IT seems that “following the science” does not mean the same for the likes of Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid as it might for me and you.
What else can explain this week's frankly bizarre announcement by Boris Johnson that, two weeks early, he can tell us that on July 19 practically all restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 and the overwhelming of the NHS were to end.
- Jostling at the bar for service is back.
- Screaming furious glee down the back of someone's neck is back.
- Joining in raucous singing and dancing in smoke filled underground caverns is back.
Yes, Britain is to return to normal and thus our excesses can once again feed the economy (and the pockets of these rich bastards). Tim Martin must be over the bloody moon!
If it all seems like some OTT BBC sitcom about life in Westminster then yes, minister, it is.
Before I really get into my stride let us play memory lane.
- The R number. Hands up if you can remember this and double stamps if you can recall the last time you heard it.
- Save the NHS. No that's too easy... last week and it was another lie.
- Eating out to help out? Yes, we all can, we did, and we spread the virus exceptionally well.
I can obviously go on but why should you let me have fun at your expense.
Anyway, back to following the science or, as I like to call it, making it up as we go along.
On day one in his new job the chap who cannot quite forget he was once chancellor stepped into the soiled shoes of Matt Hancock and immediately erected his first hostage to fortune. “We shall be free on July 19” said (sort of) Sajid Javid. I did love his shiny confidence.
But then he clearly had listened to his briefing from Number 10 on his appointment for lo and behold, Chubby Checkout, the cheeriest night club doorman in Britain, was saying the same thing days later.
So I thought that we should just check out the science, which I hesitate to tell you, they basically admit. It will get a very lot worse quite soon.
But here's what they may have missed. The only possible reason for lifting all these sensible restraints is to kick start the economy. Sadly the science says it will not work.
And why is because of the effects of what they freely admit: The national sick list is going to be HORRIFIC.
- Millions will be ill and off work, at least for a few days.
- Tens of millions may have to be in brief but necessary isolation – and not at work.
- All these millions will cost their firms, the health service and the taxpayer billions.
And the it gets even worser (yes I know but it will).
For LONG COVID is abroad and it is blighting the life and work of the young. You know, the power house that Boris is turning on (or off) daily. For Long Covid affects the young worse than us oldies and they could be off work for months, or even ever.
We have been led this far by fools and charlatans. But now it seems some homicidal maniacs have been rooted out by the Tory party and installed in Downing Street.
I hate to say it but where are Dominic Cummings and Matt Hancock when you need them most?
The science says:.
* It is predicted there could be 2 million covid cases:
* Ministers were warned that waiving the requirement for contacts to isolate immediately on 19 July would result in cases being up to 25% higher than if waiting another four weeks to do so. - Guardian
* Prof Whitty: “Since there’s a lot of Covid at the moment and the rates are going up, I regret to say I think we will get a significant amount more long Covid particularly in the younger ages where the vaccination rates are currently much lower,” he said at the Local Government Association’s annual conference.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/long-covid-rates-young-people-24472611
* The Office for National Statistics says: An estimated 962,000 people living in private households in the UK (1.5% of the population) were experiencing self-reported "long COVID" (symptoms persisting for more than four weeks after the first suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) infection that were not explained by something else), as of 6 June 2021; this is down slightly from 1.021 million (1.6%) at 2 May 2021.
There is loads more if you want to look!
