Avoiding a second lock down

The UK along with  most other countries accepted WHO advice. They monitored  the virus as it built up to a certain level, trying to contain it by test and track of those with symptoms. When it got to a certain level it was then decided to require everyone apart from  key workers to isolate at home. People were encouraged to work, but only if they could do so without social contact.

The UK entered lock down a little later than Italy or Spain because the virus arrived in force later in the UK. Indeed, the UK virus infection probably was fanned by people holidaying in Italy and returning with it where it was worse earlier than here.

Most argue the lock down has been successful. New cases and the death rate has fallen from shortly after the lock down was imposed, as you would expect. Some query whether the virus started to wane for other unspecified reasons, and some have been critical about the timing of quarantine provisions for visitors from abroad. It should be easy to agree that if you  make people stay away from all physical contact with others, it should stop the spread of a contagious disease. As long ago as  the medieval period they used isolation hospitals for contagious diseases they could not otherwise cure or control, so it is not a new insight.

Today the issue is different. We know that whilst lock down can decelerate the virus, it will also do substantial damage to livelihoods and businesses. Whilst it is possible to borrow to pay for one lock down period and a business recovery from it, it would become very expensive to try to do so again from a second lock down. The damage would compound and more capacity and more jobs  lost for ever.

So from now on government has both to save lives and livelihoods. It both has to  bear down on the disease, and help economic recovery. The method has been laid out  by Ministers and their advisers. It requires two things. It requires a good test and trace system, which we are assured we now have. It requires the co-operation of the public, who need to submit for a test if they have symptoms, and share details of their contacts if they test positive.

As an enthusiast for getting back to more normal working, I just hope the new model for containing the disease gets the buy in it needs to succeed. We need it to do so to save both lives and livelihoods. I look forward to the NHS establishing isolation centres for residual virus treatment, so the rest of the service can return to normal to start tackling the backlog.

188 Comments

  1. Peter Wood
    June 27, 2020

    Good Morning,

    A Swedish expert in this field said, some months ago, this virus cannot be contained, the best you can hope for is to slow its progress and treat the sick as generously, and safely, as possible. We’re all going to get it, its just how we manage it that will make the difference.

    Which brings up the question; how prepared are we now, with equipment and facilities?

    1. Lifelogic
      June 27, 2020

      No we are not all going to get it. It seem rather clear that many are not very (or even not at all) susceptible to catching it and many who do get it get it so mildly they do not even notice. The NHS does now seem to be saving rather more of the seriously affected patients than they were initially thank goodness.

      1. NickC
        June 27, 2020

        Lifelogic, The NHS is saving more of the seriously affected patients because it has learnt to do so. The NHS started with expertise and systems but without direct knowledge of this particular coronavirus.

        For example, the NHS originally used (mechanical) ventilators, but rapidly found that CPAP was better. Another is that very few die strictly from SARS-cv-2, rather from complications that it sets in motion. That might be existing co-morbidities, or alternatively an opportunistic bacterial infection (as the Italians found).

        1. Lifelogic
          June 27, 2020

          Perhaps, but deaths (per tested positive person) in Germany for example (and particularly Singapore) are very, very significantly lower about 1/4 in Germany and far lower still in Singapore. Why did their health systems learn so much more quickly?

          Why did so many in the UK die without even getting into hospital or even after being pushed out of hospitals?

          1. a-tracy
            June 27, 2020

            Perhaps the Germans treated with different drugs they had available?
            Perhaps their hospitals didn’t used ventilators that you were repeatedly crying out for!?
            Perhaps they put people on CPAP quicker?
            Perhaps they locked down care homes quicker and stopped visitors and specifically tested those staff working in them quickly and repeatedly?
            Who knows the Germans don’t appear to be telling and if they are our newspapers aren’t reporting.

          2. Lifelogic
            June 28, 2020

            Well many in the UK nearly half died without any hospital treatment at all, Many died in hospital without mechanical ventilation (as a last resort). The Germans certainly had more equipment available.

            Four time better at saving lives is a large difference. A similar performance by the NHS would have cut the circa 70,000 UK deaths so far to under 20,000

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      Absolute, utter, baloney.

      The worst thing that this so-called government did was to propagate the pathetic, useless, wet-lettuce fatalism which you so signally display.

      It has taken root deeply, and will cause untold needless loss of life.

      1. Dennis Zoff
        June 27, 2020

        MiC

        …furthermore, there are those that now vigorously suggest (UK and internationally) wearing masks is particularly bad for one’s health (oxygen depletion). Another lame, perhaps dangerous, Governmental directive.

        This Government’s (expert advice) incompetence never ceases to amaze!….along with frightening the populace with discredited expert sources?

        1. Martin in Cardiff
          June 27, 2020

          The way to avoid a second lock down is to stamp out the epidemic.

          You say that the UK has nothing whatsoever to learn from the long and growing list of countries which have succeeded in, or are succeeding in doing this, however.

          Fine – I expect that your long-suffering teachers found the same.

          1. a-tracy
            June 27, 2020

            How much of this new wave of virus is imported, we must be told, it isn’t fair to lock down people in the U.K. for 10 weeks and more and allow every infected person in for treatment.

            They aren’t telling us where the new cases are from because there would be an uproar and people like you would be having a melt down accusing everyone of xenophobia.

          2. Anonymous
            June 27, 2020

            You can’t stamp out an epidemic without a vaccine.

            All you have is duck- and- cover for the rest of your days otherwise.

      2. NickC
        June 27, 2020

        Martin, Two members of my family are front line NHS medical staff. Neither are as sure of the situation as you claim to be. Perhaps you need to recognise that the facts are neither as accessible, nor as simplistic, as you pretend. As for “wet-lettuce fatalism”, I haven’t seen you make a positive contribution yet – it’s all been whining criticisms from you.

        1. jerry
          June 27, 2020

          @NickC; So your family members believe that inoculations and vaccines serve no purpose and that not catching a virus is worse than catching one – ho-hum!

          Claim what you like (even hospital cleaners are more enlighten about virial/bacterial control than you appear to be) but I suspect your opinions are no ones other than your own. No one needed to catch this virus what so ever, and we are NOT “all going to get it” (as Peter Woods claimed) unless that is/was the govts plan – ie. herd immunity…

          1. NickC
            June 28, 2020

            Jerry, Ho-hum, stop putting words into my mouth. Again. What I have said is the human immune system needs to be constantly exposed to pathogens to function well.

            When that scientific fact finally emerges in the MSM – and you read it – no doubt you will imagine you are the only one who knows. I am just trying to keep you better informed from my medical sources.

          2. jerry
            June 28, 2020

            @NickC; “What I have said is the human immune system needs to be constantly exposed to pathogens to function well.”

            So, I’ll repeat, by that logic, 20 years ago you would have knowingly allowed your children to be exposed to say the Ebola virus, there being no vaccine, because “the human immune system need to be constantly exposed to pathogens to function well” (gain naturally created immunity)?

            Of course you wouldn’t have…

            The human body either needs to be vaccinated against KNOWN viruses or, when this is not possible, the body should be if at all possible not exposed to the virus.

            Yours is the argument of an economist, not of a medical professional.

    3. Hope
      June 27, 2020

      No evidence to support your third paragraph. Lock down has not altered any figures. Death rate and rate of infection already going down before lock down. Please explain figures for Japan and others. Will Jones Con Woman has written many articles suggest you read, all evidenced based not on political hocum pokum nonsense.

      We know your fake Tory party does not by its own rules i.e. Hancock, Johnson, Symmonds, Cummings. Johnson also eased lock down rules based on his personal chaotic life style, not science, nannies and cleaners, single parents allowed to visit not grandparents etc.

      Under the cover of Chinese virus more laws, against promises, to deplete nuclear traditional families i.e. Quick divorces and abortion laws. 209,519 abortions in 2019.

      Laws for us and not for you will not last the test of time. It creates distrust, disaffection.

      1. Dennis Zoff
        June 27, 2020

        +1

    4. Hope
      June 27, 2020

      No evidence to support your third paragraph. Lock down has not altered any figures. Death rate and rate of infection already going down before lock down. Please explain figures for Japan and others. Will Jones Con Woman has written many articles suggest you read, all evidenced based not on political hocum pokum nonsense.

      We know your fake Tory party does not by its own rules i.e. Hancock, Johnson, Symmonds, Cummings. Johnson also eased lock down rules based on his personal chaotic life style, not science, nannies and cleaners, single parents allowed to visit not grandparents etc.

      Under the cover of Chinese virus more laws, against promises, to deplete nuclear traditional families i.e. Quick divorces and abortion laws. 209,519 abortions in 2019.

      Laws for us and not for you will not last the test of time. It creates distrust, disaffection.

      1. dixie
        June 27, 2020

        In an article on that site on 13-Jine Will Jones claims “there have been no second spikes in countries which have eased restrictions”, but there have been – Germany, France, Sweden, USA, Saudi Arabia, South Africa have been reported to see such spikes and increases.

        I agree with his analysis in that article of Furgeson’s claims of second site but he too fails utterly in predicting the future. He is an academic with a background in mathematics and politics. This does not make him an expert in epidemiology.

        We have been flooded with competing claims from many experts, so-called experts and self-proclaimed experts who have mostly been wrong. The net result is that trust in science has been brought to an all time low.

