UK's COVID-19 tracking system under fire amid warning of second spike

[snoop1130]

UK's COVID-19 tracking system under fire amid warning of second spike

 

FILE PHOTO: A man wearing a face mask walks past a travel worker wearing a face mask at London Victoria station in London, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 18, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's system for tracing those with the novel coronavirus was under fire on Thursday as it grappled with the development of a tracking app and health workers warned the government that unless there was clarity it could suffer a second deadly wave.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday a "world-beating" programme to test and trace those suspected of having been in contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19 would be in place by June 1.

 

Britain is currently testing the app - based on Bluetooth - on the Isle of Wight off the southern coast of England where the government says more than half the residents had downloaded it.

 

James Brokenshire, the junior interior minister in charge of security, said there were technical issues with the app but that traditional measures would be used until it works.

 

"The track and trace system is going to be ready," Brokenshire told Sky News.

 

"We obviously want to see that the app is put in place well and effectively, learning from the experience on the Isle of Wight and dealing with all of the feedback that we're receiving on some of the technical issues, to ensure that the app is as strong as we can make it."

 

When asked directly if the system could work without the app, he said: "Yes".

 

Tracking and tracing those infected is seen as crucial to preventing a deadly second wave of the outbreak - and thus getting the economy working again after the lockdown.

 

But Britain's system has been dogged by criticism: opposition lawmakers said an earlier promise of a nationwide roll-out of a National Health Service (NHS)-developed smartphone app had slipped from the middle of this month.

 

The NHS Confederation, a group which represents the health service's organisations, said the United Kingdom is at risk of a second jump in cases without clarity on government strategy.

 

"The relaxation of restrictions based on scientific advice is the right approach but it must be accompanied by an effective test, track and trace strategy which enables us to monitor local spread of the disease," the confederation said.

 

"To achieve this we must have national, local and cross-agency involvement. Without this, we do face the risk of a second wave of infections."

 

When asked about a trial in Britain of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, the drug U.S. President Donald Trump says he takes, Brokenshire said that all drugs were tested carefully. When asked if he would take it, he said he felt there was no need to make such statements.

 

His comments come after Trump on Tuesday defended taking hydroxychloroquine to try to ward off the novel coronavirus despite medical warnings about its use.

 

"I'm taking hydroxychloroquine," Trump, 73, said on May 18. "All I can tell you is so far I seem to be OK.”

 

Brokenshire also said restrictions on arrivals in Britain from overseas would be introduced early next month. He declined give any further details.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-21

 

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[7by7]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Brokenshire also said restrictions on arrivals in Britain from overseas would be introduced early next month. He declined give any further details.

 

Still no firm date, still no details of the restrictions.

 

Most countries introduced such restrictions two or more months ago. Heck, even Trump first did so for people from China on the 31st January; extending it to the Schengen states on 11th March and further extending it since!

 

On arriving in Thailand on 28th February I, along with everyone else had my temperature taken. Those who were too high were taken to one side for further checks. As we all know, shortly after this Thailand closed it's borders for entry to all; including Thai citizens unless they had a medical certificate confirming they were free of the virus.

 

My wife and I returned from Thailand on 28th April. 

 

At Suvarnabhumi we had our temperatures checked and our hands disinfected before we were allowed into the almost empty terminal building. 

 

Inside everyone, from cleaners through check in staff to immigration officers, was wearing a mask.

 

At the gate we again had our temperatures checked and hands disinfected before we were allowed to board. During the flight we were told (told, not asked) to keep our masks on at all times unless eating or drinking.

 

We expected similar on arrival at Heathrow.

 

Nothing. No checks, and no one was wearing a mask.

 

Why have that fool in number 10 and his puppet master not done anything to at least restrict entry to British citizens and residents?

[Chomper Higgot]

Voluntarily permitting the Government (and anyone who gets access to the data) to track your every movement.

 

Now that is a good idea.

[Baerboxer]

17 hours ago, 7by7 said:

 

Still no firm date, still no details of the restrictions.

 

Most countries introduced such restrictions two or more months ago. Heck, even Trump first did so for people from China on the 31st January; extending it to the Schengen states on 11th March and further extending it since!

