Dominic C Covid evidence 2

[Newtonianmechanics]

New thread for if old fills up.

Sorry AutumnCrow, it was my fault.

I'll ignore from now on.

Right, Matt Hancock again today.

Inquiries have terms of reference. If posters have their own TOR, that might be "is this comment inclusive of a new fact relevant to the thread".

If not within the TOR, then you should ignore.

Otherwise the thread gets oddbods. We are in here in and now.

God not enough coffee, the here and now!

I’ll only post on the inquiry if @jgw1 does not goad repeatedly. It’s easy to avoid the same again 🤷‍♂️

I have been doing that anyway. My posts below are on Whitty, as that’s all I’ve had time to watch

In my own personal TOR, this was an amusing and unfortunate exchange; this is the first inquiry I have really seen where WhatsApp, or the brevity of it, is a factor. Does this make the participants look even worse and more disconnected? Yes, imo.

Hancock then suggests Johnson launch a “national effort” to encourage hand washing, help the elderly and more.
Johnson replied: “Ok let’s talk mon. Am [sic] off to rugby.”
“Excellent. Enjoy,” Hancock replies.

One of the things that utterly baffles me from the inquiry is the constant use of whatsapp to conduct government business. Every job I have had work has had to be done on work devices so that there is an evidence trail if ever it should be needed.
I can't help but wonder why the same didn't apply to government.

For me, it doesn't surprise me they used whats app to conduct government business, I think what surprises me the extent how many government decisions were made over what's app. If you see what I mean.

The what's app evidence has been both horrifying and amusing in equal measure.
But it definitely has been useful as evidence to see what they were actually saying to each other.

It is completely weird. In a former life I would often have to tell someone that their phone would be evidence and I needed to see and the records would be disclosed.

I cannot tell you how many people looked at me as if that was something they had never considered. And looked very worried.

Phones are amazing. Evidentially they show clearly what people do, think and communicate in significant detail. And that is often in serious odds with public presentation of that individual.

I think the fact that they thought their work related wahtsapps would be private just shows their arrogance imo.

I wonder if Hancock is regretting that book now.

Good luck with it today AutumnCrow, I might be able to catch the beginning of the session

Just a reminder for people reading this thread that there is a website with detailed information about the different modules and also transcripts from all the sessions so far

https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/

Indeed it has been very clear to anyone following the evidence that one of the problems the Johnson government had was their arrogance and belief that they were somehow superior to everyone else, be that us plebs or other countries.
One can see the same traits with Sunak and his response to the Greek PM.

More on Jenny Harries' evidence from Dan Goyal.

Harries is the head of the new UKHSA - the body now in place to lead on the next pandemic.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1730326831406969103.html

Prof Christina Pagel

https://x.com/chrischirp/status/1730341495738093612?s=20

Short thread on what I said on Channel 4 news tonight.

1. Did I find Hancock a sympathetic witness?

A: I find it hard to have sympathy for someone who repeatedly claimed to have thrown protective ring around care homes, while discharging covid+ patients into them.

There were 28,000 excess deaths in care homes Apr-May 2020.

Harries thought it was "clinically reasonable" not to treat covid +ve residents in hospital. Even it was, it was NOT reasonable to return them somewhere they could infect so many other very vulnerable people.

1. Did I think scientists bear blame for not emphasising asymptomatic transmission?

A: No, because they very clearly did advise there could be asymptomic transmission before March 2020 - sources in next tweet. 3/5

Channel 4 facto check on asymptomatic transmission in March 2021:
https://channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-ministers-questionable-claims-about-when-they-knew-of-symptom-free-covid-spread…

Were PHE still saying this by March 2020? Was that Harries? SAGE and Vallance certainly weren't.

See also
https://x.com/AdamBienkov/status/1730195509376147651?s=20… 4/5

1. Was I sympethic to Hancock on toxic environment in govt?

A: Not really. Clearly there was a toxic environment - which neither Hancock nor anyone else wants to take responsiblity for - but as Sec of State for Health in a bloody pandemic it was Hancock's job to do better. 5/5

The key problem in both UK government and business is that you do not get to the top and to head a quango or business if you disagree with those who appointed you and who will appoint you to your next post. So we end up with people in posts who are only any good at towing the party line and not actually thinking and acting for themselves.

Starting with the tier system and the confusion around it

despite being a Labour man really (re Liverpool)

And a dig at Andy Burnham (Manchester) for good measure

Second lockdown, health vs economy, admits action taken too late which meant schools had to close and lockdown was longer

Those in charge should abide by the rules, the lesson the be learned

Who would have thought

The effect on public confidence in the government reflected upon by KC

Are we into the section that is statements of the bleeding obvious?

Keith has finished now

Bereaved families now

Questions about the protective ring around care homes

24 Feb, PHE advised no discharge to care homes, Hancock hadn't read the document at the time