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

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!

This was ( is ) a national emergency - there should have been a coalition government assembled ASAP.

Each one of those who died had family and friends who miss them each and every day - that is a very sobering thought. Hundreds of thousands of people in mourning and missing their loved ones and not even able to be there for them at the end. Truly sad.

Led By Donkeys have drawn up a time line of the governments response and actions, and it is really worth a read. Quite extraordinary.

I’ll begin it on here for those who can’t find it.

31 December - China announces a new virus in Wuhan.
23 January. - Wuhan locked down
24. “. - Lancet announces the severe danger to human life from the virus
24 January - Johnson skips first Cobra meeting
29 January - Johnson skips second Cobra meeting
30 January - WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern.
31 January - NHS England declares first ever “level 4} critical health crises.
31 January - Johnson declines to join an EU initiative to source and purchase PPE
5 February - Johnson skips the third Cobra meeting
12 February - government advised that Covid could infect 45 million people if left unchecked.
12 February - Johnson skips fourth Cobra meeting
14 February - Johnson retreats to Chevening for a “working holiday”
14 February - civil servants were to ensure that all briefings given to Johnson have to be short and none complicated if they want them to be read by the PM.
15 February - the first covid related death in Europe.
18 February - Johnson skips the 5 th Cobra meeting.
During February on Marr we learned from Gove that Johnson, doesn’t like chairing meeting, doesn’t work weekends and likes holidays.
28 February- first British death
29th - NHS warns of severe shortage of PPE and the nightmare facing the health service. Much is out of date.
29th February - Johnson retreats to Chequers for a break,

2nd March - Johnson finally attends a Cobra meeting.
3 rd March - scientists advise people not to shake hands.
3rd March - Downing Street press conference. Johnson he will carry on shaking hands as he sees no problems with doing so.

TBC.

We need an authoritarian leader in times like these not one who's " hanging on by the skin of his teeth appeasing the public "so as not to upset people with lockdowns and closed borders. The man's not been firm enough.

So what if it causes the loss of freedom ? Being like he's been ( hanging on to his seat in Parliament ) has caused the loss of thousands !

EllanVannin

Where's our advanced medical treatment, since scientists knew that another pandemic would strike ? Why weren't we
more prepared ?

People continually voting for a party who said they would make cuts to public services that would hit the poorest and the eldest the most. This pandemic has made it very clear that we have to have a kinder, more caring society

Lyndie

I know how the virus is spread. I know what to do to help not get the virus. I risk assess all that I do. Not for the Government but me , my family and friends. I can’t understand why everyone is not doing this. I locked myself down before there was the first lockdown. My daughter did research on the internet. We saw what was happening in Italy early on. Clearly there are people who are sitting ducks. Those in care homes and Keyworkers but the rest of us should be helping them by doing our own risk assessments. I didnt do eat out to help out. Why don’t people use their own critical thinking? You don’t need to do what the government recommends! I haven’t seen 2 of my children and their families for over a year. Sacrifices have to be made but people are so entitled and you are not telling me what to do. Of course the Government have made mistakes but it’s people giving the virus to people. Rant over because I am going crazy with this Lockdown.

Agree entirely. Whatever happened to being responsible for your own actions?

Froglady

paddyanne

yet they are closing a vaccination centre to let the racing go ahead for 7 days over the next few weeks??? Doesn't sound as if Bojo and co have learned anything to me

What? I just despair of this government.

Is the government making these decisions? Surely the local councils and health officials are.

I do think the Government have made many mistakes and I do not need to go over them as we all know what they are.. We are an island and number one priority should have been close our borders. My OH works near Heathrow airport and he says the incoming flights are non stop. We still have idiots not wearing masks,having parties and get togethers, not social distancing and continuing to behave as if there is no virus out there. I do despair. A public enquiry wont help those people who have died which is a shocking amount and so sad and unnecessary.

Aepgirl

This is all so sad. If only people had followed the rules way back we might not be in this situation now.

Maybe an earlier lockdown would have been better, but if people just ‘do their own thing’ it is fighting a losing battle,

I could copy what I put on the other post over here. It reports some expert opinion from an interview this morning rather than just our opinions. It could help.

I feel this Government decided on herd immunity right at the beginning and it’s all gone wrong - like genocide

If you're fed up with lies maddyone, maybe you should lock up Johnson, Hancock, Williamson and some others because lying is their "modus operandi".

As this thread has drifted a long way from the poor people who have died I have started another which I hope you find add to your discussion. Here: www.gransnet.com/forums/coronavirus/1290924-Why-our-death-rate-is-one-of-the-highest-in-the-world-Sir-Michael-Marmot-author-of-the-December-2020-report-Build-back-Fairer-and-Professor-Linda-Bauld-were-interviewed-on-this-point-on-Today

I hope that is okay.

This is all so sad. If only people had followed the rules way back we might not be in this situation now.

Maybe an earlier lockdown would have been better, but if people just ‘do their own thing’ it is fighting a losing battle,

I couldn't give a flying fig where we are in the deaths league table. What I do know is that we have had over 100,000 unnecessary deaths and the government has dithered and dallied its way through all of it, without listening to the advice they've been given and not informing stakeholders, who have been responsible for delivering services. Meanwhile, a handful of people have become very rich.

