Why don’t the Government ever take preventative action?

[Jacquelineinabox]

I mean this as a genuine question: I seriously don’t understand why they can’t foresee what’s going to happen and do something about it, rather than always reacting once things are already bad.

The scientists are telling them they need to close schools and have stricter measures in place - everyone knows things are going to worsen over the next month or so. Why wait for the NHS to be even more stretched and more people to get sick and die? It is pretty certain at this point - at the damage to the economy has and will be done anyway.

Why not take preventative action now, rather than making a U turn as they always do in two or three weeks, when even more suffering has occurred?

I totally agree OP. Boris spent months telling us all we're 'following the science' but now it appears we are not. The government's handling of the pandemic seems to be to consistently react too slowly to developments and make u-turn after u-turn.

Because they play to their moronic backbenchers and the polls more than they govern.

I don't know.

Every step of this was predictable. The hospitals are going to be carnage in two weeks and pressure will increase if schools open. But they're still planning to open schools again . If they'd tested in schools and extended breaks since sept they could have controlled it a bit. But hey 🤷‍♀️.

I’m tearing my hair out over this too. Our only two accessible hospitals are at 97% capacity, our rates are double the national average, but our primary schools are due to open. They can’t even apply logic to decisions, let alone make them in good time.

Why do they have to leave everything until it’s too late? Why do they listen more to their pigshit-thick backbench ideologues than their scientific advisers? What is wrong with them?

It’s because they never spent long enough playing space invaders as a child and so they are perpetually aiming at where the virus is now, when they should be aiming at where it’s going to be next.

Well you would think so but the ethos of a Conservative government is not to intervene. It's to allow market forces to lead the way, not state intervention and that is what people have voted for. It goes against Conservative principles to intervene and so is at odds with their core policies and beliefs. The same will occur as Brexit comes into effect, market forces will lead the way. In theory if we don't have enough tomatoes some entrepreneur will create them or an alternative and that will solve the issue. This is a very simplified explanation. We don't want the state to help out so if schools are closed by the state, who will look after the workers children? It's a serious question. We have voted for a regime which believes you look after your own children and family. You can't then moan and expect someone else to step up and provide assistance. We hear all that one role saying you shouldn't have kids if you can't look after them. Nobody wants to pay extra taxes to look after your children, that's why schools were not closed. Nobody wants to pay the huge cost of providing support for university students if they don't go to university, so they government encouraged them to go. You can't then moan when the students spread covid. The government are in a pickle because to impose stringent lock down goes against its principles.

noel

They also need to balance psychological factors. If the government were too efficient there is a sizeable chunk of population who would not believe there was a problem and would consider the response disproportionate. Sadly, I suspect to get compliance (and cynically not lose at next election) a certain level of crisis needs to be reached.

I also think a certain proportion of the population will only act in self interest not for the wider good. Therefore they need to be panicked into believing there is risk for them and their close family.

@Noellodee

It’s because they never spent long enough playing space invaders as a child and so they are perpetually aiming at where the virus is now, when they should be aiming at where it’s going to be next.

Many a true word etc....

It’s not even a Covid thing. It’s always like this. So many preventative strategies could be put in place to prevent damage/reduce costs long term but aren’t.
Social care, education, health are all constantly fire fighting rather than taking away the matches.

I said ages ago schools should have been closed but those in power are not necessarily intelligent enough to see the blatantly obvious or they simple don't care. Let's be honest, those in power don't really care if 90 year old Marjorie dies in the care home as they know another 90 year old will take her place and pay the care home fees. 90 year olds don't contribute financially into the system.

Because they are useless.

It's just knee jerk all the way.

They were warned months and months ago about what would happen in schools. Even though I did not vote these incompetents in, I naively expected a plan, but once again its chaos, back of fag packet stuff.

A useless leader and inexperienced cabinet. A shambles.

It's not about how intelligent they are, it's about keeping their own back benchers and voters happy.
Something weird has happened during this pandemic where everyone seems to forget the 'The Government' is actually a political party in power.
They are advised by a civil service that has to implement their plans.

@middleager

It's just knee jerk all the way.

They were warned months and months ago about what would happen in schools. Even though I did not vote these incompetents in, I naively expected a plan, but once again its chaos, back of fag packet stuff.

A useless leader and inexperienced cabinet. A shambles.

Yes I didn’t vote for them either I should say! And am very aware they are a political party.

Nonetheless I still don’t think I fully understand their motives for not acting sooner - the non interventionist stance makes sense to a point, as do the back benchers. I think beyond that we’ve just got to put it down to incompetence. That and playing space invaders

@LadyWhistledown

I totally agree OP. Boris spent months telling us all we're 'following the science' but now it appears we are not. The government's handling of the pandemic seems to be to consistently react too slowly to developments and make u-turn after u-turn.

They do follow the science... by at least two weeks, if not two months.

Because a) they are not that bright b) they don't care about humans they care about money c) they are so arrogant they thought they knew better than the scientists d) they don't want to upset the public by making hard unpopular decisions because that affects their job prospects.

I imagine a lot of working parents voted for them too and closing schools is not a vote winner. Neither is it a vote winner with grandparents.

https://dravalblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/30/the-covid-memory-test/

This blog article lists some of the distractions and failed promises:
"Memory test – do you remember..
– Dyson ventilators?
– Nightingale hospitals?
– Putting “a ring around care homes” to keep them safe?
– The “world beating” test and trace app?
– Laptops for all the kids who don’t have one to school at home? 2/
– The instant testing “moonshot”?
– The volunteer army?
– Some sort of programme to help abuse victims during COVID?"

I suppose it's what happens when a one-cause, inexperienced party is elected.
I won't call them populist because I don't think they are: they manipulate the electorate, they don't follow them.

The Conservatives have always governed like this, with some changes due to who is Prime minister, but generally small government, non interventionist and led by markets.
Even more annoying is that they had ample time to plan for a pandemic, it’s been top of the national risk register for years. They didn’t prepare despite warnings and other pandemics.

It is not because they are not bright. It is as @emilybrontescorsett says a consequence of market driven ideology, together with backhanded to not very competent friends and a contempt for working people. Plus a lot of idiocy, granted, but it is idiocy that is rewarded by our political, social and economic system.

Agree.

I was under the impression that the advice was act quicker for shorter. It's harder to undo if you let it get out of control - then insist on mixing pupils in school 🤦‍♀️

Because they have been selected for their brexityness not their intelligence, and because they want votes more than they want to save lives.

Whatever they are, this current Government is not traditional Conservative.
Mrs. Thatcher would despise them.