It's just been announced that we have passed 100,000 deaths.

JenniferEccles

I am pleased you pointed out that fact maddyone
I was under the misapprehension that we had the most deaths per head of population so it’s good that you have explained that is not the case.

Your point is not feasible growstuff
If we ALL behaved as if we had it, nobody would be at work!

Are you suggesting that some workplaces aren't taking adequate precautions?

Of course it's feasible.

Alegrias1

*Will everybody just stop saying we have the highest death toll in the world*

Things are bad enough without spreading misinformation. Repeating things like this undermines the rest of your arguments.

(thanks maddyone)

For the last couple of weeks, we have had the highest death toll in the world.

That's not misinformation.

Thank you Shandy57,that`s very kind of you and i too hope she has it mildly.

The scientists are very clear that poor Government decision making is a major cause for the UK - they know.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55820178

It’s interesting that Italy has a higher death toll per head of population yet they have had much stricter lockdowns than us.

Sarnia

I remember, on March 23rd last year, being sent home to shield from my NHS job because deaths from Covid had reached 35! Never in my worst nightmare did I ever think we would ever reach this tragic number of deaths. Where will it end?

No one knows when it will end. The virus will not just disappear it's on every continent. Even if we closed the boarders completely it will still be out there. How do these things stop? Is it herd immunity in the end?

Septimia

I'm not going to defend the government. Lots of mistakes have been made and, as I've said before, whoever was in charge would have made at least some mistakes because it's a novel situation.

What should have happened is that all MPs, of whatever persuasion, should have been working together, not bickering in the House of Commons. They should have joined forces as soon as the gravity of the situation became apparent and they are ALL at fault for not doing this.

Good post!
A coalition would be good but that would leave no room for criticism.
The political parties are like a microcosm of the population.
Some are doing the best they can.
Others argue about what they should do pointing out errors, without saying what they would do next (not what they would have done, with hindsight).
They make money out of the situation (like those firms claiming furlough and not paying it to their staff).
They break the rules and behave inappropriately and then criticise others who are equally guilty or copy the stupidity, claiming that those who erred first make copied behaviour OK.

I remember, on March 23rd last year, being sent home to shield from my NHS job because deaths from Covid had reached 35! Never in my worst nightmare did I ever think we would ever reach this tragic number of deaths. Where will it end?

Granny23

Please note that I am not trying to make a party political point here - just illustrating the effect that the application of different rules has had.

CASES PER MILLION POPULATION

England 57,615
Scotland 33,113
Wales 60259
NI 53724

ROI 38713 (for comparison)

The differences are stark and there maybe other factors at work but surely this illustrates that stricter regulations and more consistency has a significant effect on spread?

I'll take this up and make the political point Granny23 for all those blaming the public and letting the WM government off the hook.

Mortality per million in England is 1450, 5th highest in the world.

Mortality per million in Scotland is 1061, 24th highest in the world.

Scotland don't have to follow the majority of the rules that WM impose for this and thank goodness for that.

Buttonjugs As you think we should be in lockdown until all are vaccinated how long do you think this will take Oct Nov .

“When Britain finally escapes this nightmare of rolling lockdowns, we must completely rethink how we organise the state. We need a state that is prepared to exercise authority, mobilise resources, and be accountable for its decisions – not a failed array of quangos, management consultancies and outsourcing firms.”

Lee Jones is reader in international politics at Queen Mary University of London. His paper, “Covid-19 and the Failure of the Neoliberal Regulatory State”, is forthcoming in the Review of International Political Economy

The care home residents and staff were number one on the list for vaccination but have not been treated as such.

They have in Scotland PernillaVanilla but the government here are getting a hard time because the proportion of vaccinated over-85s in the community is lower than in England.

Will everybody just stop saying we have the highest death toll in the world

Things are bad enough without spreading misinformation. Repeating things like this undermines the rest of your arguments.

(thanks maddyone)

because horse racing and betting on it is more important than peoples lives ! Sounds about right from the same types who were happy to let Cheltenham go ahead last year ,Wonder who got the backhander this time ...

