ANGER

* journalists who ask, not asked.

It really wouldn't have made any difference which government was in charge or what they did. SOMEONE would have found things to criticise and that situation is not helped by the journalists who asked stupid questions in order to advance their own careers.

Of course it would have been better if we, and other countries, had been better prepared. However, as jaylucy says, it is amazing the way that companies and individuals are stepping up to help.

And of course there should be a proper enquiry, when the situation returns to more or less normal, to see whether things were done right and to ensure that we're better prepared in future. But at the moment getting angry isn't going to solve anything. Asking appropriate questions and making alternative suggestions is probably much more productive. As well as abiding by the rules, of course.

Good post jaylucy- agree.

My anger is saved for the Chinese government. How can you test without the testing equipment, especially when it is unreliable.

It's my belief that people are dealing with a whole range of emotions just getting through this pandemic and all that goes with it.
I won't defend the last nine years of ridiculous and unnecessary austerity. The contribution of that to the current difficulties is becoming clear to many, who previously denied that slashing the NHS and all our other public services would not devastate our ability to care for our people.

I don't see the point in winding the population up into righteous anger. Round here, many people out on their state approved walk are chatting from the appropriate distance. I'm meeting people I didn't know before, no one expressing anger, all acknowledging this is unprecedented. Most express the view we should have locked down earlier, hoping the Conservative move to privatise our NHS will be knocked on the head because of its central role in this crisis. I'm so relieved to be meeting people who aren't angry. Who are reflective and wanting to support neighbours and people in need.
Righteous anger is occasionally needed. Raging anger is never helpful.

I have it under good authority , from someone that is currently involved with the research on test kits that the reason people were not originally tested en mass is because the tests that were available were giving unreliable and inconsistent results on the people that had been tested.
My feeling is that this virus has been around for longer than anybody realised and it has mutated to what it is now. If you think it is worth getting angry over something that not even scientists worldwide could have guessed at, go right ahead.
It's a fact that a lot of the PPE is manufactured in China that has been in lock down for several months - production in some areas is beginning but the problem is that many people had returned to their home cities before the Chinese New Year and had to stay there. Actual factories were allowed to open a couple of weeks ago but they didn't have the workforce to go into full production until about now.
My ex husband lives and works in China in textiles so has told me this.
What I do think is amazing is that the number of companies that are completely out of the health sector stepping up to produce what is needed - may this carry on in the future so that the UK can be more self sufficient in the future.

The ONLY way they'll be held to account is if the population is angry. It's the only way we can galvanise real change.

They also need to be FORCED into doing the right things now to avoid even more needless deaths. Not selling contracts to mates, rather than going with the rest of the EU. FORCED into accepting the WHO's advice.

And frankly, not standing up and LYING on camera. This is not the time for political lies. It also isn't the time to manipulate the media into shifting the blame onto the population.

But as for hauling them over the coals, yes, I agree. When it's over. But we can't lie down and play dead then. They AREN'T the good guys who've lead us through this. They are the bad guys who have murdered British people through their ineptitude and refusal to accept guidance from experts.

I think the time will come when they will be held to account, for all the reasons cited. But right now is probably not the time. It is surely what to expect when HMG is more concerned for the money-go-round than for human life.

It`s pointless getting angry GagaJo.
It wont make ajot of difference and we need to start looking forward not back.
The only good thing to come out of this is the NHS willbe well funded in the future.

Anger is the last thing we need when this is over! What we really need is the courage to face our problems and take stock so that we can learn from this.

We need to make sure that the NHS is never underfunded or poorly managed again....
That social care for the elderly and vulnerable is high quality and properly funded
That the homeless still have somewhere to sleep
That we keep our air cleaner

What we don’t need is to waste our energy in being angry and keeping the blame culture going. It’s time for the country to grow up and work together to build the services we want and need - and pay for them!