please empty your brain below
Quite a contrast with the facebook pages of councils like North Tyneside and Newcastle which have hundreds of comments on their posts about updated covid rules. For some reason searching for Tower Hamlets council directly in the facebook app doesn’t even bring up their page as a result for me.

Alan | 04.10.20 - 8:34 a.m. | #

If this was in the latest mass e-mail, I missed it, as I deleted the e-mail without having read it - because it came from John Biggs.

Martin | 04.10.20 - 9:37 a.m. | #

As one of the many thousands that have chosen to severely restrict their activity and interactions (over and above the imposed limitations) since early March, I applaud this sensible precautionary advice. It is a shame however that it's highly unlikely to reach an audience that might have most to benefit from acting upon it.

Frank F | 04.10.20 - 9:38 a.m. | #

To call that national rules 'a minimum' is wise, which everyone should take to heart, rather than trying to push against the limits. That sort of message could make a difference, whereas the PM's "bumpy ride... possibly beyond Christmas" language is playing it down too much.

NickW | 04.10.20 - 10:14 a.m. | #

There's so much chatter and conflicting discussion and convoluted advice, so many different opinionated "experts" that I'm trying hard to blot it all out and make my own mind up on what it's best for me to do.

Caz | 04.10.20 - 11:00 a.m. | #

I wonder if there is a generally-accepted threshold by which something or someone can claim to be "one of" the most, the best etc? If not, presumably anything/one can claim to be included, provided they are not the least/worst of all.

And so nice to see a map without at least one mistake! Even Llanelli is giv en its correct geographic extent.

Cau1khead | 04.10.20 - 11:02 a.m. | #

I haven’t been inside anyone else’s house for 7 months now. I didn’t realise we were able to, just seems like the common sense thing to not do. There is no consistency in the messsging as to what is and isn’t allowed ...

Geofftech | 04.10.20 - 11:36 a.m. | #

Project Fear

Who actually takes any notice of all these constantly changing rules?

Northern Metro Mayors are now starting to question the economic cost of repeated lockdowns (you don’t beat a virus with unemployment) yet the London one in City Hall (term expired 5/20) seems to be demanding another one.

Kim | 04.10.20 - 11:42 a.m. | #

I suspect that your penultimate paragraph about media attention might be a real motivation here, DG. If only the council applied the same energy to informing its own residents and neighbours. I don’t know about you, but I signed up for their Covid update email list early on, during lockdown. I am yet to receive a single message - while I’ve received quite regular information this way from other Central London boroughs.

The tweet also comes across as pre-emptive social conditioning to me. As you point out, Tower Hamlets is a socially diverse borough, and quite a lot of these diverse groups value visiting their families and friends on a regular basis. And as we’re being told, some of these groups are more at risk of dying from the virus than others.

Still, it worries me to read statements like this. If ‘current national rules are a minimum’, then what is the acceptable maximum? What is the most extreme thing acceptable that is doing ‘everything in your power to protect each other’?

Sam | 04.10.20 - 12:02 p.m. | #

it seems like many London Labour boroughs are making up the rules they would like the government to implement, rather than accepting that central government sets the rules !

the latest figures suggest Tower Hamlets is 11th worst in London (and more importantly 105th worst in England) with 50 cases per 100k reported in the last 7 days (although that's probably slightly over stating the level, after yesterday's omnishambles)

if London was a foreign country, every single borough is above the 20 per 100k threshold that requires quarantining

ADS | Homepage | 04.10.20 - 12:59 p.m. | #

There are RULES and COMMON SENSE, hopefully my mix of the two should mean that my household (partner & I) and my family household (mum & brother) should remain reasonably safe. Neither households 'mix' with outsiders nor do we visit each other with the exception of the 'click & collect' food deliveries that I make to mum, at a social distance, once a week! We've stopped hugging etc and wear masks & gloves when undertaking 'necessary' journeys together in the same car... what more can I do to keep my loved ones safe? Everyone should I hope be doing their best to protect their loved ones!

Kevin Too | 04.10.20 - 1:36 p.m. | #

The Tower Hamlets approach is refreshing and should be applauded. It reinforces the message that regardless of what the minimum regulations are, what's really important is showing some commonsense and being thoughtful. The more of that there is, then perhaps, just perhaps, this whole sorry situation might start easing.

Simon T | 04.10.20 - 3:43 p.m. | #

So 6 of the 8 London boroughs with the highest rate are in East London. Given the frequent flouting of the rules regarding face coverings and social distancing hereabouts, that does not surprise me.

JohnC | 04.10.20 - 3:48 p.m. | #

Coo-ee, over here.....no, over here....no, over there. Here! There! Nowhere to be seen. Lets all play hide and seek until, like Miss Haversham, we all die. (And not of COVID or any of its variants)

B | 04.10.20 - 4:14 p.m. | #

It’s quite obvious that lockdowns (and masks) are not making any difference in destroying the virus, but are pretty lethal against people’s jobs and livelihoods.

I’m sure we’d all get around more if the government stops promoting Project Fear and the mass media ceases from backing these threats and brainwashing.

Kim | 05.10.20 - 10:44 p.m. | #

Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.

Donald J Trump | Homepage | 05.10.20 - 11:21 p.m. | #

I’m assuming “Kim” isn’t over 35 and doesn’t live in a nation where over 40,000 people (that are admitted to) have died from a disease for which there is currently no antidote and which is hyper-contagious; perhaps on one of the 5 south Pacific islands that are the only places in the world with no Covid cases? The rest of us see a very real need to take as many precautions as possible to protect not only ourselves but also those around us or those we meet. If “Kim” has better solutions than the derided masks and lockdowns, please share them now.

Labourer | 06.10.20 - 2:50 p.m. | #

Please ease up on the over-confident comments.

• "It’s quite obvious ..."
No it isn't.

• "I’m sure we’d all get around more..."
No we wouldn't.

• "I’m assuming “Kim” isn’t..."
No you're not.

• "The rest of us see a very real need to..."
No we don't.

Give it a rest, please.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 06.10.20 - 3:01 p.m. | #











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