        1. Philip P.
          June 28, 2020

          Countries that relaxed lockdowns in late April/1st half May – Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Belgium – have shown no spike or substantial increase in new cases. Sweden has shown a mild increase, but has been testing much more than before, so that’s no surprise. We now have up to two months’ worth of data from these countries, and there’s no evidence here that relaxing lockdown does harm.
          Disappointingly, Sir John’s article only comforts the second wave of scare-mongers.

      2. Peter Wood
        June 27, 2020

        Please review the American experience; a number of states ‘locked-down’ after us, and re-opened before us, or before the infection rate had fallen sufficiently. Now they are seeing the infection rates rise quickly. I expect, sadly, that ours will too. In a couple of weeks we’ll know. If it does, are we ready?

        1. a-tracy
          June 27, 2020

          For goodness sakes Peter, where is the virus spreading now from? People are only just emerging out of lockdown after 13 weeks!
          If they don’t tell us where exactly the outbreaks are, how are they happening, are the workers in these spikes in meat factories arriving to the U.K. in the past 13 weeks or were they here from the start? Have they had relatives visit them from abroad.

          Where are all the incomers flying in from new spike Countries quarantining?

          If they kept a hole in the dam don’t be surprised if the virus keeps leaking out.

  2. Lifelogic
    June 27, 2020

    I too am an enthusiast for getting back to more normal working. I still think that more lives could have been saved by taking more infection control measures earlier as I said at the time but we certainly need to get back to work now. The government’s and NHS’s idiotic actions of pushing infected people into care homes was as idiotic as sending people back to their flats at Grenville Tower. Why do we have such complete fools in positions of power?

    Some very good news too in that the NHS is finally getting rather better at treating people with covid. With death rates falling to about 35% of what they were initially per infected patient. Yes get back to work – with sensible precautions as needed.

    Talking of fools in positions of power the changes to the insolvency laws (to protect insolvent companies due to Covid (as they will all obviously claim) – going through parliament currently – will be an appalling disaster for the economy. They really do need to be stopped or amended hugely JR. They will do immense damage to businesses and the working of finance and the economy.

    1. Lifelogic
      June 27, 2020

      Who was responsible for this insanely damaging – Coronavirus – Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill?

      1. Nigl
        June 27, 2020

        The Civitas report says it all. Career politicians with non related degrees and zero outside experience.

        1. Lifelogic
          June 27, 2020

          +1

      2. Sir Joe Soap
        June 27, 2020

        If you are referring to the wrongful trading liability suspension this is a corollary of the government deciding which businesses can trade and when. The other option was the gov. being taken to court for preventing businesses trading. A tough call by the govt but probably the right one if it is very temporary.

        1. Lifelogic
          June 27, 2020

          It is an appalling piece of legislation in so very many ways. It will do far more harm than good. Even worse than the idiotic Climate Change Act insanity. Doubtless it will similarly be voted through with only a handful MPs against it! The rather few rational ones.

    2. Lifelogic
      June 27, 2020

      Two excellent pieces by Charles Moore and Douglas Murray today in the Telegraph today. Still a few voices and sense in this absurdly woke, PC, climate alarmist, anti-science and logic world.

      Getting fired for telling the truth seem to be increasingly common. Following on from Google and James Damore’s (completely true and private memo) we now have some school head teacher suspended for saying (essentially) some teachers are very good indeed but some teachers on lockdown are ‘doing nothing at home’. Doubtless some are indeed doing nothing.

    3. Jack Falstaff
      June 27, 2020

      Regarding your Grenville Tower comment I totally agree, as you would think that the emergency services might have learnt from the Twin Towers in the 9/11 incident, when those inside were also told to stay put.
      Mind-blowingly ill-advised and absolutely terrible.

      1. Mark
        June 27, 2020

        The tragedy over Grenfell Tower is that over three years after the incident, the inquiry has yet to tackle the issue of the green regulations and the green trumps safe attitude to fire regulation, all driven by the EU, that explain why flammable cladding was installed in the first place, when it was not safe, and not economic. That the inquiry has discovered that the architects employed were chosen for low cost rather than expertise perhaps means that they, not the regulators, will carry a large share of blame unjustly when the report eventually emerges.

        1. Martin in Cardiff
          June 27, 2020

          Absolute rubbish from start to finish.

          1. Mark
            June 27, 2020

            I researched in considerable detail at the time. Did you? Did you read the planning application? Did you read the EU regulations on fire testing? Did you calculate the value of the projected energy saving against the cost?

            I posted about all that here at this site within days of the sad event.

        2. Lifelogic
          June 27, 2020

          It was surely blinding obvious (it was to me just from a few seconds of watching TV footage in the early stages of the fire slowly creeping up the outside of the building) that people should be told to get out.

          It made no sense in energy saving terms to clad the building at all. But the climate alarmist loons do like doing daft things usually with other people’s money.

    4. SM
      June 27, 2020

      Here we go again –

      Should infected patients have been kept in hospital to infect others? And hospitals are not the best places for delivering palliative care.

      Mortality data is inaccurate (to say the least), and will need to be analysed in very great detail before conclusions can be drawn.

      1. dixie
        June 27, 2020

        never interrupt a self proclaimed expert when they are spurting.

      2. NickC
        June 27, 2020

        SM, Indeed, much data is inaccurate and should not be used other than to draw tentative conclusions at the moment. Though it is the case that NHS management have used the Care Home option to clear beds in the hospitals for years. They just kept doing it during the pandemic.

        1. Fred H
          June 27, 2020

          precisely…anyone in the know is aware an exit date is ‘fixed’ immediately after arrival a diagnosis is made. If that can be accelerated -wonderful – all clap hands.

      3. Lifelogic
        June 27, 2020

        Clearly you isolate infected patients somewhere suitable – not kick them out into care homes to die and infect other vulnerable people in the process! Unless perhaps they wanted these deaths to save on long term care costs?

        What was the point of the Nightingale Hospitals?

    5. a-tracy
      June 27, 2020

      Lots of people have never stopped work away from home, many thousands are working from home for just 20% more pay!

      Businesses (other than those compulsorily still closed by government) have indicated they will start to return on Wednesday 1st July or Monday the 5th July.

    6. ukretired123
      June 27, 2020

      Yes I would like to know the repercussions on this as it would destroy trust in Britain’s world standing legal business framework as it would be abused as the ultimate “get out of gaol” defence for reneging on one’s responsibilities and liabilities.
      Any alluding to CV19 would be the kiss of death to any further discussion of investigation as a blanket cover cop out.

      1. Lifelogic
        June 27, 2020

        +1

  3. Nigl
    June 27, 2020

    Agree with your sentiments. If test and trace was working why aren’t we told where and how people are now getting affected? The app is still not working despite millions spent on it, a product of a narrow centrist organisation that has failed but continues to be spun by ‘ministers as a success. And there’s your problem.

    You have created a ‘frightened’ sense in the community to the extent that a large number of people will not risk ‘getting back to normal’ continuing to be propagated by dire warnings about social contact, past lies on masks, tracing numbers etc.

    The Civitas report on your governments handling of this, allowing the democratic and decision taking process to be taken over by scientists with questionable models and specialisms unchallenged by Ministers through naivety and a desire to avoid blame, makes appalling reading for your government.

    You should take the rainbow coloured spectacles off because sadly, as of now. We don’t believe you.

    1. Stred
      June 27, 2020

      Following random testing the experts believe that up to 70% of the population who had been tested positively had no symptoms at any stage. That leaves 30% who will know that they should contact the tracing centres to report and give a list of contacts that they may have infected. But they will not be able to name the contacts that they made in public areas or transport unless they have a working phone app which detects other phones. After six weeks the NHS app is still not working and they are proudly persuading Google and Apple to alter their app so that it works like the world beating NHS app would have.

      How is this going to work now that the UK is opening up for business? Boris asked where in the world have these apps worked. Korea for one and Germany too following their second outbreak given their previous success in tracing and treating.

    2. a-tracy
      June 27, 2020

      Nig1 I’ve wondered why we’re not being told where the breakouts are and who is getting infected and why and I am presuming it’s because it would cause massive problems I.e. meat factory workers! Closed plants – food shortages. Returners to the U.K. from abroad especially highly infected areas! There would be an outcry and people would want all flights grounded. People who work in care homes – if they all quit work isolating for a fortnight who would look after the residents. If one Supermarket was found to be a spreader because of lax controls it would shut the business down if reported.

      However if the authorities don’t open up about this sensibly then we’ll be temporarily locked down repeatedly for a year or more. I just hope behind the scenes when outbreaks are known and identified crack infection teams are sent in to deal with localised prevention.

    3. Mike Stallard
      June 27, 2020

      I do.
      I know someone who is working (abroad) on track and trace and it is appallingly difficult to do. Otherwise, the government has made a lot of mistakes, but what else did you expect? The NHS was not overwhelmed (cp Italy). The pandemic is dying down (for the summer ready to peak back in the autumn?) I think Sir John has a point.

  4. Adam
    June 27, 2020

    An efficient Test and Trace system enables rapid containment, enabling each new spread start to stop near to where it begins.

    1. Nigl
      June 27, 2020

      Agree. If only we had one!

    2. DOMINIC
      June 27, 2020

      Nonsense. It means the destruction of freedom and the strangling of our lives by an all encompassing political State

      1. Original Chris
        June 27, 2020

        Agreed, Dominic, and that is why it is being pushed so hard by the Leftists who have infiltrated our country and its system, apparently aided and abetted by our weak PM, who seems to view himself as a “progressive” not a Conservative.

        There is an insurrection going on in this country by Marxists intent on destroying our country/system, and they are using BLM and others to forge ahead. It seems that many MPs are completely oblivious to this.

