Dear UK,
We need to talk.
#COVID19 is an unprecedented challenge for all. That includes politicians/governments; we need to recognise that—every choice they have is difficult. But there are things that can be done to improve the situation. The UK Govt isn’t doing them. [Thread]

It is difficult enough to envisage a relaxation of the lockdown with mass testing and tracing of cases—even then asymptomatic people will continue to spread the virus. But without any knowledge of where cases even are, without any community tracing, the risks are so much higher.

There is no justification for not testing and tracing. The argument that the virus is rampant in the UK already and so it doesn’t matter is the worst possible argument I can think of. Mass testing and tracing would give the UK new options—new choices it doesn’t currently have.

From specific local lockdowns of any hotspots to other early interventions, all this relies on knowing where outbreaks are as early as possible and who spread the virus where. But while the current lockdown has bought time to catch up and enable such options, and while we see the

the difference they make (eg Germany), the time bought is not being used here. Based on experts and good practice elsewhere, I can only conclude, therefore, that the UK will top the list of the number of deaths in Europe *and* struggle more than others establishing a new normal.

Instead of taking decisive actions to prevent that:
- carers will get a badge rather than protection
- death figures still don’t show all deaths, so don’t allow assessment of the full extent of this tragedy
- there is no clear plan / transparent discussion on lockdown exit

- testing capacity is not being used
- care homes have become death homes
- EU joint procurement schemes for PPE and more weren’t joined
- the Govt is choosing to add significantly more stress and chaos by not asking for an extension of the Brexit transition period right now.

Meanwhile, the PM is (rightly, of course) recuperating, but it means that we are basically being led by a hotchpotch of ministers—many entirely inept as press conferences have demonstrated amply—managing an even worse hotchpotch of already failed responses.

Let me put it bluntly:
All of that isn’t just inexplicable; it isn’t just negligent—though it sure is that too. It is utterly irresponsible and basically criminal. It is failing every single person in the UK. Again. And again. And again.

It’s ok not to have all the answers right now, nobody does. We are in truly uncharted waters. But it’s not ok to continue to make choices that are ill-informed and not learning from what’s working elsewhere. It’s not ok to muddle along and continue to fail millions as a result.

Like in Jan, Feb and March, time is being wasted. The consequences will be severe if this continues, and not only in terms of the number of actual Covid deaths. We already know about increased domestic abuse and killings in that context, for example.

Cancer patients are having to wait for treatment for much longer and excess deaths are already expected as a result. Other vulnerable groups are in similarly difficult positions, incl many elderly. All that’s before we consider the impact of all this on everyone’s mental health.

The latter is, in my view, an issue very much underestimated in terms of its impact now and longer term. Consider that any lockdown relaxation will have to be accompanied by more physical distancing for some time. That will be stressful for the groups already mentioned above, but

it’s not where this stops. I am already seeing a growing number of accounts from those who live on their own, for example. In fact: so do I. Because I had travelled prior to mid-March, I decided to self-isolate when I got back home just in case. That means I’ve basically been in

lockdown for 5 weeks already. So I’ve not interacted with an actual person for that time. As good as virtual options are, they’re not the same and I would lie if I said that this is all fine. The near certainty of extended physical distancing is difficult. And at least I do have

virtual options. From lack of required equipment to a lack of know-how, many can’t even use these virtual options. Understandably, these questions are not the most pressing ones right now, but they do show how deep the Covid impact already goes and what challenges lie before us.

Someone in Govt should begin to work on plans for these wider questions too, but to the best of my knowledge this is currently is a failed response as well and not being looked at in the way it should. Across all these areas we need society-industry-Govt advisory groups and

collaborations. Instead, all I see are continued preventable failures. Saying all this is *not* political point-scoring. This must be raised because ...

Those failures:
- can only extend the time needed for tough measures
- severely limit the UK’s options for both exiting lockdown and preventing new outbreaks
- impact large groups of people very negatively for longer than necessary
- have wider negative knock-on effects.

Because the failures we are seeing are, at this point, not just unforeseable accidental failures but effectively chosen failures, I can only conclude that the Govt’s actions are now a combination of two i’s: ineptitude and ideology. This is a very dangerous combination.

In itself ineptitude is not automatically the problem. We can all show it. But overcoming it requires recognition of it—which isn’t happening now. A type of national unity govt is an answer. That would also resolve many other concerns about scrutiny and accountability. Win-win!

Ideology on the other hand is very difficult to overcome at best of times. Regrettably, after 4+ years of EUref and Brexit, the possibility now looks even slimmer. That is why *we* have to keep up the pressure: the public has played a big part already in shifting some positions.

Based on all experts I’ve listened too and read, one thing is clear for me: this exceptionalist British response must end. The status quo cannot continue and the Govt must abandon the hollow phrases and meaningless badges. They may have worked for Brexit. Now they kill. /end