Why I think the UK government has an inadequate strategy (medical)

For a few weeks they have been talking about controlling the spread and flattening the curve of the outbreak. Some mentioned a so-called 'herd immunity' strategy.

In recent days, they have u-turned and are now (slowly) adopting a similar strategy to most other European countries with shool closures and extra distancing measures etc.

They say that this is because new evidence has come to light, which is transparently false because the evidence has been the same for weeks. What they seem to have realised is that our (already stretched and underfunded) National Health Service cannot cope with the demand spike which is am explicit part of the Government's own strategy. Hospital workers I know say they are already stretched with virus patients and testing. This is like being overwhelmed by a mid-sized wave when you can see a tsunami approaching.

The government is putting up more nhs money but the capacity provided is inadequate. Still too few people are being tested and some hospitals are reporting shortages of things like gloves and face masks. The government has *suggested* that uk manufacturers switch to make ventilators to cope with the shortage but doing so is no simple process. It requires different parts and different machines!

As with everything else, our government is behind the curb when major and decisive action is needed. The virus is already here and is soon to explode. I do not believe the country is anywhere near ready.

Perhaps fault lies with the UK science advisors more than the politicians but the public deserve a proper explanation for why our response has been so different to other countries, and from the scientists of those countries.

Their response to the economic situation is also inadequate and Im gonna post about that soon.

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Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

Initially i thought that what they were watching in China and subsequently other places was wrongly diagnosed (pardon the awful pun)
Either by China itself trying to hide it's full knowledge of what it was but not wanting to admit it. Or perhaps following the U.S.administration's 'idea' of what [i]they[/i] thought it to be.

Quite why the UK government would do this, only they can tell you.

Two major problems i have are the stubborn refusal not to stop all incoming air traffic. And this stupid inability for stores to stock sufficient basics.

Tesco and the like were allowed to expand the floorspace of their original small stores to the 'aircraft hangers' they have today. At the expense of little independent stores.
Yet 'supply' seems to be the issue as soon as there's a run on [u]basics[/u] like toilet rolls and bread flour !

That suggests to me that either margins are so tight the only stock in store is what they're guaranteed to sell. Or, clearly. They never factor in 'potential crisis situations'.
Which for a country that has known some pretty extreme weather conditions keeping folk holed-up for days at a time, seems an odd business decision.

As for the economics of the whole thing....forget it !
Nobody has 'recovered' from the errors and lessons that were supposed to have been learned from the '08 crisis.
Because if they [u]had[/u].....and they didn't see [u]this[/u] crisis [u]coming......[/u]

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@Picklebobble2 Our government is responding to the last crisis with quantative easing. But this crisis is different and requires more. Ive just posted what i think on that.

CheshireCatalyst · 36-40, M

Their response to the medical situation is a response to the economic situation.

Close schools? No because then people are off work and the economy suffers

Shut down events? No because then the economy suffers

Close pubs, clubs, restaurants? No because then the economy suffers

They don't give a single fuck about any of our lives.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@CheshireCatalyst I agree, though even from an economic point of view (and even in Tory terms) their response is counter productive.

CheshireCatalyst · 36-40, M

@Burnley123 do you need to write counter productive [i]and[/i] Tory? We're reaping everything they've sewn in the last decade.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@CheshireCatalyst No argument from me on that. All the austerity absolutely makes us more vulnerable. Im also saying that they are now failing even on their own terns of protecting British capitalism.

PhilDeep · 51-55, M

Did you read the article in The Guardian the other day by the editor of The Lancet (medical journal)? Spells it out in black and white while trying to remain respectful and polite. I wasn't surprised, really, but how clear it became made me very, very angry at Johnson and his advisors.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@PhilDeep Yes I did read that and its very good. Polite, as you say, but damning.

I've long been a critic of the Tories but this is a time when I actually want then to do well.

PhilDeep · 51-55, M

@Burnley123 Whoever's in government at this time needs to do well, I think. There are a lot of measures the chancellor's promising. My guess this is to boost confidence. If it's going to be from printing more money though, Pound Sterling's going to depreciate, so it's not a long-term solution. Let's see how things go. Meantime minimal death-rate, I hope, though we seem to have blown-it in acting promptly enough.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@PhilDeep Everyone is doing quantative easing so that will lessen the depreciation. I think they need more direct action in the economy but i worry it will be too late before they realise they have to do that. Im writing a post about that now.