Raging at Boris Johnson's irresponsible response to Covid 19

[somanydevices]

BJ said I must level with you, I must level with the British public: many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time

How fucking dare he. This kind of phrase belongs in a rousing speech where the public are asked to come together to do what we can to help prevent those deaths. e.g. not going to large events, doing social distancing.

Not one which says "business as usual".

There was a government adviser on the radio saying they've not banned sporting events because they're in the open and in sunlight.

What about those events undercover? Or after dark? If that's the case why aren't they banned?

They're saying they're acting on scientific advice, but they're adding a layer of interpretation which is about what they think is possible.

They lack faith in their ability to communicate what needs to be done to the population and they think we're all idiots who won't do it, basically. So they've taken the decision that they can't help people dying.

I don't know on what basis BJ and his government is making decisions, but it's not with our best interests at heart.

It's a "don't panic"'message from a government scared and disrespectful of the population, not leadership in a time of crisis.

Fucking raging.

I’m genuinely interested in how you would lead the country in this?

What would I do? Make the number one priority the health of the people and minimising deaths and suffering.

Please can I ask, what to you think Boris's aim is? It's not that. Or if it is, he's incompetent.

I'd put in social distances measures and a huge effort to test and track the illness.

Require businesses to put in home working unless essential to go into work. Ban large gatherings for now.

Close the schools. Make sure everyone has enough money to get by on and no one is disadvantaged by the schools being closed.

Pay childcare for key workers eg health workers.

Put money into the social care system and fast, that's going to fall over really quickly.

Where will this money come from? The magic money tree they just got money for vanity projects from, Scrap the vanity projects - no one wants a bridge from Scotland to Ireland or whatever it is their latest plans are. We do want a functioning NHS and a government who give a shit whether we live or die. That's pretty basic. (Or at least some of us do. Some of you seem happy to accept your fate because he said it nicely).

Please read these articles before responding on this:

[[https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca Why You Must Act Now
Politicians, Community Leaders and Business Leaders: What Should You Do and When?]]

How the government are playing Russian Roulette with the public's lives by ignoring the World Health Organization's advice on containment

China’s cases of Covid-19 are finally declining. A WHO expert explains why. “It’s all about speed”: the most important lessons from China’s Covid-19 response.

Does closing schools slow spread of coronavirus?

When should schools close for coronavirus

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Is Now Officially A Pandemic, WHO Says

The entire of Norway is shutting down

Surely all childcare settings are also closed then if school etc are closed? Where Is all this mysterious childcare that is going to appear?

Ever heard of childminders? Plus nursery staff and teachers could be asked to look after kids (and properly paid) of key health workers if needs be.

It could be made to work. We send a man to the moon FFS. Which is rocket science, literally. Some emergency childcare, on the other hand, isn't.

I'd also like the government to be communicating with us as if we're adults.

The bloke on QT tonight was spot on. Our government are being top-down, paternalistic, meeting behind closed doors (if they're meeting at all).

They should be having a conversaition with the public.

We should all, by this point, be well informed about relative risks and what the best way is to look after ourselves and vulnerable members of our community.

But we're not. Because their only messages are "don't panic", keep calm and carry on (that worked out well for people with Spanish flu in 1918, didn't it? ), wash your hands and that if some of us get it that's better than none.That's the opposite to countries who are trying to save their people.

Honestly I think it's been so long since we've had decent leadership, people have forgotten what it looks like.

Bojo is not it. Far from it. We're no more to him that the toy soldiers he played with as a child or pawns on a chess board. We're there for him to play empire with. Not real living people, many of whom he just consigned to our deaths with his deliberate inaction. He just took a risk with our actual lives.

Why aren't you angry about that?

So we'll riot outside in the daytime and we'll be just fine. I know, because the government said so. Must be true.

Then

Ban large gatherings for now.

So you’d ban large gatherings but are simultaneously advocating people rioting? Make your mind up.

Dongdingdong was the sarcasm in my post not totally apparent?

Go back and read it again, perhaps it'll click for you.

No, I'm not literally saying we should riot in the street. But, I am saying if you trust the government advice, then you shouldn't have a problem with it from a health perspective as they've said large gatherings are not a problem.

Or, do you think large gatherings are, in fact, a problem? If so, don't you think the government should do something about stopping them?

It's you who can't have it both ways. Either it's OK (from a health point of view) to riot in the streets or the government aren't putting our safety first.

Which is it?

@somanydevices - simply trying to lower the impact on the NHS at 1 peak time. It's not that hard to understand. What do you want? Close the schools, send the kids to the grandparents and watch them wipe them out like Italy? The other parties are not up in arms , they were involved. This isn't about not getting the virus, a lot of us will. It's about delaying it so more people , especially the older ones have a chance of surviving

If they want to delay the virus, then they should be taking steps to stop it in its tracks, particularly extensive testing and monitoring which they're not doing.

There's loads they could be doing. They're preparing us to die.

They're hoping we'll slow the virus in the winter by upping our herd immunity, not by halting the spread of the virus. That's real people, real suffering. More deaths. For a gamble.

How come no other country is taking this route?

I'm going to bed now, this thread isn't helping. I'm still raging. Can't remember the last time I was this angry.

As I said in some thread, a plague on their houses first. Perhaps we'd get some action then.

