if that isn't being counted in the first place).

It has been reported over the last few days that only a third to a half of test sites have the ability to detect omicron. It would be interesting to know why. Whether there is a good reason for it or if the reason is stupid, like they have not been told to. I have never seen anything that gives deaths by variant beyond guessing based on timing.

I think that, after last night's ITV video (coming hot on the heels of the Paterson scandal, the Gove "oh-look-a-trial!" thing, the Barnard castle drive and so on), it's going to be very hard to get anyone to do anything Covid related. I've been masking up constantly, self-isolating when told so and so on, and feeling rather proud of myself for doing that. Now I honestly feel like a moron.

Anyone want to look in their crystal ball and tell me what they would do in my scenario?

In 13 days, on the 22nd, we are due to go to Germany for Christmas...then Budapest for a night on the 26th...then Dubai on the 27th...then Romania on the 2nd...then home on the 4th.

We need to book same day PCR tests for coming back, which are very expensive, since we work on the 5th, plus the pre departure tests etc. But given most of the trip is already non-refundable, I am hesitant to spend even more that might just be lost if all of the above can't go ahead due to omicron. My main concerns at this stage are any lockdowns preventing travel (mostly thinking here Germany, Hungary, and highly non-vaccinated Romania), and also in particular Germany, Romania, and Hungary punishing the UK for finding so much omicron and adding us to banned travel lists.

What are your thoughts? Thanks. :)

You won't like me for saying this but you should not have booked anything that was not refundable. All you can do is wait and make a final decision on the 21st. Wait until then to book/pay any more. Who knows, the futility of the current restrictions/rules may be even more apparent by then and you will be good to go with less expensive testing.

My thoughts are that my thoughts and prayers are with you 😊. I would be most worried about the escalating situation in Germany - will the attractions and markets you want to visit even be open? Could they be in lockdown by then?

I admire your balls going for a very multi-city trip during covid and I hope you can pull it off.

The FT is reporting that Johnson will be announcing either today or tomorrow that we are moving to Plan B.

https://www.ft.com/content/bd0a637e-...reType=nongift

It was only yesterday that Dominic Raab was insisting on the Today programme that there was no Plan B and no need for a Plan B...

However in the past 24hrs, the further revelations of a Downing Street party have emerged and we, the public, might need distracting!

As DaveS is saying, booking non-refundable was a mistake there.
For Germany, well I can not read a crystal ball. But the new government will start working today and the new Health Minister is Karl Lauterbach. He is an epidemiologist who has been quite vocal (he is also a member of parliament since several years) during the pandemic. He has always had a much more negative and pessimistic view of things, sometimes with reasons, sometimes not and unnecessary alarmist IMHO. It may be (note the conditional) that the German federal government will follow a harder line. That being said Germany is a federal nation and Health is a competency of the individual states. But there are signs, our local health Minister here in Rheinland Pfalz asks residents to avoid travelling at Christmas, including to visit families.

Does Plan B include any more travel restrictions? Will we still be allowed to travel?

Who knows. The government have been taking a beating over the restrictions already imposed from just about every direction. I hope no more will come and maybe there will even be a relaxation. That did take too long to happen before though. I booked (cancellable) flights this morning for early January.

Fingers crossed then for Christmas getaways, as Omicron is already here and spreading there seems little point imposing more travel restrictions, but when has logic ever played a part?

Just for context these are the last 3 months worth of figures for cases, total in hospital, those on ventilation, and deaths. Clearly my glasses need changing as I can't see where the rational for further restrictions comes from. Also whilst it is not a complete picture, all initial evidence points to omicron not being more deadly or symptomatically worse than delta (EDIT: and no evidence it evades the vaccines)

Led by the science my arse!

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e10b2f110f.png

No, these are treated separately. Doesn't mean an announcement won't cause some travel changes too, but these won't be as a result of 'Plan B'. As we have seen, these things can change very quickly.

Advised working from home and vaccine passports for certain venues are the measures Plan B will bring.