to think Dominic Cummings has to go?

[RoosterPie]

Dominic Cummings apparently travelled to his parents house while meant to be self isolating due to covid symptoms.

Given what happened with Neil Ferguson and Catherine Calderwood, AIBU to think his position ought to be untenable?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/22/dominic-cummings-durham-trip-coronavirus-lockdown

Great reply to an email from Bob Stewart MP

Quite likely then that some NHS workers drove long distances to deposit their children with friends and relatives.

Yes, indeed.
NHS workers following the advice by a government which allows essential travel. The government whose "Stay Home" message was created by Cummings. Healthy NHS workers, driving healthy children to keep them protected. And your key word, "deposit" - leaving their kids there, because they knew that because they were NHS workers they were at higher risk of contracting the virus and transmitting it. This isn't comparable to what Cummings did. He was infectious, his wife was infectious and possibly the son was too. And they didn't leave the son there and drive back. They all stayed there. Probably stopping off and risking transmission.

I mean the reply is from Stewart, not the email..

Bob Stewart is my MP and I received a similar response. I felt it was heartfelt, and he has gone up in my estimation.

In his situation I can't see the issue. Sat in a car with child going to separate property to be cared for.
I wouldn't blame anyone else for doing the same thing.
People do seem to have lost the capacity to be sensible.
If you have not been out everyday, even for excersise... Maybe once a week to somewhere with no one else around, if you have shopping delivered and you wash it.
What's your risk of contacting corona?

If your elderly mum, not 100s of miles away but let's say an hours drive... Is doing the same as you... After both waiting 14 days incase you already had it.. What is the issue with seeing each other?

On the other hand, would I go and buy a take away coffee right now? At a park in London?
No. I wouldn't. Unless separate people handled money and served drinks.
Frequent hand-washing and gelling. Staff wearing proper grade masks, not flimsy surgical masks. Plastic cups and lids, kept and held in sanitised conditions and covered with suitable materials.

Even then I'd be uncomfortable. Would I buy ice cream from the lady with plastic gloves who doesn't change them and takes money in same gloved hands as serving the ice creams? No.

Would I go to the shops several times a week but then see an elderly relative? No

Would I wear a mask in a car alone? No.
Do I think in confined spaces people should be encouraged to wear a mask, yes.

It's all about breaking transmission. In that boundary, I can't see how Cummings has compromised the whole point of breaking transmission.

Clav your quote says "moving out of their homes" not "moving their kids to other homes"

pp posted -
"The timing of this trip was when NHS workers were moving out of their homes or leaving children with friends so as not to spread the disease."

I think it's very likely that some NHS workers drove their dc to live with friends and relatives some distance away, especially if both parents are doctors for example.

Well my MP doesn't feel it important to answer me asking her whether I'm meant to follow the government laws and guidance or whether I'm meant to follow my own interpretation of them if I think my way is safer (safeguarding). But she came out in support of him.
I also asked her whether she felt her constituents lives were more or less important then her Westminster reputation?

@clavinova I highly doubt they did it whilst infectious.

@Shortsally Sat in a car with child going to separate property to be cared for.

No, it’s not just sat in a car. They drove 4-5 hours with coronavirus with a 4 year old. They would have stopped off for toilet breaks, food, petrol etc.

They visited a castle for his wife’s birthday. It was Mum’s 71st birthday party that week. He returned to Durham after emerging from quarantine. His wife implied they went through the virus in London. There is so much wrong here.

@Shortsally you really can’t see the issue with potentially 3, certainly 2, infectious people driving the length of the company for absolutely no reasons whatsoever? One of those people being particularly unlikely to be able to hold their bladder for the length of the journey? Whilst there was a countrywide lockdown that prohibited all but essential journeys? You really don’t see the issue?

Oh and one of those people helped make the rules. No wonder this government think they can do what the fuck they like when there are members of the public who will defend this behaviour. I despair.

I've signed and been watching two petitions on change.org One now over 40k the other getting close to 15k. Is this what they mean by exponential growth?

