COVID19

[morepork]

At least you don't have someone actively discrediting a traditionally well resourced and respected disease prevention facility and pushing dangerous practice despite data that is glaringly obviously to the contrary. I think we will see active censoring of the media here before too long. Its impossible to overstate how bad the situation is being handled.

[fivepointer]

The Govt make decisions. SAGE advise. The buck for the catalogue of errors and misjudgements that have been made stops fairly and squarely at the Govts door.
You can be dealt a bad hand and play it well. On the other hand, you can play a bad hand poorly.

This excellent report from Sky details the appalling ineptitude of those tasked with the testing arrangements- https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus- ... s-12022566

[Mellsblue]

The Govt make decisions. SAGE advise. The buck for the catalogue of errors and misjudgements that have been made stops fairly and squarely at the Govts door.
You can be dealt a bad hand and play it well. On the other hand, you can play a bad hand poorly.

This excellent report from Sky details the appalling ineptitude of those tasked with the testing arrangements- https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus- ... s-12022566

Decisions are based on the advice given. The decision will only be as good as the advice it’s based on. Interrogating that advice is also important, as Banquo has repeatedly said, hence my point that Starmer would’ve possibly made a better fist of this. Again, I’m not trying to say the politicians are blameless but to say they are wholly to blame is wholly wrong. If you are using the term ‘govt’ correctly to include PHE, Whitty etc then a) I apologise for being a condescending t**t and b) I couldn’t agree more.

As for the test data. If people are demanding immediate transparency from a new system in an unprecedented situation then there will be flaws in the system. Admittedly, this is beyond poor but it could never be a perfectly secure system and no doubt you’d complain if they weren’t releasing the figures. In fact, there’s been nothing but complaints and conspiracy theories since figures were stopped from being publicised when it was realised exactly how inaccurate they were. There was certainly plenty of people on here and twatter demanding daily updates. Sadly, you can’t have it both ways. If you are looking for any consolation, then it seems the ONS (not accountable for this) is light years ahead of most of their European counterparts.....perhaps a case of bald men fighting over a comb.

All that said, since Gove’s speech and Cummings’s promise of a ‘hard rain’ the IFG have released/written/recorded plenty of stuff on the machinery of govt. The only conclusion I can come to from all of this is that COVID has shone a light on numerous parts of the state and most have been found wanting. From the politicians, their advisers and through to the civil service. Given the IFG stuff, it seems this hasn’t really come as a surprise to those in the know. I suppose the fact that plenty who you’d assume wished Cummings had never been born have come out in agreement with his assessment of the civil service, if not his remedy to cure it, should’ve been the give away without the need for me to waste hours researching it.
It’s also shone a light on a nation/population that is unhealthy, seemingly unable to use their common sense yet, ironically, demanding ever more information and news - due to them being an expert on everything on account of the fact they have a social media profile - and stating there must be a conspiracy theory if they aren’t satiated. Even more ironically, even more so than rain on your wedding day, people on here have demanded SAGE minutes be released yet continue to state ‘facts’ that the minutes show to be incorrect. As Diggers oft states, we get what we deserve.
What an omnishambles.

[fivepointer]

The Govt make decisions. SAGE advise. The buck for the catalogue of errors and misjudgements that have been made stops fairly and squarely at the Govts door.
You can be dealt a bad hand and play it well. On the other hand, you can play a bad hand poorly.

This excellent report from Sky details the appalling ineptitude of those tasked with the testing arrangements- https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus- ... s-12022566

Decisions are based on the advice given. The decision will only be as good as the advice it’s based on. Interrogating that advice is also important, as Banquo has repeatedly said, hence my point that Starmer would’ve possibly made a better fist of this. Again, I’m not trying to say the politicians are blameless but to say they are wholly to blame is wholly wrong. If you are using the term ‘govt’ correctly to include PHE, Whitty etc then a) I apologise for being a condescending t**t and b) I couldn’t agree more.

As for the test data. If people are demanding immediate transparency from a new system in an unprecedented situation then there will be flaws in the system. Admittedly, this is beyond poor but it could never be a perfectly secure system and no doubt you’d complain if they weren’t releasing the figures. In fact, there’s been nothing but complaints and conspiracy theories since figures were stopped from being publicised when it was realised exactly how inaccurate they were. There was certainly plenty of people on here and twatter demanding daily updates. Sadly, you can’t have it both ways. If you are looking for any consolation, then it seems the ONS (not accountable for this) is light years ahead of most of their European counterparts.....perhaps a case of bald men fighting over a comb.

