Wales in Lockdown

I agree with Niobe. You are being forced to buy online, so forcing closure of small businesses that rely on footfall to survive. Worst of all Amazon pay a fraction of the taxes they should so yet again small businesses can't compete.
Very sad.

How many people who have commented actually live in Wales? I do, and I think the Welsh Government are generally dealing with the current situation a lot better than the UK Government. Shopping for non essential items is where people linger in the shops, which increases risk of exposure. It’s for two weeks, and you should have got what you needed yesterday, otherwise get it online. The sense of the decision to do this now will be evident in the death rate in a few weeks time.

Welcome to the mad house!

The children can’t have a new book or toy to help amuse them through anxious times and will have to wear those tight shoes for a fortnight following a sudden growth spurt but don’t worry mum and dad can still have their wine or beer so that’s alright then.

Yes I do live in Wales, Anglesey has low infection at the moment but Mark Drakeford in his wisdom will now be responsible for the final nail in the coffin of many small businesses here that were already suffering from no tourism allowed here until August.
What can’t be bought in the supermarket will be bought on line so how does that help small business?

I agree with*Casdon*. I live in Wales, right in the border in fact. I think there are very few things that you cannot do without for a fortnight, unless an emergency happens. We had several days warning, so there is no excuse about not being able to buy birthday cards. I feel that on the whole, the Welsh government are dealing with the pandemic a darn sight better than Westminster is. Time will tell, but just get on with it without moaning. Two weeks isn’t a lifetime, but those two weeks of sacrifice could ultimately save lives if the hospitals in Wales do not get overwhelmed.

We are being controlled, and the sooner some people realise this the better. People being tested for Covid, as they have symptoms and guess what, they all wore a mask. Which begs the question.........do masks work. Imo, no they don’t. Have seen some people in their car, on their own wearing a mask.
What has been washed more in 2020, hands or brains
In 2008, Dr Anthony Fauci co-authorised a paper about the Spanish flu epidemic that swept the world in 1918. So in studying this major pandemic what did Dr Fauci find
They discovered that most of the victims of Spanish flu didn’t die from the flu, they died from bacterial Pneumonia caused by. The wearing of masks!!!!
The intention then, as now was to halt the spread of the virus by wearing masks
For goodness sake, remove the muzzle and go back to some sort of normality

Grow stuff. Tell that to the thousands of small businesses that are going under. And it's not just for two weeks. My grandchildren haven't seen their Welsh grandparents since the end of February. With half term gone and Christmas in doubt it looks like they won't see them for a whole year. That's what I mean by over reaction.

I thought that mask wearing had made people rush round and get their shopping done a lot quicker! So no need to dissuade people from browsing as that's already happened.

Callistemon

Yes, I'm sure she will and there's always Moonpig or other online cards.
It just seems quite ludicrous that parts of shops will be fenced off but we can buy non-essential food and drink.

Of course, they may have to barricade the chocolate behind a security fence.

?

Taking non essential items.....prosecco, sweets, cakes and biscuits fall into this definition( although there would be riots in the streets.)

Perhaps I wasn't clear, Casdon and Lexisgranny but you are not understanding my point.

Why are alcohol, chocolates, crisps, fizzy drinks etc on the permitted list but children's clothes, shoes, crafts etc not permitted to be sold?

I'm not moaning but I think it is an arbitrary decision, particularly as some areas have nil or near nil cases and areas with a high number of cases were locked down already.

I think prosecco sounds more essential by the day, lemongrove.
As long as the grocery order arrives before 10pm they will deliver it!

Anniebach

Callistemon a chap here fell and hurt his wrist, he was sent to Neville Hall who sent him to Blaenau for X rays, fracture in a bone, he was sent to Newport for small op ! ! ! !

Annie I had to collect a prescription which could easily have been posted. But no, I had to collect it in person.

