So we are predicted to have the highest death toll in Europe, due to systemic errors made by this government. Do you trust the government to get us out of lock down safely?

[ssd]

I don't. They've f**d up too much. NHS managers are begging for PPE, NHS workers are dying.

This government have really really let us down.

We are predicted to have 40,000 deaths by the end of this.

The only silver lining is is that Labour might get its act together now Keir Starmer is in charge. Things can't get any worse.

And if any tory bots start saying 'at least it's not Corbyn'.. Well save your breath. No one could have made a bigger mess than Boris and Co.

Had Johnson ordered a lock down in early March, people would have compiled, he just needed to lead but as someone said about him "He waits until he sees the public mood, then jumps out in front shouting Follow ME!"

And this is my point, idealism over realism.

How would the gov persuaded 66m to down tools & lockdown in early March, before France for example?

And it needs to be persuasion because how do you forcefully lockdown 66m?

People wouldn't have complied, they waited until people were asking for it and then largely people have been.

Exactly @Tattiebee people have to want it & believe in it. I don't get why it's so hard to understand that.

The testing in the UK is no longer ahead of Netherlands and France. There is more testing in Turkey than the UK.

My seven year old understood why staying at home is important when shown a graph of exponential growth. Was there really no way to explain this to people in the UK other than to waiting for deaths? Do you think folks might have understood the consequence of having to lock down for longer because the virus the harder to contain the more it has spread?

Merkel is a scientist Leo Varadker is a doctor. I think these facts are really important. They understood the exponentiality of the virus. Johnson with his classics degree just didn't get it, and following his landslide he surrounded himself with yes men. The only voice of reason and I never thought I'd say this is Jeremy Hunt.

Yes, that's right, I"m sure Boris Johnson doesn't understand exponential growth.

My seven year old understood why staying at home is important when shown a graph of exponential growth.

And what about 7 yr olds that don't understand why they can't play football with their friends or have a party. Are they less intelligent than yours?

Was there really no way to explain this to people in the UK other than to waiting for deaths?

You really think simply explaining to people would be enough to make people stop socialising with friends & family, an essential part of being human?

Do you think folks might have understood the consequence of having to lock down for longer because the virus the harder to contain the more it has spread?

I'm not sure there is enough evidence for this now let alone in Feb.

Was there really no way to explain this to people in the UK other than to waiting for deaths?

Do you think the awareness about the importance of not speeding or not drinking & driving or wearing helmets when cycling would have being as effective without deaths?

Our government prepared badly, responded badly and continue to obfuscate.

I think they have done a decent job in parts. In others, a very, very bad job.

No, I don't trust them to lead us out safely.

If Johnson & co understood then how could they allow tbe mass gatherings of the weeks 9th and 16th of March. Once the death rate in Northern Italy started increasing we should have closed the schools (all those ski trips). The nonsensce about area 1, area 2 in early March, which changed daily. All preventable and anyone with a passing knowledge of biology and statistics could see that.

What action were you shouting for? And this was all before any European deaths & the public have had scares before eg swine flu.

For the Government to take this seriously.

And (soery to repeat) as the Lancet editor says.

'They had a duty to immediately put the NHS and British public on high alert. February should have been used to expand coronavirus testing capacity, ensure the distribution of WHO-approved PPE, and establish training programmes and guidelines to protect NHS staff'

I wonder if the subtle differences in daily hospitalisation numbers across the country actually tell us that eagerness to comply with lockdown was area dependent ...areas that had started to be impacted more seem to be slowing more quickly.

If you are in a hospital or in London you may have been more mentally accepting than if you were in the north east perhaps

I said we are predicted to have the highest death toll in Europe, in my op, not that we have that right now

You never said that.

It is literally in the title of the OP. And I agree with you OP it's a shambles

February should have been used to expand coronavirus testing capacity, ensure the distribution of WHO-approved PPE, and establish training programmes and guidelines to protect NHS staff'

But how? We don't manufacture much of these things in the UK & import them.

@midgebabe this article discussing what areas did or didn't comply.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/coronavirus-lockdown-heat-map-evergreen-health-a4407621.html%3famp

Hong Kong was at huge risk of being hard hit, with the obvious large scale travelling between there and mainland China, and the densely packed large population. And yet with a population of nearly 7.5 million, has had just 715 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection, including 94 asymptomatic infections, and four deaths.

They instigated a system of full contract tracing, 14 day quarantine for anyone who had come into contact with an infected person. They also quarantined anyone coming into the country for 14 days. And almost everyone wears masks when out.

They haven't locked down at all.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/test-trace-lessons-hong-kong-avoiding-coronavirus-lockdown

This is what the U.K. should do to get us out of lockdown. Not boast about Burberry making PPE or JCB making ventilators. Our government decided they could reinvent the wheel, do better than other countries and ignored the lessons from those who actually had experience of dealing with these types of situations.

But how? We don't manufacture much of these things in the UK & import them.

We could have ramped up manufacturing. Several U.K. based fabric and clothing manufacturers have reported that they filled in the forms detailing their capabilities and offered to help. They were ignored.

Cheers

And yet with a population of nearly 7.5 million, has had just 715 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection, including 94 asymptomatic infections, and four deaths

Really?

I cannot understand who anyone can defend this shower. There was a mock planning session (during the Tory government) on a pandemic which flagged several areas of concern; nothing was done. Three opportunities to be part of PPE ordering with the EU were missed, UK manufacturers offering to make PPE, scrubs, gowns were overlooked/contracts were awarded out of country and items that have arrived have not been fit for purpose (see also testing kits). Boris Johnson ignored PHE advice and almost died. This lot are a total fucking disgrace. I have colleagues who have died because this government and those that support them have made stupid selfish decisions. If you can still defend them you are either soulless or stupid.

And yet with a population of nearly 7.5 million, has had just 715 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection, including 94 asymptomatic infections, and four deaths

Really?

That's what is says in the link - no idea if it's true and it does seem quite unbelievable and amazing.

Essentially they did exactly what the WHO advised. And it has apparently worked.

Several U.K. based fabric and clothing manufacturers have reported that they filled in the forms detailing their capabilities and offered to help. They were ignored.

This was a mistake but it's not
as simple as get phone call from uk factory & make masks, this is what happens when you are used to importing

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-52082248

Hong Kong did a great job as did Taiwan (who the WHO don't even recognise) however we are not like them & can't become like them in a couple of months.

What do people think of Sweden's approach?

The Govt did need to import PPE. But it missed out on a round of bulk purchasing in February.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/uk-missed-three-chances-to-join-eu-scheme-to-bulk-buy-ppe

Cost was an issue with this scheme:
www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/advice-on-protective-gear-for-nhs-staff-was-rejected-owing-to-cost

More from the Lancet editor here

'Scientists have been sounding the alarm on coronavirus for months. Why did Britain fail to act?'

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/18/coronavirus-uk-expert-advice-wrong

This is also a good read.

Another timeline, with news links, around the many failings. It includes the PM encouraging hand shaking (by this point the MN 'worried about CV' had been around for weeks and we were gobsmacked by this irresponsible advice, Dr Harris saying The virus will not survive very long outside" "Many outdoor events, particularly, are relatively safe."
And Sir Patrick Vallance saying: 'About 60 per cent [virus penetration] is the sort of figure you need to get herd immunity."

mobile.twitter.com/uk_domain_names/status/1244163627483045889