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Original poster

Italy v England. Why the different levels of sympathy?

301 replies

Whatsthis1515 · 08/05/2020 23:20

I am noticing that people feel sorry for Italy regarding their death toll but for the UK, people are scathing and pointing fingers. Why is this? I know Italy was supposed to be a lesson to us, but surely in that case, they didn't do the right thing either?

Interested to know what you all think.

Thanks

OP posts:
Daffodil101 · 09/05/2020 00:59

😂😂

Prontoe · 09/05/2020 00:59

Sorry what was racist or xenophobic?

@prontoe
If that was said about any other nation it would be xenophobic or racist but as it's about the English then that's ok ??!!

IamHyouweegobshite · 09/05/2020 01:00

Only tonight on the news the gov has decided to check airline passengers and make them isolate, this is not starting today, next week, no the end of May! Its an absolute joke!

Prontoe · 09/05/2020 01:02

I couldn't give a shite if you're missing a head. Just don't come on here to argue a point, with your head missing.

VenusTiger · 09/05/2020 01:02

oh ffs are the press right wing! half of the bbc are either related to or married to labour mps, labour activists or labour members - what planet are some of you on?

@Easilyanxious - I stand firm in my belief that most of the bashers on this thread just hate the tories full stop - it's a pointless discussion which I've seen so many times now - always the same - no-one ever blames the scientific advice - always Boris this, tories that, government this... we have some of the highest pop density in our cities in Europe - we have millions of people flying in to London every single day (which should have been stopped/checked tbh), care homes are supposed to have their own ppe - we were told by the WHO that it was non-transferable human to human early on - we were told by our advisors that it only effects the vulnerable....

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:02

@Prontoe what the last sentence means is we may look back and realise ,as we learn more about the virus some things done were unnecessary and /or other things may of worked better , the benefit of hindsight is always better .

confusedandtired99 · 09/05/2020 01:03

That compounds the fact that the Government couldn’t organise a bunfight in a bakery... why does it take weeks to check passengers arriving to the U.K.? Why?

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:04

@ prontoe as least I was taught basic manners obviously more than you
I have as much right to be on this forum as you , just because I don't agree with you and actually found one of your earlier comments to be borderline xenophobic

confusedandtired99 · 09/05/2020 01:07

I am under no illusions. I don’t think any political party would have done better in this crisis. I think it’s just a reflection of U.K. politics and society at the moment.

Everything feels fractured and disjointed. There doesn’t seem to be any cohesion or collaborative working... just shit show after shit show.

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:07

@ venustiger yes I agree and I didn't vote tories but some on here know better than everyone
Have they got everything right no , but I still stand by until this is over no one will know who got what right if there are second peaks etc
It's a worrying time for all

VenusTiger · 09/05/2020 01:09

And still no-one wants to answer my questions about the scientific advice and whether that's actually to blame? Or discuss Sweden?

Good evening predictable Tory haters. Biscuit

PinkyAndTheBrian · 09/05/2020 01:21

The science that the uk was following early on appeared to be different to the science that was shaping the approach of other countries.

Good practice would have been testing, tracking, and more testing. Cancelling events and isolating people coming into the country. None of this was done.

Other countries have done very well, using social distancing, wearing masks, testing.

Sweden has a very different culture, and is less populated than we are. It’s not an easy comparison to make.

In the UK people seem to be either getting on with isolation and wanting to do the right thing, and those who feel their freedom is being permanently removed and are carrying on as normal, and square up to any suggestions of an extended lockdown or wearing masks.

Prontoe · 09/05/2020 01:22

I'm yet to see a post anywhere of someone accusing Whitty, Harries, Vallance et al of fucking up

They're advisors. Not the PM.

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:22

@VenusTiger I know unless throwing insults or repeating headlines lots of them can't say as they don't know the answer

CloudsCoveredTheSky · 09/05/2020 01:25

"Agree that Italy was taken completely by surprise, no time to prepare"

I'm sorry, but this was happening in Asia way before it was happening in Italy, or do Asian lives not count or something?

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:25

@Prontoe but the pm can only make decisions based on the advice he's not a virologist or a scientist is he .
So unless we find out he's going against their advice then yes they are also responsible to a degree

StinkyWizzleteets · 09/05/2020 01:36

I think a lot of the issue is the media Downplaying what’s going on here. They have reported what’s going on to a certain extent but theyre changing the narrative somewhat when reporting in Britain. The media in the rest of the world have reported very differently on what’s happening here.

We don’t see media outrage at the poor British statistics in the same way we saw with Italy. Were desensitised now. This means the public don’t seem to think there’s any comparison between what we saw on tv in Italy and what’s going on here. The focus is on procurement of ppe or lack thereof in the UK in Italy it was deaths. We don’t know how funeral homes are coping for example in Covid hotspots... but we saw the stories from Italy about their struggle.

Speaking to friends and relatives in the nhs they tell a different story to what’s reported. It’s busy, its hectic and its hellish. My partner returns from work with new horror stories about patients dying or new symptoms they didnt know about. He’s terrified going to work. Media don’t often talk about that either.

ShastaBeast · 09/05/2020 01:37

What’s to discuss about Sweden? How are they doing compared to Norway?

DippyAvocado · 09/05/2020 01:37

Agree that Italy was taken completely by surprise, no time to prepare"

I'm sorry, but this was happening in Asia way before it was happening in Italy, or do Asian lives not count or something?

I think most European governments were initially complacent about assuming the virus would not spread out of Asia, in the way that the SARS and MERS epidemics were pretty much contained within specific geographic regions. Many didn't react swiftly enough. However, once it hit Italy, it was obvious that it could spread far and wide and was now close to home, in a country that many British tourists visit.

There was then a window of 2-3 weeks to act decisively, as Germany did for example. The UK government did nothing, other than focus on how it could take economic advantage of other countries' lockdowns.

DippyAvocado · 09/05/2020 01:38

I think a lot of the issue is the media Downplaying what’s going on here. They have reported what’s going on to a certain extent but theyre changing the narrative somewhat when reporting in Britain. The media in the rest of the world have reported very differently on what’s happening here.

Agree completely.

CrystalTipped · 09/05/2020 01:39

The government cannot win

We're led by a sexually incontinent blond buffoon who bragged about shaking hands with as many sick people as he could during a hospital visit, while the horror had been unfolding in Italy for a month and had reached us, like it was one of his Bullingdon Boys dares.

We should have elected a tin of baked beans. At least it couldn't have done us any harm...

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:40

@dippyavacado what date did Germany lockdown ?

Easilyanxious · 09/05/2020 01:42

@DippyAvocado also what media are you reading here ? They are not behind the government at all at present mostly

Rosebel · 09/05/2020 01:47

Perhaps the lack of sympathy for the UK or England comes from the fact we can't listen. Government told us what to do, told us not to go out today but no-one listens (well some do but not enough).
There seems to be an attitude of we can do what we like and then are surprised that people die. Other countries actually know how to listen.

Headbangersandmash · 09/05/2020 01:59

And still no-one wants to answer my questions about the scientific advice and whether that's actually to blame?

The government hasn't released the names of SAGE members so it's hard for experts outside the government to evaluate the advice given.
I assume that the experts like Whitty present the advice for different scenarios and Boris chooses which path to take. What I mean is they will have something like
scenario 1- lift lockdown completely. Deaths=X, GDP decrease =Y , NHS ICU capacity used=Z then other scenarios like keep total lockdown, soft lifting and harder lockdown.

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