COVID-19

Only problem seems to be that we'll hopefully have a vaccine by the time they can actually manufacture it.

 

That was my initial thought also, are these like for like figures? I would assume so, given no description of how cases are split is given in the article and thats how everyone speaking about them seems to be treating them. Working on that basis its a very poor return.

If they don't have the time to reach 40% of contacts the system isn't properly resourced, which is a disgrace given how much we;ve spent. we were supposed to have capacity to meet these levels of demand. a rise in demand we have known all summer was coming. Like if this was back in March or whatever most people gave the govt a pass for it being a new thing. They've now had over 6 months to plan for this.


I'm also glad this is the way they're going now, but I am incredibly frustrated its taken an entire summer for people to realise this. it is time we could not afford to waste and we will now pay a price in jobs and lives for that over the winter.

 

I think they will still have a role to play given I have absolutely no faith in the government to effectively execute a mass vaccination programme in a timely manner. I don't even want to think about the fun and games thats going to be after all this crap with test and trace.

 

Andy Burnham and the Government coming to blows it seems. He is right to take this stance in my eyes, Manchester like Bradford has been in lockdown for months and just let with little help and no tangible benefit for being in these restrictions. The government won't release any data to show that this is working or that stricter measure will work.

The public were on board back in March, now no one has any confidence that the government knows what they are doing. They don't accept any criticism when things go wrong and their default stance is to claim people want to let the virus rip or that people are playing political games.

 

The only bit I don't get about Burnham is that he wants a national lockdown.

So he's happy for Manchester to have tighter restrictions but only if places like Cornwall do too? How does that make sense. Either lockdown is right for his constituents (the only people he has control over) or it's not.....what does it matter to him what other areas do?

 

Agree - more detail is probably needed more for my own curiosity than anything else but God knows when you'd find it. The base figures are poor though.

 

Winter is coming

 

I would guess he knows if Manchester goes into tier 3 it will be left to die for months and never come out. If a country wide lockdown was imposed they couldn't leave it lockdown forever.

When Chris Whitty says tier 3 won't work, why wouldn't you oppose it?

 

Well if Chris Whitty says tier 3 won't work because it's not harsh enough.......then tier 2 (what Burnham is keeping his population in) definitely won't work.

I struggle to sympathise with what he's trying to do. Basically because we've got the Manchester mayor saying that you and I should be in lockdown because his locations situation is bad. Stuff that!

It's all about flexing political muscle. Tedious. Just get in with it.

 

Badly hit university cities seem to be leading England cases back down as of a week ago. (2 weeks ago for Manchester.)

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Manchester
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Newcastle upon Tyne
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Leeds
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Nottingham
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Sheffield
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Exeter
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Lancaster
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Oxford
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Norwich
https://coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk/details/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Plymouth

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/cases?areaType=nation&areaName=England

The question is what trend remains once the student effect subsides. Cases in over 65s have been rising rapidly. Will they turn, too? It could be a week or two before we know.

 

Political.
You do realise that the Tory MPs consulted this morning about this from the Manchester area also rejected the governments plans.

 

I do. Its Burnham who is the one I was talking about though.

If I was the government I'd just keep them in tier 2 and say and extra deaths......look towards the mayor.

 

Burnham is just relaying what all the Manchester MPs, Tory and Labour are saying. The Bolton MP quit his junior ministerial role this week because he asked for proof that these restrictions work having had his Town locked down with no support, he was given nothing as always with this government they claim something but never back it up.

 

He isn't though. They're not saying that it should be a national lockdown but then resisting tier 3 which is my issue.

I don't mind them asking for proof, that's a completely different position.

Like I say, just leave them in tier 2 and have done with it. What happens happens, no point going round in circles with them.

 

There is a world of difference in asking for a circuit breaker lockdown as recommend by sage and being asked to have a local lockdown for up to 6 months when you have been in one for 3 months and not seen it work.

 

Yes I know. A circuit breaker means that I'm in lockdown and Manchester being asked to be in tier 3 means I'm not. I think its pretty obvious why I would therefore prefer the latter.

If Andy Burnham is right and 2 weeks of full lockdown will turn it all around (it obviously won't, even Chris Whitty say that it will just slow it by 4 weeks but at the end of that what then? Another circuit breaker?) then why not put Manchester into Tier 3 for just 2 weeks, add on all the further restrictions he wants to apply nationally and when it's no doubt turned down at that point then it'll all be fine. But no, hes keeping it in tier 2 which makes no sense.

 

Well, after Police have confirmed MP Margaret Ferrier will face no further action for her misdemeanours, get out there and do what the hell you want. What a message this decsion sends out to the general public.

 

Blame Comrade Cummings. He set the trend.

 

His point is and always has been we leave schools, universities and work places oPen we just carry on as we are and infections will continue to rise. Even in tier 3. I’m with hi I’m on this one. I think he’s right. Like I’ve said before it’s either a proper full lockdown or nothing, let us all get on with it and open the economy. These local lockdowns have continually proved they don’t work. Everywhere that’s been I them now for 3 to 4 months have seen no decrease in infections. And why would they with thousands upon thousands going into schools etc and bringing it home?

I’ve been over the protection needed for hospitality and he’s right on that one too. I had this debate with you last night so not gonna dig over all that again as it’s pointless.

Tier 3 will make a tiny difference and certainly not enough to kill the bars and restaurants off in Manchester. Surely it’s a balancing act this?