        Follow the money to see who funds these groups/movements. It is not difficult to discover but it does raise the significant question of involvement of overseas individuals working with the Left in this country to foment unrest and insurrection. This is very much part of the bigger picture which is to instal a new world order, based on communist ideals, in order to usher in one world government.

        I believe President Trump will ultimately expose the power structure and the identity of those individuals involved in the attempts to cause anarchy in the USA and UK, and he will bring them to justice. The UK already has so much to thank him for, but we will be even further indebted to him when all of this is over.

        1. Adam
          June 28, 2020

          You foresee dangers, Original Chris, yet there are facilities readily available to us all to identify and gather data about others for action. People with sinister intent would find more efficient ways than attempting to control a group who just happen to exhibit Covid 19 symptoms, or only might.

        2. a-tracy
          June 28, 2020

          Reporting on America in the U.K. is very strange, very one sided and saying as for years we’re told the EU is our closest neighbour completely out of balance with reporting from our closest neighbours.

          One example: there have been spikes in America in Cities that had large blm protests on a daily basis with thousands gathering two weeks ago no correlation to that protest at all. See – Arizona and S Florida.

          No man should be expected to work seven days per week, yet every Golf exercise Trump takes is reported in a negative, accusing fashion it’s just too much! Pelosi made a big deal of DT’s weight mistakenly calling him obese when in was in the low range of overweight – two very different categories, jumped on with glee by the media that otherwise beats up on people who dare to criticise overweight, unhealthy people – supporting body positive. If you were overweight wouldn’t regular outdoor exercise for a few hours per day be a good solution.

      2. Everhopeful
        June 27, 2020

        +1

      3. Adam
        June 27, 2020

        Covid acts more like the strangler. The State assists with ventilation.

    3. Fred H
      June 27, 2020

      Are OAPs from care homes holding their mobiles en route to and from hospitals?

  5. agricola
    June 27, 2020

    While the NHS have been heroic and the majority of the population very cooperative, we have a minority of mindless idiots who do as they please thinking they can never be shot down. They make their anarchial statements on crowded beaches and at riots for the fun of it. Their first crime is that they risk the lives of the innocent, subsequent crimes have been their forte throughout their misersble existence. The weakness in the UK is that we have an emasculated police force who prefer the bended knee and other social engineering to the rule of law. While we are run by the acolytes of Roy Jenkins I see no positive outcome. Your as politicians are ignoring the needs of the majority and pandering to the anarchaic minority.

    1. NickC
      June 27, 2020

      Agricola, I suspect the beach-goers saw the far-left thugs rioting and not social-distancing three or four weeks previously – with the police running away or genuflecting to them – so assumed the authorities weren’t actually bothered about lockdown any more.

      1. Mark B
        June 27, 2020

        I hope someone does a study on the deaths caused by the lockdown. Too many people have, and will suffer from this, mark my words.

  6. Jack Falstaff
    June 27, 2020

    The massive concentration of people during the recent protesting outside Parliament, the Bournemouth debacle and now the Liverpool FC celebrations are just three examples of how the British public have ensured that all the good work on the part of responsible citizens who stayed at home as instructed may have been undone by their incivility.
    We shall see.
    I am disgusted by the disrespectful attitude of these people, especially the indirect risk implications for our health workers and those trying to get the economy back on its feet as soon as is practicable.
    And this time it won’t be Brits coming home from holidays in Italy that are the problem, but instead an exodus of hordes of our drunken, law-abusing yobs, who will almost certainly land in Spain now that the country has opened itself up to British tourists.
    In so doing the Spanish have unfortunately had no choice (due to their heavy reliance on the tourist sector) but to expose their country to a menace that will ensure that they suffer a resurgence of Covid-19 infections after they were so hard hit the first time around.
    I am frankly already embarrassed.

    1. agricola
      June 27, 2020

      Well Jack do not worry. The National Police , The Guardia Civil, and the Local Police are not graduates of Bramshill, nor are they acolytes of the Roy Jenkins, bended knee, liberal, fantasy social thinkers. Just let any of these drunken yobs step out of line and they will discover what real policing is.

      The Spanish settled into lockdown after the last supermarket shelf strippers departed. In my part of Spain they settled into the new regime with humour and self restraint, as did most Brits in the UK. As we ease out of lockdown all is tranquil and well ordered. No shortages in the shops and no queues to get in them. I too await developments. I would suggest a ban on buying alcohol in UK airports and on UK planes, just to get the process off to a good start.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      Well said Jack.

    3. Anonymous
      June 27, 2020

      I expect the Notting Hill Carnival will be going ahead. Dare they stop it ???

    4. Philip P.
      June 28, 2020

      Bournemouth debacle? What debacle? On 20th May, thousands of people took their families to the beach on a hot day in Bournemouth, Southend-on-Sea and other places. No evidence of a debacle that time: over the following ten days, new Covid 19 case rates in England went down by a quarter, hospitalizations with Covid by a third, and critical bed occupancy with Covid by a third. (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/
      https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-uk-hospital-admissions/)
      No reason to expect a bad outcome this time either.

  7. Anonymous
    June 27, 2020

    I wonder how many teachers were on Bournmouth beach.

  8. Mick
    June 27, 2020

    The only way to stop another upsurge in Covid is to shut England down south of the Watford gap, what with BLM marches and street parties in London and the idiots flocking down on the south coast in there thousands while the rest of us abide by the rules

  9. Anonymous
    June 27, 2020

    Perhaps we can do next time what we should have done the first.

    We know the people at real risk. Old and male and/or very ill.

    Selective isolation.

    As it is we did the reverse. We locked away the healthy and left those in care homes vulnerable – hence the Nightingales weren’t needed.

    We cannot afford a second lockdown and I fear that the first will prove to have been futile. I also think even the most successful nations efforts will have been futile if a vaccine isn’t found soon (who is to blame for their economic losses ?)

    The BLM disturbances and beach meetings will see spikes (I note that no-one mentions the BLM rioting when it comes to the US’s spikes.)

    I feel deeply queasy about the coming months as regards the economy.

  10. Garland
    June 27, 2020

    “Most argue the lock down has been successful. ”
    You must think we are stupid. The death rate is higher in this country than almost anywhere else on the planet. This is because Johnson and Cummings botched and delayed the lockdown, and because of ten years underfunding of the NHS by the Conservative Party.

    1. Anonymous
      June 27, 2020

      Good funding of the NHS indulged an obesity epidemic and kept many old people alive into an older age than in China, Taiwan and South Korea.

      This made us more exposed to CV19 in the first place and being a global transport hub made it worse.

      So on balance the UK is doing better at keeping people alive despite our response to CV19.

      Stop kicking your country – it is based on a false premise. It is enabling a Communist takeover and it’s that ideology that caused the problem in the first place.

      1. dixie
        June 28, 2020

        +1

  11. Cheshire Girl
    June 27, 2020

    We have no chance of avoiding a second spike with the idiots in Liverpool, London, and all those pouring onto the beaches in Dorset, without a care for anyone else.

    I wish the Government would stop urging, begging, and appealing to people’s better nature. No one seems to be listening. Most of the people congregating are young. They don’t care if they get the virus, and they don’t care if they pass it on to to those who will be most at risk.

    The Police have a thankless job, with Politicians of all stripes only too pleased to make excuses for wrongdoers, aided and abetted by our useless media. I used to be so proud of the BBC. Not any more,. They are a large part of the problem.

    1. Ian Wragg
      June 27, 2020

      As someone sensibly writes in the Telegraph. The pubs, restaurants, schools,gyms, sport facilities are all shut so the only place to go was the beach.
      What does the government expect when XR and BLM can act with impunity, joe public will go to the beach.

  12. DOMINIC
    June 27, 2020

    For a small State conservative your embrace of State intervention and political monitoring of our fellow citizens is concerning and should worry us all

    The suggestion that to receive treatment for CV-19 you must SUBMIT to a ‘test and trace system’ monitoring is a threatened denial of clinical treatment unless the person in question submits to be tracked.

    When I see the term ‘trace’ my spider senses tingle furiously. When that tracing system is being transacted by the State then it is all the evidence I need to confirm my suspicions that we now live in a country in which individuals are perceived as a political rather than a medical threat

    The British people still haven’t learned that a vote for the two main viruses that are Labour and Tory means a vote for less freedom, more crushing State control, more taxes, more propaganda, more immigration, more restrictions of freedom of expression., more lies and more violence on our streets

    So, why do people still vote for two dominant political parties that died years ago?

    1. dixie
      June 27, 2020

      You have a trustworthy, competent alternative? Please share it.

    2. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      Sorry, Markus Wolf.

  13. Bryan Harris
    June 27, 2020

    It’s a very limited response — Why isn’t something being done to make us all better at shaking off the virus. Many people have done this already without NHS help, so wouldn’t it be worth spending a little time investigating why some can recover naturally?
    Boosting the immune system of us all should be a major plank in fighting CV, but is ignored. WHY

    David Cameron was correct to attack the WHO for it’s failures. Why are we still funding and using their advice?

    I cannot agree enough with the comments on avoiding another lock-down. That would be a major disaster of biblical proportions. There are many climate change believers that see lock-down as a solution for them to take control of our lives, and that cannot be allowed to happen.

    What news on vaccines? Isn’t it so that Boris has been in discussions, and preparing to spend many ÂŁmillions on promises and nanobots — Only those scared out of their wits by MSM coverage of CV will go along with such a program – Just look at the possibilities – vaccines rushed out that may have worse side effects than the virus – Tiny chips inside us that control what we can do or where we can go — That’s a nightmare scenario.

