Covid - news and views

The unknown threat at the time was a variant creeping through the SE. At some point we'll hopefully be able to eat out again. I think the scheme helped a lot of businesses, the places I saw offering it were well organised. Perhaps we won't need such an incentive again? 

"BTW - Now that WHO has OK'd OAZ, has agreed with a 12 week period for the second vaccine and agreed that it is safe to give to over 65's, has anyone seen an apology from "Napoleon Bonaparte II" yet? I seemed to have missed it."

not much chance of that, got bigger problems now, Many demonstrations in France at the weekend for "FREXIT", not yet burning vehicles, which the French are good at, but it will gain momentum.

We used the eat out scheme twice in the same place. Extremely well organised and of course all outside in the really hot weather. We only got discount once as it didn't apply on Sunday's. Whilst out we did buy take out or sit out drinks and cakes from little local places.

I do hope we don't need too many incentives, we who have been lucky enough to have fixed incomes over the duration haven't had much to spend it on. Time to help out the economy and those generally affected by a drop in income. That doesn't necessarily mean we need to be in crowded places 😀. Those planning self contained trips can help out by not taking everything with them and using smaller outlets for shopping etc. Which would be no different to shopping locally armed with a mask and hand gel - plus your 2m pole for keeping folk at bay. I'm seriously looking at a yoke 😂

prior to 2020 we ate out for lunch once a week when at home. Not been out for a meal since mid Feb and no plans to do so for the foreseeable future. It is now a fortnightly takeaway

"As for leaving it to the government and their advisors,I take it this means you are in favour of 'Eat Out To Help Out 2' which has just been mentioned on Radio 2 as a way of getting things moving in April?"

I posted the above in response to a comment that we should leave it to HMG to decide when we are eased out of lockdown.

Whilst I can agree with the sentiment, about easing restrictions, I would rather the money, that we are all going to have to pay back, went to help the millions of people that have fallen through the various schemes and had little or, in most cases, not help at all.

To rub salt into the wound money intended to help 'local' business, Cornwall in my case, has gone to owners who are not local and had paid no rates for years-the qualification for receiving help-as they were rated but a scheme to encourage them meant they did not actually pay anything.

Bakers 2 wrote:

Those planning self contained trips can help out by not taking everything with them and using smaller outlets for shopping etc. Which would be no different to shopping locally armed with a mask and hand gel - plus your 2m pole for keeping folk at bay. I'm seriously looking at a yoke 😂

Tricky one this. I understand completely, however I use a lot of smaller independent shops local to where i live all year round and wouldn't want to see them go out of business so i would probably want to support them and take provisions with me.

Purely from a social distancing point of view, shops in holiday areas are likely to be more crowded as they will be used by locals plus the influx of visitors.

They may get a greater foot fall but properly managed there is no reason for them to be more crowded.  

... and therein lies the problem as has been shown in many shops and stores.

Did a local shop and then on for my jab. Parked in the car park and listened to the radio until 11.21 and then walked across the car park to the health centre. Back in the car by 11.26. I did berate the person giving the injection for not telling me when she had actually stuck the needle in!