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

(166 Posts)
Riverwalk Mon 21-Sept-20 08:14:02

It seems we are going to be given the science with figures and graphs - live on TV but no questions taken, from what I've read. I'm not happy with the no-questions bit if it's true.

And then what? Seems all a bit stage-managed by the government …. I wish they would just say what measures we can expect instead of dragging it out.

Nannan2 Mon 21-Sept-20 11:38:58

Every day again at moment seems a bit much, but Keir Starmer is right, we should have some regular broadcasts again, perhaps twice weekday and once on a weekend?(for those back at work midweek) If only to help remind people What to do do- what 'rules' of the moment are, and that its creeping up again, and that its not going away and then maybe they will be more careful not to spread it- as soon as it stopped being broadcast regularly a lot of people seemed to forget it exists and forget taking care! Maybe it needs to be still 'in their face' to a certain extent!?

nipsmum Mon 21-Sept-20 11:38:48

To tell the truth, I am sick to death with chit chat about Corona virus. There would appear to be no other news in the world. I can't even listen to the radio and not hear people ranting and raving about Covid related things. We all know about the rules. We should know how to behave by this time. We have had six months of it. Its not going to go away anytime soon, at least until a vaccine is freely available

vegansrock Mon 21-Sept-20 11:38:39

We’ve just been to Aldi. It was packed with stuff flying off the shelves. People are stocking up.

vegansrock Mon 21-Sept-20 11:37:17

Minimising inessential contacts is the key. What is “inessential” is for the politicians, in whom we have little trust, deciding.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 21-Sept-20 11:32:24

Can anyone tell me the scientific thinking behind curfew?

How on earth would that stop the spread?

Alegrias Mon 21-Sept-20 11:26:18

Ad hominem attacks won't help Tillybelle, but since we are on that track, I'll point out that Miller gets a lot of his facts from extraterrestrials. I googled that, so it must be true.

Bijou Mon 21-Sept-20 11:25:23

So many people are ignoring the rules. For instance Tottenham Hotspur fans gathering together to cheer new footballer the other day. Not one mask.

Dowsabella Mon 21-Sept-20 11:21:05

I'm off shopping to buy cat food! It's not fair to expect the cats to suffer deprivations they can't understand!

Seriously, I, and other friends also on their own are covid-weary. My GP's surgery is overwhelmed with mental health issues caused by lack of socialising and is having to give them priority. When I commented during a phone call that I was anxious, I was offered an immediate telephone appointment for that, but an appointment for anything else was not available! We need facts about what is happening, and not massaged figures designed to support ministers in what they are deciding to do.

Where is Parliament in all this? Has it abdicated its responsibility of scrutiny?

Too many questions from an ageing rebel who wants to know what is going on, why, and is this the best way forward.

Rant over!!

PS. I am not someone who denies the seriousness of the virus. I had it relatively mildly 6 months ago and am still recovering. Ironically, the issues I am left with exacerbate my problem wearing a face-covering, to the point that I am caused extreme distress!

4allweknow Mon 21-Sept-20 11:16:40

Oh no, not daily broadcasts going over what we all already know, and media asking politically based questions. Who has time to sit and listen everyday with all the " we may have tos" but no decisions. Just get on with it as per the scientists' advice.

Tillybelle Mon 21-Sept-20 11:14:56

Alegrias.
Or was it Bill Gates' with Mastercard and the under-the-skin ID card that you called 'conspiracy'?

If you think that is "conspiracy theory" then just google:
"Bill Gates and Mastercard and West Africa"

you will straight away get things such as:

www.gavi.org/investing-gavi/funding/donor-profiles/mastercard

privacyinternational.org/examples/4083/public-private-partnership-launches-biometrics-identity-and-vaccination-record-system

bigtechtopia.com/2020/07/africa-to-become-testing-ground-for-vaccine-record-and-payment-system/

greatgameindia.com/bill-gates-vaccination-based-digital-identity/

www.newsbreak.com/news/1600381347268/trust-stamp-vaccine-record-and-payment-system-rolling-out-in-africa

It's not conspiracy, Alegrias, I only work on facts.

On the safety of this 'vaccine': Yesterday I heard on the BBC radio that the "vaccine" may take longer as there are difficulties with the safety testing. Rather than being upset by this, as a Scientist myself, I was relieved to hear that our Vaccine makers were being very careful and prepared to take longer.

All vaccine delivery and how they are made has changed a lot since my children had theirs.
You would do well to read the research. There is a book by a Doctor collating research papers, presented so that other Doctors, Researchers and Parents can access the information from the research papers more readily, there is now an updated one:
Vaccine Safety Manual for Concerned Families and Health Practitioners, 2nd Edition Paperback – Illustrated, 14 May 2010
by Neil Z Miller (Author)

By no means conspiracy. Merely facts, to help people understand and help them make informed decisions.

