To be flabbergasted by this Government’s incompetence.

[Cam77]

*2000 of 500,000 NHS staff tested.
*Germany performing nearly TEN TIMES the number of tests as the UK. despite the WHO saying for weeks and weeks that they key is to “test test test”
*Continuing shortages of basic PPE for health workers (who are being threatened if they speak out)
*Thousands of people still cramming on to public transport, with not one metre let alone 2 metre distance.
*The Government failing to sign up to the EU ventilator scheme.
*Being one of the last Western countries to close schools and implement any kind of lockdown.

I know it’s tough for everyone but this is a level of criminal negligence from the British government. Absolutely shocking.

You need a letter to leave your home. The army is out patrolling.

Can you imagine what the Boris-bashers would say if he did that?

“Martial Law!” “Coup!” “Military Dictatorship!”

Love this thread.

The Government aren't doing a good job.

Regular posters: Well, at least it's not Corbyn

The lies that regular critics of the Government are used to are now becoming apparent to many. The spin

I think this afternoon's press briefing will be very challenging.

Someone mentioned flights going out of the country

They are also coming in to the country. Is it to prevent the collapse of airlines or something like that?

Agree the pandemic was predicted and allegedly planned for.

@AlternativePerspective huge applause from me for your post "What a shame they didn’t come to Mumsnet for advice...."

Your entire message is very coherent and accurate.

“ Can you imagine what the Boris-bashers would say if he did that?”

Yes. Plus I don’t want to go down the road of military lockdown, which seems utterly pointless if tourists are or indeed business travellers are still coming in.

You cannot stockpile PPE, just in case there is a pandemic in 10 years time. Designs improve (nurses have already complained about stuff being out of date), and stocks will degrade over time.
So, there will always be a need to produce/procure PPE at short notice. So I think there should be a method of sourcing locally and quickly.

People are still flying back to the UK, and out of the UK to their home countries, which accounts for at least some of the passengers. I'm not sure who the others would be at the moment tbh - presumably not much (no?) business travel going on?

No-one normal is laughing in this situation, not at us certainly. No-one will know until it's over whether the UK managed well or badly. There needs to be proper assessment of how the different countries have managed after the event. Sweden for instance, normally a very sensible country with good sense of communal responsibility, has chosen not to lock down. Germany is looking good from a numbers perspective but there is the same criticism in that country (and yes, I read/watch the German news daily) too. No-one planned for such an extreme event, nor will they in the future. Time will tell who did badly and who did better.

@MeganBacon "Right wing ideology" is pretty funny given the financial response by this government which has proven that this is very much a centrist government.

This!

People often have an overinflated sense of importance when it comes to what other countries think of them. Not just Brits.

But honestly, nobody outside Britain is thinking or caring much about what Britain is doing right now.

“ People are still flying back to the UK, and out of the UK to their home countries“

Yes, but the number of flights.....is that really accounting for all the travel? Maybe it is, but with the situation in Italy, it looks like lots of people were going in and out with plenty of warning.

At one point I heard about quarantine hotels near Heathrow but I don’t think it happened in the end.

@Cam77

You have absolutely no idea of how the Corbyn government would have managed this crisis.

Neither do I.

Stop being ridiculous and stating wild speculation as fact.

I had symptomatic friends return from Japan early february, they tried for days to get tested. Were told until they had a confirmed friend who they had shared a bed with basically they could not possibly have it. Also told that if they did self isolate their partner could continue to go to work in a school. Bonkers.

Is 'at least it's not Corbyn' the only thing Tory voters can say? That arguement is old now. No, it's not Corbyn, unfortunately, but so what? That's not the issue and completely irrevelent. The current, deadly clusterfuck is the issue in hand. And that's what it is- a massive clusterfuck that has, and will continue to, cause death. This government is shite and the fact that it's not Trump, Corbyn etc brings me and the bereaved families no comfort. You voted for these clowns.

So let’s say I decide to fly to NYC tomorrow to stay with rellies

There’s 11 flights out of LHR

There’s not enough staff to check anything

www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/whats-it-like-to-fly-back-to-the-u-s-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-travelers-report-airport-screening-differences/2330250/

Nope. I spoiled my ballot.

I know what you mean Lilactree - could some of them be cargo/freight? Though I don't think those are announced on arrivals websites, so probably not.

I just find it hard to imagine who could be travelling at the moment apart from those returning home - I suppose some people who work abroad long-term and need to get there at the moment? Of course we don't know how full the planes are - there may be flying fairly empty.

“ I had symptomatic friends return from Japan early february, they tried for days to get tested. ”

Hello, fellow Tree!

Yes, there’s definitely something up with the amount of international travel allowed. It doesn’t square with a lot of stuff here.

We are not stupid, we can see the UK has handled this very badly.

YANBU. The lack of direction and leadership is excruciating. The press conferences, with ever more junior cabinet ministers being shoved out in front of the lime light while the REALLY unpopular ones like Patel and Rees Mogg are kept in the background, are painful.

I thought one of Cumming's statements when they first announced the 80% pay for furlounged workers was that 'this is no time for ideology' was telling. Essentially publicaly acknowledging that austerity has been ideologically driven.

I think one of the problems is that with the Brexit situation the government have got so used to lying, twisting the truth, spinning and not actually DOING anything (during the long prologue etc) that that's all the can do now and they've sort of forgotten what their role is.

X post acorns

I don’t think a freight only plane would be listed but I don’t know if passenger planes normally carry freight.

And we don't know what Corbyn would have done - but one thing I think we do know is that the media would have been much harder on him if he'd taken the same steps that Johnson has done to protect the economy.

How do we know that?

Would you be allowed to enter the US lilac? (I realise this is hypothetical!)

FCO advice - is this still up to date?

"As of 16 March, it will not be possible for many British nationals to enter the USA, except for in a number of specific categories.

Those who are able to enter the USA from the UK by air will be required to do so through one of 13 designated USA airports and being asked to self-isolate for 14 days."

Growing evidence of the shitshow.

Many shut-down manufacturers with the capacity to make PPE are pleading for guidance and increasingly making contact with their local hospitals, GPs etc for direct orders because we mostly import this stuff.

The rag trade is begging for patterns, material specs etc so they can get cutting and sewing.