“Together we can defeat this virus”

[IfIHadAHeart]

From Boris’s press conference.

I really don’t think this is a helpful message. A virus cannot be “defeated”. Not to mention that the strategy is completely impossible to understand due to being different across different nations/areas, and the measures themselves seem contradictory and pointless.

Somebody somewhere is gathering fascinating data on all this as a study of social compliance (not a conspiracy theorist, but I’m sure this is all useful information for future governments).

@Itsabeautifuldayheyhey

Nice to see a voice of reason *@Friendsoftheearth*.

Where?

Only 18% of people self-isolate after developing coronavirus symptoms, research also shows just 11% of people in contact with those testing positive stay at home for 14 days.

-Apparently it's from the ons surveys.

@Venicelover - re CW and the question - because it was in the context of different bits of the U.K. having different rules I felt it was more that they had info that he had advised against households mixing as per other nations, but the government had not implemented that. I think they were trying to give him an opportunity if he wanted to say I personally am no longer mixing household. I don’t think the media would hold back if they had something on him breaking guidelines

*Did anyone find it odd that Chris Whitty was asked about complying with the rules? His answer was that he had 'tried' to do so and would 'try' to do so with the new ones.

I wondered if the press have something on him and were seeing what he said.

I thought it was a strange reply for someone in his position.*

I noticed that too.

I felt sympathy for the government at first because it was (is) a totally new situation, and regarding the timing of lock down, I felt they were damned if they do, damned if they don't. While a lot of people seemed to think it was a simple equation of lives v economy, its obvious that there wasn't (and still isn't) a simple answer, the two are too closely linked - damage to the economy has an effect on peoples health, lives and eventually life expectancy for those at the sharp end.

I have, however, been insenced by the continuous gaslighting, firstly about Domnic cummings and then all the bullshit about T and T and insisting that testing was working perfectly fine when everyone could see it was a shambles. It annoys me that this has probably led to people just doing their own thing, and disregarding the guidelines.

I would rather there was a cross party effort to tackle the problems and practicalities, and rather than political point scoring have competent MPs from all parties working together on it...but I'm not sure if BJ is too arrogant to want that. I think if there was a selection of people from all parties encouraging compliance rather than the elite few, then maybe people might have more patience.

They did manage to spend 3.8 billion on PPE that wasn’t fit for purpose, didn’t arrive or didn’t exist because it was paid to companies that were never likely to be able to provide it. That’s not usually how success is defined.

And there may be a small issue on the horizon this winter that means that only 70% of the PPE we need being manufactured in the U.K. might be an issue. And this government will be almost entirely responsible for any issues that occur there.

Imo.
It can't be defeated.
They lost control months ago during lockdown. That should have been stricter like other countries.
The rules are absolutely ridiculous. I mean how they vary compared to Scotland etc for example the rule of 6 including it not including kids. Yet we're all human. If we're going to catch it it's not going to make a difference what part of the country we're in, or what time of the day it is.
I'm getting to the point now that I rarely follow what's on the TV as its all just twoddle.

I would've felt more sympathy had so many of them not been part of the post 2010 Tory governments who deprioritised pandemic planning. Before then, the UK had been considered well prepared under both Labour and previous Conservative governments. It was something both parties had taken a responsible attitude to, until this lot arrived on the scene.

@camomileleaves

I think he's trying to keep the economy going whilst trying to keep everyone safe but the fucking idiots that don't obey the rules (a couple of my family members for instance) that are fucking ruining it for everyone else being sensible and obeying the rules. (I'm high risk. I try to go out twice a week, apart from collecting young kids from school) I'm fed up, as are lost people. I want my life back and just wish people could be sensible. For what a month? Cases would drop dramatically and then we could maybe get back to even a bit more normality.

Many won't agree but my opinion that I'm entitled too.

It won’t happen. Look at us here in Scotland. Cases all but gone. No deaths for ages. As soon as things open it surges back.

Boris is full of shit. Why anyone listens to him, his idiotic cabinet, or his advisers and think any of them know what they are doing is beyond me.

In Germany tests are available via GP surgeries. Fancy that!

@Itsabeautifuldayheyhey

A virus cannot be “defeated” It's not going to go away. It's here to stay. Hasn't Smallpox been eradicated?

Due to vaccine, yes. Based on people having the vaccine and not assuming they are being injected with a tracker

Also he kept saying “we have done this before we just need to do it again” we did it before as we were in full lockdown he seems to be forgetting that not half way house lockdown like currently.
We can go to the shops, the pub, most things open still in a lot of regions so how can it be comparable?
He is a dimwit who needs his hair trimming properly and not with a strimmer

That should have been stricter like other countries.

