The virus moved very quickly around the world, as you say, in weeks. Yes, the idea of immediately shutting everything down, could have saved lives. But would have the same lives have been lost from poverty, when the population cannot work? And let's not forget. At that time, the government were acting from the advice of the world health organisation, who said that the death rate was just above a seasonal flu. If China were honest at the start, the world would be a much better place right now. The fact that they lied and covered up the real situation, meant that everybody else has suffered.
Germany had a spike, which they expected, didn’t panic and allowed individual regions to manage. Its settled again now and they are moving forward. We do need to get the economy, the death rate long term of a financially unstable Britain forcing people into deep poverty is unthinkable. The mental health consequences on folk who were already in a daily battle are unthinkable. The idea of several thousand businesses going to the wall is unthinkable (but sadly unavoidable now). We were badly managed in, vaguely managed during, and are being horrific it managed out. We had top scientists promoting contact tracing, we pulled the plug then went back to it. Contact tracing is the only real world way to come out cleanly without a vaccine. We rejected the help of Apple and Google. Companies with a direct line to a vast majority of people on the whole planet. ‘You can see a different person from a different house every day, but not 2 from the same house on one day’ is as loony tunes and clueless as I could imagine. It’s an absolute nonsense.
Iirc WHO was saying 'test test test' we did not do, so track and trace could work. Yes China played and is still playing the cnut, but Fatty Bonko and his Bullingdon bum chums should have initiated lockdown 3/4 weeks earlier and closed our borders...
As I clearly said, I’m not confused, I just see it as idiotic not confusing. Millions are though, which is clear from public forum, and if millions are confused, then advice from the ‘leaders’ has been vague and ambiguous.
Clearly what we don't get is the detail, is this incompetence, or something else we are not told by a deviant, corrupt government .
On the subject of the economy, if anyone or any of their families does painting and decorating send me a PM I have some work needs done.
A person within a house can mingle, I can meet one person from that house at 2 metres but not both together, although the risk is identical. I can’t sit 2 metres apart from my family in their garden but I can get on a bus with 50 randoms. I can spend time in a public space surrounded by people, as long as I don’t know them. I can fly to France, then on to China, and back the same route, with no quarantine. I can have a cleaning firm into my house, but not my other half, who has been home working and self isolated for 6 weeks. Do I need to go on? It’s idiotic. It’s nonsense. It’s borderline insanity. I could go on if you so wish, I shouldn’t need to.
Sadly its all too easy to pick examples, there are far more than 1 in a million ... ... I don't have the time to list everything I'm not happy with. For example, why send primary school children back, into a surreal atmosphere, just for a few weeks? What they can learn, in that time, is totally insignificant compared to the risk. 'Sadly we lost our child when they were infected during a period of colouring in.'
Boris said that if numbers go up ( more likely when) then restrictions/ lockdown will be reinstated . But his next statement to the nation will be meaningless and ignored because of the mess of this one and that people have seen that the media and politicians have torn this plan to shreads and put doubt in anything he says
There was a genuine, and heartwarming, feeling of 'we're all in this together' ... ... I felt the Sunday statement, from the PM, was more like 'back to work and take your chances'. Does he really believe a primary school can exercise the same distancing I'm currently seeing on PMs question time. I feel we've lost something tbh.
Interesting that Boris says they've stopped using global comparisons as "comparisons to other countries is premature". So it wasn't too premature previously? That makes total sense...
Starmer says they have been using them for the last seven weeks - check this out on London Transport this morning ffs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52645366
I don't see corruption as the problem, mostly just incompetent Cabinet Ministers, here's a list of the leading members of cabinet and whose voices will have most sway in any major decisions. PM Boris Johnson, a blundering buffoon. When he was the Mayor of London he was a figure of fun, a fool, a gormless moron, he hasn't changed. Rishi Sunak Chancellor, he's been effective and performed well, a potential PM if this crisis doesn't destroy the Tory Party. Dominic Rabb Foreign Sec, looks like a rabbit in the headlights at times but no major gaffes so far, not cabinet material though. Priti Patel Home Sec, total liability and would have been replaced if there was anyone worthy of a place in the cabinet left in the party. Michael Gove Chief Cabinet Officer, he's only there cos he's the leading Brexiteer, he's also considered to be the cabinet intellectual. God help us all. Matt Hancock Health Sec, He's had the toughest job and he hasn't been up to it, he's never given a straight answer especially when it came to the availability of PPE for health workers. Even if there is a suitable replacement he couldn't be replaced at the moment as it would suggest a total failure of his department. The rest of them, except 2 are not worthy of a mention but Grant Shapps and Jacob Rees-Mogg should never be allowed near the Cabinet Office. Apart from that motley crew above the PM's senior advisor who also attends Cobra meetings and is reported to actively contribute to Cobra meetings is Dominic Cummings. Google him if you're not sure of who he is, he is the one who pushed for herd immunity and the so called nudge theory. There's not a single political heavyweight amongst that group, not one of them could be considered statesman like, they are not guided by the old Tory Grandees or the 1922 Committee who at least have experience of managing a crisis.
Agree with almost all of this though would add that the chances of someone reading a vaguely political thread and not knowing of the maleficent influence of Dominic Cummings is hopefully zero. The man is everything wrong with politics - strong, arrogant, self indulgent opinions with no accountability.
Fines for breaking social distancing to increase --- but------The NPCC (national police chiefs council) and the College of Policing have stated in their latest guidelines to police that they cannot enforce 2 metre and social distancing because it is not encased in law. (bet the couldn't care less brigade are already familiar with this bit of news) . Meanwhile, in Wales , the police CAN enforce. Do Wales have a separate legal system? Why didn't we pass some laws quickly? I give up