I’d just like to thank @Haysie for punching home repeatedly’ the vulnerable will always be vulnerable’, that message is of great importance. After a tricky start to the pandemic, we all know where we are now. ‘ Stay Alert ‘ must seem so easy to understand now,and was from the start for most, but there’s always a few. God bless them. With all the changes in guidance,now, and on the horizon,they will struggle, God bless them. I do think @Haysie will be p issing against the wind for 5years , a bit sad for a man of his age, life’s too short, but gl anyway.
The long waits for coronavirus tests continue to make front page headlines for another day - and the papers do not mince their words. For the Daily Express, the system has gone into "meltdown", while the Daily Telegraph describes it as a "shambles" and for the Daily Mail, a "fiasco". The Daily Mirror's front page has a picture of a queue outside one walk-in testing centre, accompanied by the headline: "Tories aren't testing". The paper makes a comparison with a Conservative poster during the 1979 general election campaign showing people queuing for jobs with the words: "Labour isn't working". The main cartoon in the Times also recalls that poster - but replaces it with the words: "Testing isn't working". The Mail says it warned of a looming test crisis five months ago. Its cartoon shows a queue of mask-wearing people waiting to see a fortune teller - with one customer pleading: "Yes, I'm desperate - when CAN I get a Covid test?" The paper also has a series of aerial shots of what it calls largely vacant testing centres, despite the surge in demand. At one centre, it says, there were more traffic cones than people. It is, as the headline declares, a "portrait of a country that can't get its act together on testing"
Elsewhere, the verdict on the government's performance in no less damning. Writing in the Express, journalist Leo McKinstry says the combination of inaccessibility and slow results is already inflicting real harm. Urging the government to "get a grip", he says ministers have consistently over-promised and under-delivered. In the view of the Times, the failures are more than a source of political embarrassment. They are a threat to the government's ability to fulfil its most basic obligations to the public. For the Sun, the system is clearly broken. Meanwhile, writing in the Telegraph, commentator Allister Heath believes that Mr Johnson has six months left to save his premiership.
According to the Daily Telegraph, people will be refused tests even if they have symptoms, under plans to ration them if the crisis deepens. It says a priority list drawn up by health officials suggests routine testing could be restricted to hospitals, care homes, certain key workers and schools. Low down on the list would be the public in areas not suffering major outbreaks, as well as businesses, the paper adds. The Guardian and the i newspaper focus on the crisis over testing in schools. According to the Guardian, research suggests that up to 25,000 teachers in England may already have been forced out of the classroom and into self-isolation amid the shortage of tests.
Testing saga The Times paints a picture of "chaos" and "inefficiency" in the government "Lighthouse Labs", which process most of the tests for Covid 19. It has heard from a scientist who toured the facilities and was - in his words - "appalled" by what he saw. He describes how they've failed to set up automatic processes - and says they're using 20 different types of tube for swabs. The Department of Health says many of the claims are false and inaccurate and points out capacity is at one million tests a week - its highest ever level.
Yet the Sun thinks the testing system has collapsed - and it is unsparing when it comes to the woman in charge, Dido Harding.
It labels her "Baroness Bungle" after she told MPs yesterday that scientific modelling had underestimated the demand created by schools reopening. "Why not use common sense?" asks the paper before adding: "Bugs always spread like wildfire when the autumn term starts". The Daily Mail's sketch-writer, Henry Deedes, describes her as the "velveteen buck passer in pearl earrings" for the way she tried to blame "the pesky scientists".
I don't know about everyone else but I'm getting a bit sick of all the armchair experts saying how badly this entire crisis has been handled by the government.
What are they supposed to do? If they impose a national lockdown they get accused of scare mongering and over reacting. If they allow local councils to control when and where to lockdown they get accused of complacancy.
I didn't think re-opening the schools was the right thing to do until the crisis was at least manageable and I'm not surprised that there has been a spike. I dare say the government was fully expecting it to but yet again they can't do right for doing wrong. People where clamouring for the schools to re-open so they have been.
As for the testing, well any fool can see that there is a supply and demand problem when you try to set about testing an entire country. The other thing that we should bare in mind is that it is the local NHS trusts who are responsible for carrying out the tests. They should be doing this in conjunction with the local councils in my opinion. But lets face it, we're talking about an organisation that wastes billiions a year on duplication and as for councils, well we all know how utterly useless they are at organising even the simple things like bin collections, let alone handling a national emergency.
What's needed is a clear and methodical approach with anyone who hasn't been tested given a stay at home order until they have produced a negative test. Combine this with an area by area testing regime so that you cannot move from one district that has completed its testing phase to one that hasn't. Pain in the backside I know but how else are you going to stop cross contamination?
I believe that this is the approach they used in places like Korea but then their people are much more used to following government advice. It must have something to do with the threat of imminent war with your rogue state neighbour giving you a clearer perspective on what to do in a time of crisis. Unlike ourselves they are on a constant war footing and are ready to mobilse disaster relief should the worst happen. I believe that this is what makes the difference.