    As mentioned above, the virus has to be allowed to die down, because even if a real safe, honest vaccination was found and used, that doesn’t stop those vaccinated from being carriers —- and there are an increasing number of people that distrust and will resist the WHO and authoritarian figures that would insist on that approach.

  14. Will Jones
    June 27, 2020

    There is no signal of the lockdowns in the data. The slowdown in infections begins well before lockdown in some countries. In others it continues well after, as in Brazil. There is no relationship between lockdown and death toll. The main reason seems to be that it mainly spreads in hospitals and care homes, where the most vulnerable are. The main thing that seems to make a difference to the death toll is protecting care homes. Isolation hospitals would help as well. It may be surprising, but there is no evidence in the data that lockdowns help at all.

    1. James Bertram
      June 27, 2020

      Thanks, Will. You write excellent articles on the Conservative Woman website. I have learnt a lot from your writings and the important questions you ask. Thank you.

      1. Will Jones
        June 27, 2020

        Thanks James.

    2. NickC
      June 27, 2020

      Will Jones, Indeed. I pointed out on here a month ago that the death toll roll-over happened less than three weeks after the lockdown, so was unlikely to have resulted from the lockdown (because infection to ICU normally takes 4 – 6 weeks).

    3. dixie
      June 27, 2020

      So what of those countries seeing spikes/growth in cases after relaxing restrictions?

      1. Will Jones
        June 27, 2020

        There aren’t many so far. But Florida seems to be having a bit of one. This could be because it wasn’t strongly affected initially and a number of young people are now catching it. Or it could be local outbreaks and a change in the way they do testing. We’ll need to keep an eye on the data to see the trends and what happens with deaths.

        1. dixie
          June 27, 2020

          There are more than a few and enough to question the position that lockdowns have no effect.

          You need to be careful about making pronouncements of apparent surety when the data is so variable and the understanding of the disease is so incomplete.

          We have more than enough conflicting opinions and forecasts from actual experts in the related fields already.

    4. Fred H
      June 27, 2020

      when older people are ill, or have accidents they are taken to hospital. Usually ASAP after rushed ‘treatment’ they are offloaded to Care Homes. Tested or not, accurate or not. From there the virus spreads – staff to patients, patients to patients, staff (and agency temps) to the community. Soon more people have to be taken to hospital. The merry-go- round of misery and death becomes a full-circle. Of what benefit is a track and trace? Accurate testing and staying in a fixed location is the only way to break the circle. Seems logical – know what I mean?

  15. agricola
    June 27, 2020

    Frankly I despair of our government and it’s thinking, or lack of it. Many weeks ago I reported watching on Flight Radar 24 a PIA airliner from Islamabad over the North Sea on it’s way into the UK. It is now reported that since March 1st 2020 approximately 65,000 passengers have flown in from Pakistan on daily flights. Naturally there have been no health checks on arrival at Heathrow or Birmingham for this 65,000. All coming from a country that has steadily reported 4000 cases a day of Covid 19 infections. Anyone with any knowledge of the sub continent will acknowledge that reported cases will be the merest tip of an iceberg. Why has the UK population been endangered by such wonton stupidity on the part of our government. It is estimated that half of UK infections originate from Pakistani visitors. I would point out that since March 1st all flights from Spain and other European departure points have been cancelled. As Richard Littlejohn would say, ” You couldn’t make it up.”

    1. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      Because they are clueless and badly informed. That, and they really do not care about us but see this as an opportunity too good to waste.

  16. Lynn Atkinson
    June 27, 2020

    So the British, like all western Governments, abdicated in favour of an Ethiopian Dr who is WHO. I don’t remember voting for him. Surprisingly he shut the capitalist world down. Time to shut the UN down, and the next British politician who abdicates must do so to the British people.

    1. Nigl
      June 27, 2020

      Absolutely. Read the Civitas report on the virus. Charles Moore in the DT. Only a few of the governments projects have KPIs so they know where our money is spent but no idea of what it achieved. I guess Overseas Aid falls into that category.

      It makes you weep. No wonder this country is in the shit.

  17. Steve
    June 27, 2020

    “It requires a good test and trace system, which we are assured we now have.”
    The so called test has been shown repeatedly to give up to 80% false positives. The trace system is a total failure (fortunately). Just as well the death rate is as fake as the assurances.

  18. Chris Dark
    June 27, 2020

    For pete’s sake allow us healthy folk to get back to the old normal and just let our immune systems handle it. By all means offer extra care for very elderly and infirm, but just stop hunting us around like penguins. So it’s contagious….so are many bugs. People go off work sick with something every day, under normal circumstances. Stuff happens, but the economy still rolls along. Now our families are divided, visits still forbidden in various parts of the UK, people terrified out of their wits, and all for what? This isn’t about a virus anymore, it’s about people manipulation.

    1. Jim Whitehead
      June 27, 2020

      Chris Dark, you shine a ray of sunlight into the discussion with clear-sighted and sensibly robust observations.
      Your single paragraph will shine out in the weeks beyond for its recognition of the futile posturing of the PM and his bewildered and bewildering team.
      Too much top down interference already, and the hapless blighters promise even more.
      From being an enthusiastic supporter and donor to the Conservatives (until Major arrived) I have developed a deep distrust of their motives and abilities. Hopelessness reigns.

    2. James Bertram
      June 27, 2020

      Well said, Chris.

  19. Sir Joe Soap
    June 27, 2020

    I can’t be the only person who thinks it bizarre that infected people can still walk in from New York to New Delhi without being tested.

    1. a-tracy
      June 27, 2020

      I’m with you!

  20. Stred
    June 27, 2020

    At last we were given an analysis of the risk of death from Covid by occupation. Security workers were most at risk followed by care and health workers and some other jobs which were likely to contact Covid infected patients and carriers.
    We also know from an Oxford study that the UK has a high death rate for under 64s. This points to the NHS hospitals and care homes as having been the main sources of infection, while those who were lucky enough to be able to work at home, retired or furloughed at great expense for big business, were not at high risk. This may now change and this group will come into contact with NHS staff who, uniquely in the world, do not change their clothes when travelling to and from work.

    1. a-tracy
      June 27, 2020

      Security workers From where that are open?
      1. Airports where people and baggage is coming in from highly infected and probably covered up hotspots?
      2. Hospitals?
      3. Prisons?
      4. Ports?

      Where should the U.K. be more careful in places that we weren’t able to stop this spread quicker, even if the public can’t be told I hope our government is aware.

  21. Ian Wragg
    June 27, 2020

    There cannot be another lockdown. The police have lost all authority with their childish actions and the great and good have effectively ignored it.
    No John, con me once etc etc.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      The powerful – far from great or good – have absolutely ignored it.

      And then insulted the intelligence of those who questioned them about it.

      1. Edward2
        June 27, 2020

        Who are the powerful?
        I see the general public out on beaches and on demos in their thousands.
        Presumably you are against this behaviour?

  22. Pat
    June 27, 2020

    The lockdown was imposed at the same time across the country. Peak deaths were eight days earlier in London than in the rest of the country. Hence the.lockdown was not critical.
    May I suggest that the disease started to ease once sufficient people had acquired immunity, bearing in mind that a large proportion already had immunity without actually catching the disease. It seems to fade away on its own once 20% have been infected.
    The Lockdown may well have been necessary to deal with the panic, but it did nothing about the disease.
    Just convince the public that the panic is over and everything else will come back- though the debts will of course have to be paid.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      Doesn’t seem to be fading away in Florida of its own accord, nor in many other places.

      1. Edward2
        June 27, 2020

        So you are against all the UK mass demos and crowded beaches?

        1. dixie
          June 28, 2020

          MiC wasn’t against the BLM riots that pulled down statues hither and yon, he even offered to pay their fines.

  23. Alan Jutson
    June 27, 2020

    Whilst there clearly has to be some sort of Government plan to try and control and treat the virus, there also has to be a reliance on personal responsibility as well.

    It would seem the problem is defining what actually common-sense is, as it seems to mean very different things to different people.

    Should we still allow people to travel long distances for pleasure ?
    Perhaps not if we are trying to keep future controls “local”
    Unfortunately that cat is now out of the bag.

    Perhaps Wales and Scotland have still got that element of control right.

  24. Javelin
    June 27, 2020

    When you say “getting back to normal” what does that mean?

    The new “normal” is that the virus now exists and is circulating the population along with 5 other types of corona virus. The virus may weaken, or it may strengthen over time. Viruses are not supposed to kill their hosts so they have a chance to spread and whilst covid2 does kill vulnerable people, those people are all on life saving drugs. So the virus behaviour is within the normal range of any virus.

    Shutting down your country, like NZ has done, may win plaudits in the short term but in the long term the virus will spread. NZ will benefit from a better understanding of treatments and prevention and may benefit if the virus weakens, but the virus will spread to NZ. But the virus may get stronger.

    People will need to accept that in human history new viruses are introduced and period of death and learning is necessary. In the mean time if we do not get back to work to pay taxes then everything we have learnt from every other disease will just be thrown away while we learn about one disease with a 0.3% mortality rate.

    1. NickC
      June 27, 2020

      Javelin, The human immune system needs to be constantly exposed to pathogens to function well. Shutting people up in medical isolation is good neither for the person, nor for the herd. In theory the lockdown was to “save the NHS” (from being overwhelmed). It has morphed into an end in itself. That’s bad not only for the economy as you say, but also bad medically.