Led By Donkeys timeline continued

5th March - Johnson declared “Business as usual”
5th March - Greece closes all its schools following Italy and Iran.
6th March - Johnson makes a point of shaking hands with scientists working on anti-body test.
7th March - Johnson joins 82000 at Rugby match
9 th March -Johnson announces that there is no rational for stopping sporting events
9th March - France and Ireland ban large events
10 th March - 250000 attend Cheltenham races.
11th Match - WHO declare a global pandemic
11th March - Madrid closes all schools as it becomes the epi- centre of virus.
11th March - Johnson allows Madrid football club to play Liverpool
12th March - U.K. stops mass testing, and contact tracing. This gave the green light to the virus to spread uncontrollably.
12 th March - Peston was briefed by No 10 (Cummings) that the strategy was to allow the virus to spread throughout the entire population to acquire herd immunity.
12 March -Johnson announced that he is not- repeat not closing schools
13th March - France and Germany close all schools and university.
13th March - Johnson lifts all restrictions on arrivals on all known hotspots in the world.
13th March - Government downgrades guidance on the level of PPE needed.
14th March - Johnson still allowing mass gatherings.
15th March - Germany tightens border control.
15th March - Ireland closes pubs.
16th March - Imperial Collage warns that over half a million people could die if virus not controlled.
16 th March - Johnson asks people not to go to pubs but let’s them stay open
18th March - WHO announces that contact tracing must be the backbone of every responsible government dealing with covid
19 th March - government tells hospitals that they must move all elderly into care homes even if they have covid. Covid was actively seeded into the most vulnerable group.
20 th March - government closes schools and pubs

TBC

I'm not going to defend the government. Lots of mistakes have been made and, as I've said before, whoever was in charge would have made at least some mistakes because it's a novel situation.

What should have happened is that all MPs, of whatever persuasion, should have been working together, not bickering in the House of Commons. They should have joined forces as soon as the gravity of the situation became apparent and they are ALL at fault for not doing this.

The buck stops with the government. They locked down too late so that ‘people would comply more easily’ citing a long lockdown would lead to people breaking the rules. Well, look what happened. If we had locked down earlier (quaranting travellers from abroad too)as most reasonably intelligent people believe we should have, and then delayed hospitality and education returning we would be where New Zealand is. But we’re in yet another lockdown with the highest death toll in the world. And they are still not being strict enough IMO. We should have marshals patrolling to stop people and ask where they are going. Don’t apologise to people for giving them a hard time and a fine when they have driven out of their locality to’exercise’. This is serious. The restrictions aren’t clear enough because BoJo is afraid of upsetting people. We need more than this, we need strong leadership. We need crystal clear rules. People need to stop banging on about education. ‘Yes little David, your granny is dead but at least you got to learn how to do fractions.’ We need an even stricter lockdown until most, if not all people have had their second vaccine, we CANNOT afford to let the government make any more mistakes. We need it to actually be over this time. And mark my words, the government will scapegoat the scientists and the public if there is an inquiry.

timetogo2016 I hope your step daughter has it very mildly, the vaccine should be starting to act shortly. Best wishes to her.

I told my kids I wouldn't see them over Christmas Severnsider, I said I would see them once I was vaccinated. We had hoped to meet up at Easter but now doubt that. My friend and her partner didn't go to her brother's house as planned so it was just her brother and wife, his daughter and her boyfriend - the boyfriend developed symptoms on Boxing Day and everyone else a few days later.

Paddyanne my understanding is that racecourses made an agreement that their facilities could be used for vaccinations but that racing still had to go ahead on certain already arranged dates. They had to look after their own businesses too!

We're reaping the whirlwind for allowing generations to meet up over Xmas. Xmas should have been cancelled but nobody dare do that.

I see they're selling Easter eggs in the shops now ??

??

My step daughter whois 21 and is a carer had the vaccine 10 days ago now has covid.
She phoned me yesterday and myself and dh are worried sick.
It`s upsetting watching/reading the news and i wonder just how much can the government do to speed the vaccine process up.So many people are worried sick.
It feels like it`s taking over our lives.
Stay safe all.

The Government knew in November 2019 about Wuhan---if not before. There were 11,550 deaths in a month from November to December 2019----from all causes ? What ?

I wonder what all those that say it is all a hoax think now! Especially Piers Corbyn and David Ike

Obviously you don’t like facts if they don’t serve your purpose growstuff. But whatever, doesn’t matter, facts are facts, like them or lump them.

Magsymoo.
Takes two ? The government AND the people.
No one forces us to take flights.
Planes will not take off empty.