Corona Daily 329: Rule of Six

England has a festive atmosphere this weekend. Large groups of drinkers have gathered in bars, pubs and restaurants in London, Manchester, Nottingham, Portsmouth and Leeds. Triathlons were held on Saturday. Music and loud conversations could be heard at Saturday’s all-night parties. At the time of writing, London’s West End is packed with thousands of people, young and not sober, singing and dancing. It is difficult to find an empty table in Soho.

The English are celebrating their last day of freedom. In a few hours, from midnight, Boris Johnson’s “Rule of Six” comes into force.

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Johnson made two important announcements this week – the “Rule of Six”, and “Operation Moonshot”. He said rules had become complicated and confusing, and government was simplifying them.

How many people can gather outdoors? Six. How many indoors? Six. Simple enough. This is the UK government advice. However, UK is not one but four nations. They are not involved, or evolved, but devolved. What Johnson says applies only in England. In Scotland, children under 12 don’t count (in England, they do). Because Wales has its own mind, the rule of six allows 30 people outdoors. Northern Ireland allows 15.

What is the social distance? It is 2 meters, except in Wales, where children under 11 are exempt. From tomorrow, England specifies a distance of “1m plus”. It means where you can’t keep a 2 m distance, do something extra – like wearing a mask, or washing your hands for 60 seconds.

Indoors, six is a limit, but Scotland and Wales don’t count children. Scottish and Welsh children possess immunity that English and Irish children lack.

This doesn’t mean you will see only six people on Oxford Street tomorrow. The rule of six applies to households, a single or those forming a social bubble. Englishmen are fair and thorough. So every rule has exemptions. The limit doesn’t apply to schools, colleges, offices or other workplaces. Up to 30 people are allowed at weddings and funerals, but without dances.

If a group of 12 friends or family wants to eat out, they must sit at different tables and pretend not to know one another. The waiters are tasked with measuring temperatures and taking contact details of customers. Now they must keep an eye on the group size.

Waiters and shop assistants, by the way, are not required to wear masks. Police officers are also exempt, given it will interfere with their ability to serve the public.  

It is important that the novel coronavirus understands all these nuances.

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Breaking the new rules attracts fines. First time, you are fined £100. A promotional discount of 50% is offered if fine is paid within two weeks. The fine keeps doubling with each offence, the second time £ 200; third time £400 until you reach £3200, the cap. Covid marshals will be guarding the streets, and police are authorized to enter premises to enforce the rule of six.

UK is a law-abiding nation. Only its Prime Minister is entitled to break the law on international treaties signed by him.

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Operation Moonshot is that Prime Minister’s pet project. UK will spend more than £100 billion (equal to NHS, England’s annual budget) to reach 10 million tests every day. (Currently 350,000 a day). That way, every week the whole kingdom will be tested. The results available in 20 minutes will allow everyone to let the “negatives” in, and the “positives” home. The grand plan was presented by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), with no involvement of scientists or health experts. (BCG alone can ensure the £100 billion are quickly spent). The only shortcoming of this fantastic project is that the testing technology doesn’t exist.

Ravi