    2. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      Virus’s like all life forms only exist to replicate. If a virus is too virulent and kills many quickly it cannot spread. So a bad virus will burn itself out, or run out of victims, quickly. Only weak are at serious risk, so shutting down the country whilst it is still in the population is not going to work. Best get it over with whilst trying to protect the vulberable.

  25. Everhopeful
    June 27, 2020

    How strange to elevate one disease above all others.
    To not treat all illness in order to combat one particular disease.
    To neglect all aspects of care except for that disease.
    How weird to have seen so many previous attempts to engage the world with similar threats..SARS, Ebola, Mers ( tut tut…we just weren’t woke enough then).
    Are they certain that those diseases have gone away? Trick or Treat…sorry Test and Trace could be expanded to make sure?
    Maybe Covid is a VICTIM and so needs special treatment?

    1. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      Agreed.

  26. Iain Gill
    June 27, 2020

    John,

    You are a voice for common sense in a sea of political mediocrity.

    BUT lets be realistic.

    We are still printing ICT work visas for skills already in massive oversupply, for nationals of countries with bad virus outbreaks, we are still letting planes from those countries arrive full to the brim with such workers every single day, we are still allowing them to get on the tube immediately, and start work the next day. We are still taxing them significantly less than locals. Government policy itself seems designed to make the virus worse, and make the jobs situation worse, there is no other way of reading it.

    The government, and main stream media, endlessly going on about what the average Brit does is absolutely irrelevant when we continue to import the virus every single day. When we continue to decimate our own workforce with unnecessary imported workers.

    And while these mainstream views of the ordinary people continue to get suppressed in the media and in politics the brewing storm will only get worse.

    1. Andy
      June 27, 2020

      Blaming foreigners for everything is not a mainstream view. It is idiocy.

      1. Fred H
        June 27, 2020

        You don’t mention guilt or innocence!

      2. beresford
        June 27, 2020

        He’s not blaming the foreigners, Andy, he’s blaming our politicians. Obviously it is not the fault of the ‘foreigners’ if they are unfortunate enough to catch the virus, whilst those who put us at risk in order to perpetuate cheap labour ARE accountable.

    2. ChrisS
      June 27, 2020

      Anyone who doubts the value of the Quarantine plan just needs to read this :

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/26/exclusive-half-uks-imported-covid-19-infections-pakistan/

      “Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows that 30 cases of coronavirus in people who have travelled from Pakistan since June 4, which is understood to represent half of the incidents of imported infection”.

      According to the journalist, there are two flights a day arriving from Pakistan and some passengers are being taken almost straight from the airport to hospital !

      Why are the government letting this happen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. Mark B
        June 27, 2020

        Health Tourism.

  27. Sakara Gold
    June 27, 2020

    Your narrative suggests that you are blaming the public for the Chinese plague virus crisis – when the fact is that neither Johnson nor the government took it seriously in February when it became obvious that the virus was highly contagious.

    When Hancock was pontificating on the BBC Andrew Marr show (28th Feb) “we will not be stopping flights from Italy” he condemned the nation to 60,000+ fatalities and immense disruption to our national life. Plus the lost confidence in the government’s credibility and belief that we should expect it to tell the public the truth.

    The government’s subsequent highly incompetent response has rightly drawn global opprobrium from the world’s media. If we had taken it seriously in the beginning, we may have been able to eradicate the virus from circulating and become virus-free, as has New Zealand.

    After hiding behind the “our response will be led by scientific advice” chestnut for months, Johnson has now decided to ignore said advice and follow Trump’s example and end the lockdown too soon. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, the USA is now suffering a huge increase in confirmed cases and many states (Arizona, Florida, California, Texas etc etc) have had to re-impose restrictions and cancel elective surgery as their hospitals are again overwhelmed.

    We had better prepare for our second wave, which will be blamed on the public for failing to follow the new social distancing “advice”. In order to be able to mitigate what may become a fearsome second wave, we urgently need an independent enquiry into our response so far, to identify the shortcomings as well as those incompetents – earning huge salaries – who managed to kill so many of our unfortunate citizens.

    Stay safe everybody.

    1. Irene
      June 27, 2020

      Sakara Gold, you have summed up how I feel about this whole mess. Thank you.

      Stay safe you too, Sakara Gold.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      Yes, we will have to continue to protect ourselves, and in turn the elderly and fragile, to the best of our abilities, whatever reckless stance the populist press take on behalf of this administration.

      You see, the technical advice – such as it is – given by the authorities is being undermined – I claim with government’s tacit approval – by their friends in the media, suggesting that the good times are here again.

      1. Edward2
        June 27, 2020

        Odd, because when I look at the MSM they all seem to be aggressively attacking the government.
        Which ones are you claiming are their ” friends in the media” ?
        Should be a long list if you are correct.

  28. a-tracy
    June 27, 2020

    I could take a fortnight off work with no wages, from the age of 16 earning ÂŁ23.50 per week my Dad told me I always should have the equivalent savings of three months gross salary to tide me over if I was sick or out of work, it was something he lived by all his working life, it should be the first thing you do when you start work before you start driving lessons, holidays, buying cars and keep increasing the amount as your wage builds.

    However, I read so many people saying they can’t save, they’ve never saved, they have no rainy day funds at all. They will not self-isolate John! They don’t live by any morale compass they’ll do what is right for them and then cry the rest of us savers are mean and don’t support them enough – take it from us and give it to them. Some of these same people think nothing about buying three pairs of expensive trainers in different colours because they’re reduced from ÂŁ130 to ÂŁ80 whilst living on furlough. They’ll blow ÂŁ90 on one top. Or they’ll queue up at Next at 6am and blow a couple of hundred quid and hardly wear the clothes. They’ve got to have the latest phones, expensive TVs, satellite tv with the expensive add ins like Sports, designer label clothes, actually check their cupboards they’re full of treats, snacks, chocolates, cakes….but we can’t feed the kids!

    Get the teachers back solo if necessary in classrooms setting work and marking the work to be handed in at set times (3 days wait if necessary) to keep these children busy or now they’re allowed out to mix you might as well get everything open because I don’t know about where you live but they’re all out in big groups right now! You can even allow teachers to bring their own children back with them in their own classrooms if they need to provide their own childcare. Stop leaving this to low qualified teachers assistants and the odd hero teacher that’s worked at School throughout its not fair.

    1. Narrow Shoulders
      June 27, 2020

      A-tracy anyone with 3 months’ savings is not entitled to universal credit as we found out in March.

      Use your savings while those who have Sky, phones, holidays and car leases get paid for we were told.

      Save by all means but keep it under the bed not in plain sight or you will be punished when you need help

      1. a-tracy
        June 27, 2020

        Yes, I know people that fell foul of this, one because of wedding reception savings! It absolutely infuriated me and lots of working class strivers I know.

        I read an article in the Guardian by a single mother who actually chose to have her second child by sperm donation and a syringe decrying how lonely and isolated she’d been in lockdown, well love when you CHOOSE to be baby mummy and daddy then don’t cry about it and don’t come to the rest of us with your hands out! There one thing supporting people who are left without partners to help there’s another to people choosing to have sometimes up to 5 children in single motherhood with no financial support other than the State. It will be very interesting to see how many claiming single mothers with no man on the scene end up delivering babies between 9th January and the following 13 weeks before lockdown ended!

  29. Everhopeful
    June 27, 2020

    This has all been very much like a 1930s comic book story.
    World War Three where the wicked emperor employs much deviousness to destroy the earth.
    Trouble is we have no superheroes to fight back…just craven, self seeking, treacherous, window-dressing politicians ( not JR).
    To fight a war you need a homogenous society and a strong, brave government.
    News, statistics, opinions must be based on truth…NOT Tokyo Rose style propaganda.
    The teaching unions are preventing education and anarchists rule the police and the streets.Big companies set policy and are allowed a creeping power over us all.

    A “Second Wave” imprisonment will finish us.
    And out here we all knew that this would be the tactic.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      June 27, 2020

      You don’t sound very “Ever Hopeful” to me.

      1. Fred H
        June 27, 2020

        the cheek of it Martin – somebody muscling in on your territory!

  30. beresford
    June 27, 2020

    The Government are playing at virus suppression, as can be seen by their tolerance of certain large gatherings and today’s announcement of so-called air bridges. There is simply no logical justification for allowing one section of society to travel packed in aluminium tubes to perform all the activities unmonitored which they are forbidden to do at home and then freely return, whilst harassing others who go down the road for a haircut or a quiet pint.

  31. ChrisS
    June 27, 2020

    We now know the incidence of serious illness, hospitalisation and death are, for those under 60, no more serious than the risk of an accident or, in the case of children, of being struck by lightning.

    No country can afford to have its economy disrupted in such a fundamental manner for long so until an effective vaccination is available for the general population, we need to ensure that our actions reflect the reality of the situation.

    I would suggest that restrictions are almost entirely removed for those under 50 and progressively tighter recommendations made for those over 50, say, in five year increments plus those judged more vulnerable. Those people over 50 would be free to follow the guidelines or not, depending on the personal risk that they wish to take. They in general will be more responsible and sensible so will tend to follow the guidelines. It should then be possible for the economy to recover much quicker with less unemployment and allow additional financial support to be given to those most affected.

