UK's new COVID measures met with scepticism, confusion

[snoop1130]

UK's new COVID measures met with scepticism, confusion

By Sarah Young and Kate Holton

 

Police officers wearing protective face masks walk through Waterloo station, during the morning rush hour, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, September 23, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government on Wednesday defended its new, stricter coronavirus measures against criticism that they did not got far enough, saying it was trying to balance supporting the economy while protecting health.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told citizens on Tuesday to work from home if possible and ordered restaurants and bars to close early, in an effort to slow a fast-spreading second wave of COVID-19, saying restrictions would likely last six months.

 

Britain has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, with a total close to 42,000. New infections have been accelerating in recent weeks, leading scientists to say they could hit 50,000 per day by mid-October if left unchecked.

 

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab gave a round of interviews on Wednesday - six months to the day since the government first imposed a national lockdown on March 23 - seeking to persuade the public to abide by the new rules to avoid a second lockdown.

 

"What we don't want is to have to take even more severe measures as we go through Christmas," Raab said on LBC radio. "And that's why we need to take the proportional, targeted measures we're taking now."

 

Asked on BBC radio if the new measures were part of a Swedish-style plan to live with the virus rather than try to get rid of it, Raab rejected that suggestion.

 

But a decision by Scotland's semi-autonomous government to take more stringent measures, such as banning any socialising between households, cast doubt over whether the steps taken in more populous England would be sufficient.

 

"I've made a judgment that we are again at a tipping point with COVID and I'm looking at data that alarms me, frankly," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on ITV.

 

She said her scientific advisers had told her the package announced by Johnson would be insufficient to bring down the rate of transmission.

 

In England, people can still socialise with members of other households in groups of up to six people.

 

Wales and Northern Ireland are also taking some different measures to England.

 

The Times newspaper reported that Chris Whitty, the national government's chief medical adviser, was privately saying further restrictions in England were inevitable to bring the epidemic under control.

 

A YouGov poll found that 78% of people supported the measures already announced, although 45% said Johnson should have gone further while 32% said he had got the restrictions about right.

 

On the business side, there was widespread angst over what the new restrictions would mean, especially for pubs, restaurants and other hospitality firms. The 10 p.m. closing time announced by Johnson was criticised as ineffective in terms of reducing transmission, but damaging to business.

 

Raab rejected this, saying the government's scientific advice was that the package of measures was appropriate to "bear down" on the virus.

 

Prof John Edmunds of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who is on the government's scientific advisory team, told BBC radio: "Overall, I don’t think the measures have gone anywhere near far enough. In fact, I don’t even think the measures in Scotland have gone far enough."

 

He said he believed very stringent measures woud come into force across the United Kingdom as some point "but it will be too late again".

 

Adding to the government's woes, there were signs of a fightback by the main opposition Labour Party, which had been in the doldrums after it was beaten by Johnson's Conservatives in an election in December last year.

 

The latest Ipsos Mori poll showed the Conservatives' popularity falling, while Labour leader Keir Starmer beat Johnson on a number of measures, with more people saying he had sound judgment and was a capable leader.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-23

 

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[baansgr]

2 weeks ago he was telling everyone get back to work...

[nobodysfriend]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"I've made a judgment that we are again at a tipping point with COVID and I'm looking at data that alarms me, frankly," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on ITV.

Close the border .

[JonnyF]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"I've made a judgment that we are again at a tipping point with COVID and I'm looking at data that alarms me, frankly," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on ITV.

 

Hardly surprising from Sturgeon, who said recently she wanted to cry when she saw young people enjoying themselves in a pub. 

 

Expect even more stringent lockdowns in Scotland as this puritanical control freak tries to outgun her nemesis, Boris Johnson.

[bartender100]

Anyone else suspect they know more than they are telling us about what's coming?

[OneMoreFarang]

July 2020 - Coronavirus latest: Boris Johnson says the UK might be ‘back to normal by Christmas’

 

Just one of the sources: https://inews.co.uk/news/coronavirus-uk-boris-johnson-normal-christmas-553620

 

[englishoak]

Imagine a virus so deadly, you need a test just to see if you have it. 

