Well, that’s Xmas wrecked

[anotherbanana]

The government  spokesman for wrecking Xmas has just announced that Xmas for those coming to France is ‘uggered because of the covid outbreak in the UK. Basically, unless you have a raison imperieux you cant come. And lots of negative tests and can quarantine even if you do manage to get here.

I’ll try and get a decent link a bit later or lay it all out.

’ugger, ‘ugger,’ ‘ugger.

[Gardian]

You would think that French citizens and residents would be prevented from leaving France for the UK, other than for ‘compelling reasons’, but maybe the thinking will be that more stringent testing and quarantine on return will dissuade people from setting off in the first place.

For us it’s academic because we cancelled our Christmas / NY with the family in the UK four days ago.  Reason - our 5yo grandson tested positive.

He’s fine by the way.

[Gluestick]

From my perspective, it is pretty clear our glorious leaders haven't a real clue about handling this pandemic.

Only a few days ago, one UK government spokesman stated that there were 250 cases of Omicron in the UK: shortly afterwards, this was corrected to ten!

This virus has created more supposed "Experts" than any other situation I can recall.

 

[Ken]

9 minutes ago, Gluestick said:

From my perspective, it is pretty clear our glorious leaders haven't a real clue about handling this pandemic.

Only a few days ago, one UK government spokesman stated that there were 250 cases of Omicron in the UK: shortly afterwards, this was corrected to ten!

This virus has created more supposed "Experts" than any other situation I can recall.

 

I think that xmas is wrecked for many anyway. I have just read that France is banning all non-essential to France from the U.K. Only French citizens and truck drivers are exempt. Merry Christmas!!

[Noisette]

1 hour ago, Gardian said:

You would think that French citizens and residents would be prevented from leaving France for the UK, other than for ‘compelling reasons’, but maybe the thinking will be that more stringent testing and quarantine on return will dissuade people from setting off in the first place.

For us it’s academic because we cancelled our Christmas / NY with the family in the UK four days ago.  Reason - our 5yo grandson tested positive.

He’s fine by the way.

Nothing does seem to dissuade certain sections of the Brit ex-pat community from carrying on as they have always done, right throughout the pandemic. Rules, testing,  financial constraints, Gov advice.....nothing seems to get through to them. They're also quite frequently the first to point the finger at others (especially on social media) about perceived irresponsibility!  Perhaps I'm missing something, but in this day and age we have access to technology which enables people to see, hear and talk to family and friends on the other side of the world, never mind the Channel. I'm not unfeeling, but surely if you care about your family, you'd make do with that rather than putting them and yourself at risk, as wel las prolonging this situation for everyone else ?

I'm sorry to read about your grandson, and your, hopefully just delayed, Christmas,  Gardian.  But I do applaud your responsible decision. 

[anotherbanana]

Noisette, we have a cross Channel relationship and have managed, following all the rules and also doing a lot of extra testing to keep our lives fairly normal. Madame even tried to get over here today though not ready but getting tested is now a problem and there are few spaces on ferries, Tunnel booked solid.

We could have coped with the rest; the testing lab is only ten minutes away.

The problem here , I suspect, is that France is woefully underreporting case numbers and not distinguishing the omicron variant. Remember that the Chernobyl cloud did not cross the French frontier.

At least we did manage a big family Xmas last weekend so we have had something. By the way, entry to the house was conditional upon showing a negative test.

[DraytonBoy]

I think this decision could be tied into tomorrow's health committee meeting here following which there may well be more restrictions. 

[alittlebitfrench]

1 hour ago, Noisette said:

Nothing does seem to dissuade certain sections of the Brit ex-pat community from carrying on as they have always done, right throughout the pandemic.

Immigrant community my dear.

Don't associate me with this mob. ?

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by alittlebitfrench

[alittlebitfrench]

I don't know if any one has noticed....but Christmas get-togethers and holidays (according to the TV) is full on in France.

So expect a lockdown sometime the 2nd week of January. 

In terms of banning Brits from France, my god that is going to hit the ski resorts badly. 