What's the point in testing? It's out there! Theres no vaccine, we cant all stay in for 4 months. You are a little hysterical to say the least. No one knows the right approach until we look at it with hindsight. All I know is that we are in this for the long haul and shutting schools, then reopening them doesn't sound like a great idea. We have to do what we can to lessen the load on the nhs. It's not about avoiding the virus, bar locking down for 4 months that's impossible

The part I can't forgive BJ is the '... we could take it on the chin' talk when there was time to truly slow the rate of infection down. The arrogance of it, the macho disregard, the 'we don't do wussy leftie stuff' talk .... to 'oh people will die'.

I'm also so angry. And sad.

was the sarcasm in my post not totally apparent?

I’ve copied and pasted your original post below and no, there’s no sarcasm apparent in what you said at all. You really are advocating rioting while simultaneously wanting to ban large gatherings

He's gambling with our lives, FFS. We should be rioting.

No, I'm not literally saying we should riot in the street.

Well, you did “literally say” it on page 2 of this thread. Unless you’re conveniently backtracking now?

What's the point in testing? It's out there!

The evidence from China is that testing and tracking is what's leading to the fall in new cases. The WHO is advising we do this.

Read the links I posted above.

Of course I've heard of Childminder's but if schools are closing then why aren't all childcare settings? That's what other countries are doing as well as closing schools and all the other actions you want Boris to take. Just as bad as schools for spreading the virus a very large gathering of children in one place

. Who's providing the Childminder's or nurseries with more space and staff to allow them to safely up their ratios and not be a potential fire hazard?

If teachers are then needed to care for all these children of key workers because we're not just taking NHS really are we? We're talking council staff who do jobs like recycling and bin collections (unless of course you'd also like an epidemic of rats and more diseases because no one is collecting rubbish due to isolation and no childcare with closed schools), water and power company staff who keep services running and fix any issues (all that panic Brought pasta needs water & gas: electricity to cook it) not forgetting all the waste management and sewerage staff because again we still need hygiene and sanitation otherwise doesn't matter how much toilet roll you've hoarded you'll get sick from poor sanitation .... because that's all we need a rise in things like cholera, dysentery and typhoid

Why not just keep schools open if teachers are required to look after all these children anyway?

@somanydevices - 590 official cases, estimated at thousands more. Testing proves what? Sure, test the ones in hospital but really at that stage its surely obvious. Your childcare posts, pay them this, pay them that. Not workable is it? Most childminders I've spoken too want too self isolate asap to protect immediate family. Your ranting. Go to bed

My biggest concern is that the figures we have are a few days old. I suspect they just want another day of everyone in work to allow for preparation for shut down.

But from my own experience I have had mildish symptoms since the end of last week, my two children had one day off together on Tues with their symptoms (now both feeling fine), and I have been too unwell to work since weds. But my children will be in school tomorrow as no current advice to isolate them (they did not have ongoing new cough)? Feels wrong.

I will keep myself in 7 day isolation now but should this be from first day of symptoms or last? If first that would mean I am technically ok to go into work now which is clearly wrong as still feeling poorly. I am a uni lecturer due to teach 40+ on Thursday but my uni is still open business as usual...

Thing is, selfishness, a tendency for high risk gambles and callous irresponsibility are Boris Johnson’s defining characterstics. That is why so many people who know him warned Tory party members not to elect him leader.

My thoughts after I watched the PM’s statement were that as usual, he is not on top of the detail enough to convey it properly to us and, a large part of the rationale for the government’s chosen approach was missing. Whether the missing part was cynical realpolitik or dire assessments about public compliance and the potential for disorder, I don’t know. It just didn’t quite add up.

Keep an eye on what local government says and does, especially the London local authorities. They have a good joint body for emergencies. It was this that stepped in and got Kensington and Chelsea to stop dithering and act over Grenfell Tower. It may well issue more helpful advice.

What would rioting achieve other than a convenient way to spread the virus in a large public gathering?

"The common feature of the low trajectory COVID19 transmission countries of Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan would appear to be an early response and a concerted committed response effort. "

But of course our special British experts know more than world renowned international experts in the field

rpubs.com/thelilster/583398

Did you all watch the 45 minute news conference? Link below. If not then watch it. Far from keeping us in the dark I would say it was informative, realistic and clear. More than any other government - who seem to be shooting from the hip.

Well I didn't vote him in but he's all we have right now so...

The basic message is if your young and good immune system then catching it is not going to be an issue.

But- if you are elderly or have reduced immune response then it could be fatal so stay away from those people. Make sure they are protected.

Shutting schools right now would increase the risk of children ( spreaders) coming into contact with elderly ( probably parents only emergency childcare).

*As I said in some thread, a plague on their houses first. Perhaps we'd get some action then.
*
Ignoring the fact that Nadine Dorries already has it, are you honestly wishing coronavirus on the government?! What a ridiculous, hysterical thread.

I’m really not a fan of BJ but he is taking advice from the country’s chief medical officer. Perhaps he should instead listen to people who are self taught experts who have all day to argue about it on the internet 🤦‍♀️

Regardless of whether his approach is right (I do hope it is but doubt it) his language was less than inspiring. Level with you suggests to me I’ve been telling you a pack of lies cause I thought you were too stupid. Why can’t be have a leader who takes control, speaks with authority and inspires us? He’s a flipping disgrace and the only good thing to come from this sh1t show is that maybe all the people who voted Tory will finally realise.