 

On arriving in Thailand on 28th February I, along with everyone else had my temperature taken. Those who were too high were taken to one side for further checks. As we all know, shortly after this Thailand closed it's borders for entry to all; including Thai citizens unless they had a medical certificate confirming they were free of the virus.

 

My wife and I returned from Thailand on 28th April. 

 

At Suvarnabhumi we had our temperatures checked and our hands disinfected before we were allowed into the almost empty terminal building. 

 

Inside everyone, from cleaners through check in staff to immigration officers, was wearing a mask.

 

At the gate we again had our temperatures checked and hands disinfected before we were allowed to board. During the flight we were told (told, not asked) to keep our masks on at all times unless eating or drinking.

 

We expected similar on arrival at Heathrow.

 

Nothing. No checks, and no one was wearing a mask.

 

Why have that fool in number 10 and his puppet master not done anything to at least restrict entry to British citizens and residents?

 

I had a long phone call with my 82 year old uncle in the UK. He's been a very active member of the Conservative Party for decades. He was scathing about how the current government have handled this pandemic. Especially about not closing the borders; not checking any arrivals; and not monitoring any arrivals.

 

Quite frankly, Thailand and all those other countries that were quick to close their borders seem to have done much better.

 

Why on earth would the UK government think a lock down would work with open entry at borders? Totally illogical.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Voluntarily permitting the Government (and anyone who gets access to the data) to track your every movement.

 

Now that is a good idea.

 

Sounds like Lenin and Stalin's wet dream!

[RuamRudy]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I had a long phone call with my 82 year old uncle in the UK. He's been a very active member of the Conservative Party for decades. He was scathing about how the current government have handled this pandemic. Especially about not closing the borders; not checking any arrivals; and not monitoring any arrivals.

 

Quite frankly, Thailand and all those other countries that were quick to close their borders seem to have done much better.

 

Why on earth would the UK government think a lock down would work with open entry at borders? Totally illogical.

This map shows just how starkly at odds the UK is with most of the rest of the world:

 

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

[3NUMBAS]

“Reducing the risk of death by one fifth doesn't sound like very much it's not - it's not a cure,” he said.

“But if we found several drugs that each reduced the risk by one fifth then quickly we'd be reducing the risk of dying by say a half or more.

“There's not likely to be any single one big winner, it’s much more likely that several drugs may have what we might think of as modest effects.”

Professor Peter Horby, who is leading the trial, warned that coronavirus was likely to become endemic in Britain and that drugs would be needed in the long term.

“Even if we get an effective vaccine, I think it will be impossible to eradicate this virus,” he said.

“It will be with us probably forever. So, we want to reduce the numbers as much as you can through vaccination but for those who slipped through the net, you need an effective treatment.”

 

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/first-drugs-treat-coronavirus-could-172754279.html

[3NUMBAS]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I had a long phone call with my 82 year old uncle in the UK. He's been a very active member of the Conservative Party for decades. He was scathing about how the current government have handled this pandemic. Especially about not closing the borders; not checking any arrivals; and not monitoring any arrivals.

 

Quite frankly, Thailand and all those other countries that were quick to close their borders seem to have done much better.

 

Why on earth would the UK government think a lock down would work with open entry at borders? Totally illogical.

if labour were in power they would be far worse as theyre a bunch of ditherers who cannot get anything done and dusted

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Sounds like Lenin and Stalin's wet dream!

I’m not sure how you dragged those two into this, but good effort on the deflection front.

[3NUMBAS]

Deaths rates in England have fallen to the same level as in an average winter as the devastating impact of coronavirus wanes, the chief medical officer has said.

The number of Covid-related deaths has fallen sharply since a peak last month, and the number of people in hospital with the virus has fallen below 9,000, compared with more than 20,000 in mid-April.

Speaking at the government’s daily press conference, Prof Chris Whitty said: “All-cause mortality has come down at the same time as the Covid deaths have come down and it is now at roughly the rate it is at in an average winter. So we are essentially having a winter … in terms of mortality, but in late spring and early summer.”

The government’s official tally of UK coronavirus deaths now stands at 36,042, although the true figure is known to be more than 40,000.

Daily hospital deaths of patients with Covid-19 in England peaked at 891, according to official NHS figures. On 15 May, the most recent date for which there is reliable data, there were 152 hospital deaths, the lowest since March.