[Gardian]

5 hours ago, Noisette said:

 

I'm sorry to read about your grandson, and your, hopefully just delayed, Christmas,  Gardian.  But I do applaud your responsible decision. 

You’re very generous Noisette, but in truth it wasn’t so much responsible, as practical !

We knew from our son & DIL that there was a strong possibility that they would also test positive within the coming week and that would make travel impossible and hopelessly dangerous for us.  It was a desperately disappointing decision for us, but realistic.  We’d have had to quarantine anyway.

The ‘little man’ is totally unaffected by it all, but his Mother was tempted to reach for an 11.00 a.m G&T by day 2 !!!  There have been 12 children positive in his class + teaching & support staff and the school made the reluctant decision to close  (for Christmas) on Tuesday.

Strangely, our son & DIL remain ‘negative’ - not the case with all the parents.

 

[Judith]

14 hours ago, Gardian said:

You’re very generous Noisette, but in truth it wasn’t so much responsible, as practical !

We knew from our son & DIL that there was a strong possibility that they would also test positive within the coming week and that would make travel impossible and hopelessly dangerous for us.  It was a desperately disappointing decision for us, but realistic.  We’d have had to quarantine anyway.

The ‘little man’ is totally unaffected by it all, but his Mother was tempted to reach for an 11.00 a.m G&T by day 2 !!!  There have been 12 children positive in his class + teaching & support staff and the school made the reluctant decision to close  (for Christmas) on Tuesday.

Strangely, our son & DIL remain ‘negative’ - not the case with all the parents.

 

Not entirely surprising Gardian.  Last year (is it really that long ago?) one nephew and family all caught Covid in the early days, all, that is save one of their 2 boys ... go figure!  And a couple of weeks ago, sadly, the other nephew and family got it, he suffered, with it but is getting better now.  I have never considered meeting up for Christmas (getting over here to see  hubby when I was still working in the UK was bad enough).  So pleased I did make it over to see them all in Sept / Oct though ... after 2 and half years!

 

[alittlebitfrench]

So France banning the British from travelling too/through France was political after all.

 

https://www.bfmtv.com/sante/covid-19-macron-annonce-que-les-vaccines-n-auront-pas-a-se-faire-tester-pour-voyager-entre-les-pays-de-l-ue_AN-202112170066.html

I thought they were showing sense. No it is Macron's policy towards Brexit.

I am telling ya, this man hates the British/UK soo much that he will ruin his own tourist economy in order to bring the UK to it's knees. 

France needs to vote him out. 

If this xxx xxxxx gets in, we are off. I don't care where we are going. We are out. 

I hope other French/Anglo families feel the same. 

 

Anyone thinking of moving to France or even holidaying in France.....Don't do it with this man in charge. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by anotherbanana
naughty word from naughty boy!

[betise]

Do you really think that this will bring the UK to its knees?

[alittlebitfrench]

3 hours ago, betise said:

Do you really think that this will bring the UK to its knees?

ALBF said "I am telling ya, this man hates the British/UK soo much that he will ruin his own tourist economy in order to bring the UK to it's knees"

The man wants to break (economically and motivationally) the UK....that gives him a xxxx-on. It turns him on. 

But to be fair to the man, he wants to do that to other 'EU' countries as well. And those outside the EU.

You can guess some of them. ?

The man is a threat to world peace.

 

Scary bloke. 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by anotherbanana
rude!

[Teapot1]

Clearly testing doesn't work. Whats the point, I mean if you have no symptoms, you take a test before travelling, take a test shortly after arriving then you haven't got covid in any form. Then we have France and the numbers of delta cases is about the same, then Holland and Belgium, France's neighbours whom also have covid and the omicron variant in big numbers.

Big omicron numbers but where are the big hospitalisation numbers?  If it wouldn't mess up Christmas plans I would be looking to get omicron, low symptoms and great antibodies, a gift to end covid!  But then we have politicians on both sides of the channel. I believe in the UK the scare stories and ridiculous projections are just there to motivate people into getting the booster/ second dose/first in some cases.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Teapot1