 

[Road Warrior]

think P.M is  doing his best !! but know one really knows the answer !!!  do they ??????

[BRUFC]

Latest figures from The Office of National Statistics ( that's in the UK for you non-Brits)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfv6MmlW_W0

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

The Hancock man was on the breakfast news this morning announcing an "app" which, he claimed, would make everyone who downloaded it, safer! How does that work? 

[Thingamabob]

Excellent work/presentation by Boris in spite of his poor health. Whingers and moaners on TVF lay off. You are utterly pathetic.

[Rimmer]

A conspiracy troll post has been removed

[evadgib]

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Hardly surprising from Sturgeon, who said recently she wanted to cry when she saw young people enjoying themselves in a pub. 

 

Expect even more stringent lockdowns in Scotland as this puritanical control freak tries to outgun her nemesis, Boris Johnson.

MSM (Sky news in particular) seem to have elevated her to a far greater height than the position she actually holds by presenting her in 'Mini-me' mode; Mirroring/trying to undermine Boris whenever he's anywhere near a microphone. 

[RuamRudy]

39 minutes ago, evadgib said:

MSM (Sky news in particular) seem to have elevated her to a far greater height than the position she actually holds by presenting her in 'Mini-me' mode; Mirroring/trying to undermine Boris whenever he's anywhere near a microphone. 

I think Johnson manages to undermine himself without any help from a third party. 

[Brunolem]

Lock' em up Boris, you're the man!

 

And send the goons after those who don't follow the rules!

 

Also don't hesitate to call Daniel Andrews (Victoria state premier) for advice...

Edited September 24, 2020 by Brunolem

[evadgib]

Saturday's 'we don't consent' rally in London will dwarf the 35k that turned up last week. 

[roquefort]

"Asked on BBC radio if the new measures were part of a Swedish-style plan to live with the virus rather than try to get rid of it, Raab rejected that suggestion."

 

What a joke. Like Raab or anyone else has the power to get rid of the virus. Do these morons (I include the BBC in that) think the virus is just going to pack up its bags and disappear? Of course we have to learn to live with it, as the Swedes and several other countries have done.

[from the home of CC]

perhaps the anthem 'God save the queen' should be replaced with 'I don't care, I love it' as this virus is spread far and wide by folks who just don't give a f*** - sad indeed..

[englishoak]

Statistics from the ONS is out... Since February related to CV19 deaths based on only those WITHOUT other conditions deaths is as follows. 

Of those in the age group under 20 with no other known pre existing conditions deaths recorded to purely CV19... 4 those with an existing condition that died.  16 ... total 20

Of those in the age group under 40 with no other known pre existing conditions deaths recorded to purely CV19... 39 those with an existing condition that died..181 ... total 220

Of those in the age group under 60 with no other known pre existing conditions deaths recorded purely to CV19... 307

 

Let that sink in.... they have scared an entire nation witless, destroyed millions of jobs and lives of perfectly healthy people for those numbers... 

 

These arnt my figures or a guess or an interpretation, these are undisputed facts that anyone if they are bothered can read and add up for themselves.. the data is from the UK Office Of National Statistics, it is what the gov constantly uses for its data and is considered the gold standard, all related documents and numbers relating to above info and all manner of other charts can be found here. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/datalist?sortBy=release_date&query=&fromDateDay=&fromDateMonth=&fromDateYear=&toDateDay=&toDateMonth=&toDateYear=&size=50

 

The data is quite clear. There is nothing to warrant these draconian measures on an entire population.... NOTHING. 

[from the home of CC]

On 9/24/2020 at 9:32 AM, englishoak said:

Imagine a virus so deadly, you need a test just to see if you have it. 

 

imagine a virus so deadly that you drown in your own snot..

[from the home of CC]

people are going to look back in years and wonder how these people were put into positions of responsibility to the the citizens of a nation..