Tony Blair this morning

[LaLoose]

Did Tony Blair's four-step plan - explained on the Today Programme this morning - make clinical sense, does anyone know? And, if so, why the FLIP aren't we / all European countries doing it NOW???

@SheepandCow

What could possibly go wrong It sounds fucked up from the start. I read Bingham's leak. She plans to throw 45-50 year olds under the bus. She was rambling on about getting it to the over 50s... ignoring that the risk starts at 45, not 50.

I read more sensible proposals somewhere else but can't remember where. They would take into account environmental risks, i.e. deprivation, as well as medical.

This?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-25-september-2020/jcvi-updated-interim-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination

It sounds reasonably sane to me, and certainly doesn’t rule out the under 50s.

Blair talking sense again. Wish he was in charge.

@gluteustothemaximus

Blair talking sense again. Wish he was in charge.

I doubt the disabled share that wish.

I concede that he was - for once - talking sense on this. Miracles do happen I guess.

Good plan from Blair.

Maybe Boris could steal it and pass it off as his own.

Yeah let's just roll out a vaccine with unknown side effects good one mr Blair.

I didn't say letting the virus rip through the population (AKA Brazil) was a good idea...

Immunity is immunity, however it is acquired. How effective or long lasting it is are different questions.

Just because immunity may not be permanent doesn't stop it from being helpful. If enough people are immune for enough of the time, the R rate will fall.

The virus is unlikely to be eradicated completely. Few diseases are. The Spanish flu still pops up occasionally around the world. It needs to be manageable and treatable, not rampant as at present.

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Yeah let's just roll out a vaccine with unknown side effects good one mr Blair.

Actually, vaccines work very simply and really most vaccines nowadays, even though they do have side effects, are generally minimal. What medicine doesn't have a side effect?

"Blair, for once, has spoken some sense. That doesn't mean people can't also slate him for everything else he did - like his war on the disabled."

That's the second time you've mentioned the disabled. What are you talking about?

Far rather listen to Blair than that idiot Farage and his Disinformation Party.

on the one day my car radio could not get radio 4!

Blair is an adult who surrounded himself with adults. Ok, I was younger in those days so they looked old to me but he was a proper politician with a plan, beliefs and stuff.

That's what people miss.

Radio 4 had another chap on just now (always men...). Sir somebody. Saying that there is no evidence of efficacy for any covid vaccine and roll out is premature. That it's really important for any vaccine used to be effective or it will lose public confidence.

I would be interested to know where Tony Blair got his info on efficacy from. Surely there must be some evidence by now!

I would be interested to know where Tony Blair got his info on efficacy from.

Would you feel more reassured if it was a dossier ?

Only if it were dodgy...

@tilderSurely there must be some evidence by now!

I'm sure there's a thesis on the internet that could be sourced.

Let’s not forget that before TB lost his mind over Iraq, he was one of the greatest PMs this country has ever had, so anyone with half a brain should listen to what he has to say.

His plan sounds credible and sensible and given the depth of the hole the current government has dug this country into, ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ should be taken very seriously.

@tilder

Radio 4 had another chap on just now (always men...). Sir somebody. Saying that there is no evidence of efficacy for any covid vaccine and roll out is premature. That it's really important for any vaccine used to be effective or it will lose public confidence.

I would be interested to know where Tony Blair got his info on efficacy from. Surely there must be some evidence by now!

Sir John Bell this guy - GBE FRS FMedSci FREng is a Canadian immunologist and geneticist. From 2006 to 2011, he was President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and since 2002 he has held the Regius Chair of Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK

I would be interested to hear more from people in the know re Blair’s plan for early vaccine deployment

@AgeLikeWine

Let’s not forget that before TB lost his mind over Iraq, he was one of the greatest PMs this country has ever had, so anyone with half a brain should listen to what he has to say.

His plan sounds credible and sensible and given the depth of the hole the current government has dug this country into, ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ should be taken very seriously.

Yes well like so much of what Blair used to say, it turns out to sound credible and nice and soundbitey, but as the post above mine points out, doesn't stand up to much expert scrutiny.

Vaccine efficacy data may not be final or public.

From a quick Google, it appears that efficacy can be defined in many ways www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30773-8/fulltext depending on your interest.

Plus endless posts anticipating trial results e.g. www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6169

So studies are underway that will show efficacy (or not) but final results pending.

From that I would assume it will start to indicate if a vaccine is effective before that evidence is formally reported.

So I guess Tony could be right (If he is referencing unpublished stuff) and Sir John could also be right (because it's incomplete, in draft, not reviewed).

Who knows. Lots of speculation all over.

@AgeLikeWine

Let’s not forget that before TB lost his mind over Iraq, he was one of the greatest PMs this country has ever had, so anyone with half a brain should listen to what he has to say.

His plan sounds credible and sensible and given the depth of the hole the current government has dug this country into, ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ should be taken very seriously.

‘Lost his mind’ over the Iraq war. Wow that’s some amazing minimising there..

You mean his unfounded and unnecessary invasion in to Iraq in search of WMD which didn’t exist, causing a massive power vacuum in Iraq leaving it worse off than it was? his involvement in Dr Kelly’s death?

Some of us forces families still feel the effects of that war. You have no idea.

He is a fucking war criminal

I've only heard clips, so maybe taken out of context but I thought he sounded unhinged!

The Oxford professor who followed the item made short work of explaining why TBs ideas were wrong.

I can’t believe the TB fans on here. I am astonished. He absolutely destroyed world peace with his decisions.

Yes a great orator. But a liar and I suspect a murderer too, but that won’t come out for years

For me as a nurse at the time in NHS, the Blair years were the best. Massive investment in my specialty (cancer diagnosis), the launch of bowel cancer screening. money for new equipment and staff training. Our waiting lists went down from 12 months to 6 weeks. We made massive strides forward.

All undone by austerity from the tories.

I guess some people have missed the news about the plans to offer vaccines to frontline health/care workers and the over 85s starting early December.
Oh and the UK Recovery trials which have been running since April. Patients have been receiving treatments which are being constantly evaluated. Tony Blair hasn't suggested anything new here.
Mass testing of secondary school pupils and staff is a good suggestion though.

@feelingverylazytoday Mass testing of secondary school pupils and staff is a good suggestion though.

But again not an original idea by TB many parents and teachers have been saying this from the outset of the crisis. The more voices that say it probably helps to move it up the agenda though.

@missyB1 the Blair/Brown years were undoubtedly the best period for public service delivery. It makes me incredibly angry that so many services have been underfunded or withdrawn under Cameron’s austerity regime.