Westminstenders: A test of logistic planning

[RedToothBrush]

We are witnessing a demonstration in Government crisis management.

For the past week journalists have asked the same questions and politicians have said they've already done it / are doing it in the near future. But as time wears on, the inability to produce the answers or demonstrate results is proving illusive.

This will have consequences.

It is a demonstration in how planning has proved to be lacking in certain areas.

With Brexit in mind, the lack of vision, coordination with business and wider capability and capacity this does not bode well.

Claims that his condition had not deteriorated came under increased scrutiny after it emerged that a bed at St Thomas’ was being prepared for Johnson as early as Thursday last week. He spent Sunday night on an empty wing that is normally used for elective procedures, a source said, before being moved to intensive care on Monday evening.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/06/boris-johnson-moved-to-intensive-care-after-his-condition-worsens

Well that does suggest the timing of the Queens speech and his admission to hospital was choreographed.

And suggests he's worse than its being let on...

Why the pretence?

Times reports a doctor saying Johnson received 4 litres of oxygen,
which is below the normal 15 litre threshold for ICU

• suggesting he is in a better condition than most ICU patients

That's positive for him

.

Guardian reported that Cabinet ministers insisted he hand over to Raab

I wonder how much BJ has been actually "tweeting" or "working" the last day or two - sounds more like No 10 office desperately trying to pretend he is.
Or Cummings trying to.

The Fail front page have this photo of him, which is either a very poor quaity one - or he has acquired a lot of sores on his face, upper lip etc

It’s been so hard to sift truth from lies with this lot. They’re such practised dissemblers. I think BJ is probably a lot worse than they admit. To suggest anyone remotely requiring intensive care is capable of working, or that they will be able to go back to work in the relatively near future, especially someone so generally incapable of real work, is pure nonsense. Just having them say it shows how gullible they think the public is, and/or how far removed from reality they are.

His parting shot ?
Maybe that's what No 10 were hanging on to do

(transl from NL news)

https://nos.nl/artikel/2329589-geen-vertraging-brexit-onderhandelingen-door-coronavirus.html

The British government plans to continue discussions with the European Union on the future relationship after Brexit.

It is also not envisaged to extend the transition period.
That was announced by a spokesman for Prime Minister Johnson.

"The law states that the transition period will expire on December 31,"
said Johnson's spokesman.

Talks with the EU negotiator are conducted by telephone. 🤦🏻‍♀️

"We are determined to continue the negotiations."

Looking at the detail of the schools going back in DK, the local authorities will be able to make decisions about when and how to reopen, if at all. It will be gradual and staggered over a 4 week period. I don't expect all our children (who are primary school age) to go back next week. Maybe the eldest for 2 days a week. I think the plan is to test the hell out of the staff and anyone with mild symptoms and and shut schools quickly if there's a positive result. i am going to prepare for the local authority to close schools again at short notice. I wouldn't be surprised if areas with cases still (mainly in cities) don't reopen at all. We'll see how it goes. I'm nervous of course, but the number of people being tested has dramatically increased over the last week or so, so I'm fairly confident they are on top of hot spots.

Crufts 5-8 March
Liverpool Madrid match 11 March
Cheltenham 10-13 March
Stereophonics concert 14 March

Ireland was already closing down by that point, ahead of St Patrick's Day.
Chicago had canceled its St Patrick's celebration.

At the time, Boris Johnson and his advisors were touting herd immunity, all no doubt believing (because the British upper classes have no reason to believe otherwise) that they would be the beneficiaries of other people's misfortune.

• It is also not envisaged to extend the transition period. That was announced by a spokesman for Prime Minister Johnson.

"The law states that the transition period will expire on December 31,*
said Johnson's spokesman.

Eldest DD ( student one) said to me last night that just because some one is ill, it doesn't make their past actions right.

It was always a deep deceit that the 0.7 % of GDP spent on EU membership was needed to save the NHS. It was an unforgivable deception.

The NHS was thought by many of those in power to be too expensive, too weighty a burden on the wealthier tax payer. It was seen as dispensable in its current form.The ERG and their ilk espoused a strong survival of the fittest policy for example JRMs comments that he would have known to defy the fire brigade to exit the Grenfell tower.

Many articles about Johnson say he fundamentally believes in survival of the fittest outlook too. I really hope he recovers - but that the process leads to a damascene conversion.

https://www.socialeurope.eu/how-his-brexit-project-explains-johnsons-dithering-on-covid-19

If we were in the US the 25th Amendment for Presidential Incapacity would have kicked it now.

Oh God how I wish they would just pull out the finger and exercise this in the case of Our Glorious Leader.

He is Number One on Facebook you know.

The whole hydroxychloroquine issue has not been helped by the French researcher, Raoult, who's been pushing it. I'd love to know what Mistigri has to say about it, as she is much more knowledgeable about such matters than I am.

My understanding is that there is some evidence that, if administered early, the drug can help alleviate symptoms.
Raoult's first test has been criticised because:
only 24 patients
all w mild symptoms
all selected by Raoult
no control group
Raoult didn't follow his own protocol
he published the results within 24hrs in a journal whose editor works with him (ie no proper peer review)

Raoult comes across as a complete tosser, convinced he is a unique genius surrounded by morons.
(Article here in Fr if you can stand it. As DS2 (10) pointed out, starting off an interview by saying, "Apparently you don't understand things the first time you're told them" and then coming out with stuff like, "I'm a worldwide star in my world" is unhelpful.)

The drug also has serious side effects.
One or two of Raoult's patients went into cardiac arrest, I think.

The fact that guy in the US drank fish tank cleaner is being cited as evidence (hydroxy)chloroquine is dangerous, but that's irrelevant. Other than as evidence, were it needed, that people who listen to Trump are not the brightest.

