Has Johnson failed/is failing to protect England?

As scientists speculated last week, it does seem the virus has peaked and with most of us fully vaccinated we have reduced the virus down to the equivalent of a winter flu.
If Johnson did move us to the next Level I'm sure we would have riots, protesters, MPs rebelling - all costing the state - (we tax payers)
I'm hoping Enland has done the right thing but will hold my breath for the next few weeks. Fingers crossed.

Exactly what Ro says.
Drakeford is playing politics ( it’s what they do) and is seeking to lesson Welsh annoyance/anger about the restrictions there.
The even more draconian measures taken by some other countries in Europe doesn’t appear to be doing much and is affecting economies and liberties there.
I think given the advice by the chief medical advisors here, then the government here have got it about right.

No expert in reading figures but according to the last I found on the Gov.uk database Wales has 2577.6 per 100k and England has 1786.8
Can you compare Wales and England for areas of concentrated population

IMO our government is going in the right direction over covid restrictions.

Drakesford must be squirming at the moment. As rosie1959 says the figures currently show much higher case numbers in Wales than England. This is despite the extra measures he has brought in. He is definitely playing at politics with some of his statements to cover his own back in my opinion!

Whatever else we might think about this government, I think their handling of the covid crisis has been quite good.
Not perfect, but pretty darned good. Drakeford is totally wrong, i.m.h.o.

The higher numbers are why Wales is taking more care.

I am not entirely happy with BJ's "ride it out" message. If you unpick it, what this means is: high infection rates, more deaths, more hospital admissions and strain on the NHS, more long term post-viral illness.

I do not think the scientists are behind him on this, but he feels he cannot do the right thing because he does not have the support of his backbenchers. A sorry situation. A gang of privileged toffs holding us all to ransom.

Luckygirl3

The higher numbers are why Wales is taking more care.

I am not entirely happy with BJ's "ride it out" message. If you unpick it, what this means is: high infection rates, more deaths, more hospital admissions and strain on the NHS, more long term post-viral illness.

I do not think the scientists are behind him on this, but he feels he cannot do the right thing because he does not have the support of his backbenchers. A sorry situation. A gang of privileged toffs holding us all to ransom.

Perhaps they actually realise that restrictions do not work you just have to take a look at the rates in France to see that

Drakeford has gone power crazy.

I can't get over the amount of money that's been thrown around and wasted ! That " hump" in London, the supposed grassy knoll where all the plants and trees withered. The test and trace debacle which was a complete waste of time costing millions. Besides other failed projects.

Of course BJ has got to show concern over the pandemic, it's his only saving grace. Even that hasn't gone far enough.

rosie1959

Luckygirl3

The higher numbers are why Wales is taking more care.

I am not entirely happy with BJ's "ride it out" message. If you unpick it, what this means is: high infection rates, more deaths, more hospital admissions and strain on the NHS, more long term post-viral illness.

I do not think the scientists are behind him on this, but he feels he cannot do the right thing because he does not have the support of his backbenchers. A sorry situation. A gang of privileged toffs holding us all to ransom.

Perhaps they actually realise that restrictions do not work you just have to take a look at the rates in France to see that

Also Germany, plus the cost of policing the rioters
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/covid-lockdown-protests-vaccine-germany-b1986421.html.
Still their numbers are rising even with all the precautions.

Just throw this in, it’s been worse before. The sad thing is, no discernable improvement.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59909860

LadyGracie

Drakeford has gone power crazy.

Man is just playing Politics. Its going to back fire on him in due course.

As at 3 January the total cases in France is 1.171 million and in the UK is 1.212 million. France is still playing catch up. The UK has had the more cases than the rest of Europe.

www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220104-new-covid-records-in-us-uk-france-as-omicron-runs-rampant

has had the most cases

I don’t think we can afford to put the country into lockdown every time there’s a new variant or surge, so I think I broadly agree with the way the PM is handling it. I think the various UK governments should be looking more to protect the population from the massive hike in energy bills coming in the next few weeks. Judging from the exchange between the PM and Angela Rayner at PM’s questions, it seems the government is going to abandon hard working families to their fate, and that once again many are going to be forced to choose between heating and eating.

rosie1959

Luckygirl3

The higher numbers are why Wales is taking more care.

I am not entirely happy with BJ's "ride it out" message. If you unpick it, what this means is: high infection rates, more deaths, more hospital admissions and strain on the NHS, more long term post-viral illness.

I do not think the scientists are behind him on this, but he feels he cannot do the right thing because he does not have the support of his backbenchers. A sorry situation. A gang of privileged toffs holding us all to ransom.

Perhaps they actually realise that restrictions do not work you just have to take a look at the rates in France to see that

I believe the higher numbers in Wales are because they count reinfections whereas Scotland and England don't.

love0c

IMO our government is going in the right direction over covid restrictions.

You mean by bringing in the army to help our beleaguered NHS workers ?

They flocked from Scotland over the border into England for the New Year, and now because Wales won’t permit spectators Welsh Rugby are thinking about playing their home games in England so their supporters can travel and watch. I really don’t know what to think.

Flocked?

Did anyone "flock" from, oh I don't know, Liverpool to London? Yorkshire to Newcastle? Leeds to Bradford?

Or is it only Celts who "flock"?

25Avalon not according to the rail companies statistics.They say the travel was very light heading south from Scotland certainly no flocking or even flooding south .

There were of course still people coming NORTH into Scotland as there have been throughout the pandemic ,which when it looked as if we had it under control after two months of no deaths made us ask if we could close the border Bojo answered THERE IS NO BORDER ,so there is the answer for you if there isn't a border going north into Scotland there cant be one going south!!

Dinahmo

As at 3 January the total cases in France is 1.171 million and in the UK is 1.212 million. France is still playing catch up. The UK has had the more cases than the rest of Europe.

www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220104-new-covid-records-in-us-uk-france-as-omicron-runs-rampant

I’ve wondered for a while whether France cases would be as high as UK if they’d tested the same number.

We’ve actually tested double the number 418+million v 188+ million with only 3million difference in our populations.

Are your test figures up to date Pantglas2? Huge amount going on at the moment. And France counts re-infections.

Mamie - these are Worldometers figures as of this morning- in actuality the UK has tested more than France, Germany and Italy put together.

France is the closest population amount to ours and we have around 25,000 more deaths - not sure if France count ‘died with’ or ‘died of’ COVID but they have been registering more of late.

This pandemic isn’t over yet and I know that deaths per million is one way to measure how badly each country is doing but on that basis India and China will beat everyone won’t they.