Why we are still in deep trouble

Sigh.

This testing is as good as useless the way this virus performs.

Well, we could do several things....forget all safety precautions, everybody goes about their lives as normal and a lot of people are ill and a lot of people die ( such as we haven’t seen before) until those that are left have had the virus and recovered, herd immunity etc.Or, we can all stay in hiding until there is a vaccine.By that time however, the economy will have crashed and jobs lost etc.Or, we can do what we are doing already, phased openings of shops and leisure venues and trying to get people to work and children to school, whilst being prepared to close down things in local hot spots for the virus.

ditto lemongrove. ????

I agree lemongrove.

Exactly EllanVannin

My DH has had 4 CV tests now . All negative . I don’t see the point. The tests are only as good as the minute they were taken . They don’t have a shelf life .

And while the NHS is focusing everything at the CV, In the mean time people are becoming very ill and dying of neglect .

Oh and yes I agree with lemongrove .

Spot on lemongrove.

lemongrove - cannot disagree with the general drift of your post. BUT - these actions should be using the best scientists' advice; using the best people, not business cronies; and it should all have happened about 2 months ago.

There have been too many instances of scientists who have thrown up their hands in horror at the government's tardy and half-hearted approach - viz. Boris - "I have been shaking hands with everyone" - what a pillock.

lemongrove

Well, we could do several things....forget all safety precautions, everybody goes about their lives as normal and a lot of people are ill and a lot of people die ( such as we haven’t seen before) until those that are left have had the virus and recovered, herd immunity etc.Or, we can all stay in hiding until there is a vaccine.By that time however, the economy will have crashed and jobs lost etc.Or, we can do what we are doing already, phased openings of shops and leisure venues and trying to get people to work and children to school, whilst being prepared to close down things in local hot spots for the virus.

You’re not Mrs Gove are you ?! Kidding. In principle I agree with you (not her) but what I feel is that there are so many discrepancies in the rules/advice, and those are not enforced at all.

Isn’t it wonderful how those who don’t have the unenviable responsibility for seeing us through this, seem to have all the answers?

The thing to remember is that virologists are just concerned with the virus, not the effects on the economy.

It’s an incredibly difficult balancing act for the government, saving lives yet at the same time trying to preserve as many jobs as possible.

But surely it makes sense to tap into the established resources that are open to the government to minimise impact and influence the course of the virus? This has to be the most effective way of getting back to a new and acceptable normal of benefit to public health and the economy.

I agree lemongrove and Jennifer

Ditto sparklefizz

Last night's programme about the virus was very interesting. The lead on Oxford's vaccine programme made her views on the government's handling very clear indeed.

Are we saying it is chance that we have the worst record of coronavirus deaths in Europe? And we are an island - closing our borders right at the beginning would have sorted that. I was dumbfounded when this did not happen.

As to the economic issues - the two go hand in hand: if you do not get control of the spread of the virus the economy gets worse. So - priority has to be controlling the virus, which in turn will lead to economic gains.

Lemongrove you are spot on.

Being able to lock down local hotspots relies on efficient testing, tracing and isolating. I don't see that there's a problem with what the virologists are claiming. At the moment, the system is nowhere near good enough and it needs to be.

It also relies on proper lock downs rather than the half-hearted measures we've had.

The pandemic is still evolving, we must make control methods as effective as possible. It shows no sign of going away any time soon.

At the risk of this just becoming a game of “i agree with you” I think Daisymae is right as is Luckygirl.

JE. With respect, saying virologists are just concerned with the virus is a bit odd? What would you expect ?!

I agree with you lemongrove

What lemongrove said.

The government is playing catch up all the time, while that is happening the virus is mutating and being very unpredictable.

There is one aim the government has achieved, the number of hospitalized cases has been controlled to a level the NHS can cope with. It may be that is the best that can be achieved, the virus will continue to spread until we have all been exposed and achieved immunity or the virus weakens.

From the experience we have gained, the virus likes cool damp conditions, so as we go into autumn cases will increase so I don’t give much hope of large scale gatherings being allowed, including schools. If I had kids I would be planning for online schooling to continue, maybe with kids going in one day a week. So I am planning for the worst and intend to keep up distancing I hope I am wrong and the virus goes away

0.6% of those infected end up fatalities. Meaning 99.4% survive. Yet, Government and scientists demand we shut down all forms of life? Why?

The sombrero got squashed to help the NHS cope.

The economy needs normality now.