Drakeford is a tw*t

Sorry Sven, but it seemed to echo some of the concerns expressed by a lot of medical experts in the UK.

Looks like Boris might be the one really screwing up yet again as the Dutch have to change their policy of removing restrictions:

Report by the Independent

First came the easing of lockdown, then came the reimposition of pandemic restrictions, folowed by a humbling apology by the prime minister.
Now comes the reckoning. The Netherlands has learned to its cost that even when three-quarters of its adults are vaccinated, there are still huge risks in reopening. Coronavirus infections have exploded by more than 500 per cent over the last week, the country’s public health institute has said. Nearly 52,000 people in the Netherlands tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week.
With the reopening of nightclubs, the institute found that almost four in ten of the new infections happened in a hospitality venue such as a bar or club. Infections among people ages 18-24 surged by 262 per cent, followed by a 191 per cent rise for 25-29 year-olds.
After restrictions in Dutch nightclubs were lifted on June 26, coronavirus infections surged twelvefold to their highest levels in a year: from just 806 cases a day on July 1, they reached 3,646 on July 7 and 10,345 on Saturday, July 10. Even as a seven-day rolling average, the numbers rose tenfold between June 30 and July 12 to 6,667. That works out at 345 cases per million, with only Britain (477) and Cyprus (1,012) having higher infection rates in Europe.
On Tuesday, for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the reproduction (R) number had climbed to over two other people, reaching 2.17. The spike in infections has not yet led to a notable rise in hospital admissions, but the government has now warned that this could be threatened by the current “unprecedented” increase in infections.
Around 1,260 people likely went to nightclubs in the past two weeks while they were infected, according to data analyst Martijn de Riet, who says this led to around 30 superspreader events. But while the government blamed irresponsible, infected youngsters for faking QR codes to get into venues, Mr de Riet says the real issue was a testing system with too many false negatives.
“It means that 0.3% of last weekend’s 420,000 tests were falsely negative. That’s 1,260 people with Covid19 who happily went into the pub with a green tick mark,” he said. “There is no reason to believe that cheating QRs are the cause of this outbreak. This is pure gaslighting.”
The Dutch experience is a salutory lesson for any country that feels confident enough to lift, wholesale, coronavirus restrictions.
The experiment lasted barely two weeks.
From June 26, Mark Rutte, the PM announced that face masks would, in most cases, be ditched. No limits were set on the number of guests allowed in stores, bars and restaurants. “This is a special moment,” he said. Mr Rutte was not wrong.
The plans were reversed by early July after the massive spike in infections, with bars, restaurants and nightclubs closed once again to indoor service last Friday. Mr Rutte on Monday offered his mea culpa to the nation.
“What we thought would be possible, turned out not to be possible in practice,” he said. “We had poor judgement, which we regret and for which we apologise.”
Now, the country’s top virologists claim their warnings about easing lockdown rules at the end of June were ignored by politicians.

That was a hard read, but enlightening at the same time...

Very enlightening but dont you think that all politicians are using expert opinion to suit themselves and what they want? for every expert saying one thing garauntee theres another saying opposite we have a choice open up buisnesses without restrictions or have a mishmash of some open some closed like we have now? Eg ice rinks been closed for ever in Wales open in England since may and lots of other situations as well.... there are lots of Joe public made to scared to want places to open up which drakeford as seized on using it in latest speech as a reason not to set date or anything like it as to when we can get back to some kind normal ... be interesting to see what he says later today as to what happens next suspect not a great deal be more rhetoric than substance .

by pembroke allan » Wed Jul 14, 2021 12:23 am

Very enlightening but don't you think that all politicians are using expert opinion to suit themselves and what they want? for every expert saying one thing garauntee theres another saying opposite we have a choice open up buisnesses without restrictions or have a mishmash of some open some closed like we have now? Eg ice rinks been closed for ever in Wales open in England since may and lots of other situations as well.... there are lots of Joe public made to scared to want places to open up which drakeford as seized on using it in latest speech as a reason not to set date or anything like it as to when we can get back to some kind normal ... be interesting to see what he says later today as to what happens next suspect not a great deal be more rhetoric than substance .

Politicians have got a really difficult job at the moment and I agree that they are "using expert opinion to suit themselves", and sometimes with their own "twist" on it. Drakeford seems to have his helmet on and is just sitting in the trenches, while Boris is just thick, and with both, it's pretty much all or nothing.

Why don't they involve the businesses, such as football clubs, ice rinks, etc., to agree on operational plans for each of them that allow them to open in a more controlled manner that the clubs then "police" that will start a gradual move back to normality? I'm sure that most fans would give it a go as they won't want to put others at risk.

