Gatherings of more than 6 people to be banned

[LamieRobertson]

Just listened to PMQT. Starmer recounted one example of a person with a family member with symptoms, unable to book a test, anywhere, with spaces advertised miles away that were not available when attempts were made to book. He raised this in a courteous way and asked the PM what he planned to do, and said he'd support the PM in is attempts to get this testing to work.

Boris replied that we are doing more tests than any other nation, and that Starmer should not be attacking and undermining the NHS.

It was a breathtaking, couldn't-give-a-shit nasty reply from Boris. But his fans will lap it up.

Starmer was stoic. No shouting. He made his point. And so it will go till the next general election.

Isn’t that Trumps line?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The bolded bit I disagree with, this is now affecting the core voters

It is fair to say the impact on Jobs/lack of tests/schools (other than deaths) are the three main knock on affects and that will be hitting everyone.

If Boris' core support is ebbing away I will be rejoicing. I haven't looked at the 'polls' recently. I though it was still neck and neck (which is astonishing, albeit Corbyn did drag labour down to eye-popping depths).

There are still plenty of posters on here who continue to cut Boris slack, even actively supporting him, and they are not all knuckle dragging dimbots.

Anyway, I was first moved to post on this thread by a labour supporter (I think) bemoaning Starmer's inactivity. Listening to PMQT should have nailed that one.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Selfish idiots lacking in any common sense is a nationwide ailment, which causes most of the grief.

Precisely this, perhaps people need to look closer to home, with all the group activities that have been going on, and leftie activists travelling about who don't give a monkies that we are in a pandemic.

The guys going into pubs drinking and going out partying have kept the virus going and how many have travelled on a plane in the last 8 weeks for stuff that really didn't matter?

I heard on the radio some geezer booing because he was going on a stag night abroad might lose out, because there were 13 of them.

all of them fools that think they are immune to laws and the virus.

We will be out clapping the NHS on the doorsteps in a few weeks.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Isn’t that Trumps line?

I don't know. I can't imagine how it can even be true. It probably has something to do with Boris' special Classical interpretation of the meaning of the word 'do'. I suspect, in some circumstances as defined by 'a leader of a tribe', to 'do' can mean to idealise, or anticipate, as outlined in Ptolemy's letter to the Corynthians.

 

[Bozza]

A British Citizen (I assume) travelled home to the UK for reasons undisclosed. He appears to be saying that the place in which he works and resides requires he be tested before he returns. So, on that basis I will accept there may be a moral reason that he pays for the test himself. Especially if tests are as rare as hen's teeth, which is the real narrative here.

I took his message more as an indictment of the total failure of the government's testing scheme, an issue that has just been raised in a courteous and reasonable way by the leader of the opposition.

I think the whataboutery regarding the poster's circumstances and moral obligation to pay for a test (and, incidentally, jump the queue, denying a test to a member of the public, assuming the NHS is sourcing all private test capacity, as it should be) is a distraction

I'm sure you don't really think that the government's testing regime is working as it should, though. Do you?

There's absolutely no whatabouttery at all. It's not a sport I engage in, as you of all people should be aware.

And, as it turns out, [MENTION=3462]Springal[/MENTION] had made the very same point at about the same time. Had I seen that post, I'd not have made mine as the point had already been made and, as [MENTION=3462]Springal[/MENTION] stated, and something I was also aware of, NHS tests aren't accepted by a large number of overeas states as being sufficient for entry. Presumably Dubai isn't one of those.

There are clearly issues with testing right now. What I'm struggling with is how the staled capacity is showing many tens of thousands of unused tests each day (yesterday's processed tests were c70k below stated capacity, I believe). Whilst I could understand how some locations could have constraints in supplies of resources to take tests if that area is an infection hot spot causing significant draw on demand, the claim seems to be that lab processing capacity is the issue.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Looks like the Lib Dems will have to cancel their conference..