All that said, since Gove’s speech and Cummings’s promise of a ‘hard rain’ the IFG have released/written/recorded plenty of stuff on the machinery of govt. The only conclusion I can come to from all of this is that COVID has shone a light on numerous parts of the state and most have been found wanting. From the politicians, their advisers and through to the civil service. Given the IFG stuff, it seems this hasn’t really come as a surprise to those in the know. I suppose the fact that plenty who you’d assume wished Cummings had never been born have come out in agreement with his assessment of the civil service, if not his remedy to cure it, should’ve been the give away without the need for me to waste hours researching it.
It’s also shone a light on a nation/population that is unhealthy, seemingly unable to use their common sense yet, ironically, demanding ever more information and news - due to them being an expert on everything on account of the fact they have a social media profile - and stating there must be a conspiracy theory if they aren’t satiated. Even more ironically, even more so than rain on your wedding day, people on here have demanded SAGE minutes be released yet continue to state ‘facts’ that the minutes show to be incorrect. As Diggers oft states, we get what we deserve.
What an omnishambles.

The Govt governs. Its ultimately down to them. An omnishambles. Well, its made us look 3rd rate cin virtually every aspect.

This is 3rd in a good series exploring the advice that SAGE have provided.
https://bylinetimes.com/2020/07/03/sage ... and-trace/

Having accurate and reliable testing results is an absolute necessity of understanding and combating this disease. The Govts failure here is plain. No excuses. They have badly failed in this area.

As far as the public response is concerned, i reckon the majority have shown great patience and tolerance. Lockdown was initially observed far better and longer than i thought it would, and most people display consideration for you while you are out and about. Idiots behaving thoughtlessly is not the norm; most people have behaved very sensibly in my experience.

[morepork]

The government were given the advice and refused to make a decision. Track and trace is pretty fucking sound advice, as events around the globe bear testament to. They dithered and tried to finesse the data to make a case for not implementing a testing regimen that might counter their bias towards opening up. Fuck them.

[Mellsblue]

The Govt make decisions. SAGE advise. The buck for the catalogue of errors and misjudgements that have been made stops fairly and squarely at the Govts door.
You can be dealt a bad hand and play it well. On the other hand, you can play a bad hand poorly.

This excellent report from Sky details the appalling ineptitude of those tasked with the testing arrangements- https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus- ... s-12022566

Decisions are based on the advice given. The decision will only be as good as the advice it’s based on. Interrogating that advice is also important, as Banquo has repeatedly said, hence my point that Starmer would’ve possibly made a better fist of this. Again, I’m not trying to say the politicians are blameless but to say they are wholly to blame is wholly wrong. If you are using the term ‘govt’ correctly to include PHE, Whitty etc then a) I apologise for being a condescending t**t and b) I couldn’t agree more.

As for the test data. If people are demanding immediate transparency from a new system in an unprecedented situation then there will be flaws in the system. Admittedly, this is beyond poor but it could never be a perfectly secure system and no doubt you’d complain if they weren’t releasing the figures. In fact, there’s been nothing but complaints and conspiracy theories since figures were stopped from being publicised when it was realised exactly how inaccurate they were. There was certainly plenty of people on here and twatter demanding daily updates. Sadly, you can’t have it both ways. If you are looking for any consolation, then it seems the ONS (not accountable for this) is light years ahead of most of their European counterparts.....perhaps a case of bald men fighting over a comb.

All that said, since Gove’s speech and Cummings’s promise of a ‘hard rain’ the IFG have released/written/recorded plenty of stuff on the machinery of govt. The only conclusion I can come to from all of this is that COVID has shone a light on numerous parts of the state and most have been found wanting. From the politicians, their advisers and through to the civil service. Given the IFG stuff, it seems this hasn’t really come as a surprise to those in the know. I suppose the fact that plenty who you’d assume wished Cummings had never been born have come out in agreement with his assessment of the civil service, if not his remedy to cure it, should’ve been the give away without the need for me to waste hours researching it.
It’s also shone a light on a nation/population that is unhealthy, seemingly unable to use their common sense yet, ironically, demanding ever more information and news - due to them being an expert on everything on account of the fact they have a social media profile - and stating there must be a conspiracy theory if they aren’t satiated. Even more ironically, even more so than rain on your wedding day, people on here have demanded SAGE minutes be released yet continue to state ‘facts’ that the minutes show to be incorrect. As Diggers oft states, we get what we deserve.
What an omnishambles.

