COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[ganganvince]

According to the BBC pundits debating this Liverpool has been a success because they supported the mass testing and it has brought cases down and other areas in the north did not.

Is there any evidence at all for that?

Numbers were falling before the testing. Was not take up quite low? So how much difference did this really make?

But the BBC seems to think not supporting mass testing and wanting to target health workers and care homes instead for testing was the big mistake Manchester made.

I cannot see that making much sense. Am I missing something?

Only that the BBC are clowns

 

[MikeF]

According to the BBC pundits debating this Liverpool has been a success because they supported the mass testing and it has brought cases down and other areas in the north did not.

Is there any evidence at all for that?

Numbers were falling before the testing. Was not take up quite low? So how much difference did this really make?

But the BBC seems to think not supporting mass testing and wanting to target health workers and care homes instead for testing was the big mistake Manchester made.

I cannot see that making much sense. Am I missing something?

No you're not, they're taking the piss.

 

[paulchapo]

Can anyone explain to me how Manchester which has lower rates I believe in everything and who's numbers are falling be in tier 3 while London, who's rates are higher is in tier 2 if it's not political?

 

[shemnel]

how can people continue to peddle the lie that mass testing brings cases down?? as if being tested changes your behaviours and the way the virus spreads? Liverpool has declined because it was naturally waning, not because mass testing scared the fucking virus off.

 

[shemnel]

Can anyone explain to me how Manchester which has lower rates I believe in everything and who's numbers are falling be in tier 3 while London, who's rates are higher is in tier 2 if it's not political?

london's rates are not higher.

 

[abu13]

I struggle to understand how we can be at level 3 for as long as we have been, now continue to be in tier 3 for the next 2 week but then in 4 weeks time households can mix for 5 days due to a magic man in the sky.

If we are genuinely at a point where we need to be in tier 3 then there is no way we should have our restrictions lifted over Xmas, it must be one or the other.

 

[artfuldodger]

Good grief....

The health secretary again praised the progress in Liverpool and the work of local leaders to make mass community testing a success.
He added that when local leaders did not work with the government, there was an impact on infection levels, with cases going up.
This was in "sharp contrast" with Liverpool and other areas where local leadership were "constructive and positive", Hancock said.

 

[55yr old teenager]

Good grief....

The health secretary again praised the progress in Liverpool and the work of local leaders to make mass community testing a success.
He added that when local leaders did not work with the government, there was an impact on infection levels, with cases going up.
This was in "sharp contrast" with Liverpool and other areas where local leadership were "constructive and positive", Hancock said.

Matt Hancock is a dickhead!!!

 

[artfuldodger]

According to the BBC pundits debating this Liverpool has been a success because they supported the mass testing and it has brought cases down and other areas in the north did not.

Is there any evidence at all for that?

Numbers were falling before the testing. Was not take up quite low? So how much difference did this really make?

But the BBC seems to think not supporting mass testing and wanting to target health workers and care homes instead for testing was the big mistake Manchester made.

I cannot see that making much sense. Am I missing something?

I didnt realize we'd been offered mass testing?

 

[Healdplace]

Stockport just got a mention on the BBC too.

Would likely have been (with Trafford) tier 2 on the numbers but the decision was based on the inter connectivity of the GM region.

I totally agree with that. In fact said on here when Stockport and Wigan and Trafford numbers were allowing exclusion from restrictions that leaving them out would only drive numbers up there by osmosis as people just drove or even walked a mile or two to somewhere they have less restrictions.

But a similar argument applies to excluding some areas. All of Lancashire, all of GM in tier 3 and yet bits of Cheshire excluded (like Warrington) is risking that same problem.

And if those in tier 3 all end up going to Liverpool for the night and drive numbers up there by doing so - how is this going to help.

100% I am sure Wigan ended up as a basket case because those in badly impacted areas like Blackburm and Bolton went there to do things they were unable to do locally and took the virus with them.

This is the main reason (though not the only one) why I support national measures not regional ones.

Divide the nation on Covid and you divide the people and that breeds anger, frustration. less compliance and likely exports the virus to the places that are favoured and so see their numbers rise.

It is easy to forget that we live on a small island. And nowhere is really isolated from anywhere else in the modern day. If people want to be in tier 2 but are stopped by the tier 3 rules they will have usually a fairly easy way to do just that.

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

Good grief....

