BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[briantrumpet]

One of the conclusions of the inquiry was that children were not given enough consideration and that lockdowns had an enormous impact on them. I think, on balance, I would prefer the PM to do everything possible to avoid closing schools.

One of things I think the inquiry should have found is that the right, with hindsight, response to covid may not be the best response to the next pandemic. Some of the initial failings came about, because all the UK's advice up to that point made out lock downs were pointless. The obvious danger is that the government becomes too gung-ho about the imposition of lock downs and tries to take that approach when it is not necessary.

Sure. Still lots to learn, but delaying decisions was unforgivable (and was recognised time after time), as it shuts off less draconian actions.

I'm not sure if the science about children spreading covid is yet settled. It is worth remembering that there was essentially panic in March 2020 as no-one really knew what was happening, and the news from Italy was very grim indeed, and there was no vaccine at that point. Schools didn't do a great job for the first one, as none were really prepared. Emailing out homework once a day wasn't adequate. My one-to-one online lessons were hugely appreciated, as the children got to converse with a real person outside of their household in real time.

As a side note, when I see legacy signs about washing hands to stop the spread of covid, it reminds me of my bemusement why that lingered on as being more important than good ventilation.

Did Sturgeon ever get round to cutting off the bottoms of Scottish schools' classroom doors?

 

[Pross]

Nathan Gill gets 10½ years in prison for accepting Russian bribes. Maybe that'll give a bit more incentive for the major news outlets to find out what Farage was up to while he was an MEP.

There must be a journalist out there that would love to be the one to bring him down. It's amazing how little coverage Gill got when there was so much fuss made about various Labour MPs not doing anything illegal but being guilty in the court of public opinion of being hypocrits. It seems that being a traitor is less of a crime.

 

[Pross]

So many instances - the one when school pupils went back for one day at the start of January before another lockdown was imposed, the three-day notice before the Christmas holidays lockdown, so Londoners could escape to Cornwall, and the subsequent skyrocketing of cases there. Everything Was Too Late, because Johnson had a desperate craving not to take what he thought would be unpopular decisions. I always go back to Eddie Mair's to-his-face interview comment "You're a nasty piece of work, aren't you?" Bang on.

Not to mention making one of the first things to reopen the hospitality sector and then actively encourage people to go to pubs and restaurants by giving away money to tempt them.

 

[briantrumpet]

Not to mention making one of the first things to reopen the hospitality sector and then actively encourage people to go to pubs and restaurants by giving away money to tempt them.

Oh yes, that too, heavily criticised in the report, I think, given that ministers were aware of the affect it was having on infection rates.

 

[Pross]

Oh yes, that too, heavily criticised in the report, I think, given that ministers were aware of the affect it was having on infection rates.

It was just a cowardly capitulation to very vocal lobbying by the hospitality sector. They would have had pubs open through the peak if they'd had their way. By contrast those working in the arts were told to find different jobs and theatres etc. didn't reopen for ages.

 

[secretsqirrel]

Not to mention making one of the first things to reopen the hospitality sector and then actively encourage people to go to pubs and restaurants by giving away money to tempt them.

Eat Out to help (the virus) out. Sounded stupid at the time, but Rishi looked so pleased with himself carrying a tray and serving for the camera.

 

[briantrumpet]

I seem to remember a few Cakestoppers celebrating taking advantage of the great deals on offer.

 

[secretsqirrel]

Not a fan of royalty but I always think of this image at the time….

 

[Bazzer]

So many instances - the one when school pupils went back for one day at the start of January before another lockdown was imposed, the three-day notice before the Christmas holidays lockdown, so Londoners could escape to Cornwall, and the subsequent skyrocketing of cases there. Everything Was Too Late, because Johnson had a desperate craving not to take what he thought would be unpopular decisions. I always go back to Eddie Mair's to-his-face interview comment "You're a nasty piece of work, aren't you?" Bang on.

Then there was the nonsense of imposing quarantine on people returning from Spain, a high risk country, after having told them they could travel there without quarantining. Hundreds simply rearranged return flights from the low risk country Gibraltar, travel from which was not quarantined.
That pissed off Gibraltarians.

 

[tarric]

No one seems to come out of the Covid enquiry with much, if any credit, including the CMO and CSO, who were they most important advisers to the Government.

I thought at the time and still think it now, the biggest mistake the whole country made was discharging elderly patient from hospital straight into care home where the virus would spread easily amongst the most venerable.

 

[Ian H]

Has Spaffer Johnson appeared anywhere yet to profess that he's been terribly wronged by this report? Seems unlike him to take anything on the chin and not to blame someone else.

Dear Mogg
What a charivari of hocus-pocus this inquiry is! Are they going to burn me at the stake just as Charles I was? What of my fevered brow and long nights in Chevening and Chequers? As Winston said, 'sweat, tears, blood, soil, sweat'.
In utero victoria
Boris
[Michael Rosen}

 

[Psamathe]

I'm not sure if the science about children spreading covid is yet settled. It is worth remembering that there was essentially panic in March 2020 as no-one really knew what was happening, and the news from Italy was very grim indeed, and there was no vaccine at that point. Schools didn't do a great job for the first one, as none were really prepared. Emailing out homework once a day wasn't adequate. My one-to-one online lessons were hugely appreciated, as the children got to converse with a real person outside of their household in real time.

The closing schools is an aspect I'm uncertain about in that (my understanding) the best scientific information at that time was that children were significant sources of spreading infection - I've not seen any scientific evidence to the contrary since but either way, at the time it was the best scientific advice and not something concocted by politicians for their convenience.

Stopping rapid spread was undoubtedly crucial if only to avoid completely swamping the NHS. So I wonder if the question becomes not so much about closing schools but more about alternative ways to lower the impact on children (ways to provide education as well as socialisation but without them spreading).

I don't have kids so don't appreciate possible alternatives but we do pay a lot of experts who present themselves as capable at dealing with crises and ... they didn't. Tell us how capable they are and when we need them they're just a disaster. Not covid but we are already on our 4th "answer" in less the 1½ years on how to "Stop the Boats". Politicians tell us they have the answer so we elect and pay them and ... they don't.

 

[Psamathe]

Dear Mogg
What a charivari of hocus-pocus this inquiry is! Are they going to burn me at the stake just as Charles I was? What of my fevered brow and long nights in Chevening and Chequers partying in No10? As Winston said, 'sweat, tears, blood, soil, sweat'.
In utero victoria
Boris
[Michael Rosen}

 

[Ian H]

I'm not sure you've improved MR's joke.

 

[AuroraSaab]

I've never had covid (to my knowledge at least).
I think I'm the only person I know who hasn't.
It seems almost surreal now but it was an awful time. I've said before on here that I think it'll be years before we understand the true cost in terms of how psychologically damaging it all was and what the long term health implications are.