Coronavirus

[delta79]

Good old British humor

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[Jonathan]

Good old British humor

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Unfortunately, it’s a fake, but it’s still funny.

 

[GaryH]

Well, this may have serious implications for getting food/medicines etc in to the U.K. from Europe regardless of Brexit. Frances just closed off its borders to the U.K. including freight

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55389505

 

[BigT]

Surly not, not our great EU friends....
We should of closed our boarders to them in February but we’re pressured not to by the EU, this just goes to show when it probably came from the EU in the first place.

 

[Alsty]

We banned entry from Denmark when they had the Coronavirus strain seen in mink. Now we have a strain of concern, other countries are banning flights from our country until the situation is under control. Doesn't seem any different to me.

 

[GaryH]

We banned entry from Denmark when they had the Coronavirus strain seen in mink. Now we have a strain of concern, other countries are banning flights from our country until the situation is under control. Doesn't seem any different to me.

Did they stop freight?

 

[BarryZola]

So, because the Gov't have failed to deal with this virus and have let it get out of control again, in January we could end up in another lockdown whilst trying to start new life with a no deal Brexit. Could be carnage, so good luck. What a time to be alive!

 

[Stevie]

Imagine having a competent government, instead of one that's ran by disaster capitalist charlatans. So as the result of Boris Johnson trying to save his own hubris, we have our entire supply chain cut off.

But imagine if we had Corbyn in charge, eh?

 

[Matt N]

To be honest, I’m not really sure it would have been much different had someone else been in charge. Given the unprecedented circumstances and rapidly changing situation, I think Boris has tried his best, for sure, and I’m not a Conservative supporter by any means.

I certainly don’t envy him right now, and I think he’s made some really good decisions and done some really good things during this pandemic in spite of all the criticism he gets. We can talk entirely about a public health perspective, but what he’s had to do is get a balancing act between the economy and public health, because the country would suffer if both were at risk. Personally, I think he’s struck that balance quite well.

Admittedly, I think we could perhaps be in a better scenario if we had gone into lockdown earlier, or if we had employed the use of face masks earlier on in the pandemic, but I have no right to say that given that we’re looking at this in hindsight; Boris acted as quickly as he reasonably could have when he received the scientific evidence from SAGE guiding his policies. To be fair, most of his decisions were made quickly and decisively once he received scientific evidence guiding them.

Besides, my policy with the government is always that I have no right to complain about them because they are superior to me in every way and know far more about this sort of thing!

 

[Craig]

Did they stop freight?

Yup we banned all passenger planes, ships and accompanied freight which originated from or traveled through Denmark in the last 14 days from 8th November, an increase from 14 day quarantine restrictions that were put in a couple of days prior. Restrictions were removed in 28th November when the following further evidence that the strain has been essentially eliminated following their mink cull.

So yes, we’ve done little different to what France and many other countries have put in place following the warnings put out by our own government over the weekend.

 

[Dave]

Surly not, not our great EU friends....
We should of closed our boarders to them in February but we’re pressured not to by the EU, this just goes to show when it probably came from the EU in the first place.

So your logic is we couldn’t ban travel due to EU law in February and this is evidenced by EU countries (bound by EU law) now being able to unilaterally ban travel?

And the closing of the borders by countries without this strain means they had the strain and gave it us then quickly managed to suppress it?

okaaaaay

 

[Craig]

To be honest, I’m not really sure it would have been much different had someone else been in charge. Given the unprecedented circumstances and rapidly changing situation, I think Boris has tried his best, for sure, and I’m not a Conservative supporter by any means.

There has been multiple examples where it's clear that he has not tried his best, and instead has seemed to have been far too easily swayed by others in government. Many of the decisions have been the correct ones, but they have come far too late, and often after publicly berating those who have suggested them a mere few days earlier (see Kier Starmer suggesting further restrictions last week for example).

Boris acted as quickly as he reasonably could have when he received the scientific evidence from SAGE guiding his policies. To be fair, most of his decisions were made quickly and decisively once he received scientific evidence guiding them.

I completely disagree on that front. Again there are multiple examples of where advice from SAGE has been roundly ignored. A prime example being that they called for a short circuit breaker lockdown as long ago as September. Again this advice was disregarded, and weeks later we ended up with a longer lockdown, and ultimately the situation we are in now.

Besides, my policy with the government is always that I have no right to complain about them because they are superior to me in every way and know far more about this sort of thing!

I cannot say this more strongly, you should never believe those in government are superior to you in every way. This is the completely wrong way to look at those who run the country. They are there to serve their public, not to dictate to you. As a resident of the UK, you have every right to criticise the government, praise them when they get things right and ultimately once you are old enough - have a part in the hiring and firing by voting for those who you believe will do the right thing.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

I cannot say this more strongly, you should never believe those in government are superior to you in every way. This is the completely wrong way to look at those who run the country. They are there to serve their public, not to dictate to you. As a resident of the UK, you have every right to criticise the government, praise them when they get things right and ultimately once you are old enough - have a part in the hiring and firing by voting for those who you believe will do the right thing.

Whilst I would typically agree with this, in a crisis it may be more important for the government to act than be criticised. For that reason, during the war the Labour and Liberal parties joined the government and the 1940 election was cancelled. Had they not entered that coalition then we may well have lost the war.

 

[Craig]

Whilst I would typically agree with this, in a crisis it may be more important for the government to act than be criticised. For that reason, during the war the Labour and Liberal parties joined the government and the 1940 election was cancelled. Had they not entered that coalition then we may well have lost the war.

