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.

Can anyone on here answer or clear up a couple of things for me:

1. Why was testing of NHS staff capped at 15% until recently?
2. Why is international travel still allowed in and out of the UK?

Thanks!

Raoult comes across as a complete tosser, convinced he is a unique genius surrounded by morons.

So, your typical French male senior academic then ;-)

I'm still pondering how kids at DS's school would pass in the corridor with the 2 metre rule...

That article has made my morning for its comedy value.

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.

I think there must be some cultural differences at play here? We’ve also had emergency care for key workers but very few have apparently used it. The head of the LEA of our municipality (greater Copenhagen) sent a letter to all parents. He said that out of 4900 school children in the area, only 15-20 children have used the emergency care offer per day.

Must be massive cultural differences!!!

Our school alone has just over 400 kids. I know the number of key worker kids who have been in. Its more than that.

It's a massively levelling force and yes it has brought these striking ironies and what some describe as 'karmatic' situations (personally I don't believe in this and don't really like the concept of the 'deserving' versus 'undeserving' where ever it pops up). The optics of it do add to the effect though.

The optics are important here, and not just for ordinary voters. For the past three years, the UK's political leadership has been acting as through provoking a crisis (the No Deal Brexit) was fine because plucky Brits could weather it with their blitz spirit.

Now we have a real, unmanufactured crisis that is demonstrating that the whole point of crises is that they don't respect status, institutions, feelings or assumptions, and they tend to run away with you very quickly. They are ruthlessly unforgiving of leaders who've not meticulously planned, then actioned the plans, and then made the right from-the-hip decisions at the sharp points even when they've not got all the data, or the experience, or complete surety about what the biggest problems actually in in all the changing complexity.

That's why we try to avoid starting crises, rather than setting them off in exchange for admiring headlines to win over people who don't understand the risks.

I hope the PM recovers quickly, because he has children and a baby on the way and a nation to lead through this crisis. But if he is incapacitated for a long time (or worse, God help us), it will be a tragedy in the most classic sense.

Mistigri, thanks for that.
Article in the Guardian today about Trump and chloroquine mentions Raoult a lot and says in his second test he didn't include deaths in the data. WTF??
BurneyFanny: So, your typical French male senior academic then ;-)
Probably worse where you are than here, but we have a few like that.

Poor Johnson. From trade partner to guinea pig in one fell swoop. That, plus the ventilator seizures should make him think twice about American assurances. Trump is burning a lot of goodwill over this, with his neighbours. It's not going to be forgotten or forgiven.

Red is right about the power vacuum. Raab's in charge as long as Johnson is around and able to resume control in the future. Otherwise, it's a political clusterfuck.

We really don't need this. Can someone order a 2020 reset?

As a human being, I hope BJ recovers - although a small part of me thinks that should he need one, he should be the first to use one of the "new" ventilators made by, eg, Dyson.

Well that’s an interesting take, the prospect of “No Deal” Brexit being a manufactured crisis? and one manufactured or “provoked” exclusively by one side of the “deal” table too it would seem from that comment!

Now we have real, unmanufactured crisis that is demonstrating to me at least, that we are more resilient than we have been allowed to give ourselves credit for being. A crisis that could demonstrate that “No Deal = No Fear” for us. That’s an alternative way to look at it, anyhow.

"one manufactured or “provoked” exclusively by one side of the “deal” table too "

Well, only the UK side is refusing an extension

Trade deals take several years in normal times, so sticking to 11 months was always ridiculous
Now trying to negotiate by video - when each topic has a team - is the the height of absurdity

"we are more resilient than we have been allowed to give ourselves credit for being."

Look where being so blase about risk has got BJ

And right on cue, a reminder that for some in this country crises are a spiffing opportunity to demonstrate their patriotic stiff upper lips. I'm sure that is a great comfort to people on the front lines of public services, the business owners wondering how long this will last and if they can wait it out, to grieving families, and of course to the PM.

France - paper presented for review:

No Evidence of Rapid Antiviral Clearance or Clinical Benefit with the Combination of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Infection.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0399077X203008588^

The drug is sold by Novartis, who donated $1.2 million via Michael Cohen, to gain access to Trump.

Coincidentally, 🤔 Trump has announced that the drug will be bought (in vast quantities) for the national stockpile

Yes, No Deal is a manufactured crisis.

It wasn't an option on the ballot paper, so once there was a small margin in favour of leaving the EU the more considered response would have been to go away and research all the options. I dare say if that had happened, most people, except the rabid right, would have gone for a Customs Union at least, and probably, maybe reluctantly because of the immigration issue, accepted that we needed Freedom of Movement.

What a shambles this country is, to even consider sending kids back to school without testing! It's a complete farce. Points of high contact between vectors and super spreaders, particularly asymptomatic ones (kids) should be avoided at all costs until the virus is at least being controlled and can be proven so through testing.

Louise if you think this is showing UK in it's best light my mind is blown. Other than the community responses of the majority to stay home and the hugely underfunded NHS who have suffered without PPE thanks to Bozo's lack of competence, we have shown ourselves up very badly once again on a global scale. Only the US has made more glaringly foolish errors. Btw why was Trump banging on about nursery rhymes "the cupboard was bear, did you hear about that one"? Bloody hell!

Anyone who mentioned the consequences of No Deal during the ref campaign was slammed for Project Fear, aka "scare-mongering"

The Brexit propoganda:
"Only an idiot would leave the Single Market" etc

Now, when we are entering a deep recession / world depression,
Brexiters want to tie a ball and chain around the feet of British exporters
and say how well they'll swim

And right on cue, a reminder that for some in this country crises are a spiffing opportunity to demonstrate their patriotic stiff upper lips.

Abso-bloody-lutely. I shall, however, in keeping with the seriousness of the situation, pretend to be surprised by the sloganeered opportunistic Brexitatious sentiment

Anyone who can look at Germany, South Korea etc. and think that the UK is showing itself in any kind of good light is fucking delusional.

Whilst of course we all want Johnson to recover for all the reasons posted, the hope for a Damascene conversion is a thin one. Those in favour of a no deal Brexit and for (more) privatisation of the NHS with subsequent move to an insurance style health care system are still running this country. They do believe in survival of the fittest, which happens to be them.

RTB
Its only anecdotal, but decent evidence (seeing which kids are in the playground when I walk past)
that in poor areas, kids are being allowed into school for their own welfare

• to make sure they eat and are cared for

which, from the teachers point of view is probably better than the alternative

Thanks to austerity, the UK has a lot more underclass than some other European countries

Brexit in all its forms - totally manufactured.
I recently had to bring a tall colleague into my classroom for a live demo of what 2 m (approx) looks like. (Well, I didn’t have to, but it was more fun than the door).

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

Plaquenil is manufactured by Sanofi, and guess who has a personal financial interest in Sanofi?

www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html

Plus it was my understanding that whilst hydroxychloroquine can lower the heart rate, it’s the use of it combined with antivirals that can also have the effect of lowering the heart rate that creates the most risk.

Thinkinghappy
15% cap - pure bastard cynicism
Air travel - flights are still going on all over the world. The UK is only unusual in not testing arrival.

Trump is hijacking ventilators and PPE from around the world that have already been bought and payed for by other countries

His previous tweets and escapades have embaraassed the USA
but
hijacking supplies
for patients who may die
or risk the lives of essential workers
will be remembered for many years by those countries:

Canada, Germany, France,Barabados, .....

Trump's legacy !

Does this really win him votes in the USA ?

RTB you and I see the comedy value in the article : the trouble is, our government likes to 'follow the science'.