Coronavirus

[MrGongGong]

Doubt it would do any good - possibly even the reverse, since two wrongs don't make a right, .

(Not 100% serious)

What's "wrong" with makings sure someone who is causing suffering and damage isn't able to continue ?

Though the best option would be for Social Services to take his child into care
but that only happens to poor people ......

as for my "MP" he doesn't represent me and never will

So i'm going to see if the beehive split has been successful and make more music

[johnb]

I totally agree with the comments about DC & BJ.

In normal circumstances BJ's all out support for DC would greatly weaken him (BJ), but who knows what will happen in these surreal times.

Additionally the figure for the increase in UK deaths that was announced at the press conference does not represent the true number of daily deaths as it includes a negative adjustment, probably because of previous duplicate counting of deaths (PHE vs NHS).

The figure announced for all Covid-19 confirmed cases for the UK as a whole was: 118
The number of Covid-19 confirmed deaths in hospitals only, in England only was: 147

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thread suspended for 24 hours, in view of continuing inflammatory and aggressive posts that have had to be removed.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thread reopened. Please refrain from aggression and foul language, however strongly you may feel.

[johnb]

Thank you for reopening the thread.

[johnb]

The whole testing procedure (and tracking for that matter) seems to be shrouded in secrecy.

There are the swab kits that are posted out (or sent via Amazon). These are included in the "tested" figures when they are dispatched, whether or not they are returned and actually result in a test being carried out. The average number that have been sent out over the last 14 days is 38.5k per day.

It seems that the government refuses to say what percentage of these tests are returned but various non-answers indicate that it is somewhere north of 50%. How far above 50% no one knows - though the percentage is probably not as high as the government would like. This very much undermines the credibility of the figures that the government issues.

Also the government refuses to give details of the percentage of the tests that result in false negatives (thought to be between 25% and 30%). I would have thought that it is critically important that people, especially health care workers, etc, should know that there is somewhere between a 1 in 4 and a 1 in 3 chance that a negative test in false.

The government refuses to name or give details of the various Covid-19 tests in use or whether any tests had been withdrawn.

Then there is the issue of who is actually runing things (Deloitte for the testing and Serco for the tracing). When Matt Hancock announces he has recruited X thousand to trace infected people what he really means is that Serco has recruited them.

[oddoneout]

Not so much shrouded in secrecy(which implies some sort of thought process and planning) as buried in incompetence IMO.

[oddoneout]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/25/cummings-row-risks-breach-of-public-trust-says-psychology-expert

Robert West, a professor of health psychology at University College London’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health, who sits on the advisory group on behavioural science for Sage told the Guardian: “From a public health perspective what we now have to recognise is that central government probably cannot be trusted to provide leadership...”

“They are treating the whole health crisis as though it were a political crisis. If it’s a political crisis, what you do is try to manage your reputation. If it’s a health crisis you focus on saving lives, at whatever cost to your political reputation.”

To many, these views will not come as a surprise, but it's not reassuring to see them in print and from such a source.

[Bryn]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...chology-expert

Robert West, a professor of health psychology at University College London’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health, who sits on the advisory group on behavioural science for Sage told the Guardian: “From a public health perspective what we now have to recognise is that central government probably cannot be trusted to provide leadership...”

“They are treating the whole health crisis as though it were a political crisis. If it’s a political crisis, what you do is try to manage your reputation. If it’s a health crisis you focus on saving lives, at whatever cost to your political reputation.”

To many, these views will not come as a surprise, but it's not reassuring to see them in print and from such a source.

Despicable as I find Cummings and his actions, I have to wonder why the police are not intervening and bringing to book those photographers who so blatantly breach social distancing instructions.

[MrGongGong]

Despicable as I find Cummings and his actions, I have to wonder why the police are not intervening and bringing to book those photographers who so blatantly breach social distancing instructions.

Because all anyone has to do now when appearing in court to appeal is say "Dominic Cummings" and hey presto all charges are dropped ?

[Cockney Sparrow]

Because it adds to the manipulation - he's being mistreated, he's a misunderstood man who did his best for his family and they are under siege in their own home from the baying mob. The apologists are out there posting their understanding and sympathy.

Great distraction, if nothing else.

Its not like his employer (or their very wealthy associates) has resources to protect / relocate him.

[oddoneout]

Because it adds to the manipulation - he's being mistreated, he's a misunderstood man who did his best for his family and they are under siege in their own home from the baying mob. The apologists are out there posting their understanding and sympathy.

Great distraction, if nothing else.

Its not like his employer (or their very wealthy associates) has resources to protect / relocate him.

It also helps to reinforce his assertion that he/his family was being threatened and that was why(well one reason) he fled to Durham.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Behavioural scientist on advice group writes about their advice being disregarded for some time, the growing unease amongst scientific advice group members. Actions that come out are (to paraphrase) "180 degrees from the advice we gave" "there is a parallel group in power making policy for political purposes.."

Cummings' actions show government cannot be trusted, says adviser

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/25/cummings-row-risks-breach-of-public-trust-says-psychology-expert

A damning article. (I was going to desist on that last sentence - so many of them are - where does this one rank on the awful bankruptcy of our government politicians in this crisis).

[Count Boso]

Despicable as I find Cummings and his actions, I have to wonder why the police are not intervening and bringing to book those photographers who so blatantly breach social distancing instructions.

Did you see the photo of Bournemouth beach, apparently yesterday, according to the BBC? Big households.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52798684

[Cockney Sparrow]

Hasn't the Met Police Commissioner said it won't be possible to enforce restrictions (I suppose in a widespread way) in this relaxing lockdown phase. I'm sure they could find resources for someone as important as Cummings (but as above, he gets more mileage from his perplexed wounded (these latter days) "I don't understand why you are hounding me" demeanour on TV every night.

I think the context to the Met comment was the intentionally confused "Stay Alert" message.

Critical Mass - hand out fines to all those families? I've read somewhere that payment of fines from the severe lockdown stage are no more than 50%.