The UK response to Covid-19 [MOD WARNING 1ST POST]

RobMc59 wrote: »

You know as well as the rest of us no one knows how to control this situation for sure.I don`t know what you`re being told in France but looking at mainland Europe from the UK,things look pretty dire which is bad news for all of us-I honestly can`t think of one reason the UK would want to follow the EU`s lead.

For once, I can say that I know better than most on here how to control this situation, and everything the UK government is doing (or rather not doing) goes against the principles of good (respiratory) disease control.

Again, you - like Theo - are avoiding any justification for the UK government's policy of dither and delay.
- Johnson says he's encouraging people to avoid going to the theatre - but he won't order the theatres to be closed. Why not? If going to the theatre is a bad idea in the current context, why is he allowing the option?
- Johnson says there are plans to isolate the over 70s for their own good ... but not yet. Well why not yet? How many of them need to die before it's the right time?
- If Johnson says this risks being a major challenge for the UK economy, why doesn't he pause Brexit while the country (and all its future trading partners) grapple with the fallout?

Looking at mainland Europe from the UK, you are looking into the future. It irritates me no end to see politicians of all nationalities dragging their heels over this, but most of all when they do so even though they've been given the gift of geographical isolation and a few weeks' grace.

The UK government commits to increase testing, follow criticisim by the WHO of governments that had neglected or held back testing.

The scientific message is finally getting through!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/coronavirus-government-vows-accelerate-testing

All that fandango wrote: »

Why is the attitude of the British so different towards the coronavirus compared to that of their neighbours over here? The sterotypes of the British hating being told what to do are proving to be right. And I've noticed aswell on various UK programmes such as This Morning, snide comments about Ireland "not having a health service" and "only closing schools due to having a border with NI". At a time like this, why undermine another country's efforts while continuing to do the bare minimum yourself?

Because they know another economic shock is coming with Brexit. Nobody will be negotiating Brexit if they are in the middle of epidemic so they are hoping to get Corona done with quickly and not needing to deal with prolonged flatter curve. It's only vast numbers of pensioners dying nothing really in comparison to a political career. The only problem I see in the strategy is that it will disproportionately hit Tory voters. Anyway that's my reading of their situation.

They have largely changed tack though and seem to be following most of the rest of the 1st world. I expect them to start shutting things down.

Christy42 wrote: »

They have largely changed tack though and seem to be following most of the rest of the 1st world. I expect them to start shutting things down.

Yes and no. They said last week there was always going to be a switch but its coming earlier than and expected.

They are planning to quarantine the elderly from next week for 3 months which seems very hands on but I understand the logic.

The issue with their strategy while its clearly more scientific than twitter thinks, they have not been on top of messaging whatsoever which is causing mayhem.

The Netherlands seem to be adopting a similar approach also.

This was published on the British Medical Journal on 31 January
Coronavirus shows how UK must act quickly before being shut out of Europe’s health protection systems

"The case in Germany is especially worrying as it was in someone who had not travelled to China but who had been in contact with someone who had. Unprecedented measures, including lockdowns of large cities in China and widespread flight cancellations, are being adopted."

"There are ways for countries outside the EU to engage with its structures and processes, as is the case with Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
But this engagement requires that the country in question agrees to participate in the single market or at least commits to close alignment with it.
This would require that it adopts legislation of “equivalent effect” to that in the EU, which would again include rules on data protection.
The UK has made it clear that it will not be a “rule taker,” a position that would seem to close off these opportunities, even though doing so poses a threat to itself and to other countries"

https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m400

The UK government getting praise from the WHO for,
" for finally ramping up the UK's coronavirus response after the Prime Minister announced new draconian measures to fight the outbreak."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8120443/World-Health-Organisation-praises-Boris-Johnsons-dramatic-coronavirus-shift.html

youreadthat wrote: »

Whatever helps your weird circle jerk continue.