But criticism is valid if the decisions they are making, or as mentioned the timing of them have not been in the national interest. When the tiers were announced following the national lockdown, many of us were calling out London being put into tier 2 as being a massive mistake which we would all pay dearly for. If we could see this, why couldn't the government? Or was it the case they were putting the economy first, when ultimately that economy will end up paying more dearly for their tier 2 decision in the long run?

This is a mess of their own doing. Claiming they are "Following the science" but roundly ignoring that science does not deserve us simply accepting they are doing their best. Johnson and others in his cabinet have been standing up and actively berating Labour, other opposition parties and even some in their own party for their suggestions of lockdown or further restrictions. Yet they have been going and implementing those restrictions or similar just a short time later.

The war cabinet of WW2 worked because people were willing to compromise and most importantly listen, we had an "all in this together" approach. We currently have a government who sit with their fingers in their ears, who don't seem to show any willingness to compromise or to listen to others outside of their own party. Every suggestion is met with 'humorous' quips, or accusations of not supporting the government's response. The timing of decisions, or lack of decision making often seems to be attempts to try and quell disquiet amongst their own party rather than truly making decisions in the national interest.

At the start of this pandemic, we had former leaders from both parties lining up offering assistance to the government, people with level heads and an absolute wealth of knowledge in dealing with crises. Was the offer taken up considering the unprecedented situation we found ourselves in? Nope, it was roundly ignored, all while government supporters laid into them for having the audacity to offer assistance to a government who "had things under control".

 

[GaryH]

I think regardless who is in power it’sa no win situation. Whatever they do to try and protect life and the economy it won’t be the right choice. It’s an impossible situation.
Saying that however I am annoyed this new strain was identified back in September and they left it get this late before doing something about it.

 

[Matt N]

Good news; according to talks between European leaders, the new strain is not thought to be resistant to vaccines: https://apple.news/A_AvhRyOpQmadavcL5Fv76g

This should at least give some hope that the vaccination program will be worthwhile, and will hopefully reduce the strain on the NHS to a degree!

It is also thought that secondary school children could begin to receive the vaccine due to fears that they could still spread the mutant strain to their families even in tier 4 areas.

 

[Dave]

I think regardless who is in power it’sa no win situation. Whatever they do to try and protect life and the economy it won’t be the right choice. It’s an impossible situation.
Saying that however I am annoyed this new strain was identified back in September and they left it get this late before doing something about it.

I disagree that “whoever was in power is irrelevant” despite not having the same data as the government pretty much all the opposition parties have called for an action that the gov then refuse, only to come to the same conclusion but weeks later.

No government could have got this perfect, but we could be in a far better position with competent leadership.

 

[Danza91]

Boris during PMQs on Wednesday was having it out with Starmer and said, "I wish he (Starmer) had the guts to say what he really wants to do which is to cancel the plans people have made, and cancel Christmas. I think that's what he's striving at. He's looking a bit blank."

Three days later Boris made another u-turn and threw 20million people (myself included) into what is basically lockdown, and caused chaos for the rest of the country. It's just so frustrating this party politics game is going on when it's people's lives, livelihoods, and mental health at stake.

Throw in Hancock saying the new strain of the virus is "out of control", and following that the border closure, which the MSM have latched onto has only created more chaos and panic.

 

[Matt.GC]

Hang on, we must remember that the PM and the government had incredible support at the first lock down. Although they were roundly berated at the time for the late handling, the HM opposition and people around the country who've never voted Tory in their entire lives supported the government. I remember reporters being shut down, rightly, for it not being the time for autopsies over their handling of the crisis and their truly was a fairly United front behind them at times of crisis.

The government has created their own problems here. Since the mistakes over the late response by them over lock down 1, they didn't learn their lessons and what followed was the same pattern of incompetence.

Clown Borris came out reassuring everyone that things where getting better, used his characteristic bluster to bat away any criticism or concerns raised by the opposition, media and even those in his own party. Despite warnings, ineffective measures are then put in place despite warnings that they won't work then after the horse has bolted, the stable door is shut way too late and serious Borris comes back out begging for support. This pattern has repeated time and time again during the 2020. It even started before the pandemic.

This paints a picture of a government in fear of it's back benchers, that then flip flops in the face of public opinion or hard science when it becomes apparent they've made the wrong choices. This was marketed as a 'listentening' government at first, but now just appears incompetent. A government that feels it needs to paradoxically appease both it's hard right in the party and those in constituencies it (incredibly) won for the first time last year as that's the reason it's in power with such a large majority. This was fine in terms of Brexit as this is what unites them, but not at times of national crisis. It then gambles with lives by tipping it's toes in the water, finds the hard truth that the water is cold then immediately has to U turn.

@Matt.N, don't ever think that they are your "superiors". They work for YOU. Even before last year's election, Borris has been on a power grab when he politically cleansed opposition within his own party in brutal fashion. He illegally closed down our democracy by piroguing parliament. He's asked for untity in parliament all year over the pandemic whilst ignoring opposition voices, only to adopt their policies only days later. He's ignored city mayor's and threatened council leaders with the full force of government legal action, again only to U turn himself on the latter merely 3 days later.

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[BarryZola]

Meat deliveries at work (very large supermarket) didn't turn up today. Apparently still stuck on a lorry in a queue somewhere (probably France, I dunno). Will probably be some more disruptions to deliveries over the next few weeks now that this backlog will cause another backlog. Fun times.