Here, the issue has fed conspiracy theorists: they are suggesting that because hydroxychloroquine is cheap and Macron is in the pocket of big pharma, the gvmt is refusing to allow widespread use so that big companies can look for a cure to flog at a higher price.

A hospital near me is using it, in conjunction with antibiotics.

A close business associate has contacts in the Irish racing industry. There were people very concerned Cheltenham went ahead. They felt the horses could have run without the crowds..... they were particularly concerned about the Irish people who travelled over to attend/watch and then travelled back.

It is such a mess, my husband was saying early afternoon that he thought they were lying about BJ's condition. I think because if you pay attention to how this virus effects people, if you do get sick...., you get v v sick.

So I have any faith that they will pull together and not descend into a fight over positioning? No - Gove will be positioning and I don't think Rishi and Hancock will have the support. And with Gove, Cummings stays.....unfortunately

Articles in Eng about Raoult/hyrdoxychloroquine:

www.politico.com/news/2020/03/30/in-france-controversial-doctor-stirs-coronavirus-debate-156889
www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-chloroquine-treat-coronavirus/

Contradictory study (of 11 patients)

And a doctor in N Orleans saying Plaquenil (chloroquine) doesn't seem to be helping his patients, so he's stopped prescribing it:
scroll down to "treatment"

I am worried about an early return for schools as Denmark is talking about measures to come out of lock down soon and schools reopening is near the top of the list.

I’m not a regular poster on these threads but enjoy them. I am currently living in Denmark and actually thought the PM’s press release yesterday was very good on the whole.

They’re allowing nurseries and schools up to 5th grade (11 years old-ish?) to re-open as of 15th April but anyone who feels the slightest anything must stay home and that certain procedures will be in place to keep the usual health guidelines. Also parents can keep any children home where a family member is in the high risk group. She also said if the numbers or health advice changes, they’ll change the policy again and all other restrictions are still in place as this is a long game and can only be done in small steps whilst monitoring the overall picture (they’ve cancelled all big events until August).

but anyone who feels the slightest anything must stay home

And therein lies your problem in the UK...

There are too many families at our school where both parents work. Without an official closure many families would just keep sending the kids no matter what.

Plus the lack of testing here.

I know our school has been struggling a little with the half in half out situation and providing work. They were unable to do it before the announcement to close even though there were loads of kids off as the teachers were so stretched already (with many covering for staff absences already).

They have a large number in school the last couple of weeks and have found doing that as well as the homeworking really difficult and have had to work more.

There are some schools in the local authority which have been able to completely close in contrast!!!

Lisa Harewood @islandcinephile
Barbados' Minister of Health just indicated in a press conference that ventilators destined for the island had been "paid for but seized in the United States". It's every country for itself out here and the small ones will be the biggest losers.

Just hoist up the Jolly Roger.

There is an article here about schools:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52180783

As a teacher , this obsession with following the science troubles me here . I wonder if Prof Viner has stepped inside a school since he was a wee un.

I reads somewhere else, and now frustratingly can't find it , that schools reopening should be the last thing to be considered.

Articles in Eng about Raoult/hyrdoxychloroquine:

I've seen conservations among academics on twitter and elsewhere that basically make it clear that he's a fraud and a bully. But he's manoeuvred himself into a position where even a relatively sensible government can't stand up to him.

Auld, on Raoult:

twitter.com/schneiderleonid/status/1242889208651448322?s=21

It's one of those things that everyone seems to know (academics, hospital managers, journal editors, probably politicians too) but it seems like no one can do anything about because he has his "sponsors" in the media and high places.

And maybe it works, who knows? But there is no proper evidence with a correctly conducted clinical trial, and in the meantime, the serious side effects mean people are being harmed.

As some wag on twitter replied, in response to Trumps suggestion that people have nothing to lose: "sinus rhythm".

Re; schools. I think it depends what societal norms are.... when dear sis lived in Switzerland all kids walked to school by themselves but schools were small and very local.
There is no way I could socially distance at DD school at drop off and pick up - and it's not just her year.... it's several years together. Maybe they could completely re-jig pick up and drop off , but I am not sure how.......( and I put some thought into it when they were still in school and wasn't sure they should be.....)

From that BBC article:

So children going back to school would probably still have to follow the stay-at-home advice outside of school, and also the 2m close-contact rule while in school.

HOW IN THE HELL IS THAT REMOTELY WORKABLE?

4 year old Johnny hasnt even learnt to sit still.
6 year old Sally wants to dance with her friends at play time.
8 year old Matt has learning difficulties and doesn't understand what the 2 meet rule is.
10 year old Melissa is overly anxious and finds the 2 metre rule traumatic to try and keep to constantly and gets very upset if it's accidentally broken.
14 year old Kate and Bob are in love.
16 year old Nigel is a bully who likes to scare the younger kids.
Miss Jones has 35 in her classroom which was built at a time when classes were smaller and they had less resources to store so the class can barely fit in at the best of times.
Mr Smith has a high number in his class who he needs to spend one to one time with. From 2 metres.

Ds had been forced to use alcoholic hand sanitiser which gave him open sores. They still have not fully healed.

I take hydroxychloroquine for a chronic health condition. I've gone from being reassured it may help me, to concerned I wouldn't be able to fill my prescription, to nervous about all the side effects (which I am aware of but aren't as common as people are making it sound), to relieved I'll be able to get it if it's not actually useful, worried that it's not helpful for CV, etc etc etc.

All of that RTB especially the snogging ! Imagine if the only place you could legally paw at your bf/gf was at school!

Plus... what about school buses?