Curious response, that. Over the last fortnight or so, we've had a few people on here expressing unconditional support for the Johnson administration's and blind faith that the same people who repeatedly lied to the country throughout the Brexit referendum and WA were now sincerely following the advice of experts.

That position was challenged, the proponents failed to offer any reasonable justification for their trust that the government knew what they were doing would be effective, and waffled about "different solutions for different situations" - i.e. invoking the old favourite: British exceptionalism.

And yet, here we are on St. Patrick's day, with British waking up to the fact that the Irish were doing it right and they were wrong.

I'd like to know how theological and RobMc59 feel now, given that Johnson has abruptly admitted (by action, if not by word) that he's been spinning them a yarn for the last two weeks.

banie01 wrote: »

1st said afaik by German Generals watching the approach of British soldiers in the teeth of machine gun fire in late 1914 or so.

Over 100yrs later and the public school, Oxbridgers are still wreaking havoc on their Lions.

The story breaking last night regarding the UK basing their "scientific advice" on the wrong bloody info!
That is criminal negligence.

https://twitter.com/hancocktom/status/1239669605586604032?s=19

https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/alexwickham/coronavirus-uk-strategy-deaths

Fucking spastics. Did anyone really expect anything better?

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Apparently they are changing course because the team advising Cummings and Johnson forgot to carry the one:

https://twitter.com/devisridhar/status/1239813325724229632?s=20

This is classic British incompetence and arrogance, nothing more, Britain has a long history of exposing citizens to unnecessary harm under Conservative governments, this is merely the latest example.

I feel sorry for those who have spent the last couple of weeks playing devil’s advocate for the approach, waffling on about herd immunity and the economy. What people are willing to swallow from these charlatans frightens me to my core - but I do understand that it isn’t necessarily the fault of the sheep themselves.

More importantly, I am deeply sad for the British people and their frontline health staff who are already embarked upon a terrible path. Already an incompetent administration has unnecessarily killed thousands of people.

Lol so what everyones been saying since they announced this idiotic plan that under 70s requiring ICU beds will still completely overwhelm the NHS they have finally realised for themselves.

Classic english arrogance.

youreadthat wrote: »

Whatever helps your weird circle jerk continue.

I take it you can't understand what has happened so?

RobMc59 wrote: »

I live in a town with a population of more than 88000 in northwest England,the streets are pretty much deserted and people are following the advice of the government and so enforced restrictions which can be seen in other European countries haven't been necessary to date.in addition,this is a new virus so to imply one country's strategy is right/wrong is BS and those doing it are actually showing themselves to be ignorant.

We shall see

Donald Trump wrote: »

F*****g s******s. Did anyone really expect anything better?

Dear all. I apologize for use of insulting and/or offensive words in the post above (for which I was infracted)

I am incredibly annoyed and frustrated at the arrogance of "experts" who wouldn't even check the numbers on the models they were running. Everyone was telling them they were wrong but they wouldn't even check their inputs.

I did not mean to offend anyone else.

RobMc59 wrote: »

I live in a town with a population of more than 88000 in northwest England,the streets are pretty much deserted and people are following the advice of the government and so enforced restrictions which can be seen in other European countries haven't been necessary to date.in addition,this is a new virus so to imply one country's strategy is right/wrong is BS and those doing it are actually showing themselves to be ignorant.

Firstly the UK government only changed their recommendations today so if people were isolating prior to that they were not following the governments advice but they were 100% correct to do so.


Secondly you have no clue whether enforced restrictions were necessary yet, we wont know that for at least 2 weeks till hopefully the curves in these countries start to flatten.


Thirdly the UK government have literally admitted their model and therefore strategy was wrong so stop with your post truth ridiculousness.

Aegir wrote: »

Schools is the only difference

No they didn't actually ban large events, they are just not supporting them with the services. Similarly nothing is really closed people are just advised not to go.

30 billion in loans.

I mean they have got to be joking. This is looking like one big joke.

Kill a few off deliberately then put them into mass debt.
Strewth.