Does anyone think Boris is right?

[Emcont]

I'm not saying I do. But I'm curious to see if anyone agrees with the strategy they're going for as most of what I'm reading is against.

Hiding away is just prolonging things.

Yes! So that the health system can cope with the fewer number of cases at any time, instead of having to choose who goes on the available respirators, for example.
Have you not seen the news from Italy?

I'm certain that his 'plan' will backfire. As the whole world is going into isolation, countries closing borders, etc., it doesn't even make economical sense to carry on with business as usual over here. Also the NHS is going to collapse under the strain, and many people will die not even from the virus itself but other conditions that can't be treated due to the lack of resources. I feel so powerless being stuck in a country that goes against all scientific evidence.

The moderate distancing is with 1 in 4 people moving around, the higher level is with 1 in 8. So this is with essential services only, I would imagine.

No I don’t think Boris is right. But I think the scientists are, who are the coming up with the policy.

I can’t stand Boris but I think people are becoming blinded by their hatred of him to the point that whatever he announces will be the wrong thing.

Most of the other countries are just going with the "stick our head in the sand and hope it gets better" but there's no plan B

Look it up and you'll find it's mostly the reverse.

The journalists who I think are trying to be accurate say that Johnson et al are following advice of experts. This is amazing... and slightly amusing. Anyway, I believe the experts are more likely to get it right than anyone else. So I broadly support the policies although they are contradictory & constantly changing.

Just coz other countries are doing different strategies doesn't mean they will get better outcomes. It's a natural experiment and hedging our bets (as humanity) means we should do different strategies in different places.

The thing I most believe is that this thing can't be stopped by Draconian measures everywhere. I also think that absolutely each and every country & govt is going to get it "Wrong": in that, with hindsight, they will see many decisions that could have been better and some that were clear mistakes (in hindsight). There's no obviously best set of policies. Every country will get it wrong.

Yes and I can't stand Boris, but I do have some understanding of science and statistics and so far it makes sense to me.

The trouble is that this is so much bigger than anything we have experienced in most of our lifetimes, it is very painful to accept that ;

Its going to kill thousands.

It cannot be stopped, possibly spread out but not stopped.

The NHS has a tiny fraction of the beds/staff/ventilators required to cope.

Face these facts and one soon realises painful decisions are having to be made, who to prioritise, how best to proceed etc.

Boris is taking the experts advice, as Corbyn would were he in power or any other Prime minister...this is so far beyond one political party it is laughable people are spewing hatred at such an important time.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country"

People should put political views aside and look at their own situation and the experts recommendations. and see what each and every one of us should best do.

We each have to take take our own decisions and responsibility as no Government can fix this.

Saoirse or what about taking the teachers with underlying health conditions out of the equation.

Kids with underlying health conditions don't need to go to school and teachers like you teach them online.

Workplaces need to help by enabling parent to be able to drop / pick up their kids from school.

Why are so many keen to lock up children for months on end. What long term damage will that do to them and their mental health.

I am fed up with children being villified in this.

Yet if you have genuine concerns about how a healthy child will cope you are cruel and selfish.

Yes, it's not just going to disappear after isolation. People die everyday. We will all die at some point. Just need to get on with it.

It isn’t a question of ‘Boris’ being right - these decisions are being taken by COBRA/SAGE. He’s fronting them because he is the Prime Minister

This. Stop making this an excuse to air political views. We have world leading experts in the UK and I trust their judgement.

Scientists will come up with strategies and scenarios and Boris will choose which to apply.
Government scientists involved in the decision will either resign or stand by the Government.

If Boris isn't prepared to spend money on testing, supporting workers, or tracking contacts of cases (too late now), then there are very few options for infectious disease control scientists to offer.

Right or Wrong doesn't really matter if the government are war gaming this situation as potentially bio warfare and preparing for another wave, and that's why Herd Immunity is on the agenda ...

No.

Anyway, how exactly are the elderly going to self-isolate successfully? They are the ones that go to the doctor's and pharmacies most often because they need to. Many have dementia and won't even understand the concept of staying at home. The whole herd immunity argument doesn't add up; why would the curve be flatter by letting the virus run it's course?

Just adding that the government in Portugal, where I am, is covering 3/4 of parent's salaries to let them be at home with their children after closing schools.They are testing and keeping an eye on transmission chains.

And yet Portugal have a relatively relaxed approach to public events;

"Events held in close spaces with more than 1,000 people have been prohibited, as well as all events held in open spaces with over 5,000 people."

Btw, I voted for my country's PM. I usually vote for them. I actually know our current Health Minister personally.

I have no problem disputing their judgement on this, and have been advocating for closures before they made that decision.
My opinion on this is most certainly not clouded by my opinion of Boris.

Given the terrible state of the NHS and the shaky ground on which the economy rests I think that not going into lock down now is wise.

The only way to prevent mass infection would be to close boarders which would kill given our dependence on trade for food and medicine.

In that event we need to ask what we can do to minimise deaths. Going into lockdown now won’t be very effective from the point of view that few people would be scared enough to adhere to it. It would also make it more difficult to go into lockdown later on because people would already be short on money and would also be less likely to think that others would stick to it.

The best option is to incrementally increase social distancing measures as rates of infection increase with the aim of preventing a sharp spike in infections (giving the NHS the best chance it has of not collapsing) coupled with a stupid amount of spending in the thus that this would be enough to prevent mass job losses (and the starvation/homeless that this could cause).

A lot of people see what’s happening in Italy and panic. They want to do irrational things like stock up on toilet paper (no one actually needs toilet paper, it’s genuinely on of the stupidest things to panic buy). Clearly the general population arent really equipped to handle this, people are loosing their heads. Boris is just following expert advice - something that we should all be doing. This is going to be bad. And this is going to be long. We need to give ourselves a fighting chance.

Lweji

Let's all imagine your simulator at work these past weeks at Cheltenham. In schools, colleges all the trips that carried on. Right now as its spreading like wildfire.

We see vignettes on here of how nothing is being done in schools, there is no action to contain this virus.

We cannot even count it now.

We are in big big trouble and I am removing one dc from the Tuesday and the other has been off anyway with illness.

I don't want them to pick up anything else because they won't get near a hospital!
It's hard enough to get to a doctor now and our cases are still low.

Yes

Oh let's not forget the Madrid Liverpool game!!

And yet Portugal have a relatively relaxed approach to public events

Have been having, and getting stricter too. (See my previous post)
But, crucially, our situation ATM is more controlled than in the UK.

The only way to prevent mass infection would be to close boarders

I think you mean borders.

But it's way past that for the UK.
Internal barriers need to be created too.