The Govt governs. Its ultimately down to them. An omnishambles. Well, its made us look 3rd rate cin virtually every aspect.

This is 3rd in a good series exploring the advice that SAGE have provided.
https://bylinetimes.com/2020/07/03/sage ... and-trace/

Having accurate and reliable testing results is an absolute necessity of understanding and combating this disease. The Govts failure here is plain. No excuses. They have badly failed in this area.

As far as the public response is concerned, i reckon the majority have shown great patience and tolerance. Lockdown was initially observed far better and longer than i thought it would, and most people display consideration for you while you are out and about. Idiots behaving thoughtlessly is not the norm; most people have behaved very sensibly in my experience.

I’m still not sure what you mean by govt. if you mean the entire machine of govt then, as I said, I completely agree. If you just mean the politicians then, ultimately, you are correct but changing the politicians is just window dressing in a building suffering from subsidence and neglect.

I agree that accurate testing results is crucial. Not sure where is said it wasn’t but..... again, I’m not really sure what you’re saying unless you tell me how you define govt.

I’ll have a read of the link but given the headline embedded within it you seem to be cherry picking. There are plenty of instances where they’ve followed SAGE advice to the letter. There’s also a point where you have to take into account the damage to the economy as well as the health implications (not that the state of the economy is divorced from health implications, in the long term). There was also plenty of whining, from the usual suspects, about France etc coming out of lockdown before us when they’re test and trace is no better than ours. Dammed if you do and damned if you don’t.

The public were great when given a simple, short list of instructions. Ask them to use a bit of common and they moan.

[Galfon]

Covid ?...bubonic plague (mongolia) ??..now floods of some proportion.
It's sandbag time in Wuhan/Hubei, and there's more to come as the surge moves east.

https://www.cgtn.com/special/Latest-upd ... China.html

[Sandydragon]

Depressingly, my LinkedIn feed has a thread about an unnamed source at a major hospital in Surrey who disputes that there has been a pandemic at all. Apparently the source has been quieter than normal.

Followed by post after post about how it’s all a conspiracy etc. Equally worrying is that some of those posting look to have fairly responsible jobs.

With this level of stupidity heaven help us all.

[Which Tyler]

Big spike in Herefordshire - 73 workers on a farm; all 200-odd workers now quarantined on site - mostly local furloughed workers.
I'd seen 56 positives there when I looked at the figures - and assumed someone had made a data input error, but no: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-h ... r-53381802

[Galfon]

Two updates from one US state, baffling in a number of ways.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53382540

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53371336

Never been there so don't know if it's the land of make believe or not - scary numbers.

[morepork]

Two updates from one US state, baffling in a number of ways.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53382540

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53371336

Never been there so don't know if it's the land of make believe or not - scary numbers.

It's out of control. The country has lost it's grip on any sort of strategy that would contain things. Open Disneyland. Yeah, fucking ideal. Good job. This will go on for a couple of years, at least. Fucking idiots. I'm beyond pissed off.

[Puja]

Two updates from one US state, baffling in a number of ways.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53382540

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53371336

Never been there so don't know if it's the land of make believe or not - scary numbers.

Disney staying on brand by ensuring the deaths of parents.

Puja

[morepork]

Fuck these cunts. Fuck them. A virus is the simplest organism known to biology. It lives at the pleasure of its host and dies when denied that host. It is that fucking simple. If you cant grasp that, then just fuck off. I'm sick of this shit.

[Which Tyler]

Putting the twits in, as I can't get the link to work - apparently it's too busy for its server

[Mikey Brown]

Depressingly, my LinkedIn feed has a thread about an unnamed source at a major hospital in Surrey who disputes that there has been a pandemic at all. Apparently the source has been quieter than normal.

Followed by post after post about how it’s all a conspiracy etc. Equally worrying is that some of those posting look to have fairly responsible jobs.

With this level of stupidity heaven help us all.

I've only been fortunate enough to meet one full-on "COVID isn't real- it simply isn't happening" person so far. He didn't have a very satisfying answer as to why so many doctors and nurses are taking part in this 'hoax', aside from that I shouldn't believe everything I read. True enough, but I'm not sure it backed up his point. This was a few weeks back but he did cite Sweden as the country who have dealt with this well and shown it up for the joke it is.