Our system is a shambles purely because we have allowed it to become one. Now when we need it the most it no wonder we're in such a mess. Poor planning by ALL governments, Labour and Conservative have led us to this point along with a population more used to doing as they please than doing as they should.
I don't know about everyone else but I'm getting a bit sick of all the armchair experts saying how badly this entire crisis has been handled by the government.
What are they supposed to do? If they impose a national lockdown they get accused of scare mongering and over reacting. If they allow local councils to control when and where to lockdown they get accused of complacancy.
I didn't think re-opening the schools was the right thing to do until the crisis was at least manageable and I'm not surprised that there has been a spike. I dare say the government was fully expecting it to but yet again they can't do right for doing wrong. People where clamouring for the schools to re-open so they have been.
As for the testing, well any fool can see that there is a supply and demand problem when you try to set about testing an entire country. The other thing that we should bare in mind is that it is the local NHS trusts who are responsible for carrying out the tests. They should be doing this in conjunction with the local councils in my opinion. But lets face it, we're talking about an organisation that wastes billiions a year on duplication and as for councils, well we all know how utterly useless they are at organising even the simple things like bin collections, let alone handling a national emergency.
What's needed is a clear and methodical approach with anyone who hasn't been tested given a stay at home order until they have produced a negative test. Combine this with an area by area testing regime so that you cannot move from one district that has completed its testing phase to one that hasn't. Pain in the backside I know but how else are you going to stop cross contamination?
I believe that this is the approach they used in places like Korea but then their people are much more used to following government advice. It must have something to do with the threat of imminent war with your rogue state neighbour giving you a clearer perspective on what to do in a time of crisis. Unlike ourselves they are on a constant war footing and are ready to mobilse disaster relief should the worst happen. I believe that this is what makes the difference.
Our system is a shambles purely because we have allowed it to become one. Now when we need it the most it no wonder we're in such a mess. Poor planning by ALL governments, Labour and Conservative have led us to this point along with a population more used to doing as they please than doing as they should.
chilling suggested this was more relevant to this thread.
Only posted it earlier today as, side by side yesterdays Headlines, total contradiction.
VIRAL SURGE Covid cases jump 60% in a week to 9,600 daily infections but symptom app reveals they nearly DOUBLED to 16,000 Terri-Ann Williams, Digital Health & Fitness Reporter 25 Sep 2020, 13:07Updated: 25 Sep 2020, 14:49
Coronavirus: UK reports 6,874 new cases of COVID-19 The climbing case rates come as a further 314 people with COVID-19 are admitted to hospital on Wednesday in England. Friday 25 September 2020 17:51, UK
The UK has reported 6,874 new cases of COVID-19, a rise of 240 from Thursday, meaning the overall number of confirmed cases is now 423,236.
Cases and hospital admissions now rising Coronavirus cases have been rising again since July, but the rate of growth has increased since the end of August.
On Monday, the country recorded 4,044 new cases.
The official number of cases during the first peak underestimated the true level of infection at the time, as widespread testing was not available until mid-May. Before then, testing was targeted - mainly being used in hospitals and other care settings.
Just a pity that the press isn't reporting the number of fatalities being caused by the lack medical care for non covid cases.
Mental health services are pretty much non existant right now together with a whole raft of other "low priority" treatments because of the undue focus on covid.
Just a pity that the press isn't reporting the number of fatalities being caused by the lack medical care for non covid cases.
Mental health services are pretty much non existant right now together with a whole raft of other "low priority" treatments because of the undue focus on covid.
Coronavirus horror: Lockdown caused 16,000 DEATHS due to missed medical care THE CORONAVIRUS lockdown caused 16,000 deaths due to missed medical care by May 1, while COVID-19 was responsible for 25,000 deaths in the same period, new figures have shown.
Just a pity that the press isn't reporting the number of fatalities being caused by the lack medical care for non covid cases.
Mental health services are pretty much non existant right now together with a whole raft of other "low priority" treatments because of the undue focus on covid.
Comments
The long waits for coronavirus tests continue to make front page headlines for another day - and the papers do not mince their words.
For the Daily Express, the system has gone into "meltdown", while the Daily Telegraph describes it as a "shambles" and for the Daily Mail, a "fiasco".
The Daily Mirror's front page has a picture of a queue outside one walk-in testing centre, accompanied by the headline: "Tories aren't testing".
The paper makes a comparison with a Conservative poster during the 1979 general election campaign showing people queuing for jobs with the words: "Labour isn't working".
The main cartoon in the Times also recalls that poster - but replaces it with the words: "Testing isn't working".
The Mail says it warned of a looming test crisis five months ago. Its cartoon shows a queue of mask-wearing people waiting to see a fortune teller - with one customer pleading: "Yes, I'm desperate - when CAN I get a Covid test?"
The paper also has a series of aerial shots of what it calls largely vacant testing centres, despite the surge in demand. At one centre, it says, there were more traffic cones than people.
It is, as the headline declares, a "portrait of a country that can't get its act together on testing"
Elsewhere, the verdict on the government's performance in no less damning. Writing in the Express, journalist Leo McKinstry says the combination of inaccessibility and slow results is already inflicting real harm.