    This will have some consequences. There will be some extra cases but we have the Nightingale Hospitals sitting idle so the NHS should be able to cope with that.
    Those over 50 will be far more likely to be made redundant than younger people but they should have less liabilities than those with young families, so can face that with somewhat less serious consequencies. Older people could consider retirement and maybe the government could temporarily reduce the state pension age to encourage them to leave the workforce ?

    I say this in the full knowledge that, being the same age as our host, I would be taking amongst the most serious precautions. We must protect and secure our economy for everyone’s sake, but especially for the young.

    1. Narrow Shoulders
      June 27, 2020

      How will the over 50s have fewer liabilities than the under 50s?

      Home ownership is not a given, university fees need to be subsidised and families are started later these days

      Over 50s are more likely to need to boost pensions at present too

    2. a-tracy
      June 28, 2020

      ‘Those over 50 more likely to be made redundant” I disagree Chris except in the public sector (ex public sector with its constant pension bailouts by taxpayers) its very expensive often too expensive to make over 50’s redundant and you leave yourself open to tribunal action and now business can’t retire people with thanks any longer you have to sack people or make them redundant – so you can’t open up new opportunities for younger, fitter, more productive workers. You find much resistance to change and difficulty to adapt to new contract requirements, you have to turn work away because people you’re stuck with have too many health conditions to do them, employers have become social services payment departments and people wonder why over 57’s have trouble getting work, I say this as someone who has employed lots of over 60’s workers and continues to do so even with the existing risks but as I’m finding these risks are getting bigger and too onerous now.

      I also agree with NS, the over 50’s are taking on the debts to help put their children through University and to help with deposits and costs on ever rising property purchase requirements or rental deposits and guarantees, if parents aren’t doing that because of lower earnings many themselves rent so their living costs don’t reduce, also many can’t get around 75% their pension until 67 now unlike the public sector so are stuck, trapped.

  32. BetterTimes
    June 27, 2020

    I think lots of people have lost touch now with the threat we still face. (See beaches at Bournemouth etc).

    Wishful thinking, that CV has been beaten. Push it to the back of the mind eh?

    Yes. We do need to gradually lift lockdown and begin a return towards “normality”.

    My family has been affected by CV, like many others.

    My niece is still waiting for her father in law to return from Spain when his widowed friend is out of her wheelchair and is well enough to travel. The widow lost her husband in Spain due to CV.

    We also had two really great, long standing friends and have kept in touch over the years. Really upsetting to hear yesterday that the man has died from CV. He didn’t want to go on a ventilator.

    That really sad stuff keeps me grounded and aware of the need to remain alert and keep ourselves safe. It’s a time when all those stats about CV become real and truly hammers home the situation.

    I hope the Bournemouth nutters dont cause a second wave.

    Stay safe everyone.
    Things will get better but will never be the same again for many.

  33. Mark B
    June 27, 2020

    Good morning.

    Indeed, the UK virus infection probably was fanned by people holidaying in Italy and returning with it where it was worse earlier than here.

    Many here were screaming that we should be stopping all flights from infected areas, but the government allowed these and other people in. These infected people helped spread a virus that has been responsible for many deaths and the destruction of economy. All so that a few well-off holiday makers can get back to blighty. How stupid and how selfish !

    Most argue the lock down has been successful.

    Most, but not ALL. And argue, but cannot prove. And considering what the solution was based on the aforementioned, I too would argue that we have been very badly informed and, consequently, badly led. I think it is time a few people were made to fall on their academic swords ?

    The WHO has need poor. Our preparation and general running of this drama made into a crisis has been embarrassing. For once I sincerely do hope lessons are indeed leaned and, that they will not be put under the OSA like Operation Cygnus.

    1. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      Addendum

      Oh ! And for the umpteenth time, and I am glad I am not the only one asking this, can we PLEASE have all those emergency powers the government granted itself removed ?

      1. bigneil(newercomp)
        June 27, 2020

        There is NO intention of removing them – and there never was. Have you noticed NO instant laws have been made regarding the open doors – ferried to the UK by Border Farce people. Guaranteed to stay here – no ID, and we know nothing about who is being waved in.

        1. a-tracy
          June 28, 2020

          The government do know who has been waved in, for the most part it seems they (we) are paying ÂŁ75 room rental + meals allowance for them in hotels apparently – who knew!

      2. glen cullen
        June 27, 2020

        Don’t worry the government said the powers will be reviewed every 3 weeks

  34. Dave Andrews
    June 27, 2020

    If you want to create the environment for a second lockdown to be needed, then opening up air travel is the way to do it.
    It’s not the destination that’s the problem, but the travelling. One infected person going through an airport, touching the check-in touchscreens, handrails all over the place, plane seat, followed by dozens, perhaps hundreds and even thousands of people touching the same surfaces afterwards, and you have the virus multiplying enormously.
    The virus is distributed by people travelling, so don’t travel and avoid people who do.

    1. a-tracy
      June 28, 2020

      Exactly Dave they should check how the virus got to our Islands such as Skye it must have flown or been ferried in. It is easier to track a virus in a contained, early locked down area before any cases were there.

  35. Roy Grainger
    June 27, 2020

    This was the first epidemic in history where the healthy were put in quarantine. As you note isolation hospitals used to be standard for certain infectious diseases (Tuberculosis for example) and I have no idea why the NHS thought this wasn’t a good idea this time. It didn’t work anyway – it is estimated that up to 20% of Covid patients in hospital actually caught it while in hospital. The failure to isolate care homes properly is also well known. It will be interesting to see who in the NHS actually made these poor clinical decisions.

  36. Mike Stallard
    June 27, 2020

    A friend hurt his arm and had to spend the night in hospital.
    When he was leaving he was told to self isolate because the man in the next bed had tested positive. Although my friend had a job to go to where he was paid by results, he readily agreed to self isolate to protect his family and customers.
    I wonder how many other people are that understanding


    1. L J
      June 27, 2020

      The knock-on effect of this ”self isolation” as a result of simply being in the vicinity of someone who tests positive (with a test that has been said to be ‘unreliable’) will be huge and devastating.
      Once again, thousands of healthy people – regardless of age or ”vulnerability” – will be incarcerated for no good reason.
      Why are these ‘rules’ and obedience tools rolled out without (apparently) any regard for consequences?

    2. Fred H
      June 27, 2020

      he could have weighed up the chance the test was inaccurate, I suppose?

    3. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      So what you are saying is, the NHS left a healthy man next to an CV19 positive patient and now has to isolate himself in order not to infect others ? Commonsense, which does not seem that common in the State Sector, would have had the CV19 patient isolated from everyone else.

      Sir John, if this story is true then there needs to be some serious questions asked and those responsible held to account.

  37. Nivek
    June 27, 2020

    If the first “lockdown” is over, a general election should be called as soon as possible to reaffirm that it is the people who are in charge, and not the politicians.

    1. Mark B
      June 27, 2020

      No, not another one. Your going to have to wait until 2024 before Starmer can have a crack. I’m all GE out !

  38. mickc
    June 27, 2020

    Who ever thought closing down a country’s businesses wouldn’t lead to economic disaster?
    The answer seems to be this Government.

    1. bigneil(newercomp)
      June 27, 2020

      Stop being so pessimistic mick – all our govts have known that the lower classes have an endless supply of money to fund every money wasting idea, enough to throw billions away to countries that apparently only produce yet more and more people who demand more and more money – and also to fund the lives of every foreign criminal who gets ferried here to do/contribute nothing useful or positive.

    2. glen cullen
      June 27, 2020

      You couldn’t make it up

      Our Tory government closing down business and the economy

      1. Mark B
        June 27, 2020

        Most don’t have business, like my current Tory MP. Worked in politics / state jobs all his career. Never a ‘proper’ job.

  39. MickN
    June 27, 2020

    I’m sure that I am in the majority in that I have followed all the rules and requirements that the government has set. I have gone without seeing my children and extended family for the duration. My issue is that although fines have been issued to many thousands for breaking the rules and people like Dominic Cummins were castigated and abused for having the temerity to protect his child when he was ill, it seems that the same rules don’t apply to all.
    We rely upon the police to uphold the laws without fear or favour. When I then see groups of many thousands of people disobeying the rules during protests and various degrees of criminal damage without consequence I am deeply concerned.
    I am not just talking about the BlackLivesMatter demos before anyone starts shouting racist at me. During the Extinction rebellion demos earlier there were boats taken into London to block roads, Government buildings were sprayed with paint and lawns dug up whilst the police stood by and watched. We now have the police literally on their knees and running away from demonstrators . They are no doubt told by their superiors not to intervene. This is a bit like bringing up teenagers. Until you draw the red line and enforce it they will bank every concession you make to them and then push for more.
    I am fearful that by not nipping this issue in the bud the police will not be feared and we will have to employ the army to keep order. Failing that the silent majority will start to take these matters into their own hands if those that we rely on to uphold the law for us are unable or unwilling to do so.
    I have a lot of time for the Home Secretary and I expect that her hands are tied to a large degree, but I fear what will happen if something doesn’t change soon.

    1. L J
      June 27, 2020

      The idea of bringing in the Army to enforce law and order conjures up a nightmare scenario.
      The precedent has been set whereby our soldiers are prosecuted for carrying out orders, years later, blighting their lives. How can we expect them to operate effectively when this kind of threat hangs over them?
      They would be in an even worse situation than police officers who dare to use a taser on violent lawbreakers.