It's easy to manipulate figures and spread certain information to spin an event any which way you want, but it's the testimony from people in the healthcare industry that I always hope will turn these people around. I read an article about Dr. Lorna Breen and the lead up to her suicide earlier, I can't imagine reading something like that and still thinking this pandemic is just an invention of the media, but maybe I've been brainwashed.

[morepork]

The US government is at the moment engaging in an active smear campaign against public health figures within it's own administration in an attempt to apportion blame for the current sorry state of affairs. Totally FUBAR.

[Which Tyler]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53397617
So... from the 24th of July (but not earlier, because... reasons) we'll have to wear a mask, in order to spend 20 minutes in a large, but confined space, to buy a pie to eat at home.
From 31st of July, we'll be paid £10 to NOT wear a mask, in order to spend 2 hours in a small, but confined space, and buy a pie to eat there.


But it's all the public's fault for being confused and not using their common sense in this uncommon scenario. The government cannot possibly take any responsibility for the public's confusion, and inability to follow the clear, consistent advice their government has given...


ETA:


#Gove: "We don't need to make masks compulsory"
#Johnson: "We need to make masks compulsory"
#Everybody: "Which one of these statements is incorrect?" [i.e. a lie]
Gove: "..."

[Digby]

Hang on, what's this about getting paid to eat pies? I feel like finally my chance to shine has come, I'm even willing to watch Man Vs Food again long after I found it interesting to get in the right frame of mind for competitive eating

[Mellsblue]

People can shop with a mask over their mouth therefore allowing the shop to stay open and pay their staff.
People can’t eat whilst wearing a mask over their mouth therefore not allowing the pub/restaurant to stay open and pay their staff.
Seems pretty logical to me.

Govt comms on this have been terrible. No argument there.

[Mikey Brown]

People can shop with a mask over their mouth therefore allowing the shop to stay open and pay their staff.
People can’t eat whilst wearing a mask over their mouth therefore not allowing the pub/restaurant to stay open and pay their staff.
Seems pretty logical to me.

Govt comms on this have been terrible. No argument there.

Yup. Logical, but really shows a stunning lack of forethought/care in making a fuss about reopening pubs if this was just around the corner.

And why on earth do they keep throwing things like this out there? "It is about managing the overall risk," he added. "Any type of covering will be sufficient for this purpose." It feels like the only possible purpose of a statement like that is to create confusion and controversy over what people deem to be a suitable means of covering their faces.

It’s already clear from taking a quick look outside that people are still not even understanding/bothering to cover their noses when they wear a mask. You create a rule and then immediately make a statement undermining any possible attempt to enforce it.

I can’t see any third option here other than stupidity or negligence.

[Which Tyler]

Hang on, what's this about getting paid to eat pies? I feel like finally my chance to shine has come, I'm even willing to watch Man Vs Food again long after I found it interesting to get in the right frame of mind for competitive eating

Sorry, 3rd August, not 31st July; I also thought it had been discussed in here:

"Restaurants, bars, cafes and other establishments who use the scheme will offer a 50% reduction, up to a maximum of £10 per person, to all diners who eat and/or drink-in throughout August.

Customers do not need a voucher as participating establishments will just remove the discount from their bill. Businesses simply reclaim the discounted amount through an online service, supported by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Claims can be made on a weekly basis and will be paid into bank accounts within five working days.

The scheme is open to eligible establishments across the UK and can be used all day, every Monday to Wednesday, between 3 and 31 August 2020."

[Which Tyler]

https://www.boredpanda.com/1-percent-mo ... klin-veaux

Someone Asks How “A Disease With 1% Mortality” Could Shut Down The US, Gets An In-Depth Explanation

Linking the article, not the original, because the article corrects some mistakes made in the original

[Which Tyler]

[morepork]

Anti-mask activists. These people are too fucking stupid to insult. All educated through social media. Well done 'murrica, well done. Am I ever going to be able to visit home again? Fuck.

[Son of Mathonwy]

New ONS numbers up to 3 Jul are out, so as of that date we have:
Positive test UK Covid-19 deaths: 44,131
All UK Covid-19 deaths (ONS number): 55,071
So the total UK number is 25% higher than the government number.

Excess deaths compared with 5 year average to 3 Jul: 64,535
which is 46% higher than the government number.