Are they still going

 

[Bold Seagull]

An overwhelming majority of healthy people from all ethnicities will make a full recovery.

I'm not saying the virus is not dangerous. Seasonal flu is dangerous. The Hong Kong flu was dangerous and killed a lot of people. But the reality is, just like all the other strains of flu, we are going to have to live with it forever.

Seasonal flu is dangerous hence we give something like 25m vaccinations on the NHS, let alone how many get privately administered. A huge amount of research and money goes into predicting the next strains each year and producing vaccinations accordingly. Your comparison falls flat on its arse given the fact that we don't just live with seasonal flu, as a society we pay for those at most risk to be protected.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Just listened to PMQT. Starmer recounted one example of a person with a family member with symptoms, unable to book a test, anywhere, with spaces advertised miles away that were not available when attempts were made to book. He raised this in a courteous way and asked the PM what he planned to do, and said he'd support the PM in is attempts to get this testing to work.

Boris replied that we are doing more tests than any other nation, and that Starmer should not be attacking and undermining the NHS.

It was a breathtaking, couldn't-give-a-shit nasty reply from Boris. But his fans will lap it up.

Starmer was stoic. No shouting. He made his point. And so it will go till the next general election.

It is difficult though to know the truth when all we have is circumstantial evidence. Both my daughters booked tests online last week (one in Norwich and the other in London). They both had appointments within 24 hours and results (negative) in 48. I have no idea what that means for the efficiency of the scheme as a whole but it does illustrate that it is possible to cherry pick stories to fit one’s own agenda ( whether we are the PM or the leader of the Opposition).

 

[portslade seagull]

A couple of people from work got tests straight away the same day and that was local. Both negative as well. We can all find sensationalist stories to fit an argument

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I am aware of that, but why not make the comparison to the flu, or other strains of coronavirus if you like - such as the common cold.

We have to live with all of these things. At what point will we accept that we have to live with COVID-19 too?

Or do we live in a socially distanced, nosophobic world forever now?

Because a) there is a vaccine for the flu and b) covid is more contagious than the flu?

If it was 'just like the flu', do you REALLY think the world would've gone to shit?

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Dwarves are in real trouble.

 

[beorhthelm]

...I think the whataboutery regarding the poster's circumstances and moral obligation to pay for a test (and, incidentally, jump the queue, denying a test to a member of the public, assuming the NHS is sourcing all private test capacity, as it should be) is a distraction

you can test that assumption, ask at the university how much their labs are being used for testing.

 

[Bold Seagull]

A couple of people from work got tests straight away the same day and that was local. Both negative as well. We can all find sensationalist stories to fit an argument

So the country's testing is all fine and dandy and the Minister for Health is lying and should wind his neck in?

 

[Bozza]

When I get there, I'm one of 5 people who have managed to navigate this farce and booked the 8am – 8.30am slot. The centre has, I would guess, 40 staff and – with six lanes and the actual process taking about a minute – the capacity to handle roughly 150–180 people every half hour.

Yet it's almost impossible to book, and – at best – utterly confusing, frustrating and contradictory.

Covered by the director of NHS Test and Trace:

[tweet]1303248829416976384[/tweet]

And a tone of message significantly more comforting than that of the PM:

[tweet]1303254474878840832[/tweet]

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

...and yet here you are.

Popped into to see what all the fuss was about then I realised it was just a moan up about the Government from the usual suspects , :wont be back ..........be seeing you
Regards
DG

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

There's absolutely no whatabouttery at all. It's not a sport I engage in, as you of all people should be aware.

And, as it turns out, [MENTION=3462]Springal[/MENTION] had made the very same point at about the same time. Had I seen that post, I'd not have made mine as the point had already been made and, as [MENTION=3462]Springal[/MENTION] stated, and something I was also aware of, NHS tests aren't accepted by a large number of overeas states as being sufficient for entry. Presumably Dubai is one of those.

