Another Press conference

[screwcovid]

By BJ this evening
I can't take much more agghhh

And because any one's personal risk can be very low whilst that person's contribution to the combined risk to the nhs and country is high

If you don't value the nhs and don't care what happens to others , then having a party is logical , that certainly sums up many politicians

If delta kills 100 a day but omicron only kills 50, that is good. Except tomorrow, omicron has doubled (because it is still growing exponentially) so tomorrow both kill 100. It isn’t “half as dangerous” anymore because twice as many people have got it. thank you so much! You made it so clear.

Yes wtf, Lewis Hamilton who moved to another country to avoid paying tax gets knighted, yet Whitty who has worked his arse off to try to protect the UK population and been abused in the street for it gets sweet fa, I hate this country!

@PestoSugarPlumFairy

If anything, we underreported deaths

Have you got evidence for that?

ONS excess deaths analysis

Am I the only that finds all of these press conferences a bit narcissistic? I'm probably being uncharitable, but it feels like they partly happen like this to boost the PM's ego...

@CovidCorvid

Boris not letting the drs answer the question about if they thought restrictions should be increased. Interesting.

Because they’d say to lock down until we’ve found a cure for death

If I was 2 weeks post-booster I would happily be looking at volunteering over the next month. But I’m not, so I won’t be.

Boris's face when the party was mentioned!

Slides - if anyone wants them: www.gov.uk/government/publications/slides-and-datasets-to-accompany-coronavirus-press-conference-15-december-2021

... and he passes to Chris, quelle surprise.

Because they’d say to lock down until we’ve found a cure for death

😆 so true

@PestoSugarPlumFairy

I remember that lots of people died last year, yes.

We have 150k deaths so far.

Is that not enough for you?

People always die.
150k died WITH covid not necessarily OF.
People have had enough of their lies. While we were locked down last year they were having parties. They were NOT SCARED, ask yourself why??

Because they all have private health care?

Not that I am asking anyone to miss their Xmas parties this year.

10% (hosp/death) of 50 cases is less (in real numbers = 5 people) than
5% of 1,000 cases = 50 people) even though the percentage has halved.

Whitty being diplomatic.

The Artful Question Dodger strikes again!

Like the cut of Nikki Kanani's jib, she seems alright.

Good on Pesto for asking about the party!!!

@bordermidgebite during the first lockdown some were scared to go to hospital so many were dying of heart attacks etc at home, cancer treatments also stalled which meant more people died from stuff like that. Do you have any evidence that the excess deaths were from covid, or from restrictions and the implications of lockdown etc? Basically are you assuming it's attributed to covid with no evidence or not?

That reporter didn't sound too well!

Witty is amazing.

Very pro limiting contacts and able to say that diplomatically.

@WoodenReindeer

It's all going to happen again isn't it?

I notice the reporter eantsd to know if the medica thought we should lock down. Do we think BJ will allow them to answer that!?

That's not a question the medics ought to be answering, since they don't have expertise on the harms that result from lockdown and it can only be properly understood as a balancing expertise. They should be able to focus on their area of expertise. As should Boris actually, though in his case that's fuck all.

Easiest way I can explain what he was saying -
(These numbers are for example only)
If delta infected 100 people & 50 died
Then if omicron infected 100 people 25 would die (half)

But omicron spreads much faster (doubling almost everyday)
So the following day, 200 people would be infected with omicron of which 50 would die

So you’re back with the same amount of hospital/deceased

BarmyBrunhilde

Am I the only that finds all of these press conferences a bit narcissistic? I'm probably being uncharitable, but it feels like they partly happen like this to boost the PM's ego...

no you're mot the only one. I suspect tomorrow's Shropshire by election has influenced the decision to run this party political broadcast. ..

@WoodenReindeer

Witty is amazing.

Very pro limiting contacts and able to say that diplomatically.

He doesn't have to think about the effects of that as much as government does though does he. Of course the ideal is to limit contact, shut hospitality and other non essential stuff and have people staying in not seeing anyone. In reality though its a balancing act, and the risks have to be balanced with the implications.

Peston sticking the boot in and asking the question we all wanted answering.

Chris Whitty though 🥺 always lovely.

Re booster roll-out - if it's true that the booking lines were jammed, and venues had queues around the block as described in yesterday's press, why do they feel the need to keep pushing the matter so aggressively?