Depends what you mean by stricter, some more severe restrictions like not being allowed outside for exercise would probably make little or no difference to the number of infections (outdoors with social distancing = very low risk to almost no risk) but can cause other problems (lack of physical exercise is not healthy, lack of Vit D, mental health etc).

They lost control months ago during lockdown. That should have been stricter like other countries.

What good would that have done really? Look at Spain.

"That should have been stricter like other countries"

The UK lockdown was stricter than many countries had

e.g. Germany (where I live) allowed unlimited exercise outdoors, sitting on benches, sunbathing etc (except for a few infection epicentes)
provided you were alone. Just got tough on people meeting up outdoors.

BJ's mistake over lockdown is that it was too late considering the spread of infection;
hence it had to go on for some weeks longer than e.g. Germany's

The hair was a bit distracting during the Q&A. There was something odd going on at the back.

It might be Merkel goes all Boris toward the end of her press briefings, or is out breaking all the covid rules after them, but I do think we are a long way off Johnson being able to provide anything like this level of clarity in a speech.
mobile.twitter.com/BenjAlvarez1/status/1311256865481916422

More worryingly it’s not actually clear from anything I’ve seen him say that he has this level of understanding.

@MadameBlobby

They lost control months ago during lockdown. That should have been stricter like other countries.

What good would that have done really? Look at Spain.

Wasn’t a large part of Spain’s problem that in order not to kill the summer tourist industry they unlocked very quickly, particularly night clubs?

@ChaChaCha2012

I know for certain that we should be making an effort to show some support to the government and PM regardless of the politics for now

They're incompetent liars. To show support for this shitshower would mean we are complicit in their actions. No. I'll show support when they do something worthy of it. Anything at all.

... This

BJ started off with massive support:
most world leaders did, the public rallying round in an emergency

Some leaders were competent and honest, so kept public support & trust, even increased it

BJ squandered the public's trust with incompetence, dishonesty, Cummingsgate, confusing rules he can't remember himself ...
and - shamefully - repeatedly giving key jobs to incompetent Tory hacks
and fat contracts to Tory / Leave-supporting companies

All without allowing other applicants for those jobs or contracts

@midgebabe

Iyou test, trace, squash and repeat

It's like housework, never done but you can keep on top of it

Exactly this.

But we're not capable of it because Boris and his cronies just don't get it and they're too busy putting money on their mates pockets. And Boris has to practice waving his arms about and wringing his hands.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

The hair was a bit distracting during the Q&A. There was something odd going on at the back.

It might be Merkel goes all Boris toward the end of her press briefings, or is out breaking all the covid rules after them, but I do think we are a long way off Johnson being able to provide anything like this level of clarity in a speech.
mobile.twitter.com/BenjAlvarez1/status/1311256865481916422

More worryingly it’s not actually clear from anything I’ve seen him say that he has this level of understanding.

... I live in Germany

Merkel understands what she's doing and explains it to us clearly
Doesn't make jokes, no artfully tousled hair, just quiet competence

Testing, track & trace systems worked from the start
Health system with huge spare capacity

9,400 deaths in a population of 83 million
Average daily cases just under 2,000 atm

Noone's perfect, but she has 82% approval rating

I know for certain that we should be making an effort to show some support to the government and PM regardless of the politics for now

The problem with that @Friendsoftheearth is that the government has treated the public with contempt. I totally agree they’re in an impossible situation and whatever they did re balancing lockdown/economy some wouldn’t be happy. However the Dominic Cummings saga, the blaming of the public when things go wrong for doing as we were told (eg getting tests, going out to eat) - they can have no complaints at all at the lack of support from the public.

"Hasn't Smallpox been eradicated?"

It took about 200 years from discovering the vaccine to elimination.

Exactly. She has the background to understand it and explains it in a clear, simple way. It’s the thing that is missing from the U.K. ones, because we keep adding words like moonshot to them.

More worryingly, I think that clip highlights what a hole we’ve got into at this point. It makes the idea of a 2 week circuit breaker look a bit laughable.

BigChoc do you know if there’s a dubbed or English subtitled version or stream of the full briefings? I’d like to watch more than just clips, but my German is nowhere near good enough.

@AlecTrevelyan006

I think we are in this for the long haul. As in years. The British population wont rise up in protest. We will just keeping taking the beatings. Unless this government falls, i just don't see the approach changing. Only Covid matters. NOTHING else is relevant. Today, STILL banging on about defeating the virus. Total annihilation of the country is now assured.

Life as we knew it is gone forever.

If i can keep my head above water during whats coming, i'll take that as a win. Enjoying life will have to take a back seat. Probably for a very long time.

Crank up the hyperbole to 100%, Alec.

Boris is full of shit. Why anyone listens to him, his idiotic cabinet, or his advisers and think any of them know what they are doing is beyond me.

^ this