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Original poster

Theresa May

26 replies

Jourdain11 · 07/12/2021 16:03

Did anyone hear about Theresa May's question to the Health Secretary in Parliament yesterday?

www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2021-12-06a.56.0&s=speaker%3A10426#g62.1

I have to say that I broadly agree with her and I am surprised that this hasn't been more widely reported on - she is, after all, a former Prime Minister. She is also, on a personal level, someone who could be at greater risk of serious illness (T1 diabetic and over 60).

It's interesting to think that, if she were still PM, we might find ourselves taking a different approach as a country. And I do personally believe that this approach would be more reasonable - what is really the point of passing measure which affect the travel industry so adversely when the variant in question is already spreading in the community?

PM May was never noted for being particularly incautious, either...

OP posts:
madisonbridges · 07/12/2021 16:12

From my reading it was initially thought that the data from South Africa was showing that the new variant was less serious but that the South Africans are rowing back on that now that they have chance to see more hospital admissions. I've also read that in Europe the thinking is that it's more serious. The simple fact is that it's too soon to say either way so a bit of caution until we know more is best. Truth is, once it's in the country, if its more transmissible, it's only a matter of time until it spreads as they won't be able to eradicate it.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 07/12/2021 16:20

Theresa was dealt a bad hand imo. Boris heckled her constantly. She wasn’t the best PM, but certainly not the worst. I’ve said all along that she’d have been much better as a PM during covid than Boris.

She actually understands what it’s like to be CEV and the implications. I’m sure we would have had a different response to covid if she was in power.

wonderstuff123 · 07/12/2021 16:22

@madisonbridges

From my reading it was initially thought that the data from South Africa was showing that the new variant was less serious but that the South Africans are rowing back on that now that they have chance to see more hospital admissions. I've also read that in Europe the thinking is that it's more serious. The simple fact is that it's too soon to say either way so a bit of caution until we know more is best. Truth is, once it's in the country, if its more transmissible, it's only a matter of time until it spreads as they won't be able to eradicate it.
Can you please link where you've read about the SA's changing their mind about the severity
InCahootswithOrwell · 07/12/2021 16:31

The problem is that part of her question involves the myth the natural progression of viruses is to evolve to become less serious. And she’s sort of added that to what I think we’re some partially reported early comments by a SA doctor to add 2 and 2 together to come up with 5.

I think she’s misused the concept of learning to live with Covid as well. I suspect that what experts mean when they say it and what lots of lay people mean is very different.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 07/12/2021 16:33

I'm not sure that the position in South Africa is yet clear enough to be able to say whether the disease pattern has changed. I think they are wanting to avoid people asserting prematurely that it's less severe in many, because that way lies catastrophe if it's wrong.

Also, if it causes high case numbers, even with less severe disease, that could still land us with a major problem. A smaller percentage of a considerably higher number of cases means more hospital admissions, and that wouid be very bad news.

So I think the return of masks on transport and in essential indoors spaces is a good thing, at least until we know more. It should only be a matter of a few weeks. And it anti-infection measures might keep flu and noro numbers down, which is also a good thing

Deborah02 · 07/12/2021 16:36

@Jourdain11

Did anyone hear about Theresa May's question to the Health Secretary in Parliament yesterday?

www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2021-12-06a.56.0&s=speaker%3A10426#g62.1

I have to say that I broadly agree with her and I am surprised that this hasn't been more widely reported on - she is, after all, a former Prime Minister. She is also, on a personal level, someone who could be at greater risk of serious illness (T1 diabetic and over 60).

It's interesting to think that, if she were still PM, we might find ourselves taking a different approach as a country. And I do personally believe that this approach would be more reasonable - what is really the point of passing measure which affect the travel industry so adversely when the variant in question is already spreading in the community?

PM May was never noted for being particularly incautious, either...

Very interesting points made here.

I agree OP.

InCahootswithOrwell · 07/12/2021 16:52

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

I'm not sure that the position in South Africa is yet clear enough to be able to say whether the disease pattern has changed. I think they are wanting to avoid people asserting prematurely that it's less severe in many, because that way lies catastrophe if it's wrong.

Also, if it causes high case numbers, even with less severe disease, that could still land us with a major problem. A smaller percentage of a considerably higher number of cases means more hospital admissions, and that wouid be very bad news.

So I think the return of masks on transport and in essential indoors spaces is a good thing, at least until we know more. It should only be a matter of a few weeks. And it anti-infection measures might keep flu and noro numbers down, which is also a good thing

My understanding was that given the increase in transmission and the combination with immune evasion we’d need a massive drop off in severity for it not to look bad.

