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THREAD: If you have an idea related to #Covid19 that seems incredibly obvious & you’re angry at the UK government that it’s not being done, like:
1) “we need more PPE!” or
2) “we need mass-testing!” or
3) “stop incoming flights!” or
4) “test at airports!”
Then chances are...
1) “we need more PPE!” or
2) “we need mass-testing!” or
3) “stop incoming flights!” or
4) “test at airports!”
Then chances are...
.. that it’s already been thought of & not being done for good reason.
Here’s why:
1) PPE was supplied by China. There’s currently a *global* shortage. China got the virus first & used up most of their own supplies by Jan 2020 . And anyway..
Here’s why:
1) PPE was supplied by China. There’s currently a *global* shortage. China got the virus first & used up most of their own supplies by Jan 2020 . And anyway..
..since Lansley reforms government can’t involve itself in procurement. It was the job of the CEO of NHS to order supplies. Not the Health Sec.
2) ditto tests. We don’t have enough. The ones China sent us don’t work. Supply shortage. There’s no conspiracy. It’s as simple as that
2) ditto tests. We don’t have enough. The ones China sent us don’t work. Supply shortage. There’s no conspiracy. It’s as simple as that
3) stopping flights now will have a negligent effect. The virus is already here & entrenched. Passengers coming in won’t make much difference as they’ll need to socially distance, like the rest of us, while here anyway (assuming they’re coming here for “essential travel”)
4) testing at airports won’t do much at all. One can test negative on arrival & catch the virus the next day. This creates a false sense of security. And as stated, we don’t have enough tests anyway.
I understand the feeling that ‘more needs to be done’ but some actions are just logistically impossible (like getting more PPE when our main supplier is China & there’s months lead time for an order), and other actions can do more harm than good (like testing at airports)
This virus requires long term thought. There will be a 2nd wave after lockdown ends. Long term, we save lives by developing herd immunity. That’s done either by vaccination -not yet discovered, or exposure of young to the virus PLUS simultaneous social shielding of the vulnerable
It would be wise to start devising a strategy now, for when & how lockdown ends & what we do next after a 2nd wave hits us. This should include educating the public about inconvenient truths. We must also start to involve the humanities now, not just the sciences, because...
... this lockdown will lead us to the worst global recession since the Great Crash of 1929. And we know what came next. It wasn’t very pretty. We must start mitigating against a global political disaster caused by a global crash ASAP. It’s not inevitable, but it requires thought.
I beseech political thinkers,historians &economists to pay heed. Don’t become overnight experts on virology & immunology. Your field is the master of life, use it to avoid a ‘perfect storm’ of strongman politics (already here) & worst global recession since 1929 (for it’s coming)
