O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[Geoff Parkstone]

No

[ramAnag]

No

Glad we’ve cleared that up then. About as clear as this Government’s policy on...anything and everything.

[Acido]

Hey Anag, its like the WWF Royal Rumble on here these days, everybody wanting to whack each other lol. And this isnt even down to Gunt this time.

[ramAnag]

Hey Anag, its like the WWF Royal Rumble on here these days, everybody wanting to whack each other lol. And this isnt even down to Gunt this time.

Hi, Acido. I thought it’d been quite civilised all things considered. Gunt’s causing bother on the PNE thread. Not sure what it’s got to to with him but I’m staying out of it.

[Acido]

Hi, Acido. I thought it’d been quite civilised all things considered. Gunt’s causing bother on the PNE thread. Not sure what it’s got to to with him but I’m staying out of it.

Yes I also thought it best to stay away from that thread abaart the Nobbers (Preston) lol.
Big impressive win last night at Brum, have you lot finally turned the corner ?. Although that's a different subject int it.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Glad we’ve cleared that up then. About as clear as this Government’s policy on...anything and everything.

When presented with two black or white options when my response would be a shade of grey, then I can only answer no in both cases. Policy is neither a disaster nor perfect.

[ramAnag]

When presented with two black or white options when my response would be a shade of grey, then I can only answer no in both cases. Policy is neither a disaster nor perfect.

Ah, I see you’ve returned to the sanctuary of your Brexit indecisiveness.
Okay...so what have they done well...how have the Boris bunch inspired any degree of confidence in their integrity and competence over recent weeks?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Prima facie certain aspects of the Brexit trade agreement are sound; actually concluding a deal is a positive; chucking much of the country into Tier 4 seems sensible; short circuiting the 5 day spreader opportunity over Xmas looks right. I'm not saying the preludes to all these things were perfect - the processes have been flawed, the timings have been perhaps delayed too long but you cannot hang the government for (a) announcing Xmas an (b) cancelling Xmas in a volatile environment - unless you are so one eyed as to criticise for the sake of it.

I'm not indecisive as you contend, what I do is to assess the position, recognise that there is not an absolute right or an absolute wrong, rather a bit of both in the governmental approach. On the other hand you are so one eyed as to come across as blind.

[ramAnag]

‘Blind’ or consistent?
I’ve consistently opposed Brexit but was relieved we ended up with a deal. Whether that ‘deal’ will be as beneficial as our original one as full members of the EU is all that should matter. After five years of wrangling the fact that our ‘sovereign’ Parliament now gets a whole half day to debate the bill is, imo, ridiculous.

This thread though is about the handling of the pandemic.
I don’t think I have ever criticised for the sake of it. What would be the point of that?
I praised the creation of the Nightingale Hospitals earlier in the year...but where are they now, when, as you suggest, they are most needed?
I was critical of the Christmas decision...not because of the ‘cancelling’ Christmas aspect...but because of the bone headed, populist, stubbornness which led to them ignoring all the scientific advice in the first place and then led to having to make a typically last minute ‘U turn’ which led to disappointment and confusion for millions.
As regards schools...I’d love to see them remain open but only when it’s safe for that to happen. I’m told, by friends and acquaintances in the pharmaceutical industry, that there may be seven variants of the original virus. That in itself isn’t as concerning as it might sound but the fact is that, until the vaccine is widely available and implemented, there is one particular variant which appears to be much more transmissible by children.
The aim at the moment is surely, after nine months of disruption, to remain as safe as possible until the vaccine(s) take effect.
Having children and young people in schools and universities mixing in large groups and then returning home is not, in the light of the new variant, compatible with maintaining that ‘safety’.
That is what SAGE suggest and I don’t think there’s a hint of myopia in arguing that case. Unfortunately the Government will, as ever, leave such decisions to the last minute...unless, of course, it’s about their own participation in keeping the country running in which case they’re happy to postpone until 11th January.

[MadAmster]

Weren't the Nightingale's intended to take hospital overflow that never happened.

They also have the problem that there are no staff to run them......