People of Durham, what are you wanting for?
“ And there is a second ticking time bomb, say ministers. They fear a member of the public may file a complaint to Durham police alleging Cummings broke the Health Protection Regulations - which the police would be obliged to investigate. ”
From www.itv.com/news/2020-05-24/dominic-cummings-departure-only-matter-of-time-robert-peston/

And they didn't leave the son there and drive back.They all stayed there.

They didn't need to drive back straight away - DC's 'essential work' could be continued online but not without childcare. Still wondering why teachers are finding it difficult to provide a full timetable if they have their own young children in the house - just stick the kids in another room and get on with it. Dominic Cummings is meant to just get on with it in his high profile job.

Sharon can you prove they stopped off at services with corona?

I have family hundreds of miles away and we have made the journey without the need to stop actually. I'm not sure why your so confident that he did definitely go to services?

Which castle? Wasn't everything closed??

I can't remember all the dates (OK I'm old and my brain isn't what it was) so can someone tell me when he made this trip to Barnards Castle was the rule still no non essential travel?

Oh the nice man on Sky News just told me it was when you weren't supposed to be travelling. Do you think they are spying on me?

@shortsally no but it’s very telling that DC hasn’t said they were ‘sat in their car’ throughout the journey. Why are you so sure they didn’t get out of the car?

Barnhard Castle, they were seen there in 19 April.

No I cant see the issue, staying in a separate house to get child care and shopping.

I can however very much see the issue with buying an ice cream, from an ice cream van, unless the server wears proper grade mask. Has someone separately handling change. Both washing and gelling every few customers and disinfecting money once collected.

The risk of transmission from the buying an ice cream is going to be far higher than dc driving to seperate house.

This is where the anomalies are and the gap between common sense is and why we're all doing this.

Sharon can you prove they stopped off at services with corona? I have family hundreds of miles away and we have made the journey without the need to stop actually

With a four year-old? While unwell with symptoms such as shortness of breath/temperature/persistent cough/muscle pains? You would be able to drive hundreds of miles without the need to stop. Gosh.

The risk of transmission from the buying an ice cream is going to be far higher than dc driving to seperate house.

Except that the person buying the ice cream doesn't have CV and the Cummings did. And they didn't stay within the separate house because he was seen in the garden on his mum's birthday.

He was seen dancing in his parents garden whilst supposedly I’ll and also the police said his father said DC ‘was in the property’. That implies DC was in his parents house.

Barnard castle is a town

@TheNumberfaker I’m from Durham. I know of people who were fined for non essential travel. People were stopped from parking in (large, mostly deserted) beach car parks.

I’m really hoping the third part of the story will include photographic or video evidence of a return trip!

Well I hope they didn't Sharon.
I guess if they did it will be on camera somewhere at some service station.
I just think the way some people have gone about this has not made sense and has been cruel...

Especially to the widow's who are ELDERY and banned from seeing people.

I suppose I'm projecting my own personal experience of this where someone in a busy town has been happily buying ice creams and coffees. Going to the shops several times a week to shop without a decent mask.
Ie I think exposing themselves to risk of covid.
Whilst using covid as an excuse not to see an 85 year old widowed dm who has been alone 25 miles away.

But this person has been virulently posting on sm about people breaking the rules like dc. It doesn't make sense to me

It's all about breaking transmission. In that boundary, I can't see how Cummings has compromised the whole point of breaking transmission

The law of the land isn't some pic n mix sweet basket, so its irrelevant what Cummings (or you for that matter) think is right or wrong, the govt laid down the law and we were, on pain of a criminal record (for repeat offenders) expected to obey it.

We can all draw on our own particular exceptions to laws we don't like or think are pointless, do you go past a school, with a 30 limit, at 50 because you think that at 10pm there won't be any kids about so it doesn't matter? or have a couple of large wines before driving as its only a mile or two home?

Cummings had family in London, he wasn't infectious but chose to break the law because he was arrogant enough to think he can and reading your post, its clear he is justified in believing he can do what the xxxx he likes, because you and many others will back him up.