COVID - Something has to change

[the other bob wilson]

I think the whole country would benefit greatly if all the opinionated people who populate this board were running things because they collectively clearly know better than all the politicians and scientists and doctors who are running it.

The thoughts of a Havard professor of the evolution and epidemiology of infectious disease. There's no way I would consider myself as knowing more about the virus than him;-

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...st-trace-virus

[WJ99mobile]

Also if you think anyone would have stayed in lockdown over summer you overestimate the general public.

There would have been garden parties galore anyway.

[xsnaggle]

The thoughts of a Havard professor of the evolution and epidemiology of infectious disease. There's no way I would consider myself as knowing more about the virus than him;-

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...st-trace-virus

Does your reply mean that you included yourself in my comment about some on here who know better?
But I'm sure whatever he says we could search and find someone who says different.

And another thought of course, if he was saying everything the British Government has done is correct then he wouldn't be being quoted in the Guardian would he? :hehe.

PS I didn't bother to read it, the fact that you felt the need to post it and respond to me comment was enough for me.

[the other bob wilson]

A

Does your reply mean that you included yourself in my comment about some on here who know better?
But I'm sure whatever he says we could search and find someone who says different.

And another thought of course, if he was saying everything the British Government has done is correct then he wouldn't be being quoted in the Guardian would he? :hehe.

PS I didn't bother to read it, the fact that you felt the need to post it and respond to me comment was enough for me.

Your pathetic wind up attempt PS says it all really doesn't it and I see the Havard professor's piece doesn't count for anything because it's in the Guardian.

Here's what I actually think about the current situation.

Remember when we were pitying Spain and Italy back in February and early March and explaining their problems away by saying they were more tactile than us - Spain and Italy had it really bad in early spring, but we ended up having it worse. Spain's Government is left leaning, while Italy's is the sort of right wing, nationalist, libertarian administration that I'm instinctively against.

I should be all in favour of Spain and completely against Italy using the guidelines that have taken over on here, but a look at the figures for both countries in recent weeks show that Italy have handled the "second wave" better than the Spaniards have.

Italy appear to have learned lessons from earlier in the year and acted upon that, whereas it seems debatable as to whether Spain have. It's not just a question of left and right, general competence appears to be more important than politics when it comes to tackling Covid.

Mind you, I would say that in the U.K. political dogma seems to be overriding factor in outsourcing much of the test and trace programme to private companies when there were specialist local units already in place in the public sector. However, generally speaking, it is competence that seems to be more important and it's hard to find many now who would argue that the Uk Government are dealing and have dealt with Covid competently - would people be more prepared to stick to the self isolating rules if there was a Government in power that they had more trust in and respect for as far as the virus is concerned?

[jon1959]

A

Your pathetic wind up attempt PS says it all really doesn't it and I see the Havard professor's piece doesn't count for anything because it's in the Guardian.

Here's what I actually think about the current situation.

Remember when we were pitying Spain and Italy back in February and early March and explaining their problems away by saying they were more tactile than us - Spain and Italy had it really bad in early spring, but we ended up having it worse. Spain's Government is left leaning, while Italy's is the sort of right wing, nationalist, libertarian administration that I'm instinctively against.

I should be all in favour of Spain and completely against Italy using the guidelines that have taken over on here, but a look at the figures for both countries in recent weeks show that Italy have handled the "second wave" better than the Spaniards have.

Italy appear to have learned lessons from earlier in the year and acted upon that, whereas it seems debatable as to whether Spain have. It's not just a question of left and right, general competence appears to be more important than politics when it comes to tackling Covid.

Mind you, I would say that political dogma seems to be overriding factor in outsourcing much of the test and trace programme out to private companies when there were specialist local units already in place in the public sector. However, generally speaking, it is competence that seems to be more important and it's hard to find many now who would argue that the Uk Government are dealing and have dealt with Covid competently - would people be more prepared to stick to the self isolating rules if there was a Government in power that they had more trust in and respect for as far as the virus is concerned?

I got back from Italy yesterday after 11 days away.

National, regional and local government (of most political types - although not some right wing populist groupings) have consistently pushed a public health message after the disaster of March/April in the north of the country. That is without the level of wage support that was in place in the UK for the last 6 months. People generally wear masks and socially distance. There are temperature checks at most restaurants and some shops. They have had a hard lock-down and do not want to throw away that sacrifice through stupidity or selfishness. They have not had the flip-flops of UK policy, and the governments (national, regional and local) have not mangled or undermined their own messages.

It feels much safer (risk of catching Covid or transmitting it) than the UK and more serious about the risks.

There was some understandable anger that Johnson claimed the Italian and German rates of infection - and compliance with anti-Covid rules - was because they had fascist governments almost a century ago and so are more likely to behave than 'freedom loving Brits'. They just have consistent, clear leadership and simple rules. Italians are not culturally rule lovers - just watch them drive with one hand on their phone and the other holding a drink or a cig, and steering with their knees - but at least they do that in a mask!