Prof. Van Tam

[itsgettingweird]

Wow. He's just made a brilliant clear statement on the daily update.

Hopefully he's allayed many fears and also explained to people why having the freedoms must remain within the guidelines.

@nellodee

He also keeps saying "IF contact tracing is in place" then R will remain below 1. I think that is the main point of contention.

A - it isn't in place, B - there are still too many cases for it to be effective and C - the government have just blown the necessary trust for it to work properly.

Completely agree.

@beachdays123

Hope this doesn’t mean he’s barred from future briefings though! Dame Angela was very clearly critical of the government the other week and she’s not been back since!!

They’ll have nobody left to ask on!

Just seen on Twitter - Van Tam goes Van Damme.

Made me chuckle

I hated him at the start but he's grown on me. I think he's very clear and concise.

I thought he was fantastic! Really, really good.

I loved his little dig at DC too.

Yes I like him.

They’ll have nobody left to ask

Don't worry - there are still plenty of middle-aged white guys left who are happy to pretend that politics and science don't intersect at all during a global pandemic...

And whilst he's being very clear and explaining it in a way I get I was trying to listen to ds asking me to nip to shop (literally 200m away) as he really wants wibbly wobbly chips.

Not as clear! (Eventually worked out when there he meant crinkle cut )

As well as “data” he said “stadia”. Of all the people who do the briefings he is the most trustworthy, and believable.

Can I ask the significance of the data and stadia mentionings and their context?

I fear that I’m either being very stupid or I’ve missed something

@ArriettyJones

Also he said “these data”. I love him.

All the science experts say these data, very correct

Can I ask the significance of the data and stadia mentionings and their context?

It’s just the correct/old-fashioned (according to your prejudice) grammar, and it takes me back.

I see he's in effect blamed the public then if it all goes tits up.

Even though it's obvious before we start that there will be a second wave as the numbers of new cases are too high (8000 a day) and there is no effective tracking and tracing in place.

Much prefer him to harries. I feel she is to political and want to keep in with her political bosses

Can I ask the significance of the data and stadia mentionings and their context?

The context was premier league football games being restarted but in empty stadia (apart from the players, obvs!).

What’s the betting he won’t be seen again now!!

Another fan of Prof. van Tam here. I think he’s very honest and says what he believes rather than what the government want to hear. And he was very clear about Dominic Cummings.

Data, stadia - plural
Datum, stadium - singular

stadia/stadiums are equally good in English.

day-ta as opposed to dah-ta is a recent US import.

PS: Johnathan Van-Tam's grandad was Prime Minister of French Vietnam.

I have always felt he was more truthful and clear than any of the others.

People refusing to follow the guidelines because Cummings wasn't need to remember that DC won't care. It won't affect him. They will be the ones potentially getting ill and that will be the actual consequence, not anything on Cummings.

I loved his response to the Cummings question- clearly unimpressed by him!

I wasn’t keen on Van Tam.

I’ve just changed my mind.

I'm a bit scared of him, but I hugely respect everything he has to say. He is clear and direct.

I saw him. I've always liked him Becaue he gives a straight honest answer. He was great today and it was very clear by his delivery what he meant. Good for him!

Effing that's not what I took from it. He was extremely clear that trace and trace needs to be effective or not will fail. And that people must kick to the guidelines and exercise consideration to numbers of contacts. That meeting 5 at a social distance is fine. But if you start to have your cake and eat it and meet 5 for breakfast, 5 for lunch and 5 for dinner you've basically trebeled your contacts and risks.
He said we are at a point that we need to stick to rules - and well probability be ok. But we won't if people don't adhere to social distancing and correct numbers etc.

But yes. Of course there is a level of responsibility on us.

I'm someone who says Cumming should have gone. But I'm not risking friends and family as part of my protest. On that respect I'll listen to the science and follow that (as opposed even to what Boris says)

The problem is, that it doesn't matter what Van Tam Johnson or Mother Teresa says, the majority have lost trust in the Public health message and what we can all see now is double standards and "putting the cart before the horse... " we haven't a working TnT system and no app to support it either..... end of June, at the earliest.

People won't stick to these rules because they think those at the top won't either and they'll use their instincts instead.... i mean why 5, why not 4 or 9 ? who is going to not invite that 6th best friend or 8 around for a BBQ ? (Boris said it was ok after all, the correction will go unnoticed)
And then when one of these extra guests gets CV, are they going to be honest and admit they broke the rules? or if its mild, even get a test and have no money for 14 days?