O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[swaledale]

The verdict on Johnson’s government and the way they have handled this crisis is likely to be damning.

Johnson has made mistake after mistake, for which the country has paid a very high price. A “world-beating” performance: with 64,000 excess deaths, that is one excess death for every 1,000 people, the UK has recorded the largest global spike in deaths compared with the average yearly death toll; and the country will suffer the deepest depression of any developed economy.

The Governments response to this global challenge is one of missed opportunities and dismal misjudgments.

The UK went into lockdown too late, with Johnson going round shaking hands with people at a time when the coronavirus infection rate was very high when restrictions were imposed, so the higher the death rate.

Then the Government shut down its testing regime too soon, leaving it unable to track the speed and spread of the virus. During February and March, opportunities to suppress the spread of infection by introducing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements were missed, allowing the infection to be brought into the UK on at least 1,300 occasions.

Entering the lockdown late cost lives, leaving it early risked more needless deaths, the emphasis on the economy and "eat out to help out" without considering how to control a further outbreak was criminal misjudgement.



Johnson not sacking his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, for breaching lockdown rules, further eroded public trust.

The government that has blundered, with the instructing for hospitals to discharge the elderly to care homes when testing and personal protective equipment was non-existent.


Handing contracts to private companies without competitive tendering or even a cursory check on whether they are up to the job? Whilst ignoring local authorities who regularly manage outbreaks of meningitis and ***ually transmitted diseases were not needed for the delayed test-and-trace system? Backing and spending millions on a tracing app, which didn't work, when there was one that already worked well.

Johnson continually promising things he couldn't deliver, and we have posters questioning why the media now ask searching questions about forecasts and plans? Unbelievable.

Allowing Universities to open, I mean who would ahve thought that millions of people travelling from all corners of the country and mixing in small shared accommodation would result in further infections?

Not being honest about Christmas, resulting in the surge of infections we and deaths we are now experiencing.

Continually making promises like "we will beat the virus in 12 week" " we will beat the virus by Christmas"

But then what can one expect from Conservative politicians, who view trade unions, local government leaders and professional bodies as powerful interest groups and influential lobbies to be thwarted, not listened to. In reality, most were attempting to help the government out of a hole by asking it to stop digging.

The pointless arguments and penny pinching with regions such as Manchester over the payments for those off work or self isolating, still an issue today, where the lower paid cannot afford to self isolate.

The lack lustre and far too late decision to close borders, only about 10months late, allowing people to go abroad, and in doing so importing the virus back into the country.

Instead the government listened to those who only wanted to get back to making money, the Covid Recovery group (essentially the Brexit ERG group) who fatally failed to realise that this situation is not a choice between the economy and public health, there is no economy without public health.


What Covid-19 has revealed is who really makes society work and the value of public servants prepared to put their lives on the line. What the government does with that knowledge will tell the public about the true nature of those that govern it.

The buck stops at Downing Street, which was responsible for the discredited policy of herd immunity and the late introduction of the lockdown. The quickest way back to normality is by controlling the spread of the virus.

Underpinning all that of course is a woefully unfunded health service short of 1,000's of Doctors and Nurses all as a direct result of Tory government policy.

Yet the mindless voters will think what a wonderful job Johnson has done with the vaccination programme, irrespective of the fact that he and his ministers have at long last made a correct decision in allowing those organisations who are experts, get on and deliver it.

We required a leader who could do detail, who was prepared to tell the public bad news, who could tell the truth and not meaningless waffle and was actually able to refrain from playing politics and get on with the job of managing the crisis in a cross party political manner for the good of the country.

[Geoff Parkstone]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-after-blunder

For those who want to read this diatribe, which itself is very old news (15 June 2020) in its original form, virtually word for word, please refer to the Guardian report on the link above

[MadAmster]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-after-blunder

For those who want to read this diatribe, which itself is very old news (15 June 2020) in its original form, virtually word for word, please refer to the Guardian report on the link above

Irrelevant GP. Whether it's Swales own work or plagiarised it's factual.

Credit where due. The government got in early with the financial support and that was necessary and they appear to have the vaccinations well sussed. The rest of what they have done is as described in Swale's post.

[MadAmster]

Schools. The Dutch government announced yesterday that kindergartens, infants schools and junior schools will reopen from Monday February 8th.

They do realise that this might increase new cases and that would have a knock on effect on hospitalisations and ICU numbers but the vaccinations are expected to counteract or better that figure. The risk is seen to be worthwhile and preferable to the further deterioration of children's mental health and physical and seksual abuse in the home.

The one change to last time the schools were open is that previously only pupils tested positive had to quarantine. This time, if a child tests positive, the whole class, their family and the teacher and his/her family all isolate for 5 days.

Secondary schools and colleges/universities remain closed for now.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Irrelevant GP. Whether it's Swales own work or plagiarised it's factual.

Credit where due. The government got in early with the financial support and that was necessary and they appear to have the vaccinations well sussed. The rest of what they have done is as described in Swale's post.

Not actually irrelevant as the forum has had long standing rules against plagiarism, having, if I remember well, got into difficulties with "unattributed cut n paste" posters before. Maybe that has changed now?

[Trickytreesreds]

Well the Guardian doesn't have any bias does it, unlike the Mail or Sun?

[swaledale]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-after-blunder

For those who want to read this diatribe, which itself is very old news (15 June 2020) in its original form, virtually word for word, please refer to the Guardian report on the link above

I'm surprised you can read given you lack of command of the English language and its an amalgam of news reports on the subject actually with some input from Private Eye and the Times! Whatever its generally factually correct!

[Geoff Parkstone]

😀😀 Read!! Moi?

Course I can't, but at least I don't plagiarise and only own up when "outed"

[Trickytreesreds]

I'm surprised you can read( COMMA) given you (YOUR) lack of command of the English language and its an amalgam of news reports on the subject actually(FULL STOP) with some input from Private Eye and the Times! Whatever(COMMA) its generally factually correct!

[Andy_Faber]

I'm surprised you can read( COMMA) given you (YOUR) lack of command of the English language and its an amalgam of news reports on the subject actually(FULL STOP) with some input from Private Eye and the Times! Whatever(COMMA) its generally factually correct!

Thanks TTR, you saved me the bother, I'm fine with ropey syntax and/or grammar on internet forums but not when it's criticising same...