UK Government must think the people are dumb: Brandon Lewis speaks nonsense

I just heard idiotic minister Brandon Lewis saying that the reason why they are imposing a 14 day quarantine on people arriving in the UK from next Monday is that it is more important now that the infection rate is "going down" as one more infection from somebody arriving from abroad (where in many places the infection rate is lowering and lockdowns being eased) is more damaging now than it was when the infection rate was high! Talk about stupid - do they really think anyone will swallow that pathetic excuse for another blunder,

Brandon Lewis on BBC Breakfast Time "“As the spread in our communities is now much lower, the marginal impact of anyone coming into the country (with Covid-19) is much higher – that is why this is the right time to do it.”

AFTER they have brought back 1.3 million people into the UK without enforced isolation or testing over the last weeks?

It comes as Boris Johnson prepares to tell a summit of world leaders that vaccinating the world against deadly diseases, including Covid 19 is “the most essential shared endeavour of our lifetimes” as he calls for "humanity to unite" by entering a "new era of global health co-operation".

Another blunder, surely everyone entering from abroad when the infection rates in so many countries was high should have been told to isolate for at least two weeks. I am sure that they are trying to kill more old and infirmed people, that is the only thing that makes sense for me.

Sending the children back to school when they know damned well that children are the carriers without showing any symptoms at all. Of course the other major blunder is testing - all schoolchildren should be tested - and tha track and trace is a waste of time and not working well at all. I heard today that ten thousands tests that were sent to the US for analysis have to be done again Conclusion:

The UK Blundering-Boris government think the people are dumb. Coronavirus: Thousands of homeless 'back on streets by July'

<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52915913">Coronavirus: Thousands of homeless 'back on streets by July'</a>

Compare daily figures for death and number of new cases detected now with March 23rd

Lockdown in UK started on March 23rd

Today more people are dying every day than March 23rd

Today more new cases are reported than on March 23rd.

Yes UK Government wants to send people back to work and children back to school.

See https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

see  UK coronavirus live: teachers and children will be safe at school, says Michael Gove

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/may/17/uk-coronavirus-live-boris-johnson-acknowledges-frustration-over-lockdown-rules

BBC Question Time, 14th May 2020

Last night I watched Question Time on BBC, which I very rarely do - now I know why, mostly political spin, made me angry.

Tory Stephen Barclay spouted on that there were 140,000 tests carried out in one day but Fiona Bruce, the MC, corrected him that there were actually only 74,000 people tested - he just repeated himself 140,000 tests, showing how they warp the figures - how can there have been twice as many tests as people tested, did they test everyone twice or did they test their cats and dogs?

Labour's Bridget Phillipson spoke mostly nonsense that there were too few tests, too little PPE, too little care of care homes, too many deaths, then said Labour support the Government lock down exit strategy- she did not seem to be aware of any facts.

The Tory said that had the Tory Government not been so economically harsh against the NHS and public sector over the last years we would not have had the money to support people now! He made it sound as if they were saving up for the crisis, starving the NHS so they could feed them later?

On the other hand, some scientist expert said that of the people admitted to hospital only 10% died - so there was a 905 non-fatality rate - that's 30,000 out of 300,000, but of the people TESTED only 1 in a 100 that had it had known that they have had it, with really mild symptoms, and 1 in a100 being the 300,000 that were ill, that COULD MEAN that as many as 33 MILLION people may already have had it, but that does not mean they are all immune and cannot catch it again.

It's clear that even though the lock down was late and cost lives, the easing is early and may cost more lives unnecessarily, and is purely down to economics.

The Tory said something in response to why public transport crowding in London etc is allowed but we have to sit 6 feet apart on the grass in parks - he said that was because they know the virus is not airborne, which really confused me - backwards (retarded) Tory thinking.

Clearly the country is being run by fools - not surprising I guess, as the PM Boris gets to choose the cabinet, ministers and which experts they listen too. It was also made quite clear that even though the Government claims to have spoken to political leaders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, they did not discuss and agree on easing lockdown measures.

A guy from the Transport Union said his members had no guidance - with problems with people boarding trains and crossing borders within the UK.

There was a businessman from the private sector moaning that he was the only one from the private sector on the show and seemed to be saying there should never have been a lockdown because it will bring a national economic crash which will kill more people than the virus will end up killing.

New lockdown rules explained

a couple of questions and answers about the new rules, guidelines, whatever they are.

a lady asked why she will be allowed to meet her son in the park but not in her back garden. She was told it is because he may touch garden furnature or garden gate but you can sit on the grass in the park.

another asked why young children will be allowed back to school first. The answer was because if they get ill with the virus they will probably not get as ill as the older ones, but, the young children are also good at spreading the virus (no mention of the teachers and other staff). If you have ayoung child that you want to send back to school so you can drive, walk or cycle to work that you cannot do at home, and need a child minder that will be able to walk, drive or cysle to your home, you'll be able to do that, so long as the child minder is not a friend or relative or pensioner, and please make sure they don't tounch anything in your house, or in the garden if its your son.

the government wants people back to work but not on public transprt; they want young children back to school but not on public transport.

