‘I strongly refute the system is failing’

[Timekeepspassing]

Dido Harding has denied that track and trace is failing and that no one saw the rise in test coming. Pretty sure any parent, medic or teacher could tell you there would be a rise, not only when schools returned, but also due to the change in season in general.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-head-of-test-and-trace-says-rise-in-demand-for-covid-tests-wasnt-expected-12074297

I know little about this woman apart from swirling rumours of chumocracy, but anyone who uses refute to mean deny is clearly unfit for any responsible role.

@notevenat20

The number of tests processed every day is now over 200,000 . It’s true that lots of people can’t get tests as well. But it’s not clear how easy it would have been to make 200,000 into 500,000 or more.

But that 200,000 processed each day does not equal 200,000 people nor is it solely made up of only antigen tests. The number published includes antibody testing, which at the moment has a very limited role. Each person is normally swabbed twice so in reality you have something around 100,000 people a day being able to be tested. Not only have you got to cover symptomatic people with that number but also retests for borderline samples, surveillance for research and the surveillance of health and social care workers to prevent outbreaks due to asymptomatic infections.

But that 200,000 processed each day does not equal 200,000 people nor is it solely made up of only antigen tests. The number published includes antibody testing, which at the moment has a very limited role

I am not sure if that is right. I thought those were counted separately now.

In any case, it's a very large number (maybe 240,000 now?) and much larger than it used to be. So we can't say they haven't tried. We can say they haven't succeeded.

@raddledoldmisanthropist

You don’t have to be a parent to know this. People without children aren’t completely clueless.

Very true. Boris has lost count of how many kids he has, and he's still clueless.

I'm sure Boris isn't legally allowed to say how many children he actually has. For some reason some pretty intelligent women fall for his charms.

@notevenat20

But that 200,000 processed each day does not equal 200,000 people nor is it solely made up of only antigen tests. The number published includes antibody testing, which at the moment has a very limited role

I am not sure if that is right. I thought those were counted separately now.

In any case, it's a very large number (maybe 240,000 now?) and much larger than it used to be. So we can't say they haven't tried. We can say they haven't succeeded.

I heard exactly the same thing on two news sources yesterday.

It would irritate me less if she just admitted the system is rubbish and they need to improve it.

All of this pretending that it's just fine and dandy is ridiculous.

@notevenat20

But that 200,000 processed each day does not equal 200,000 people nor is it solely made up of only antigen tests. The number published includes antibody testing, which at the moment has a very limited role

I am not sure if that is right. I thought those were counted separately now.

In any case, it's a very large number (maybe 240,000 now?) and much larger than it used to be. So we can't say they haven't tried. We can say they haven't succeeded.

They are counted separately but the overall figures the government give are always the total number of tests. So it is quite misleading when the government say over 250, 000 tests a day are being done.

Full fact have the data summarised. They have a nice graph but only runs up until 1st September of the test numbers including total test numbers, while Pillar 1 and 2 make up the majority, the total of all tests was just under 200,000 and also stated ‘There have been, at most, 227,465 tests done on a single day (on 10 September).’ Again all tests.

@knittingaddict

Just checked. She has two children. How can this have escaped her?

She'll get tests for herself and her children, just like Gove and others in Govt did back in March, so why would she care?

No one gives a shiny shit what other countries are doing in regard to testing.

You can only get a test by stating you have 1 or more of 3 symptoms, so how on earth can Hancock state 27% do not need testing and are the worried well.

It reminds me of the PPE- when each individual glove counted as a single item.

@FlibbertyGiblets

I feel bad dissing a woman, but she's done spectacularly well out of failing often in her working life, non?

I think women should be defending other women in politics, especially on this platform.

It's the men who are ultimately in charge and responsible (Boris/Hancock).

They are counted separately but the overall figures the government give are always the total number of tests

I got my numbers from one of those govt data webpages. I never listen to what they say on TV.

Yet again on this thread, the public are being accused of "panic".

For months we were told to test. You were frankly irresponsible to not get tested even if you weren't sure. Better safe than sorry. People have dutifully done as they were asked and now are being told they're the reason for this failure. It's cold season; people are coughing and they're trying to stop the pandemic getting out of control.

Look the Government squarely in the eyes and direct your blame where it is due.

'No one gives a shiny shit what other countries are doing in regard to testing.'

They would give a shiny shit if everyone was doing more but as we are leading in tests per million it isnt quite as interesting to the msm www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Again, they should have seen this demand coming but they need to repeat the message that, for example, just because a colleague you saw briefly in the corridor has tested positive, or your ndn's cleaner has it doesn't mean you need a test.

