ANGER

Well I will nail my colours to the mast. I am a supporter of the Boris Johnson government. However, and it is a big however, I am not satisfied with the way this situation has been handled by our government. The writing was on the wall for a good two months before our government took any action, and the blame in my opinion is the absolutely flawed advice given to our government by the scientists, and the decision made by our government to accept and act on that advice. I watched the televised press release some weeks ago where it was clearly stated that the way forward was herd immunity. As a result of that flawed decision, Cheltenham went ahead and also a massive concert in Cardiff. Around about the 9th March we were all advised against unnecessary travel but no one, including the vulnerable was advised to self isolate (this had a profound effect on my own family as I have a sister with poor mental health, but I won’t go into this now) and eventually on the 16th March the elderly and those with underlying health conditions were told to self isolate. Another week later and we went belatedly into lockdown, a rather loose lockdown in my opinion. Despite Trump, our friends in Las Vegas were in total lockdown before we were in the the UK.
The idea of allowing the population of the UK to acquire herd immunity, thereby accepting the deaths of an estimated half million people, was not only flawed, in my opinion it was immoral. We were bent on following a policy that would sacrifice thousands of people, and why? I appreciate the difficulties, we had a new government only just installed, a new Prime Minister, the Christmas holidays were only just over, Brexit was on the agenda, and the British people are very independent and it was thought they wouldn’t respond well to being told what to do. As it happens the majority of the British people are very much behind the lockdown.
Therefore I blame the scientists, the economists (still advocating money before lives) and the government’s decision to listen to these people rather than follow the WHO advice and rather than look at Italy, Spain, China, and the behaviour of other countries.
And so we have the result!

I am delighted that Boris Johnson has recovered from Coronavirus. Not only for himself and his family and partner, but as a country, the last thing we needed at this time was the death of our Prime Minister.

And I’ve just heard on Sky News somebody (missed the name) is yet again demanding an exit strategy! How dare they? How dare they?

Daisymae the exit strategy I was referring to was the reopening of schools, businesses, bars, restaurants, gyms and the ending of lockdown etc., not Brexit related at all.

Link to an article written by a Profession of Public Health Imperial College
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/15/uk-government-coronavirus-science-who-advice
Vital days lost

I think most people have forgotten about Brexit. The issue is that this government is well and truly floundering with the current crisis. Of course they need to publish their exit strategy. Except I doubt very much that they have one.

Hetty58 Until the scientists come up with a credible vaccine every time anyone leaves their home, excepts a delivery whether it be food or something else they risk contracting Covid-19.

You cannot lockdown any Country indefinitely, I am interested to see what will now happen when some Countries start to relax their quarantine conditions, whether they will have a second wave of the virus?

The UK has been in lockdown for just over three weeks and already the media and opposition MPs are demanding an exit strategy to lockdown?

The only thing the world has against Covid-19 at this present time is so-called herd immunity which is why the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are being shielded for at least 12 weeks and according to some Epidemiologists this should be extended indefinitely until a vaccine is found.

No, GrannyGravy13, it was perfectly clear what was happening in other countries (no crystal ball required) yet still, they dragged their heels, still they considered herd immunity - until they had no choice but to take action, then too little, too late!

Lol

Firecracker123 I think they are doing their upmost to limit the damage to life and business in unprecedented times. No amount of game/role playing could prepare any Government or Country for Covid-19.

If only MPs (of both parties) could borrow some of the Chrystal Balls from Gransnetters eh!

10:05GagaJo

At the end of the day you did what you thought was the best thing to do to protect your family that's all any of us can do.

Today 10:00GrannyGravy13

Yes Granny Gravy that's mostly what it's about on here and in real life political point scoring, getting the digs in by the left wingers still upset about the stomping Tory majority in the General Election and Boris being PM, still smarting about Brexit. Some can't stand any criticism of China almost in denial about where the virus started but love to run down the UK (especially England) and seem to think everything is wonderful in EU.

I personally think Boris and his team are doing a fantastic job in extremely difficult times, especially the daily news briefing. Obviously looking back perhaps mistakes were made perhaps not its all a learning curve for every country. We have just got to pull together and get through it.

Merlotgran, as I have now said, six or seven times on here (I appreciate you may not have read those posts, so many threads), I had little choice.

* My school closed.
* I discussed it with daughter. Her take on it was that I was the one most at risk, which is indeed the reason the whole family is isolating proper (NO going out for anything).