Given that the NHS has been running at bad winter peak level for about 5 months then we rally are going to need that drop. Or encouraging Covid spread while putting token masks in shops and public transport is going to look like another catastrophic Boris balls up.

madisonbridges · 07/12/2021 17:01

@wonderstuff123. I will have a look. It was an article that came into my news feed and it was tied in with something else. It's so difficult to track articles down but I'll try. I definitely read it though.

Polkadotties · 07/12/2021 17:06

Majority of hospitalised patients in SA were there for other reasons

Polkadotties · 07/12/2021 17:07

@Polkadotties

Majority of hospitalised patients in SA were there for other reasons
Posted too soon
Theresa May
Pootle40 · 07/12/2021 17:10

South Africa.....with a vaccination rate of 20% or something. Apples and pears.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/12/2021 17:11

@InCahootswithOrwell what's the alternative, though? It's impossible to keep bailing out industries which are forced to close, but you can't expect them to just suck up the losses either. I sense restriction fatigue - if restrictions were reintroduced, I can't imagine people would be any more than outwardly / minimally compliant. Saying, "just reintroduce wfh" is easy, but it leads to decreased output and performance in many sectors (leaving aside the many many jobs which are impossible to wfh in).

I think she's right - there has to be a point where you stop periodically shutting down various sectors of the economy (be it catering, hospitality, travel or anything else) and instead ask people to be hygeine/health conscious, annual vacc programme in place, increase NHS funding if it looks like the service cannot cope (which as far as I can see is the case every single winter, Covid or no).

OP posts:
frozendaisy · 07/12/2021 17:15

Quite easy being critical when the buck doesn't stop with you.

Claudethecat · 07/12/2021 17:17

There is now talk of a stealth version of omicron, which could make it tricky to know the full extent of its spread. I honestly no longer know whether to worry or not.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/07/scientists-find-stealth-version-of-omicron-not-identifiable-with-pcr-test-covid-variant

peridito · 07/12/2021 17:27

I'm probably wrong but aren't we currently at that point ? Nothing's been shut down in England has it ?

there has to be a point where you stop periodically shutting down various sectors of the economy (be it catering, hospitality, travel or anything else

peridito · 07/12/2021 17:33

I'm worried about the strain on the NHS and shortages in the labour force if people are isolating .
Though I guess many won't proceed beyond a positive LFT in order to avoid having to do so .

Deborah02 · 07/12/2021 17:51

[quote Claudethecat]There is now talk of a stealth version of omicron, which could make it tricky to know the full extent of its spread. I honestly no longer know whether to worry or not.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/07/scientists-find-stealth-version-of-omicron-not-identifiable-with-pcr-test-covid-variant[/quote]
This is starting to become ridiculous.

MargaretThursday · 07/12/2021 17:52

@DobbyTheHouseElk

Theresa was dealt a bad hand imo. Boris heckled her constantly. She wasn’t the best PM, but certainly not the worst. I’ve said all along that she’d have been much better as a PM during covid than Boris.

She actually understands what it’s like to be CEV and the implications. I’m sure we would have had a different response to covid if she was in power.

I don't know. I suspect she's been looking at all this mess since she got out and thinking "thank goodness I wasn't PM for this!" Grin
tootyfruitypickle · 07/12/2021 18:06

Zoe guy was on telly this morning saying it presents as a cold so is spreading quickly So it sounds less severe, but a massive wave is still an issue for the health service

Saying that, I agree with her.

HesterShaw1 · 07/12/2021 18:22

[quote Claudethecat]There is now talk of a stealth version of omicron, which could make it tricky to know the full extent of its spread. I honestly no longer know whether to worry or not.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/07/scientists-find-stealth-version-of-omicron-not-identifiable-with-pcr-test-covid-variant[/quote]
Oh God I refuse to worry about this as well as everything else!

Glugglejug · 07/12/2021 21:57

Never thought we’d get to a point where I find myself shaking my head in agreement with TM but here we are.

Glugglejug · 07/12/2021 21:58

Ahem, I obvs mean nodding!

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/12/2021 23:06

@MargaretThursday I always had visions of TM in 2020 having nightmares in which she was presiding over the country's Covid response and being called to the chamber to answer urgent questions for 12 hours a day by Bercow, under some convention from 1621. Then waking up and daily offering up thanks that it wasn't reality!

OP posts:
bumbleymummy · 07/12/2021 23:11

Can we get rid of Boris and bring her back? Grin

bumbleymummy · 07/12/2021 23:12

[quote Claudethecat]There is now talk of a stealth version of omicron, which could make it tricky to know the full extent of its spread. I honestly no longer know whether to worry or not.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/07/scientists-find-stealth-version-of-omicron-not-identifiable-with-pcr-test-covid-variant[/quote]
If it’s ‘stealth’ then that would suggest it’s too mild to detect. Surely that would be a good thing? Confused