Why is hardly anyone talking about the total failure if track and trace?

[Moonme]

I started a thread a few weeks ago saying how angry I was with the government for letting the delta variant in but I’m even more cross now it’s so wide spread in so many areas. With our ‘world beating’ test and trace should we not have been able to keep on top of cases and stop the wider spread? Where has the billions of pounds been spent?
Hardly anyone seems to be mentioning this on any media outlets. Why aren’t we holding this government to account for this?

@2020isnotbehaving

I’m Deaf I’ve no idea how they would speak to me. There is no where on the app to tick don’t ring me email or text. Apparently they would ring you up to 20 times a day until you answered, that would have been fun. Same with checking into places no option for don’t ring me when they just want your number. Surely not much ask when costs so much.

Not Deaf/deaf myself but I get the impression from this govt that they have NO awareness of the issues at all.

Whatever folk feel about Nicola Sturgeon (Scotland) and Mark Drakeford (Wales), they have at least had BSL signers at their televised press conferences throughout the pandemic. Compare and contrast with the press conferences in Westminster presided over by Johnson, Hancock, et al.

What you are asking is totally reasonable. Grr.

Far be it for me to defend Dido a large percentage of that budget was for PCR testing which to be fair is carrying out a huge amount of accurate tests every day (around a million a day in 2021, from just 5000 odd a day last March). If you need a test you can get one pretty easily on a walk in, even the postal one I did was super quick and that's been the case for quite a long time now.

And we can't move for LFTs - they're everywhere! If you want a pack, you can pick them up in lots of places or a pack is sent to your house, at no cost (well no ADDITIONAL cost!) I have to say they seem a bit dodgy, it's clear a lot were purchased and I'm not convinced to their accuracy. My sister works in a hospital and went from having two pcrs a week to two lfts and I thought at the time they just wanted to use the lfts up. She jokes they must have a warehouse full of them somewhere, all with a use by date.

Tracing is a joke I agree - many people have to work or don't want to change their plans so aren't going to report positive cases, and I know plenty of school kids aren't doing their tests, far less reporting results, positive or negative as the website's so clunky. I don't think I've seen anyone scan the QR in shops and the NHS Test & Trace app drains my battery with the location services and so I have to be honest I switch it off sometimes.

No doubt we’ll be needing Test And Trace over winter when we have high levels of vaccination. There’ll still be some escape and we’ll want to keep an eye on it to prevent more lockdowns. Then it might be doable. If people comply somehow. I hope it won’t need to be Track and Trace like China!

@2020isnotbehaving

FaceTime?

Yes but if they ring from a withheld number I’m guessing how can you supposed to communicate that? Unless they are FaceTiming everyone. Like I said there is no system to say anywhere. Not just track and trace it’s every company or shop that makes you put your phone number down or you can’t proceed. No option to say yes here’s my number but I can’t talk on phone so don’t bother.

Perhaps they'll start looking for answers when austerity kicks in again?

Perhaps they’ll start looking at the CCP and Wuhan lab once the IMF is drained.

Test and trace (or is it track and trace) is a totally pointless objective when the disease is endemic in the country.
Many people don't have the app, can't use the app, don't answer the phone to unknown numbers. In fact it is not compulsory to own a mobile or come to that even a landline.
There is no incentive for anyone to name contacts, especially if they know that people will have to isolate unpaid for 2 weeks (or is it 10 days?).
Some people will have been asked to self isolate several times.

There are times when farty smartphone tech just isn't the solution. This is one of those times, and a bit of thinking in advance about what would happen would have made that clear. But the gravy train was just too tempting for the sleaze balls. Harding does seem to be Teflon coated.

@2020isnotbehaving

That’s awkward for you! If it’s on your medical records I’d have thought that Test and Trace (who ring you up) would have already known. I’d shout down the phone ... “can’t hear you, hearing impaired, I’m isolating but you’ll have to text, FaceTime, email or send a hot soldier round”

@WuhanClanAintNothingToFuckWith

To be pedantic, Track & Trace is the post office mail teaching system and absolutely nothing to do with the NHS or covid 19 whatsoever. NHS Covid 19 is the mobile phone app for checking in and contact alerts.

But the covid app ain’t linked to your records. That’s the big deal of getting people to download in the first place you are just a number not named person with all your details at their finger tips. It has your phone number that’s it. If I went to Costa yesterday and my Number come up as being in there same time as someone who tested positive today. Then it’s a phone call. Unless someone can tell be other wise.