Many other Brits stayed put and are having to be repatriated by the government. I would have been CASTIGATED on here if I had waited for that. Instead, I evacuated myself. I'm quite aware of the risks involved. I was exceptionally anxious on the flight, which considering I am always anxious flying (hate it), was only slightly below hysterical. Now I'm home, we are doing extreme lockdown. Including washing and isolating groceries after delivery for 3 days. No walks. No going out for anything, unlike most others who go out to walk, shop, exercise animals.

I left a long time before the UK lockdown. Way before the pubs etc were closed. My family waited anxiously for 2 weeks to see if any of us were ill. Grandson WAS ill (over 2 weeks ago now) but neither daughter or myself caught whatever it was.

As an individual, I wish BJ very well. He was very lucky we had such skilled, devoted NHS staff to care for him. I'm glad his girlfriend is OK, particularly in her condition. As a PM however, he has been negligent. The whole lot of them have. They ignored the experts and thought they knew better. And thousands extra have died as a result. BJ is very lucky he wasn't one of them, because by his own account, he nearly was.

Firecracker123 exactly, if Private Hospitals were asking the Government for PPE there would be a public outcry.

Council run homes should be given PPE, Privately run homes have the finances to procure their own PPE.

There was a care home manager on the news (BBC) yesterday ranting that they had been charged VAT on PPE, this is refundable when the VAT return is completed, I assume she knew this and was just weaponising the situation

Most Care Homes are privately owned and the residents are paying thousands of pounds for their care, surely the home owners should be providing their staff with PPE.

i think we should be angry with the mis-handling of the situation, with the lack of preparation, with the refusal to accept advice, with the lack of humility of the Government. I am quite sure that the present situation in the care homes (lack of testing, lack of PPE ) would have continued had it not been for the matter brought out in the open by reports in the press. All the Government representatives do is mouth platitudes.We do need some sort of Parliament , virtual or not , in action.

Regarding the deaths in Eire v UK pikachu a fair comparison population wise would be against Scotland and to a lesser extent Wales. In both cases, rural areas seem to have escaped so far and probably would apply to Ireland?

MaizieD - 'An awful lot of people' being happy with the government's handling of the situation just indicates that an awful lot of people are ill informed or just ignorant.
And so it goes on.......if you don't agree with the majority vote then just call them ignorant. This all sounds rather familiar.

Really? He bumped Thatcher with right-wingers?

According to a new Yougov poll Boris Johnson is the most popular Conservative PM ever.

Just to put some context on biker's comment about having seen 3 police cars in the past four weeks.
Several months ago my neighbour's garage was broken into, they took the roof off as his door security defeated them. They stole over £3000 of diy kit he'd been given when he retired.
Two police officers duly arrived, they said there were 3 officers covering not only our our area but through the town centre, to the west of town. That's two areas, each with their own MP to give you an idea of size. The officers had left their colleague at the station to respond to calls. They anticipated the thieves would be well aware of this and were by now, probably at the other side of town robbing someone else. Safe in the knowledge they'd be well away before our two could drive their car in response to the next report.
Sorry for going off piste but its another comment about the impact of austerity. We need more, not less police officers, (doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, criminal justice workers etc)

an awful lot of people are ill informed or just ignorant MaizieD not a nice way to describe your fellow citizens just because their opinion differs from yours?

I expected my stricter lockdown on Monday, road blocks etc.

When I have been going to work , there has been numerous cars /people about , also on the way home even more, just like normal.
I've seen I would say 3 police cars in the whole 4 weeks whilst I have been out.

Here are 3 ways I deal know-it-alls.
Don't Get Annoyed With Them. Obvious, right? ...
Don't Try To “School” Them. That is the biggest waste of time you can possibly think off; trying to share knowledge with a know-it-all. ...
Stay Away From Them. ...

Hahaha

'An awful lot of people' being happy with the government's handling of the situation just indicates that an awful lot of people are ill informed or just ignorant.

A majority view doesn't confer correctness.

Latest UGov poll, seems that there are an awful lot of people happy with the Governments handling of the situation.

I can’t understand some people’s reasoning. They are content that our death rate is going to be the highest in Europe?

Are we sheep to accept blindly how badly this has been handled? Lambs to the slaughter? Literally.

I see the majority of the population are doing their best and adhering to social distancing and lockdown. That is common sense. But had these, and other measures, been put in place much earlier (as for example Ireland) then the death rate would be considerably lower at this point in time.

That much is obvious

No question about it.