Current Affairs

[Onelife]

Other countries have track and trace - Thailand has pretty much been doing it from day 1.
Why can we not just adopt one of theirs? Why is our government taking so long to get it up and running?

Hi Ken,

My feeling is that unlike other countries where the population are more authoritarian/socially conscious, we in this country have a very blasé attitude to life in general (it won’t happen to me kind of attitude) which is why I think any form of track and trace will struggle with its uptake…this isn’t to say it has no value but a lot of cards are going to have to fall into place for it to be of any use.
I certainly think the human contact track and trace has a better chance than the app version but, in my opinion, it would/could have worked better had we held out for another three weeks of lockdown whereby reducing numbers to a more manageable level.

I read that the newly recruited 24000 track and tracers could handle 10000 cases a week.

The government figures currently say that around 2500 per day new infections are being found from testing. So call it 17500 new cases per week. There's already a shortfall in cases that can be covered.

It gets worse - ONS say there's currently about 61000 new cases per week (That's just in England) At these levels of infection, I agree that lockdown should have gone on for 3 more weeks, (even if it was a wishy washy lockdown)

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulation ... in-england

As I said a few days ago, it's like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Hi Gill,

I did take a peek at the recruitment site last night and it was still open for job applications....One of the job specifications was that you have to have a good grasp of verble English so l would imagine most of the jobs will got to people living around the Shropshire area

I'm hoping this will be one area where the Government won't be overly scrutinised by the media because it does have the potential to to make a difference.... but as we have seen before, if you dangle the carrot of setting figures before the process is up and running then you're more than likely going to end up in a stew.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm going to bail out on this discussion now. We have a number of self appointed experts stating daily what the government should have done and mocking their efforts. I don't think the response has been perfect but those making difficult decisions deserve better than the constant and often ill informed attacks.

It's such a shame our forum experts didn't offer their advice to.the government at the beginning of February. We could have avoided so many deaths. Indeed it's a shame they didn't offer their input in December. Maybe we could have avoided any cases at all.

Over and out.

[Onelife]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

[Manoverboard]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

There's a Topic out there on dead batteries ... just saying.

ps ... I think I will be joining Merv

[towny44]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

There's a Topic out there on dead batteries ... just saying.

ps ... I think I will be joining Merv

I would say me too, but I doubt I will keep the promise if I spot a particular outlandish comment.

[Manoverboard]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

There's a Topic out there on dead batteries ... just saying.

ps ... I think I will be joining Merv

I would say me too, but I doubt I will keep the promise if I spot a particular outlandish comment.

Then stop looking for them ... would be my advise.

[towny44]

There's a Topic out there on dead batteries ... just saying.

ps ... I think I will be joining Merv

I would say me too, but I doubt I will keep the promise if I spot a particular outlandish comment.

Then stop looking for them ... would be my advise.

Will you be religiously following your own advice?

[Onelife]

I'm going to bail out on this discussion now. We have a number of self appointed experts stating daily what the government should have done and mocking their efforts. I don't think the response has been perfect but those making difficult decisions deserve better than the constant and often ill informed attacks.

It's such a shame our forum experts didn't offer their advice to.the government at the beginning of February. We could have avoided so many deaths. Indeed it's a shame they didn't offer their input in December. Maybe we could have avoided any cases at all.

Over and out.

Hi Sir Merv…. In the absence of a reply or a forum pm from you I must presume that your thread departure post was directed at me, amongst others…so I respond thus….I have and will continue to put forward my views on this topic in a balanced and constructive way, something I believe I have done from the outset, whether that be from January, February or whenever it was that I I made my first contribution.

Just for the record I am the least of all people who would consider themselves as an expert in anything, other than perhaps horse racing. I have, however, never been afraid to put my opinions, ill-informed or otherwise on any thread that I see fit.

With regard to my view on the Government’s handling of things I would agree with most in that the tasks before them have been challenging to say the least, however, there have been times, especially lately, that I think there are too many Indians (experts) all with different attack plans trying to convince the chief which way he should go….the latest immigrant NHS entitlement fee now being revised is a prime example…he, Boris didn’t want to go down this line and rightfully so in my opinion….or are we now going to let every immigrant worker from bus drivers to hospital kitchen staff worker access to free NHS care?

The fee is very reasonable and shouldn’t be wavered or adjusted in my opinion.

Sir Merv…I have always valued your opinions and will continue to do so, but not on this occasion

Keith

[Mervyn and Trish]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

Not specifically no.

[david63]

We have a number of self appointed experts stating daily what the government should have done and mocking their efforts.

Everyone is an "expert" on Covid19 these days, not just on social media but in the media in general and even anyone you speak to - and I agree that the Government should not be mocked, especially with the benefit of hindsight.

I don't think the response has been perfect but those making difficult decisions deserve better than the constant and often ill informed attacks.

Did the Government do anything wrong? - under the circumstances no[/b

Could the Government have done things differently? - of course they could but nobody knows what impact that would have had as, unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), this is not a rehearsal for when a pandemic strikes - it is the real thing.

Indeed it's a shame they didn't offer their input in December. Maybe we could have avoided any cases at all.

Therein lies another story as I firmly believe that there were cases of some strain of Covid19 in the UK in early/mid December.

[Onelife]

Hi Sir Merv......may I ask if your post was directed at me? If that is the case l will reply latter as my battery is about to run out.

Not specifically no.