The health secretary again praised the progress in Liverpool and the work of local leaders to make mass community testing a success.
He added that when local leaders did not work with the government, there was an impact on infection levels, with cases going up.
This was in "sharp contrast" with Liverpool and other areas where local leadership were "constructive and positive", Hancock said.

And your point is?

 

[Len Rum]

Good grief....

The health secretary again praised the progress in Liverpool and the work of local leaders to make mass community testing a success.
He added that when local leaders did not work with the government, there was an impact on infection levels, with cases going up.
This was in "sharp contrast" with Liverpool and other areas where local leadership were "constructive and positive", Hancock said.

Straight from the Tory play book - sow division.
Divide and rule.

 

[paulchapo]

london's rates are not higher.

There are that many figures out there it's hard to get accurate ones then, I have just seen a graph where it shows they are. I cannot believe due to the dense population of London, the masses crammed into public transport, all the protests and the fact Manchester has been in a Lockdown for months that we are worse off.

 

[abu13]

Good grief....

The health secretary again praised the progress in Liverpool and the work of local leaders to make mass community testing a success.
He added that when local leaders did not work with the government, there was an impact on infection levels, with cases going up.
This was in "sharp contrast" with Liverpool and other areas where local leadership were "constructive and positive", Hancock said.

The man is a complete prick, I wouldn't want to be the guy trying to navigate through this shit storm but this guy is just not up to the task. I think he has a total lack of empathy and I have nothing but contempt for him and his sly squirming mannersims.
Tosser.

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

It’s becoming glaringly obvious how this is going to play out over the course of the next month. The government will be forced to renege on its commitments one week before Christmas, while stringent tiers will be placed on certain regions in the UK and lax ones will be placed on the wealthier counties, leading to a total breakdown in enforcing these tiers. I’ve been quite vocal in support of a lockdown to control the virus, but I’ve simply lost interest over the past month.

It‘s like that old trope “We‘re all in this together”. It’s just not the case.

 

[shemnel]

There are that many figures out there it's hard to get accurate ones then, I have just seen a graph where it shows they are. I cannot believe due to the dense population of London, the masses crammed into public transport, all the protests and the fact Manchester has been in a Lockdown for months that we are worse off.

i suppose youve got two points; with the published data, the rolling averages in London are generally a bit lower than in the Manchester region. However whether you believe the real numbers, or whether more politics is in play, is another point altogether.

 

[inchy14]

Tbh (despite everything) I was feeling a tad optimistic last week with the vaccination news.
Now today we have the AZ/Oxford vaccine dipped in a little negativity (although it might something or nothing).
And then this Tier system splitting and dividing.
Lending votes so 'get something done' from a chancer.
The worse thing is I can't seen a strong opposition (due to bloody in fighting).

The utter state of everything.

Starmer is a waste of space!! He’s a real wet lettuce.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

That some London Boroughs are bigger than towns in the North and that without London driving the economy, there is no economy.

Thanks, that's the easiest thing to say, and clearly promotes IDS' opinion on people.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

He's probably just appeasing that huge Conservative block of voters they have across Merseyslide, haha!

That sound you're hearing?

That's the new 'red wall' tumbling down.

Lasted less than a year.

The levels of incompetence from this government, coupled with the divisions they have created, has reinforced the North South divide.

It's okay though, we're getting £10bn for an outdated train that can get us to Leeds 20 minutes quicker!

Spot-on. This government has also accelerated the inevitable break up of the UK. The London chattering classes don't give a shit about anyone outside the M25 (especially Scotland and Wales). But it's not just the Tories. The trendy lefties of Islington are just as bad. This country is not a democracy in my view. It is futile voting for anyone with the corrupt system we have.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

According to the BBC pundits debating this Liverpool has been a success because they supported the mass testing and it has brought cases down and other areas in the north did not.

Is there any evidence at all for that?

Numbers were falling before the testing. Was not take up quite low? So how much difference did this really make?

But the BBC seems to think not supporting mass testing and wanting to target health workers and care homes instead for testing was the big mistake Manchester made.

I cannot see that making much sense. Am I missing something?

There seems to be quite a lot of scepticism in the scientific community over the impact.

Redirect Notice

I think there is an evaluation planned; my sense is that the mass testing as implemented is more about PR - to be seen to be doing something- than actually very effective.

Key issue appears more to be how to provide support to enable positives to self isolate, and their contacts, than finding more positives.