There are clearly issues with testing right now. What I'm struggling with is how the staled capacity is showing many tens of thousands of unused tests each day (yesterday's processed tests were c70k below stated capacity, I believe). Whilst I could understand how some locations could have constraints in supplies of resources to take tests if that area is an infection hot spot causing significant draw on demand, the claim seems to be that lab processing capacity is the issue.

Apologies - while distracted by the apparent testing failure, I made the schoolboy error of inferring a reason for your interests in someone's elegibility for 'free' testing. Musing about someone's right seemed to me like an irrelevant side issue, but if it's a point that you wished to make, fair enough.

My key concern, and one that you clearly share, is there are issues with testing. I agree with you about the weird missmatch between test unavailability and unused tests. I can suggest two further possible explanations. One is that someone is lying or, to be more generous, making an error in how they are calculating the numbers. The other is a simple logistics cock up: there may be a warehouse full of Covid tests but if we don't have an infrastructure for getting the tests to the testers then there can be only one result. Your suggestion that the problem may be with the labs is possible, although even if swabs queue to be processed this shouldn't stop the availability of swabs (I am assuming the testing is still a swab test rather than a blood test, but the same considerations apply).

Unfortunately Boris flatly refused to accept there was any problem when asked about this by Starmer an hour or so ago, let alone explain its possible cause or offer possible solutions. One may draw one's own conclusion.

I hope you are feeling a bit more cheery, yourself.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Only if more than 6 turn up.

Palace could probably put on a supporters' event at Selhurst then - I guess the last couple to arrive might get turned away....

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It is difficult though to know the truth when all we have is circumstantial evidence. Both my daughters booked tests online last week (one in Norwich and the other in London). They both had appointments within 24 hours and results (negative) in 48. I have no idea what that means for the efficiency of the scheme as a whole but it does illustrate that it is possible to cherry pick stories to fit one’s own agenda ( whether we are the PM or the leader of the Opposition).

Fair enough.

It would have been helpful for Boris to have explained this when given the chance earlier today. Trade his anecdotes with those thrown at him. Wave some testamonials. Had he done that he'd have reduced the stink by a good percentage. Maybe he's simply not very good at being PM

 

[The Wizard]

Won’t make much difference to me, there are three things I will not accept, mask wearing outdoors, curfews and a second lockdown.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Unfair. This shitshow is being run exclusively by the party who have access to all the data and have set up our Covid response entirely on their own, using private meetings chaired by Dominic Cummins to make the decisions. HM loyal opposition and smaller parties are not privy to the information or the decision making process. If they start gobbing off on a daily basis about what they think should be done it would be self defeating. Starmer has spoken from time to time but it would be absurd for him to ponce around like a shadow president.

To be fair to HMG, they have made decisions in difficult circumstances. Getting the initial decisions wrong was understandable. Sort of. The problem has been the vaccilating. All you can say in criticism is that it would be better to have a plan and stick to it. Even being 'reactive' is sort of defensible. But the tories seem to be doing everything wrong, now. None of it makes sense. We don't need Starmer spouting off to point all this out. I'm happy with Starmer's stance.

This.

The job of the Leader of the Opposition is to oppose. Posts saying he should be behind Boris miss the point. It's his job to call out idiocy when it comes to Covid, Brexit, Toilet Paper Supplies, Cycle Lanes, Education and the HoC canteen. It's also his job to form alternative policy on any or all of the above.

However, you can only do so from a position of knowledge and if your are not in the same "science meetings" you don't have it. Therefore you can call for the government to be clearer and better at messaging (and Labour have) but you cannot tell them what to do based on the briefing..

The alternative to that would be to have a government of national unity, cross party, to steer us through the twin difficulties of Brexit and Covid. However, with Cummings at the helm that will never happen and, in any case, Boris and his chums were running around in December like demented Palace fans after a goal, blowing raspberries and crying "we won, we won, ner ner". Starmer has absolutely NO responsibiity to help out the twerps who act in such a manner.