  40. M Hopkins
    June 27, 2020

    Never before have healthy people been isolated and quarantined – this is a new ‘insight’! It is the sick and vulnerable who have been isolated in the past. We locked down healthy people that had virtually zero risk of any serious problems from the virus, we spread it among the highly vulnerable groups, and prolonged our exposure to the virus. There is zero evidence that lock down has worked. The website swprs.org Facts about Covid-19 contains, in one place, just about all the evidence you need to discover that lock down has been a totally disproportionate and hugely damaging response. We need to get back to normal normal without any further damaging delay, and remove the emergency powers.

    1. Fred H
      June 27, 2020

      and for hundreds of thousands of older, vulnerable people we had them queuing in the fierce sun for usually more than an hour outside supermarkets, over a roughly 10 week period, with shortages of paracetamol, loo rolls, flour, eggs, masks, gloves and pretty much everything else availability changing week by week.
      The media daily warned of being rushed to hospital, put in a coma, dying of a ventilator pushed down your throat with no family to say their goodbyes. The 3 wise men, drawn out of a hat it seemed, struggled to stage manage a crisis while the Boss was err.. where? We would have world class everything, yet our stats indicated we were relation certainties at the foot of the ability ladder.

      1. Fred H
        June 27, 2020

        for relation read relegation.

  41. Andy
    June 27, 2020

    The UK did not follow WHO advice.

    WHO advice was to test and trace – and Boris Johnson’s government scrapped testing and tracing in early March. (When they decided on the herd immunity strategy that they now claim they didn’t decide on).

    This was a crucial error by Johnson’s government. It meant we had no idea how widespread the virus was, how far it had spread or where it might be. We have been playing catchup with testing and tracing ever since – and have consistently failed.

    Countries which actually did follow WHO advice to test and trace have been far more successful – with fewer cases, fewer deaths, shorter lockdowns and less economic damage.

    Further Johnson undermined his own lockdown by failing to sack Dominic Cummings for breaking the rules. Until that point people were largely following lockdown rules. They haven’t since. We will probably see significantly more cases, certainly local outbreaks and possibly even a wider second wave because lockdown was ended too early.

    Covid has been the hardest challenge most governments have faced since WW2. But Johnson really has failed epically. Some of us are not surprised that a man unfit for government has failed when government needed most.

    1. Edward2
      June 27, 2020

      Reliable tests were not available at the time you state.
      Many false positives and false negatives.

      1. Fred H
        June 28, 2020

        how reliable are tests now? Any evidence?

        1. Edward2
          June 28, 2020

          Still not very good.

  42. Dennis Zoff
    June 27, 2020

    John, are you personally supporting “a global vaccine is the answer to COVID-19”

    The Government, your peers, has hardly covered itself in glory these past months and it appears the general public is becoming increasingly disinterested in governmental dictates and no longer fully trusts the integrity of the Government’s stand on COVID-19?

    Clearly, the Government’s pursuance of “lawful compliance” is no longer working! Therefore, when the Government comes to request that each person should take the vaccine, I would argue this will be another dismal failure for common compliance!

    As an aside, do you have anything to say about the illegal immigrates coming into the UK via our coastal waters, or is this a particular hot potato you do not wish to tackle head on, in the same way Farage has bravely done?

    Reply I have highlighted the people trafficking and raised the issue of how to stop it in the Commons! I want us to control our borders properly.
    I would welcome an effective and safe vaccine, non mandatory.

    1. Dennis Zoff
      June 27, 2020

      Reply to reply

      1. (Tacitly) highlighting people trafficking and the insidious illegal entry into the UK is the same as whistling in the wind, it just disperses against politically frightened ears! Demonstrability is required, not more words! I would suggest only Farage is willing to put his tackle on the block on this issue, while the Government avoids (fear) real discussion on this important issue?

      2. Effective and safe vaccines are not produced in months (unless said vaccines were already available for some years, waiting for a reason/possible pseudo pandemic emergency to materialize? Question: is the world moving towards forced Vaccine digitisation and annual vaccine compliance? – GMGF)

      ……or European Commission Document – “European Roadmap on Vaccination” published 2018, last updated Q3 2019, a very interesting read (strange coincidence – timelines and deliverables by 2022) and possibly of things to come?

  43. Richard1
    June 27, 2020

    We need a can-do and flexible attitude in all sectors, with people using their initiative to make things work subject to sensible social distancing measures.

    Today we have another appalling example of the disservice which the left wing education blob is doing to children. A headmistress – who has raised her school to outstanding – has been suspended for pointing out something which everybody knows – that some staff have done great things by turning their hands imaginatively to the current circs while others have sat on their backsides at home on full pay coming up with lists of reasons why they shouldn’t go back to work.

  44. glen cullen
    June 27, 2020

    Its only interested parties that are telling us that there maybe could-be a second wave

    There has never been a second wave virus in history, the 1919 USA supposedly second wave was a direct result of soldiers returning from Europe at different time over a 2 year period

    At the moment all the funding and power is with research scientists and doctors and they don’t wont to let go

  45. villaking
    June 27, 2020

    There is no proven link between imposing mass house arrest and reducing infection rates. The argument that it is simply common sense is not good enough when one looks at the scale of the economic and social damage that it caused in addition to the robbery of centuries’ old personal freedoms nodded through without even a parliamentary vote and with no dead man’s handle to restore our rights automatically. There is however plenty of evidence to indicate there is NOT a link between lockdowns and reduced infection rates. One can see for example international comparisons which show hard-and-early lockdown Belgium to have fared badly. One can see that UK death rates peaked long before it could have been possible for the lockdown to have influenced it. We do not know when infection rates actually peaked as only a tiny slice of the population has been tested and the vast majority don’t even know when they have it. These viruses always die out naturally and we usually rely on quarantining the sick not the healthy to speed this up.

    1. glen cullen
      June 27, 2020

      Lockdown is a farce
.like the annual flu all we really needed was a handkerchief, paracetamol and 2 weeks in bed

      1. Fred H
        June 27, 2020

        and the ability to attend lots of funerals with >10 mourners.

    2. Stred
      June 27, 2020

      The best comparison on lockdown is in Scandinavian countries. Norway and Denmark locked down early, had very low deaths per head and Sweden relied on voluntary spacing only while pubs and restaurants stayed open. Sweden is in the top ranks for deaths and is still experiencing infection that has prevented it being included in the bridge to safe countries for holidays from the UK. The UK appeared to be trying the Swedish approach and after a week when crowds of the usual idiots ignored it and went trying on clothes in shops, crowding in parks and going to the pub the lockdown came in. The rest of the UK took distancing seriously and many had already isolated themselves earlier, having seen the scenes in Italy, my family included. The Imperial estimate of 22,000 if we took measures has been exceeded by three times after the failure of hospital isolation and the sending of patients to care homes with no testing for staff until it was too late. A lot of nonsense is going around and if people refuse to take measures in the future when we have outbreaks as have happened in Korea and Germany, there will have to be more problems for the economy. Norway and Denmark have been able to open up earlier because of their cooperative population.

      1. Martin in Cardiff
        June 27, 2020

        Yes, perhaps it’s because political parties have not generally tried to get elected in Norway and in Denmark by dividing the people over every issue that they possibly can?

      2. villaking
        June 27, 2020

        @stred: why is that the best comparison? Why not compare Sweden to France, say? Or Belgium? Deaths per million are lower in Sweden. Is it just because those countries you pick are geographically closer? Seems an odd way to claim scientific certainty but if that’s the basis, compare Germany and Belgium. The country that had the harsher, earlier lockdown did worse. There is NO proof that lockdowns saves lives but abundant evidence that have caused misery and deaths

        1. Stred
          June 28, 2020

          The Scandinavians have similar population characteristics and health services. Germany also has a cooperative population and well organised health service with better results. Belgium is more like France where requests to stay in and distance were ignored. The problem of other patients with cancer, heart disease and stroke not being treated is certainly going to lead to more excessive deaths. Why are they keeping private hospitals closed? Is it the usual problem of NHS management wanting to do everything themselves?

    3. NickC
      June 27, 2020

      Villaking, Spot on, but you need to have a word with Martin, who loves lockdowns and thinks we should have had a harsher lockdown like China.

    4. zorro
      June 27, 2020

      Indeed, the Alf Garnett school – ‘stands to reason innit’

      zorro

  46. Cliff. Wokingham
    June 27, 2020

    I thought the government were handling and managing the epidemic very well until recently.
    In the beginning, the message was clear: Stay at home.

    Wokingham Borough Council quickly organised local volunteers and social services to help those of us in need.
    Wokingham Medical Centre phoned and texted those of us who were at most risk.
    The government sent those of us that were clinically extremely vulnerable to the C19 virus very clear instructions on how to protect ourselves.
    I’ve had a very kind lady from Wokingham Hub calling me regularly to ensure my wife and I are both OK and checking to see if we needed anything.
    WBC arranged for a weekly food parcel until the supermarkets got the list of those of us shielding.
    Tescos gave us a priority status and the facility to book deliveries when there were no slots available.
    The Broad Street Chemist arranged to get our prescriptions ordered and delivered to our home.

    Sadly, now that the government has realised that the lock down is very expensive to keep going, they are trying to come out of it too quickly. People have been sent mixed messages and think it is all over and thus are doing as they like.
    As far as I can see, the virus is still in circulation and still poses a real threat to people like my wife and I.
    I was led to believe that, those of us who needed to shield would not be “freed” until a vaccine was made available or the virus had disappeared.
    We are a pensioner household so don’t need to go to work or school and are able to carry on shielding ourselves beyond the first of August but, most of those who have been shielding of school or working age, will need to go back. It almost feels as if shielders are being sacrificed on the altar of economics.
    The letter we received this week was contradictory to say the least and as clear as mud in its advice.