Just a little bit then …. more reason to stick around and give me a little bit more, only a little bit more mind you…we don’t want others talking do we?

I’ll be honest with you Sir Merv I hope you do stick around because apart from me, you’re the only one who talks any sense on this thread…. please don’t tell the others I have said that

[Gill W]

You should have paid more attention. The figure is 10,000 per day.

Thank you, that is some reassurance.

I hope this works out ok, but I’ve got the impression that the recruits are pretty much raw recruits who will be working from a script - it is a big ask for them to deal with such large numbers of people in an effective way.

[Onelife]

You should have paid more attention. The figure is 10,000 per day.

Thank you, that is some reassurance.

I hope this works out ok, but I’ve got the impression that the recruits are pretty much raw recruits who will be working from a script - it is a big ask for them to deal with such large numbers of people in an effective way.

More to the point Gill...will the informed act in an effective way?

[Gill W]

I’ve come to the conclusion it’s safer not to say anything at all.

It seems that it’s not ok to talk about something that previously happened, as it’s talking with the benefit of hindsight.

However, it’s also not ok to give a view about something that is currently happening, so that, in the upcoming weeks and months, you can refer back and see if you were wrong or right.

Nobody is an expert on this forum, we are all just giving our views. However, I think it’s my view that has caused upset, which was not my intention.

I suppose I’ll just have to stick to the virtual cruise thread,

I’ll leave you to it, so nobody else needs to leave the thread.

Bye.

[Gill W]

You should have paid more attention. The figure is 10,000 per day.

Thank you, that is some reassurance.

I hope this works out ok, but I’ve got the impression that the recruits are pretty much raw recruits who will be working from a script - it is a big ask for them to deal with such large numbers of people in an effective way.

More to the point Gill...will the informed act in an effective way?

I don’t know, Keith, but it’s best that I don’t talk about it anymore.
Come and visit the virtual cruise thread, it’s nice there

[Onelife]

Thank you, that is some reassurance.

I hope this works out ok, but I’ve got the impression that the recruits are pretty much raw recruits who will be working from a script - it is a big ask for them to deal with such large numbers of people in an effective way.

More to the point Gill...will the informed act in an effective way?

I don’t know, Keith, but it’s best that I don’t talk about it anymore.
Come and visit the virtual cruise thread, it’s nice there

The way this is going I’ll have no one to talk to tomorrow

[screwy]

I’ll still be here but I have no expert views, pretence or otherwise.

[Manoverboard]

Will you be religiously following your own advice?

As a Member I will try to avoid responding to anything that could have been posted for a reaction rather than a contribution to an ongoing debate. I will however continue to read and respond to what I believe to be genuine points of view.

[Manoverboard]

I don’t know, Keith, but it’s best that I don’t talk about it anymore.
Come and visit the virtual cruise thread, it’s nice there

Let's not be too hasty .. we don't want the Topic to be filled with chickens, do we ?

[Stephen]

Oh go on, take him away. let him join in......pleease

[Onelife]

Susie ate Maude last night...donations to onelife's cruise fund

[Ray B]

Not much in the media to getting behind the government, little if any constructive criticism, more negativity and having a pop seems the way. It obviously is easier to criticize after the event and it becomes apparent in forums too.
If you are trying to win a race, a bit of encouragement does help. To continually having to listen to the media asking things to the government like, will you say sorry, do you think you acted to late, can you promise, etc, gets a bit tiresome.
We are all in this together, no matter what is going on in other countries, and the government is assessing them as well, I am backing the government, hoping that they get it rite, I have no choice.
I am all for everyone to express their views, but a bit of positivity thrown in give balance.
Stay Safe, Stay Alert.

[Manoverboard]

Did anybody watch the Shadow EduHealth person on this morning's Breakfast News ?

The only thing he seemed able to add to the debate was to ask why the Government were not inviting the Unions to be more involved. Another bunch of experts who's only role these days is to moan else be entirely negative

[CaroleF]

I'm getting fed up with the media questions after the No. 10 Broadcast when all they do is to pick holes and last night someone, can't remember who, asked if the Government were going to apologise for whatever. How is that helping any discussion? Laura seems to get more tight lipped by the day when she can't get an answer to her inane questions. John tells me to switch off after the Minister's bit, he gets fed up with me telling the media people what I think! I get really cross when the media lot includes, Laura, Robert P and the Channel 4 person whose name I can't remember, on the same day. Someone even asked how the Government were going to account for themselves when there was an enquiry after it's all over. Won't the media have a fine time then!

[Ray Scully]

I'm getting fed up with the media questions after the No. 10 Broadcast when all they do is to pick holes and last night someone, can't remember who, asked if the Government were going to apologise for whatever. How is that helping any discussion? Laura seems to get more tight lipped by the day when she can't get an answer to her inane questions. John tells me to switch off after the Minister's bit, he gets fed up with me telling the media people what I think! I get really cross when the media lot includes, Laura, Robert P and the Channel 4 person whose name I can't remember, on the same day. Someone even asked how the Government were going to account for themselves when there was an enquiry after it's all over. Won't the media have a fine time then!

and today the Conservative minded press press is saying that Hancock is for the chop, and publishing Sir Paul Barber's (Nobel prize winner) concerns about the Government's Covid-19 strategy. Couple this with recent policy turnarounds, and our PM seemingly disappearing from view, then perhaps questions DO NEED asking.