I am sorry if this offends anyone but while I have obeyed the rules till now with agreement to those rules.
But now I think as others do is that it is now seems to becoming a police state were our right to make our own decisions is being taken away from us.
I am 76 with various illnesses so have been very well behaved
to keep us safe and anyone else.But I am furious to be told by people who don’t even know I exist,What is essential to me,
alcohol and cigarettes are not essential even if they are a addiction.I am the only person who is in a position to say what is essential to me.
We live near the border but will not be going anywhere near it
I don’t want to be fined for being in the wrong side of the carpark.A friend of my GD went shopping in cheshire to her usual shop when she returned to her car she was handed a fine
which she isn’t in a position to pay because she had parked in the part of the carpark that is technically in Wales there were no signs or markings to say the she and others were technically in Wales her shopping was gone through and some of her purchases were deemed non essential by the jobs worth
policing the carpark not a proper Police person just a shop assistant who had been told to do it by the store.No one had mentioned it in the store either,whether it’s for 2 weeks or what ever this behaviour is appalling.
The fine is to go up if not paid with a few days I felt so sorry for this young mum I don’t actually know her personally but I gave the money to my granddaughter to pay it for her.
I am so angry.?

If I shop for a non essential (but essential to me e.g. broken kettle) I tend to mooch the options a little whereas I whisk through the regular stuff. Can only assume the powers that be are trying to reduce time individuals spend in shops. Don't agree with their thinking one little bit but.......

Callistemon, I'm in Wales too and I have to disagree with you. Only food is considered to be an essential item. Having said that I'm sure you could get a birthday card in your local shop. Also we did have a few days notice before we went into lockdown when you could have got the card. I think Drakeford is doing a fantastic job and it's only for two weeks. If it brings the R rate down, isn't it well worth it? I don't like it either, but I think we all have to pull together and play our part without moaning about it.

It is ridiculous, but you can still shop online. I tend to use Moonpig

Callistemon

Anniebach

Callistemon a chap here fell and hurt his wrist, he was sent to Neville Hall who sent him to Blaenau for X rays, fracture in a bone, he was sent to Newport for small op ! ! ! !

Annie I had to collect a prescription which could easily have been posted. But no, I had to collect it in person.

I have to collect my prescriptions in person anyway, lockdown or not. After experimenting with Boots Online for two months, my GP will no longer deal with them.

GrannyRose15

Grow stuff. Tell that to the thousands of small businesses that are going under. And it's not just for two weeks. My grandchildren haven't seen their Welsh grandparents since the end of February. With half term gone and Christmas in doubt it looks like they won't see them for a whole year. That's what I mean by over reaction.

I thought the government had increased the support for small businesses. I know it's grim. Essex County Council volunteered the whole county to be in Tier 2 and loads of businesses are struggling, but if everybody does as they're told, normality will return sooner. It's not just the law stopping people from shopping, but confidence and shortage of money for some people to spend.

Olive53

We are being controlled, and the sooner some people realise this the better. People being tested for Covid, as they have symptoms and guess what, they all wore a mask. Which begs the question.........do masks work. Imo, no they don’t. Have seen some people in their car, on their own wearing a mask.
What has been washed more in 2020, hands or brains
In 2008, Dr Anthony Fauci co-authorised a paper about the Spanish flu epidemic that swept the world in 1918. So in studying this major pandemic what did Dr Fauci find
They discovered that most of the victims of Spanish flu didn’t die from the flu, they died from bacterial Pneumonia caused by. The wearing of masks!!!!
The intention then, as now was to halt the spread of the virus by wearing masks
For goodness sake, remove the muzzle and go back to some sort of normality

The scientific evidence suggests that masks do work on cutting transmission.

How does wearing a mask cause bacterial pneumonia?

Just had a phone call from bike shop in Wales where I ordered a bike, its in and ready for collection, but being just over the border in England I believe I can't collect it until Nov 9th. Bike shops are allowed to be open as they are needed for repairs, just like garages.

There are loads of places you can buy cards online without giving a penny to Amazon.
Many of these shops WILL give pennies to artists (who need our support)
Shops such as Thortful, Redbubble, Etsy... and those type of places, where you can buy cards designed by actual artists and not mass produced.
Personally I am not happy to give any money to Amazon, for many reasons. I am happy to support artists and craftspeople who really need support, though.

PS, if you want to support business people in your actual area why not shop Etsy for your town? You will still be contributing to your local economy and helping "the little people"

I live in Wales too and it does seem to be a nonsense that if you are in a supermarket there are some goods that are deemed non essential that you actually have to pass on your way round.
It is only for two weeks so I'm sure we will all manage.