Urging the government to "get a grip", he says ministers have consistently over-promised and under-delivered.
In the view of the Times, the failures are more than a source of political embarrassment. They are a threat to the government's ability to fulfil its most basic obligations to the public.
For the Sun, the system is clearly broken.
Meanwhile, writing in the Telegraph, commentator Allister Heath believes that Mr Johnson has six months left to save his premiership.
According to the Daily Telegraph, people will be refused tests even if they have symptoms, under plans to ration them if the crisis deepens.
It says a priority list drawn up by health officials suggests routine testing could be restricted to hospitals, care homes, certain key workers and schools.
Low down on the list would be the public in areas not suffering major outbreaks, as well as businesses, the paper adds.
The Guardian and the i newspaper focus on the crisis over testing in schools.
According to the Guardian, research suggests that up to 25,000 teachers in England may already have been forced out of the classroom and into self-isolation amid the shortage of tests.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-54185596
The Times paints a picture of "chaos" and "inefficiency" in the government "Lighthouse Labs", which process most of the tests for Covid 19.
It has heard from a scientist who toured the facilities and was - in his words - "appalled" by what he saw.
He describes how they've failed to set up automatic processes - and says they're using 20 different types of tube for swabs.
The Department of Health says many of the claims are false and inaccurate and points out capacity is at one million tests a week - its highest ever level.
Yet the Sun thinks the testing system has collapsed - and it is unsparing when it comes to the woman in charge, Dido Harding.
It labels her "Baroness Bungle" after she told MPs yesterday that scientific modelling had underestimated the demand created by schools reopening.
"Why not use common sense?" asks the paper before adding: "Bugs always spread like wildfire when the autumn term starts".
The Daily Mail's sketch-writer, Henry Deedes, describes her as the "velveteen buck passer in pearl earrings" for the way she tried to blame "the pesky scientists".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-54199625
Only posted it earlier today as, side by side yesterdays Headlines, total contradiction.
What are they supposed to do? If they impose a national lockdown they get accused of scare mongering and over reacting. If they allow local councils to control when and where to lockdown they get accused of complacancy.
I didn't think re-opening the schools was the right thing to do until the crisis was at least manageable and I'm not surprised that there has been a spike. I dare say the government was fully expecting it to but yet again they can't do right for doing wrong. People where clamouring for the schools to re-open so they have been.
As for the testing, well any fool can see that there is a supply and demand problem when you try to set about testing an entire country. The other thing that we should bare in mind is that it is the local NHS trusts who are responsible for carrying out the tests. They should be doing this in conjunction with the local councils in my opinion. But lets face it, we're talking about an organisation that wastes billiions a year on duplication and as for councils, well we all know how utterly useless they are at organising even the simple things like bin collections, let alone handling a national emergency.
What's needed is a clear and methodical approach with anyone who hasn't been tested given a stay at home order until they have produced a negative test. Combine this with an area by area testing regime so that you cannot move from one district that has completed its testing phase to one that hasn't. Pain in the backside I know but how else are you going to stop cross contamination?
I believe that this is the approach they used in places like Korea but then their people are much more used to following government advice. It must have something to do with the threat of imminent war with your rogue state neighbour giving you a clearer perspective on what to do in a time of crisis. Unlike ourselves they are on a constant war footing and are ready to mobilse disaster relief should the worst happen. I believe that this is what makes the difference.
Our system is a shambles purely because we have allowed it to become one. Now when we need it the most it no wonder we're in such a mess. Poor planning by ALL governments, Labour and Conservative have led us to this point along with a population more used to doing as they please than doing as they should.
VIRAL SURGE Covid cases jump 60% in a week to 9,600 daily infections but symptom app reveals they nearly DOUBLED to 16,000
Terri-Ann Williams, Digital Health & Fitness Reporter
25 Sep 2020, 13:07Updated: 25 Sep 2020, 14:49
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12766973/covid-cases-jump-60-week-9600-daily-infections/
Coronavirus: UK reports 6,874 new cases of COVID-19
The climbing case rates come as a further 314 people with COVID-19 are admitted to hospital on Wednesday in England.
Friday 25 September 2020 17:51, UK
The UK has reported 6,874 new cases of COVID-19, a rise of 240 from Thursday, meaning the overall number of confirmed cases is now 423,236.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-uk-reports-6-874-new-cases-of-covid-19-12081597
Cases and hospital admissions now rising
Coronavirus cases have been rising again since July, but the rate of growth has increased since the end of August.
On Monday, the country recorded 4,044 new cases.
The official number of cases during the first peak underestimated the true level of infection at the time, as widespread testing was not available until mid-May. Before then, testing was targeted - mainly being used in hospitals and other care settings.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-5176827
Mental health services are pretty much non existant right now together with a whole raft of other "low priority" treatments because of the undue focus on covid.
THE CORONAVIRUS lockdown caused 16,000 deaths due to missed medical care by May 1, while COVID-19 was responsible for 25,000 deaths in the same period, new figures
have shown.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1320230/coronavirus-shock-lockdown-death-toll-lockdown-restrictions-coronavirus-study