Looks like Boris might be the one really screwing up yet again as the Dutch have to change their policy of removing restrictions:

Report by the Independent

First came the easing of lockdown, then came the reimposition of pandemic restrictions, folowed by a humbling apology by the prime minister.
Now comes the reckoning. The Netherlands has learned to its cost that even when three-quarters of its adults are vaccinated, there are still huge risks in reopening. Coronavirus infections have exploded by more than 500 per cent over the last week, the country’s public health institute has said. Nearly 52,000 people in the Netherlands tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week.
With the reopening of nightclubs, the institute found that almost four in ten of the new infections happened in a hospitality venue such as a bar or club. Infections among people ages 18-24 surged by 262 per cent, followed by a 191 per cent rise for 25-29 year-olds.
After restrictions in Dutch nightclubs were lifted on June 26, coronavirus infections surged twelvefold to their highest levels in a year: from just 806 cases a day on July 1, they reached 3,646 on July 7 and 10,345 on Saturday, July 10. Even as a seven-day rolling average, the numbers rose tenfold between June 30 and July 12 to 6,667. That works out at 345 cases per million, with only Britain (477) and Cyprus (1,012) having higher infection rates in Europe.
On Tuesday, for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the reproduction (R) number had climbed to over two other people, reaching 2.17. The spike in infections has not yet led to a notable rise in hospital admissions, but the government has now warned that this could be threatened by the current “unprecedented” increase in infections.
Around 1,260 people likely went to nightclubs in the past two weeks while they were infected, according to data analyst Martijn de Riet, who says this led to around 30 superspreader events. But while the government blamed irresponsible, infected youngsters for faking QR codes to get into venues, Mr de Riet says the real issue was a testing system with too many false negatives.
“It means that 0.3% of last weekend’s 420,000 tests were falsely negative. That’s 1,260 people with Covid19 who happily went into the pub with a green tick mark,” he said. “There is no reason to believe that cheating QRs are the cause of this outbreak. This is pure gaslighting.”
The Dutch experience is a salutory lesson for any country that feels confident enough to lift, wholesale, coronavirus restrictions.
The experiment lasted barely two weeks.
From June 26, Mark Rutte, the PM announced that face masks would, in most cases, be ditched. No limits were set on the number of guests allowed in stores, bars and restaurants. “This is a special moment,” he said. Mr Rutte was not wrong.
The plans were reversed by early July after the massive spike in infections, with bars, restaurants and nightclubs closed once again to indoor service last Friday. Mr Rutte on Monday offered his mea culpa to the nation.
“What we thought would be possible, turned out not to be possible in practice,” he said. “We had poor judgement, which we regret and for which we apologise.”
Now, the country’s top virologists claim their warnings about easing lockdown rules at the end of June were ignored by politicians.

That was a hard read, but enlightening at the same time...

Very enlightening but dont you think that all politicians are using expert opinion to suit themselves and what they want? for every expert saying one thing garauntee theres another saying opposite we have a choice open up buisnesses without restrictions or have a mishmash of some open some closed like we have now? Eg ice rinks been closed for ever in Wales open in England since may and lots of other situations as well.... there are lots of Joe public made to scared to want places to open up which drakeford as seized on using it in latest speech as a reason not to set date or anything like it as to when we can get back to some kind normal ... be interesting to see what he says later today as to what happens next suspect not a great deal be more rhetoric than substance .

The one business that should be mothballed and staff furloughed for indefinitely is nightclubs especially basement ones, 90% of people go to them to get smashed, they are enclosed overpacked rooms with no ventilation and the last thing you would worry about being in a nightclub is covid.

Other than that open everything up, unless you are actively trying to get the young to catch it and get antibodies which seems to be Boris's strategy.

by pembroke allan » Wed Jul 14, 2021 12:23 am

Very enlightening but don't you think that all politicians are using expert opinion to suit themselves and what they want? for every expert saying one thing garauntee theres another saying opposite we have a choice open up buisnesses without restrictions or have a mishmash of some open some closed like we have now? Eg ice rinks been closed for ever in Wales open in England since may and lots of other situations as well.... there are lots of Joe public made to scared to want places to open up which drakeford as seized on using it in latest speech as a reason not to set date or anything like it as to when we can get back to some kind normal ... be interesting to see what he says later today as to what happens next suspect not a great deal be more rhetoric than substance .

Politicians have got a really difficult job at the moment and I agree that they are "using expert opinion to suit themselves", and sometimes with their own "twist" on it. Drakeford seems to have his helmet on and is just sitting in the trenches, while Boris is just thick, and with both, it's pretty much all or nothing.

Why don't they involve the businesses, such as football clubs, ice rinks, etc., to agree on operational plans for each of them that allow them to open in a more controlled manner that the clubs then "police" that will start a gradual move back to normality? I'm sure that most fans would give it a go as they won't want to put others at risk.

The idea of asking buisnesses what can they do to open is alien to a politician upto now they've ignored them preferring to listen to so called experts who by way all have vested interest in covid money wise.... boris as got things right and wrong but ar least he's trying to get us out of the fix we are in ? Your right about Drakeford hes in the trenches and extremely reluctant to pop his head above it and he is using the fact that labour won election on basis that the people supported his stance he referred to such other day... funny part is boris may be right in his assumption you hot yo come out of lockdown at dome point with covid still around drakeford eillstay in trenches and say he was right to be
ultra cautious pointing out to the vaccination success ? Cant wait for the political fighting when this is eventually over

When's he making this announcement?

It's normally 12:15 BBC ???

When's he making this announcement?

It's normally 12:15 BBC ???

Just found it 17:15 BBC

When's he making this announcement?

It's normally 12:15 BBC ???

Just found it 17:15 BBC

Very good timing as rest WG will have gone home at 5! Got habit of putting out news at convenient time like over weekends less scrutiny but not sure it matters not expecting anything significant just tweaking existing rules

When's he making this announcement?

It's normally 12:15 BBC ???

Just found it 17:15 BBC