It is easy to live in a comfortable cocoon and let others do your thinking. If you want others to decide for you and not bother to learn about the facts around whatever the subject may be you are perfectly entitled to do that. But here we are discussing a particular subject. I want to have as much information about the science the government is relying on as possible. I know that science is very rarely a yes/no binary answer. There is a lot to discuss and many issues to take take into consideration. We often have to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of a possible approach and decide which way will have most advantages. In the virus decisions previously, the government overlooked that the deaths were very heavily weighted in the over 65 age group and even more over 70 (me!). They did not notice how few were under 45. In fact, only 2 people died with Covid in Scotland under 45. And some scientists have an agenda, that is very clear - on both sides! So we need discussion to weed out the best way forward. And it should be open, as all good science has always been.

judib27 Mon 21-Sept-20 11:08:14

I am happier to hear the details from the scientists rather than politicians, but it must be very hard for the politicians to make the rules to make sure that the whole country's economy doesn't collapse in the meantime. The main problem as I see it is that more people seem to think that rules are for everyone else and not for themselves. Just the same as complying with speed limits etc. If we are not careful, we will end up with loud-speakers in the streets telling us what to do.

Theoddbird Mon 21-Sept-20 11:03:53

Maybe the original poster should watch it before comnenting

winterwhite Mon 21-Sept-20 11:02:18

All in favour of public statements but they can never be inalienable truths. The progress of this virus has been unpredictable all along, what reason is there to suppose it's any more predictable now.
I'd like to see (1) a 2-month projection of what things will be like if the trajectory is the same as for the last fortnight, and similar projections if we do x % better or worse than that, and (2) The % of positive tests over total number of tests over the last month, and % of the positives who go on to develop a serious illness.
What has happened to the constant assertion that nos. of cases will rise as the number of tests increase. Not heard that lately. And a poster above was right to point out that while the nation is so focused on this much else is being ignored.
Meanwhile, I find Mr Whitty very scary in manner. Does the man never smile or look human?
Wholly agree that any further restrictions should be discussed by parliament

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 10:55:11

Thanks for the post about the Bill Gates conspiracy theory, OldWoman70. It's deeply worrying that so much can be made from so little.

Having mentioned Soros I'm reposting this (long) article about how he was made into a conspiricists' hate figure.. The techniques used are familiar to us from other contexts, I think. We should be on our guard against them.

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hnsgrassegger/george-soros-conspiracy-finkelstein-birnbaum-orban-netanyahu

Gingergirl Mon 21-Sept-20 10:54:07

Tillybelle for the record, I agree with all you’re saying. I was trying not to be provocative as I realise that some feel it is opinion (rather than fact). Gently does it.

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 10:48:46

Ladyleftfieldlover

Calendargirl

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

I agree with him. Nicola Sturgeon manages a daily briefing. Even once a week would be good.

I would like daily briefings from people who are telling the truth, though. This was not exactly a feature of the last series, was it?

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 21-Sept-20 10:44:22

Calendargirl

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

I agree with him. Nicola Sturgeon manages a daily briefing. Even once a week would be good.

blondenana Mon 21-Sept-20 10:43:57

It amazes me that so many people don't believe the virus exists,and say flu kills more people than this
I had to get a taxi last week and th driver said exactly that, so have others i have spoken to
My sons friend had it and has lost 8 stone,and his organs permanently damaged

Oldwoman70 Mon 21-Sept-20 10:43:32

Re: Bill Gate Conspiracy theory - taken from BBC news website:

Rumours took hold in March when Mr Gates said in an interview that eventually "we will have some digital certificates" which would be used to show who'd recovered, been tested and ultimately who received a vaccine. He made no mention of microchips.

That response led to one widely shared article, under the headline: "Bill Gates will use microchip implants to fight coronavirus".

The article makes reference to a study, funded by The Gates Foundation, into a technology that could store someone's vaccine records in a special ink administered at the same time as an injection.

However, the technology is not a microchip and is more like an invisible tattoo. It has not been rolled out yet, would not allow people to be tracked and personal information would not be entered into a database, says Ana Jaklenec, a scientist involved in the study.

Libby65 Mon 21-Sept-20 10:42:50

Mat Hancock wants to get his facts rights over people tested daily. Looking glum and spouting out figures is not a good look when this is not backed up by the number crunchers

Alegrias Mon 21-Sept-20 10:42:49

Tillybelle

*Alegrias*. For quoting Bill Gates? Wow!

No, not for quoting Bill Gates, for making things up about vaccines and scaring people.

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 10:42:22

Callistemon

Oh, not conspiracy theories about Bill Gates etc etc
?

I suppose it makes a change from poor old George Soros hmm

Alegrias Mon 21-Sept-20 10:41:55

See Gingergirl, that was opinion, and I'm not reporting it. I disagree with it, but I'm not reporting it.....

Tillybelle Mon 21-Sept-20 10:41:40

Alegrias. For quoting Bill Gates? Wow!

Alegrias Mon 21-Sept-20 10:40:14

Gingergirl

..and why report anything to grans net...we are all entitled to our opinions.?

Because its not an opinion, its made-up rubbish masquerading as fact. I won't report anyone for opinions, that's entirely different.