This is a tragic story.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-55725812

^Then one Thursday in March she went for a haircut; she asked for the colour to be darkened slightly too, and when he first saw her afterwards Tony told her how much he loved it. Ann mentioned that the hairdresser had been coughing.

Three days later, Ann began coughing too, and soon afterwards so did Tony. But with a fever, she felt worse, and within a few more days she was barely able to stand. She asked Tony to call 999.^

JenniferEccles

I don’t think you understood my point growstuff
I was talking about how up to a third of cases were in people who had no symptoms and who had absolutely no idea they were infected.

I understood your point perfectly. That's why everybody needs to behave as though they are infected.

Firstly, we don’t have the highest death rate in Europe! Why do people continue to say that? Belgium actually has that honour. You cannot compare raw data such as the numbers who have died, when every country has a different size of population. The only way countries can be compared properly is to look at the numbers of deaths per 100,000. And this puts us in the unenviable position of being fourth in Europe and is still a horrendous toll on the British population. Belgium has had 178.87 deaths per 100,000, Slovenia 172, Italy 136.15, and Czechia 135.67. And then the UK at 133.93.
This is certainly not a good figure and I believe that it could have been lower if certain actions had been taken earlier. Lockdown should have been lockdown. That is as it was in Italy or France. We should been allowed out of our homes only once a day, with a downloaded pass. Too many places have remained open. Our borders should have been closed and quarantine enforced rigidly. And above all, every lockdown in the UK has been too late, so we are always playing catch up, not prevent.
But I’m fed up to the back teeth of lies being peddled by the media and then repeated ad nauseum by the public. We do not have the worst death rate in Europe, we have a wholly unenviable death rate, but not the worst in Europe.

I know how the virus is spread. I know what to do to help not get the virus. I risk assess all that I do. Not for the Government but me , my family and friends. I can’t understand why everyone is not doing this. I locked myself down before there was the first lockdown. My daughter did research on the internet. We saw what was happening in Italy early on. Clearly there are people who are sitting ducks. Those in care homes and Keyworkers but the rest of us should be helping them by doing our own risk assessments. I didnt do eat out to help out. Why don’t people use their own critical thinking? You don’t need to do what the government recommends! I haven’t seen 2 of my children and their families for over a year. Sacrifices have to be made but people are so entitled and you are not telling me what to do. Of course the Government have made mistakes but it’s people giving the virus to people. Rant over because I am going crazy with this Lockdown.

I don’t think you understood my point growstuff
I was talking about how up to a third of cases were in people who had no symptoms and who had absolutely no idea they were infected.

nipsmum

Before I get shouted down . I do understand that each and everyone of these deaths is a personal loss and tragedy for someone. Kept in proportion of a population of 66 million in the UK its not an extremely large number. Previously there has been a greater loss of life in pandemics and wars in this country.

When?

Before I get shouted down . I do understand that each and everyone of these deaths is a personal loss and tragedy for someone. Kept in proportion of a population of 66 million in the UK its not an extremely large number. Previously there has been a greater loss of life in pandemics and wars in this country.

Franbern

Just want to add, that the only partially success that has been is in the roll-out of the first doses of the vaccine. However, note, this has been handled by our NHS - in their usual efficient manner. Just imagine what would happening if it had been handed out to a government crony at enormous cost - and the debacle that would be ensuing.

Of course, The NHS and the GMC seem to disagree with the government idea of long period between first and second doses. This is being done so that government spokesmen can boast of numbers receiving the vaccine -however none of us are properly protected until we receive the second dose. I am concerned as to when this will actually take place for the majority of us.

So am I! I'm category 5 (65 and over). I'm also category 6 (diabetic and heart problems), but my age trumps my medical condition.

I keep reading about targets for the first four categories and (age 70+ and some occupational and CEV groups), but there's been nothing over the last couple of weeks about the remaining five priority groups.

I've become used to deception by omission. Nobody will commit to anything and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the remaining five groups are pushed on to the back burner - possible to appease the vocal pressure groups who want other people to be vaccinated.

JenniferEccles

I agree with you Caro57
It’s us, the general public, not the government who are responsible for the high death toll.

We have been told that up to one third of people with the virus were asymptomatic so apart from the tiny minority of people who claim to have never set foot outside all year we could ALL be responsible for unwittingly passing it on without even realising we had it.

Otherwise what was the answer?
A complete lockdown virtually all year?
The government has always had to rely on public compliance hasn’t it? We don’t live in a dictatorship like for instance China and I am sure we are all extremely thankful we don’t.

Simples! Stay at home and act as though you are infected. No excuses!

Just want to add, that the only partially success that has been is in the roll-out of the first doses of the vaccine. However, note, this has been handled by our NHS - in their usual efficient manner. Just imagine what would happening if it had been handed out to a government crony at enormous cost - and the debacle that would be ensuing.

Of course, The NHS and the GMC seem to disagree with the government idea of long period between first and second doses. This is being done so that government spokesmen can boast of numbers receiving the vaccine -however none of us are properly protected until we receive the second dose. I am concerned as to when this will actually take place for the majority of us.