[Politics] Johnson press conference at 8

[Westdene Seagull]

According to the BBC, he'll be talking about an update to the booster programme and there are no new restrictions expected.

In other words he will be trying to shift the spotlight

And as if by magic, most the front page headlines today are about the booster programme NOT the Christmas parties. The art of deflection.

 

[beorhthelm]

its funny seeing some of those criticising government for acting too late before now complaining that they are acting too much.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

its funny seeing some of those criticising government for acting too late before now complaining that they are acting too much.

That is the issue though - they aren't acting. They are forcing the NHS to massively increase the speed of vaccinations, seemingly with no notice or extra resources and at the expense of other potentially life threatening appointments. Acting would be banning large gatherings, extending mask wearing regulations, closing borders. Knowing this would cost him his own sorry hide, he has shifted the focus to someone else so he can bang on about it as his good news straw man.

Getting more people boosters can't be a bad thing but there are ways and means. And setting policies based purely to cover your own sorry behind when lives are at risk is contemptible.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

As a point of interest when has he “blamed” the NHS for anything? I hope your dislike isn’t influencing you to make things up. There are plenty of other sticks to justifiably beat him with but is this one of them?

It’s subtle but it’s there. The NHS needs help to achieve this and that; ie is inadequate as it is.
No mention of the woeful underfunding and dreadful working conditions staff have had to endure or leave.

The Tories, not just Johnson, want to privatise the NHS and is already doing so, step by tiny step.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

That is the issue though - they aren't acting. They are forcing the NHS to massively increase the speed of vaccinations, seemingly with no notice or extra resources and at the expense of other potentially life threatening appointments. Acting would be banning large gatherings, extending mask wearing regulations, closing borders. Knowing this would cost him his own sorry hide, he has shifted the focus to someone else so he can bang on about it as his good news straw man.

Getting more people boosters can't be a bad thing but there are ways and means. And setting policies based purely to cover your own sorry behind when lives are at risk is contemptible.

Well said.

 

[beorhthelm]

That is the issue though - they aren't acting. They are forcing the NHS to massively increase the speed of vaccinations, seemingly with no notice or extra resources and at the expense of other potentially life threatening appointments. Acting would be banning large gatherings, extending mask wearing regulations, closing borders. Knowing this would cost him his own sorry hide, he has shifted the focus to someone else so he can bang on about it as his good news straw man.

Getting more people boosters can't be a bad thing but there are ways and means. And setting policies based purely to cover your own sorry behind when lives are at risk is contemptible.

so more boosters good, now is not good? the impact to NHS is the same as has been demanded and happen for over a year, vaccines over normal operations. banning gatherings and so on are not wildly popular and have very little effect unless you go full lockdown (see europe surge in case past months), who is asking for that and accept the consequences?

 

[Dick Swiveller]

the impact to NHS is the same as has been demanded and happen for over a year

How on God's Green Earth have you come to that conclusion? It is in the transcript of what he said that shows you are talking bollocks.

To hit the pace we need, we’ll need to match the NHS’s best vaccination day yet – and then beat it day after day.

This will require an extraordinary effort.

And as we focus on boosters and make this new target achievable,

it will mean some other appointments will need to be postponed until the New Year.

If you read that as meaning that it is business as usual for the NHS then I am wasting my time here.

 

[Wardy's twin]

The NHS struggles every winter. It will struggle this year more than previous (pre-covid) purely because covid is another antigen to contend with, despite relatively high levels of immunity now.

Omicron means that previously safe vulnerable groups are no longer as safe, even if it is a milder strain.

and that means more will be in hospital and the NHS will have to put up with a bigger load than it normally has in winter...

75% of the COVID beds are occupied by unvaccinated people.

 

[Wardy's twin]

so more boosters good, now is not good? the impact to NHS is the same as has been demanded and happen for over a year, vaccines over normal operations. banning gatherings and so on are not wildly popular and have very little effect unless you go full lockdown (see europe surge in case past months), who is asking for that and accept the consequences?

If they are targeting double the numbers of vaccinations then surely the simple maths says it will take double the amount of resource out of the NHS than it currently does.

The reality is they will struggle to get to these numbers as there might not be the resource to take and even if there was resource organising it will take time - that said I do think some improvements could be made on throughput with the current system , based on my own experience of 3 jabs.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I know this is a stupid question but why can't this be delivered in a sugar lump (or similar) or via a spray up the nose which would reduce the need for 'medical' people.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Cant complain. People in other countries are probably still waiting to get their first jab. We don't know how lucky we are in this country sometimes.

 

[Brian Potter]

I am registered in Shoreham and my nearest booster jab is Churchill Square that is stupid.

The sooner we get more volunteers and open up the places that can give boosters the better.

Have you volunteered?

 

[Eric the meek]

and that means more will be in hospital and the NHS will have to put up with a bigger load than it normally has in winter...

75% of the COVID beds are occupied by unvaccinated people.

Your statistic is absolutely key.

So is this one. 99% of hospitalisations in South Africa are among the unvaccinated.

This is where the war can be won. Everything else is just noise.

 

[Eric the meek]

I know this is a stupid question but why can't this be delivered in a sugar lump (or similar) or via a spray up the nose which would reduce the need for 'medical' people.

That's about the least stupid question anyone could ask. Anti-viral drugs are on their way.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/science/merck-pfizer-covid-pill-treatment.html

I hesitate to use the term 'game changer', but they will (at some cost) increase the rate of delivery to the patient, and take the pressure off the NHS.

 

[beorhthelm]

Your statistic is absolutely key.

So is this one. 99% of hospitalisations in South Africa are among the unvaccinated.

This is where the war can be won. Everything else is just noise.

and most are incidental, diagnosed from routine testing not showing symptoms. still no recorded deaths, a month on.

 

[Durlston]

Tesco's in Hove on Wednesday sounds my best bet. I feel calmer about things now than last night.

Thanks for all your hard work and putting up the available options, [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION]

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

and most are incidental, diagnosed from routine testing not showing symptoms. still no recorded deaths, a month on.

We fixed the reporting in UK to show in with or in because?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Making a television announcement on a Sunday evening, with no notice nor extra resources.

Monday morning

[tweet]1470333436426653699[/tweet]
[tweet]1470341833939161091[/tweet]
[tweet]1470341712165879809[/tweet]

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Making a television announcement on a Sunday evening, with no notice nor extra resources.

Monday morning

[tweet]1470333436426653699[/tweet]
[tweet]1470341833939161091[/tweet]
[tweet]1470341712165879809[/tweet]

Amazing isn’t it.

It’s almost like something over the weekend triggered the reaction

 

[Norman Potting]

Cant complain. People in other countries are probably still waiting to get their first jab. We don't know how lucky we are in this country sometimes.

Good point, well made.