Chris Whitty & Patrick Vallance @ 11.00 - what will follow?

Honestly! If the government doesn’t make any announcements then they are castigated for it, and when they do they are accused of ‘stage managing’ things.
Apparently some people in Scotland want a daily dose of it.
I don’t want that, but think a weekly update would be beneficial, not only for an update but more to remind the public to keep on being careful, that this isn’t over yet and won’t be for quite a while.

The public are likely to take more notice of Whitty than of any politician.

I think it’s good to hear direct from the scientists.
Riverwalk I imagine that the ‘no questions’ is because inevitably the questions would not be about the science but about the political decisions which have been taken or are going to be taken.
That’s outwith the scientists’ remit, even though arguably they might make a better fist of the political decisions than the politicians do.

I think they will explain the scientific basis for the next raft of guidelines/laws that will be announced. But until 11, I’m guessing.

As long as it is the scientists speaking and not a script from this shambolic government.

We know what the advise from SAGE is, so let’s keep that in mind as we watch the governments spokesmen.

The DM are calling him ‘Dr. Doom’!

I think it’s softening up for an announcement from the PM on Tuesday.

It will be paving the way for the "circuit break" which the PM suggested would happen. I suspect they were hoping to have a 2 week full lockdown to straddle the October half term ...maybe facts & figures are suggesting this needs to happen sooner. 11:00 will provide more information.
It will be bad news. The PM avoids delivering bad news as it's bad for his image He will be all over the press releases the moment there is any positive!

When do we think it will be nationwide lockdown ?

I think it’s a good idea that the Scientists are going to set out the plain facts
Also so a good idea that there will be no journalists asking inane questions that usually do not relate to the information being given
This virus is going no where in the immediate future so we have the choice either do our best to stop it spreading or let it carry on
A full lockdown is I expect out of the question and quite frankly does nothing but delay the inevitable

I like the briefings from the scientists as I do have questions but I find they usually cover them anyway. I am assuming some strong actions to follow and hopefully if the spread of the virus is slowed down now we can all have a good Xmas seeing our families.

lemongrove

Honestly! If the government doesn’t make any announcements then they are castigated for it, and when they do they are accused of ‘stage managing’ things.
Apparently some people in Scotland want a daily dose of it.
I don’t want that, but think a weekly update would be beneficial, not only for an update but more to remind the public to keep on being careful, that this isn’t over yet and won’t be for quite a while.

Independent Sage do a weekly update going through relevant data on Fridays. The programme lasts an hour and is always on a theme, but takes questions from the public and journalists. The programmes are available on YouTube.

Seems reasonable to me. Just get the facts and figures. We used to be fed up with the political questions from journalists but always listened to the ones from the general public. Whitty and Vallance usually informative enough.

Same old, same old I suspect.

Keir Starmer was calling for the daily briefings to be re-introduced.

My hackles rise a bit when I hear the phrase "the science", sorry. I'm sure Whitty and Valance will state the facts and show us the statistics, and I'm pretty sure that what they show us will be true. But "the science" is more than just facts, its drawing reasonable conclusions from what has been demonstrated and measured, and right now that is a bit of a black art as far as Covid is concerned.
Governments will use the numbers to decide what happens next, and I am glad its not me who has to make those decisions. But we shouldn't delude ourselves that "the science" is always the driver behind these decisions.

It is a bit odd. Why not have the Prime Minister as well, so that the scientists can explain the science, and the PM can set out the action being taken in the light of that science?

I agree lemongrove, and not all of us have or want to look at YouTube

Am I the only person who is getting more and more confused by the rules? Sheilding - that's over isn't it? Self-isolating - that is when you have been in contact with someone who has the virus? Quarantine - when you come home from abroad? Social distancing - what we are all supposed to do? Bubble - with one other family? Rule of 6 - for indoors and out but what if you are a family of 7? My poor old brain would just like to see it set out nice and clearly.

I agree that we're being 'softened up' with the science, the 'facts' before the next round of restrictions are announced.
Trouble is, not all scientists agree with each other...

The questions that are asked are all staged and usually all ready been discussed. They in my opinion are a complete waste of time and the information given is better off with out them which causes repetition.

On BBC the transport minister said PM would follow it up with announcement later.

Any measures proposed should be debated in parliament.

More scare mongering and more hysteria ...7people will die in car accidents today and thousands from other illnesses...where is that blasted 24/7over in the media.