Of course nothing was planned for the surge.
Schools are safe remember, children don't pass it on and the bubbles will protect them.

Government are already setting the narrative that Sage is to blame. Schools are to blame because they didn't offer any online remote learning. Parents/guardians to blame because of ridiculous reasons.

If your limiting factor is tests, you need to prioritise who gets the tests. This means a medical professional plus public health guidance to do this.

Schools and the public do not have the info and expertise to do this. Bizarre decisions by govt.

@notevenat20

But that 200,000 processed each day does not equal 200,000 people nor is it solely made up of only antigen tests. The number published includes antibody testing, which at the moment has a very limited role

I am not sure if that is right. I thought those were counted separately now.

In any case, it's a very large number (maybe 240,000 now?) and much larger than it used to be. So we can't say they haven't tried. We can say they haven't succeeded.

Pillar 1 testing (tests carried out in Public Health England (PHE) lab and NHS hospital settings) was around 68k yesterday. Pillar 2 testing (tests out in the community, such as care homes) was around 133k

I think women should be defending other women in politics, especially on this platform.

You what?

I defend women's right to work in politics and I support the practical things are needed to make political life accessible to more than just the Old Boys' club.

I do not defend an individual woman's bad decision just because she is a woman. And I certainly don't defend the continued rise of someone who has made a career of incompetence.

If Di Hard were being pilloried while, say, Failing Grayling was given a pass, because Dido's a woman, I would have something to say about that. But personally I'm happy to criticise both of them, and Harding is failing on her merits. Or complete lack of them.

@notevenat20

They are counted separately but the overall figures the government give are always the total number of tests

I got my numbers from one of those govt data webpages. I never listen to what they say on TV.

Members of the cabinet are consistently say that we are doing over 250,000 tests a day. It is about how you present the data. The same can be said for any government and figures. The matter is that there are not enough tests for demand and the government has consistently failed to meet its own targets on testing.

They would give a shiny shit if everyone was doing more but as we are leading in tests per million it isnt quite as interesting to the msm

Irrelevant if you are forced to self isolate/loss of earnings/cancelled surgery/kids off school because you can't get a test.

Again, they should have seen this demand coming but they need to repeat the message that, for example, just because a colleague you saw briefly in the corridor has tested positive, or your ndn's cleaner has it doesn't mean you need a test

We don't know that is happening, as the only why to get a test is to state you have one or more of three symptoms.

This woman is either spectacularly thick or she doesn't live in the real world. Just like most of the government.

There are very few people around who could not see this coming a mile of, with the probable exception of those in government.

We are at the start of cold and flu season and schools have just gone back. Universities will be back soon. Many people are also back in offices for at least some of the week. Of course there was going to be a big surge in the demand for tests.

The government sat back over the summer though and put nothing whatsoever in place while they still had the chance.

To cap it all, yesterday we had Rees-Smug berating us all publicly about endless carping.

They would give a shiny shit if everyone was doing more but as we are leading in tests per million it isnt quite as interesting to the msm

How many new people are being tested for CV daily?

Some figures suggest just 70k.... the rest made up of re tests on same person, tests on people already in the system and anti body tests.

I'm registered for the covid messenger emails for 5 areas. 4 are now saying there is only 1 new case . These were areas that were previously registering new cases of 12-20+.
It's obvious the testing is completely and just not happening.

My youngest started in Reception a week ago. Sore throat and runny nose yesterday. Temp of 38.5 this morning, which has swiftly come down again with calpol. No tests at all coming up on the govt web page. I'm frontline NHS and am now stuck at home (with likely tonsillitis child and asymptomatic older sibling) until we can get her tested. Given the amount of time they've had and the money that's been thrown at it, there really is no excuse. My Trust may re-introduce testing for staff and their family members, and while I'm grateful it also makes me furious that yet again, the NHS will be picking up the slack from private companies who have been paid millions and whose service is not fit for purpose.

My other worry is that asymptomatic people will just decide to go back to work/send kids back to school if they can't get a test, and not isolate properly.

I'm confused. One of the meanings of refute is "to deny", isn't it?

I haven't heard what she actually said though.

Her interview just highlighted how out of touch with the reality of what is actually happening in our towns and cities she is. The general public are seeing and experiencing it so no matter how many times she says it is not failing we know that it is. In my area cases over the last few days show reduced positive cases but what we really know is the numbers being tested has reduced due to the difficulties obtaining a test.