I am typically suspicious of government, but mild or otherwise, there are already plenty of signs from other countries and situations that this will be very widespread over the coming weeks. That and the science behind analysis of the variant. It will surely become apparent either way very soon .

Certainly, but the frequency with which people test positive for it or become ill may well. If there is significant spread (I'd be very surprised if there isn't) but it's relatively mild it may well be a positive thing once all is said and done.

The situation in a couple of weeks may well be markedly different from today. If not then certainly people are liable to question why.

Guidance is woolly at the moment :
Be careful
Do not socially mix too much

This is a big gamble going into Christmas, with the NHS already under strain.

I disengage, I turn the page.

Boris clearly can’t risk political suicide by going to ‘Plan C’ or whatever that is - so I think they might be reluctantly banking on the mass isolation strategy which is effectively the same. Pubs and businesses can’t open if everyone is isolating. The rapid spread of this variant makes it pretty likely a lot of places will be closed in the next few days, either through lack of staff or customers.

Also a lag between London and the rest of the country - so if you’re not getting many cases in your area now, you will be in a couple of weeks.

Did you know? 98.0000001% of people are morons.

Where’s the panic? The rapid spread is surely a positive. Gets it out of the way quicker, most vaccinated people won’t have to endure anything worse than heavy cold symptoms and a bit of isolation and by end Jan everyone’s got roaring immunity either through boosters or natural exposure.

Hopefully the great unvaxxed and vulnerable don’t clog up the hospital system.

Did you know? 98.0000001% of people are morons.

Not quite sure how this is going to work. Loads of people with minor if any symptoms who possibly have access to a test although given the lack of them around, unlikely to find one to take. So do you reckon they will stay at home on the basis they might have it rather than a minor sniffle. That won’t work well for skint families leading up to Christmas.

Similarly lockdowns will fail as it has already been proven this just kicks the can down the road and with the current supposed contagion rate of this variant you would only have to be out of lockdown for a few days and would be back in the same position.

It is getting to the stage now where those who are worried should lock themselves away and the rest should just get on with it. It’s not something you can realistically hide from forever. The first week into the New Year will give us an indication of whether this variant has much effect on the young, the fit and healthy and the vaccinated. It appears unlikely from initial analysis that it is as dangerous as the earlier variants therefore the rest need to take a view on whether they carry on, lock themselves away or change their minds and get vaccinated.

Everyone in this country has had the chance to decide what they want to do for their own safety. It’s time to move on.