    So in summary, ten out of ten initially but a fail currently.

  47. bigneil(newercomp)
    June 27, 2020

    Off topic

    Could Boris use his magic power of “instant new laws” to put the cost of the replacement/repairs of such as the deliberately destroyed Police vehicles at the two recent “parties” in London – -directly onto those convicted of doing the damage – why should decent joe public have to just keep paying through insurance and taxes etc for the damage caused by these scumbags, then to be looked after in jail ( costing us yet more). Put the cost against their accounts, if they own a house – take it and sell it. Empty their bank account if necessary. Leave them in debt forever. I don’t care about them – because they don’t care what they cost me.

  48. James Bertram
    June 27, 2020

    I agree with many of the points made today and it is good to see the sceptical voices out in force, and growing. The government and its advisers have got this badly wrong.

    Sir John, you are too close to those responsible, and are not yet taking a sufficiently independent and critical view in my opinion. There is plenty of ‘alternative’ medical opinion out there if you wish to look for it – sites such as InProportion2.talkigy.com, Lockdown Sceptics, Conservative Woman, Unherd, Spiked and many more. You could not have written today’s article if you had read much of this material. This lockdown policy has been a total disaster, and as William Hague says (I paraphrase) ‘It must never be allowed to happen again.’

    As an example, you casually write: ‘It should be easy to agree that if you make people stay away from all physical contact with others, it should stop the spread of a contagious disease.’ Yes, if person A (the only person carrying the disease) never meets person B, nor ever goes where person B has gone (as in a totally isolated Leper Colony), and there is no intermediary such as air or water that can transfer the disease between locations – then this is theoretically true. But that is not a Society and is not possible in a society.

    Dr John Lee explains this far better, that the virus is in the dust and atmosphere wherever someone with the virus has gone, and that you cannot avoid it. Have a look at his video interview on Youtube (54 to 56 minutes in) on the 1st June on the James Delingpole Channel [It is well worth listening to the whole video, which explains viruses in more detail]. Clearly this should change your view on the ability of the Government to stop the spread of the disease; the Government’s attempts ‘to bear down on the disease’ being futile – Canute and the Sea.

    1. N H
      June 27, 2020

      Totally agree James Bertram +++

    2. zorro
      June 27, 2020

      You echo not only mine, but the feelings of a lot of other people who comment on this blog…. Boris is outwardly akin to being a Cnut in his outlook but without the latter’s inner perception….

      zorro

      1. James Bertram
        June 27, 2020

        Thanks for correcting my spelling, Zorro. Hee Hee!

  49. Mark
    June 27, 2020

    The test and trace system is poorly designed if politicians hope to secure buy-in from the public. Someone who is ill asks to be tested. A day or two later they may have a test result that they have the virus. Only then does tracing begin, with the original individual required to quarantine for 7 days, and contacts told to quarantine for a fortnight.

    So it doesn’t pay to be a contact. And spreading continues with too big a delay before any consequential action.

    The advice should be that anyone who thinks they may have the virus should tell their main contacts – their household and their workplace – immediately, and all contacts should be listed for testing, and encouraged to isolate. Those testing positive need to remain quarantined until no longer infectious – so perhaps for 7 days if they are not seriously ill. Those testing negative can be released to return to normality. Quarantine accommodation may help to prevent spread in households, and help with ensuring that quarantine is properly followed. Much more likely to secure higher and prompt compliance, which are key to making the system effective.

  50. Irene
    June 27, 2020

    I despair at the way we have been manipulated by Ministers of this Government, by MPs and by the invisible (mostly) advisers. All beyond questioning, all beyond challenging, all protected in their own little bubble. Far too many untruths have emerged and to this day are still being spread via communications from MPs. Almost as though they really do believe that the electorate on whom/which they depend comprises stupid sheep. It depresses me enormously to see the population of the UK treated in this way. We deserve far better. I for one have had more than my fill. Never in the history of my life has so much damage been done to so many by so few.

  51. L J
    June 27, 2020

    If the government persist in rolling out this ‘track and trace’ obedience tool, then the knock-on effect would be the same as the lockdown. It could end up with all the staff in, say, one restaurant or workplace, being ”isolated” if one tested positive, along with all their families, I presume, and so on. Imagine coming out of ”isolation” and going back to work, or out for a pint, only to have it all happen again. Some people would end up permanently incarcerated.
    We are being manipulated good and proper with this sinister surveillance plan.

  52. zorro
    June 27, 2020

    “Most argue the lockdown has been successful. New cases and the death rate has fallen from shortly after the lockdown was imposed, as you would expect.”

    Most may do, but it flies in the face of the evidence. Peak deaths were on April 8th and infections would have been highest before the lockdown was imposed. It could be argued that the ‘lockdown’ helped the virus to spread within homes with people in constant contact. Please also do not forget all the other premature and avoidable death attributable to the ‘lockdown’ as the National Covid Service refused to treat and the government messaging scared them s***less from actually attending.

    No, the ‘lockdown’ has been a political, social, economic and cultural catastrophe!

    The disgusting Coronovirus Act and its questionable clauses voted through by the vegetables should be repealed as soon as practically possible as a stain on our free society.

    So terrible at Chris Whitty looking so sad at people being on a beach. I don’t recall him saying that about BLM marches though, perhaps I missed it! Well, thankfully the dire daily psyop is no more and hopefully, the day will come when we never have to see these characters cast a shadow across our TV screens.

    zorro

    1. Lifelogic
      June 27, 2020

      Much of the beach perceived issue is due to telephoto lenses foreshortening the image and making it look far more crowded that it actually is. To make a better story perhaps. It seems the Authorites were closing the car parks (and loos) and then mugging the people who parked illegally.

      It an ill wind as they say – the state sector dutifully serving the public as usual!

      I had to ring Companies House the other day. The message said – Our priority is the welfare of our staff so we have therefore decided to close out help lines – well at least they are honest! I suppose they could have added welfare and convenience so get lost. Oh and we also like to charge filing fees and have big late fines wherever possible too.

  53. zorro
    June 27, 2020

    We will be faced with this drain on our national psyche as we inch out of this nonsense, just because the government will not countenance changing its mind or apologising for ruining the country and condemning millions to unemployment.

    Look at the guff that Wokingham Council puts out in its email to residents about the ‘invisible enemy’….

    “Following the government’s announcement this week about further lockdown easing from 4 July, some people may feel they don’t need to wait until then. Sadly we saw this yesterday on Bournemouth and other beaches.

    While in some ways this is a natural reaction after being cooped up for so long, Covid-19 is still lurking, waiting for a lapse in our behaviours to infect and spread again. It knows we’re desperate to socialise, go out and about, and do things.”

    Wow, really clever COVID 19 isn’t – such pseudo-scientific guff should not be promulgated in an official communication….. I mean really!

    zorro

    1. Original Chris
      June 27, 2020

      Zorro, that official communication is “the pits”.

  54. dixie
    June 27, 2020

    The lockdown was intended to flatten the curve and give the NHS to prepare for an inevitable high number of cases. So are they now prepared and if not why not and when will they be prepared?

  55. Lindsay McDougall
    June 28, 2020

    The number of new cases per day is still trending down. The number of deaths per day has plateaued for the last week but deaths are a lagging indicator so it is likely that they will resume their downward trend soon.

    Why can’t our children go back to school when religious gatherings are permitted? If some teachers refuse to work, furlough them.

  56. Trav
    June 28, 2020

    A second spike is inevitable with the handling of the protesters. The ruling turned into a law but was ignored yet again and helped along with “policing by consent” with their advice “if you travel to London take care of each other and stay safe” – what a complete letdown and utter smack in the face to those who have adhered to the rules throughout. Can you imagine how people feel who couldn’t say goodbye to a loved one? Then we have Matt Hancock with his threat of “we could close the beaches” a week later – its double standards! One to appease and one for the rest of us. I’m waiting for the second spike to be blamed on not eating enough porridge because it sure won’t be blamed on BLM! Lawlessness is overcoming us and that is truly sad. If Boris doesn’t begin to see what is happening in our country and quickly his reign won’t be long.

  57. Paul McGreevy
    June 28, 2020

    When are the idiots that run this country going to understand that lockdowns and distancing delay but do not prevent the virus spreading nor change the end result. For goodness sake drop these restrictions and return us to normal.

  58. M Brandreth- Jones
    July 1, 2020

    We as a general practice will certainly not be getting back to normal .We are changing our overused services which are blocked with minor ailments that we could treat ourselves or cure with the help of the pharmacy . As a child I don’t remember going to a GP for coughs colds, boils, dry skin, verrucas etc …I don’t expect everyone to have our knowledge of physiology and medicine , however a basic understanding of health issues is very important for our growing cultural mix.
    Examples of perception are “my toe hurts… i must have sinned” ” I have got a infection in my body. I must have had unblessed food”

  59. a-tracy
    July 3, 2020

    Covid sick leave isn’t the same as normal sick leave, often people will be asked to give up two weeks work for isolation rather than because they are poorly. If they haven’t been furloughed at all throughout this period to drop down to just sick pay will result in many just ignoring the request. Please ask Sunak to have a special Covid19 80% isolation fortnight payment covered by the government or makeup SSP to the Furlough amount at the minimum, especially for those workers who have stepped up and worked for the past three months and haven’t been a financial burden on the exchequer at all.

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