Other government news. Life outside of covid

You’re right trisher flattening the curve was to buy time for the NHS to manage the virus. It’s time to start thinking of an exit plan. Gradually. With an eye on other countries.

I've just read quizqueen's remark about the country being "FULL" does that mean when this virus has run its course and so many have died (herd immunity I think BJ called it) we will be putting up a "Vacancies" sign? (sorry but what is there apart from black humour?)
Incidently isolation has never been about beating the virus simply about helping health services cope.

Apologies WWmk2 I’ve looped this back to Covid-19. Its supposed to be about other stuff. I’ll shut up now!

We appear to have done what we always do in the UK in the absence of any bold and knowledgeable decision making abilities.

The decision was initially to use plan A: to allow the infection to run and accept the collateral deaths that would be the result of building herd immunity. When both infections and deaths increased exponentially someone in authority(!) panicked and decided we would switch to plan B, to kill the spread by mass isolation.

It was too late though - the virus was already out there in sufficient intensity and the 'rules of isolation' were slack enough for the infection to continue spreading. The figures are still increasing and while it looks like we might finally be reaching the top of the bell curve the numbers of infections and deaths increase daily.

As a result of the blending of A & B above, the isolation isn't working and we're doing very real, long lasting damage to our economy. The result of our 'leaders' losing their nerve and switching track has visited onto us the worst possible outcome: High death numbers AND a wrecked economy.

When I started reading Dan's article I found myself for the first time in years forming the opinion he was wrong... after mulling it over a coffee I think he's right. There's no damage-free route out of this mess but continuing how we are will lead to irrecoverable damage.

Peter Kylie MP reporting that sky has done some outstanding reporting on the social care catastrophe.

It was in Daniel Hannan’s article today in the Sunday Telegraph growstuff. I’m not sure what the amount represented.

Writing from Spain, and believing you're two weeks behind us, we are now starting to see the benefits of the lockdown.

But with the death ratio in the UK at 1:8, anyone who would want to lift these restrictions, at this time is foolish- it's far too soon.

The article does make a strong business case, for relaxing the restrictions, and it could be done, region by region, based on a number of factors: NHS resources; population density, and not least, protecting key industries from catastrophic consequences of this virus.

Life will return to normal, but sadly, just not yet.

Can you explain what you mean by the claim that austerity cost £30 billion in total? Whom did it cost?

But Urmstongran people are saving money that they're not spending in bars, hair salons, travel to work, etc. Hedge fund managers are circling to buy up failed businesses. Most of the money won't just disappear. There will be people falling over themselves to lend it to the government by buying bonds. Of course there will be money to fund the NHS.

Don't kid yourself. Most people in the country will eventually be infected, unless there's a total lockdown. The government is trying to avoid too many people being infected at the same time and overwhelming the health services. There is also the important issue of shielding the most vulnerable and ensuring their financial and practical needs are met.

There seems to be pressure from certain cliques to return to "normal life" far too early. Maybe they really don't care about those who will be unable to access medical care or the elderly and vulnerable who will die.

I'm one of the people whose small business has just been destroyed and I'm not eligible for state aid. I'd love somebody to wave a magic wand and make it all disappear, but it won't happen. If restrictions were lifted tomorrow, there's no way I would go back to "normal" working because I have a much higher risk than average of ending up dead, which I don't fancy. I'm going to end up with no savings at all, but that's better than the alternative.

Nobody would want that trade off WWmk2 but there are experts who are telling us this semi-lockdown is costing the U.K. £2.3billion a day. Austerity 2010-2019 cost £30billion in total. Do the math. Without a return to work as soon as our scientists can agree to it, the hit to the economy will jeopardise the funding for even the NHS with, worryingly, bigger loss of life.

We have to be careful we don’t pit this as health -v- finances. It’s not that simple and it’s multi-faceted.

ug yes they do but not at the expense of peoples lives. Very few would want that trade off

But bars, restaurants, gyms, coffee shops, independent book shops, pubs, florists, nail salons, barbers, hairdressers and many others all desperately need customers.

You must remember that the country is not in total lockdown. People are going to work, if they can keep socially distancing. online firms are selling out, chocolate firms and garden supplies included. I suspect that is one reason that the infection rates are still surprisingly high.

Yet if they don’t have an exit plan for this lockdown soon GagaJo the economy will tank.

Here in Spain, some non essential workers (construction for example) are going back to work from Tuesday.

I can’t believe they can think about ending lockdown until we have any kind of grip on the virus. Yes, I understand the damage to the economy, but the nhs is in chaos. 1000 deaths a day!

If we’re opening the country again before any real reduction in deaths we might as well not have bothered in the first place. Herd Immunity plan is clearly still in place.

Yes ug if they get it wrong disaster awaits with more deaths.

Parliament must be recalled. This muddle needs to be examined and it's quite clear that there's so much wrong. NHS staff are dying yet get warned about wasting PPE, this can't continue. Johnson's life was apparently in danger yet there was no deputy with authority to keep going in time of crisis. We need the best people in charge whatever their political persuasion.

Apparently the government is split regards ending lockdown.

The economic hawks - Rishi Sunak, Pritti Patel, Boris & Gavin Williamson amongst others - want a phased end to the lockdown (? 2nd week in May) to save the economy.

The health doves - Matt Hancock, natch and Michael Gove - want an extended lockdown with a phased return more towards the end of May/early June - to mitigate deaths from the virus and to help the NHS cope.

It’s a balancing act isn’t it? Perhaps we will take cues from other countries who are ahead of us in this pandemic.

Ed Miliband has sent a letter to Sunak, saying that thousands of companies were on the verge of collapse unless there was a bigger commitment from the government.

Government needed to act swiftly said Miliband because businesses were fast running out if cash.

The opposition is demanding that parliament is recalled as deaths top 1000 a day.

The government is reaching the time when a decision must be made as to whether the length of lockdown should be primarily to protect the economy or protect lives, The Telegraph is reporting that it is clear there is a split in the cabinet. Between what it characterises as the doves and hawks.

This is the biggest crises the U.K. has faced since the war, and it is clear that the decision when and how lockdown will be decided will be momentous.

Parliament must be recalled.

From a nurse

“ I fell a bit broken hearted at ......our Chief Nursing Officer.

Whilst you have the ear of the government, th3 world stage, you forgot us - your front line family of nurses????

Where is our PPE, and why did you forget how many of us died here?”

SW, inevitable!

But I’m sure a Tory acolyte will be along in a moment to defend him

I’ve been giving MH the benefit of the doubt over the last week or two and thought he’d grown up a bit. His comments yesterday implying NHS staff were somehow wasting and misusing PPE shows just how wrong I was. He’s a little shit who is proving incapable of sorting out the PPE fiasco and has decided to blame the victims.

Reply on twitter from a clinician

“ yes I go out of my way to waste masks, hoods and gowns when they are in such short supply.

Classic blame shifting. Just when I thought the government couldn’t get any lower, it did”

Starmer

“ it is quite insulting (for Hancock) to imply that frontline staff are wasting PPE.

There are horrific stories of NHS and care workers not having enough equipment to keep them safe

The government must act to ensure enough supplies are delivered.