In fact, no, i’d shout, “can’t hear you, no smartphone, no email, send a hot soldier round” 😂

• tracing system

@Moonme

I started a thread a few weeks ago saying how angry I was with the government for letting the delta variant in but I’m even more cross now it’s so wide spread in so many areas. With our ‘world beating’ test and trace should we not have been able to keep on top of cases and stop the wider spread? Where has the billions of pounds been spent? Hardly anyone seems to be mentioning this on any media outlets. Why aren’t we holding this government to account for this?

Good questions OP.

All those billions. Our billions - taxpayer money - going to various cronies on failed schemes.

We should have a good track and trace. Particularly after spending billions on it.

We also shouldn't chose to do as some on this thread want. Some speak of aiming to nearly eliminate Covid as if it's a crime. Can you imagine. A Bad Thing to limit a frightening and lonely death, to avoid long term disability and organ damage (Long Covid), and protect the longer term economy.

We absolutely shouldn't condemn our children to grow up and grow old in a future with endemic Covid. If we do, they'll look back and ask why we chose to burden them forever with the ongoing health and financial impact of endemic Covid.

Not in any way defending T&T but one of the problems especially with a new variant is that by the time someone's taken a test, got a result, the sample has been sequenced as being the variant of concern and requiring the additional contact tracing it's already too late... Especially if the person lives with several other people who may or may not be infected too, and they're spreading the virus at school/work etc. It's just not possible to keep track of contacts in that situation, especially now restrictions have been lifted and everyone is mixing more.

But obviously OP's questions are relevant for us all. Whether supporter of 'live with it' let Other People die or develop disability from it let the bodies pile up, or elimination/suppression/containment.

Billions of taxpayer money was spent on track and trace.

If people really think T&T isn't/wasn't needed, then the money should have gone elsewhere.

Then we're told there's no money for social care, disability benefits, mental health support, homelessness, education, or the NHS...

British public Covid fatigued indifference with only government expectation of continuing corruption and incompetence (factually correct according to independent data!) milking deaths in this once in a lifetime golden opportunity to personally benefit the few in “charge” (including family and mates for future jobs/income streams etc) from the mass misery to all other human beings whether lives or livelihoods!

NHS Covid 19 is the mobile phone app for checking in and contact alerts.

Why is op calling it T&T then? They have an app which can track you, and phone lines if you prefer.

@WuhanClanAintNothingToFuckWith

It only works if u are going for strict ZERO covid and you need more accurate tests and understanding of transmission/incubation periods. Aren’t China using feacel tests?

Anal swabs (self administered in private). Apparently gives a more accurate result? I'd probably rather do that than the nostril/throat swab tbh.

That's reminded me... I thought we were trialling saliva tests. Don't know how that went?

We were checking sewage. That's meant to give a good picture of case numbers. Don't know what's happened with that?

Very short-term thinking again as usual. WE WILL BE NEEDING T&T AGAIN IN THE FUTURE when we have a handle on things. It’s not over yet. Let’s hope it’s doesn’t have to be TRACK and trace.

Anal swabs (self administered in private). Apparently gives a more accurate result?

Gulp 💩 Wednesday and Sunday nights (if you had high school kids) would be fun!

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

British public Covid fatigued indifference with only government expectation of continuing corruption and incompetence (factually correct according to independent data!) milking deaths in this once in a lifetime golden opportunity to personally benefit the few in “charge” (including family and mates for future jobs/income streams etc) from the mass misery to all other human beings whether lives or livelihoods!

Unfortunately you're right.

Add in no real opposition. The horror that was Corbyn at the start of the pandemic, seemingly ineffective Starmer (tbf as the media don't like him and don't give him much airtime, we wouldn't know half the time what he calls for), and likely next up King of stoking division, Andy burning through taxpayer expenses, Burnham.

There's no one to call the corruption, cronyism, and incompetence to account.

@WuhanClanAintNothingToFuckWith

Anal swabs (self administered in private). Apparently gives a more accurate result?

Gulp 💩 Wednesday and Sunday nights (if you had high school kids) would be fun!

I feel sorry for the people working in the lab.

@WuhanClanAintNothingToFuckWith
We had a handle on it until the new variant came in so why would it be effective in the future if you are saying it couldn’t have been used now?

@2020isnotbehaving

I’m Deaf I’ve no idea how they would speak to me. There is no where on the app to tick don’t ring me email or text. Apparently they would ring you up to 20 times a day until you answered, that would have been fun. Same with checking into places no option for don’t ring me when they just want your number. Surely not much ask when costs so much.

Maybe you should remind anywhere you have to give your phone number of this...

www.disabilityjustice.org.uk/learn-more-and-take-action/accessible-information-and-communication-discrimination-guide/

You'd be amazed at how many companies suddenly remember that they can text or email you when faced with that.