Some news headlines suggested significant numbers of NHS trusts, including six major London trusts, had gone 48 hours without any coronavirus deaths, but the reports were premature. As NHS England pointed out, the data for the past five days was incomplete and likely to be revised.

For example, NHS England’s 20 May release, which covered the previous day, showed zero deaths in the capital. But Thursday’s release shows that figure has been revised up to seven deaths on 19 May.

The NHS figures cover only hospital deaths. Deaths in care homes and other settings are not reflected, while the daily whole-of-UK figure only counts cases where the individual tested positive for Covid-19.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/english-death-rate-now-normal-184453650.html

 

[from the home of CC]

If they don't get a handle on the numbers then they're just fumbling in the dark and like the states opening the gates to a potential tsunami of cases especially when restrictions are loosened. You think the economy is bad now? Give it a few months when the 2nd lockdown occurs..

[7by7]

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

if labour were in power they would be far worse as theyre a bunch of ditherers who cannot get anything done and dusted

You think this government hasn't been dithering?

 

They dithered over imposing a lockdown.

 

They are still dithering over restricting entry to the UK.

 

They are still dithering over the offer by many UK manufacturers to make and supply PPE. No, not dithering over; ignoring.

 

They are still dithering over face masks; not even recommending them.

 

The list goes on and on.

 

The best they've come up with is changing their slogan from "Stay Safe," which at least was understandable, to "Stay Alert." Alert for what; a virus which is too small to be seen except under a powerful microscope sneaking up behind me?

 

[Swimfan]

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Voluntarily permitting the Government (and anyone who gets access to the data) to track your every movement.

 

Now that is a good idea.

You obviously have no understanding of how the apps work 

[3NUMBAS]

• What could cause a second wave in coronavirus cases?

A secondary pandemic wave may occur if lockdown restrictions are lifted and international travel restarts.

As there are remaining infections within the population, this will increase the R number above one – causing an exponential growth in new infections.

Without any restrictions in place, an outbreak will begin to grow as long as the average number of people infected by someone with the virus Is over one.

In South Korea and China, the loosening of restrictions has triggered a resurgence in new cases.

A new cluster of coronavirus cases emerged in the country’s capital Seoul, sparking fears of a second wave of infections in the East Asian country.

China has started testing millions of people to catch new infections and South Korea has dispatched several thousand police officers in a renewed push for contact tracing.

• Second virus wave may be more severe than first, England’s chief medical officer warns
• We’ve passed the peak - but most accidents happen on the way down

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-14/coronavirus-what-could-cause-a-second-coronavirus-wave-what-other-pandemics-experienced-a-second-peak/

[3NUMBAS]

fortunatly corbyn and abbot wont get the chance of dealing with an outbreak ,,both useless has beans ..who were losers in the election because they know sheet

[crobe]

The only UK politician who seems to have a grip is Nicola Sturgeon.

Every day when she gave the figures for COVID cases and death she would say "these are of course an underestimate"

At least honest

[superal]

On 5/22/2020 at 12:44 PM, Baerboxer said:

 

I had a long phone call with my 82 year old uncle in the UK. He's been a very active member of the Conservative Party for decades. He was scathing about how the current government have handled this pandemic. Especially about not closing the borders; not checking any arrivals; and not monitoring any arrivals.

 

Quite frankly, Thailand and all those other countries that were quick to close their borders seem to have done much better.

 

Why on earth would the UK government think a lock down would work with open entry at borders? Totally illogical.

A real mystery or is it ?  I watched on BBC recently where an ex member of SAGE named David King stated that the freedom of entry into the UK made no sense when there was a lockdown in place , however he believed that what was happening was the " Herd Community " practice , that had been opposed by 250 scientists at the beginning of the pandemic in the UK , had been reintroduced without any announcement . It is to me the only sane answer . By early June , using new virus testing kits , there will be an accurate map of the virus hot spots and then appropriate resourses to be applied .  

[Chomper Higgot]

21 hours ago, Swimfan said:

You obviously have no understanding of how the apps work 

Fortunately others do:

 

https://tech.newstatesman.com/security/nhsx-contact-tracing-app-privacy-risks