also we can now meet one other person outside the home so long as we stay 2 metres apart, just like last week when we could meet outside a shop, but now it doesn't have to be outside a shop. They did no mention people lining up in parks at 6 metre intervals, like outside supermarkets, in which case everone except at either end could meet two other people - unless it's a big circle. You can also play a sport with your friend in the park, like tennis. But avoid touching a ball that the other person has touched. I think you'll be allowed to play blow football too, so long as you both wear masks. Plus you'll be able to throw darts at your friends so long as they are at least 2 metres away.

there's also a problem for border towns England /Wales and England / Scotland, where they live in one country but work in the other.

got it! if not, it's your fault if restrictive measures are toughened again if the virus infection rate increases to where it was before the lockdown - or is it already there?

workers beware, be alert, your taxes will soon be going up.

pensioners, ignore all that, it may not apply to you.

but the good news is that UK citizens probably won't be able to leave the UK for a holiday this year, although people from abroad may be able to come to the UK for a couple of weeks holiday in isolation.

what a mess

Reader Letter: Isolating over 70s is age discrimination

Reader Letter: Isolating over 70s is age discrimination

PUBLISHED: 09 May 2020 Eastern Daily Press

Tim Bornett

The government is considering proposals to ask all those over 70 to self isolate irrespective of health factors. Hopefully this will not be taken on board.

By gradually easing the lockdown it will sound strange if senior citizens have increased restrictions.

Many people in their 70s and 80s are fit and active. They would wonder why, for example, an obese 40 year old and a heavy smoker may have any restriction lifted but senior citizens being asked to stay at home.

Many members of both Houses of Parliament are over 70. Many scientists are as well together with other groups who no doubt like to get out to do some exercise.

To segment the over 70s from the rest of society is age discrimination and could cause severe resentment especially if the government decides younger people could exercise at least twice a day.

I urge people who feel strongly to contact their MPs with the view for the latter to lobby the government and to express concerns over this potential age discrimination.

Japanese island suffering second wave of coronavirus after lifting lockdown too early

Just remember in the UK the Government has managed this virus crIsis poorly from the start - so just because they are easing the lockdown does not mean everything goes back to normal:

PLEASE continue to avoid crowds, respect social distancing, avoid public transport if possible, wash hands and shopping.

Remember how Boris delayed the official lockdown, failed to secure adequate Personal Protection Equipment for hospitals and care homes, failed to buy enough ventilators, boasted about shaking hands in hospitals and then got sick himself, falsified death figures - all almost certainly resulting in more cases and deaths. CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. AVOID A SECOND WAVE.

Japanese island suffering second wave of coronavirus after lifting lockdown too early

A northern region of Japan is experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections - and deaths - that experts say could have been avoided if the state of emergency had not been lifted too early.

The island of Hokkaido had been held up as a model of how to control the spread of the virus, but it has now become a case study for the impact the disease can have if a lockdown is relaxed too soon.

And experts say they hope that other cities and nations that are toying with the idea of lifting restrictions on travel, work and schools can learn from Hokkaido’s experience.

Naomichi Suzuki, the prefectural governor, on February 29 declared a state of emergency in response to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases, all of which could be traced back to the Sapporo Snow Festival at the beginning of the month. The annual event attracted more than 2 million people to the city, with local health authorities treating a Chinese tourist from Wuhan who had contracted the illness before arriving in Hokkaido.

Despite the state of emergency, 118 people were being treated for the virus by March 12, making Hokkaido the worst-hit of all Japan’s 47 prefectures.

In tandem with the state of emergency - under which schools were closed, large-scale gatherings were cancelled and people were officially “encouraged” to stay at home - the local government introduced aggressive measures to trace and isolate anyone who had been in contact with victims. The approach appeared to have been effective and, just a week later, the number of new cases had fallen to one or two a day.

Assuming that they had weathered the storm - and keen to get the local economy operating again - local authorities lifted the state of emergency on March 19, with schools and businesses reopening.

With hindsight, experts agree, it was too early and, just 26 days later and after 135 new infections were reported in the space of a week, the lockdown was reimposed on Hokkaido’s 5.3 million residents.

“At the time, we didn’t have enough information and we did not have an adequate understanding of this disease”, said Yoko Tsukamoto, a professor of infection control at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido.

“And, given the information that was available - that new cases were down to one or two a day - it could be argued that the governor made the right decision in lifting the state of emergency”, she told The Telegraph.

“We know that was the wrong move now, but then it seemed the best thing to do”.

The lessons that other authorities will have to learn if they want to protect their residents are clear, Professor Tsukamoto said.

“These lockdowns and states of emergency will have to be lifted eventually, but the lesson is to wait as long as possible, to get accurate data on infection numbers and to be very, very cautious when the rules are relaxed”, she said.

“And the authorities have to be ready to move quickly and put the restrictions back in place at the first sign of another surge”, she said.

The Japanese government is planning to extend the state of emergency over the new coronavirus pandemic by about one month for the entire country, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday.

The state of emergency is currently scheduled to end on May 6.

Thirty-eight new cases were reported across Hokkaido on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 688, the fifth-highest in Japan. The illness also claimed one more life, raising the death toll to 27.

In a nation of 127 million people, there have been 13,576 cases and 376 deaths to date, although the Japanese government has been criticised for limiting the number of tests that are conducted on suspected coronavirus patients and the true figure is likely to be significantly higher.