Coronavirus update - NO MORE RESTRICTIONS

[surge]

Re: Coronavirus update

Government guidance advising against close physical contact with people not in your household was not lifted until May 17th. Pictures of Matt Hancock are from earlier that month. On May 16th, before the restrictions were lifted, Mr Hancock said this (pics of quotes inserted within twitter thread)

At a different point in the pandemic in September 2020 Mr Hancock said that people should be sticking to “established relationships”. Many millions of single people have been struggled throughout as a result of feeling they shouldn’t be mixing with other households.

In May 2020 Mr Hancock said of Professor Neil Ferguson’s affair and rule breaking (which led him to resign from Sage): “It’s extraordinary. I don’t understand...I think the social distancing rules are very important and people should follow them.”

Hancock has not been slow to judge others for what he saw as poor adherence to the rules in other matters. When ministers changed the tiers before Christmas Hancock lambasted people for being “totally irresponsible” for travelling before the rules changed.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/st...65841712926722

If Hancock were to stay it would say something quite big about political landscape currently. If Hancock goes we might start asking who leaked it to the S*n and why now?

I still think hiring this aide seemingly without a contract being registered is fairly big part of the story which will likely be missed.

[Vindec]

Re: Coronavirus update

Hancock is toast. He was already on a slippery slope as Johnson's fall guy but this just about clinches it.

[jon1959]

Re: Coronavirus update

He’s got to walk surely

Boris Johnson has accepted Matt Hancock's apology and 'considers the matter closed'.

You're not surprised are you?

[jon1959]

Re: Coronavirus update

Hancock is toast. He was already on a slippery slope as Johnson's fall guy but this just about clinches it.

You’ve seen the Health Secretary’s statement, so I would point you to that,” a spokesman for the Prime Minister said after being asked by reporters why Mr Hancock remained in post.

I don’t really have anything further to add.

The health secretary set out that he accepted he had breached the social distancing guidelines and he has apologised for that.

The prime minister has accepted the Health Secretary’s apology and considers the matter closed.

Asked whether Boris Johnson had “full confidence” in Hancock, the spokesman replied: “Yes.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/jun/25/uk-covid-coronavirus-live-news-travel-boris-johnson-matt-hancock

Toast is not what it used to be!

[surge]

Re: Coronavirus update

No 10 repeatedly refuses to deny that Matt Hancock broke the law, as opposed to social distancing rules, by conducting an affair indoors when indoor mixing was illegal unless explicitly for work reasons.

https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/stat...02317053923329

No doubt it's a question of when he goes but think a large number felt that anyway. I suspect he'll be moved on shortly after July 19th when lockdown easing goes ahead in England so Hancock can be described as the freedom-stealer and allowing his political party to take a step away from difficulties of covid.

[surge]

Re: Coronavirus update

Just sat through the most ridiculous lobby. The PM's spokesman refuses to engage in any questions despite the massive public interest questions facing Matt Hancock. Utter contempt for the public.

https://twitter.com/kateferguson4/st...02589448867847

Contemptuous lobby briefing in which No 10 refuses to answer qs on whether Hancock broke the law or ministerial code. Says the PM has accepted his apology and 'considers the matter closed' followed by half an hour of epic stonewalling

https://twitter.com/JasonGroves1/sta...02273844269057

If deputy political editor at The S*n and political editor at the Daily Mail are this angry at a Tory government then it's only a matter of time.

[goats]

Re: Coronavirus update

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57615547

[blue matt]

Re: Coronavirus update

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-23/nsw-covid-bondi-outbreak-timeline/100237834

A interesting read, the time frame of a mini outbreak in sydney at the mo


I went to see Cruela in the cinema last sunday, had 2 seats between groups, but no empty rows, i said at the time, if someone had it, a fair few would be " in contact "

[az city]

Re: Coronavirus update

There's some work in The Lancet on the effectiveness of the PB and AZ vaccines against the alpha and delta variants. To cut a long story short, two doses of the AZ vaccine after 14 days is only 60% effective (in the same way as originally reported) against the delta (Indian) variant.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01358-1/fulltext

Everyone still needs to be careful. Fully vaccinated people are getting it and have died.

[Vindec]

Re: Coronavirus update

You’ve seen the Health Secretary’s statement, so I would point you to that,” a spokesman for the Prime Minister said after being asked by reporters why Mr Hancock remained in post.

I don’t really have anything further to add.

The health secretary set out that he accepted he had breached the social distancing guidelines and he has apologised for that.

The prime minister has accepted the Health Secretary’s apology and considers the matter closed.

Asked whether Boris Johnson had “full confidence” in Hancock, the spokesman replied: “Yes.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/jun/25/uk-covid-coronavirus-live-news-travel-boris-johnson-matt-hancock

Toast is not what it used to be!

He will "resign" after the weekend is my guess. For resign read sacked. However if he lasts out next week he will survive. But my initial instinct that he is toast remains.

[blue matt]

Re: Coronavirus update

Not seen it mentioned here

The New LAMBDA strain

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lambda-south-american-covid-variant-165031686.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

1st Identified in Peru last August, so its taken its time to get here

Bad news for the doom and gloomer's though

PHE said tests were ongoing and there is currently no evidence this variant causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective.

[cyril evans awaydays]

Re: Coronavirus update

Not seen it mentioned here

The New LAMBDA strain

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lambda-south-american-covid-variant-165031686.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

1st Identified in Peru last August, so its taken its time to get here

Bad news for the doom and gloomer's though

PHE said tests were ongoing and there is currently no evidence this variant causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective.

Good spot. Very comforting for the overly optimistic.

[Vindec]

Re: Coronavirus update

He will "resign" after the weekend is my guess. For resign read sacked. However if he lasts out next week he will survive. But my initial instinct that he is toast remains.

He's resigned according to the BBC.

[jon1959]

Re: Coronavirus update

He will "resign" after the weekend is my guess. For resign read sacked. However if he lasts out next week he will survive. But my initial instinct that he is toast remains.

He's burnt!