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#Covid19UK so the Government is between a rock and a hard place this weekend on what it does over sudden (albeit expected by those of us living the pandemic all the time) increase in positive cases
From #brexit discussions we know this Government does not prioritise economic consequences when determining policy AND anyone who supports the proposed thin #brexit deal (rather than staying in single market) cannot (unless value less) suggest that economic decisions should drive
#CovidUK policy You cannot have double standards
So the question then becomes what does the Government need to do to get us through what will be a very challenging winter especially given most of Country above 20 cases per 100,000 which was threshold for travel quarantine
Firstly the country needs to have sufficient testing so everyone who needs a test can get one plus results no later than 24 hours later - this has been obvious since May and is not rocket science
Then we need the capacity to track everyone who has been in contact with an individual who returns a positive test and get them to isolate as a good citizen
We know People in working poverty, especially those on zero hours contracts will struggle if forced to isolate which either means people (when they test positive) lie about who they have met or people turn off track and trace app
People who are less well off will also struggle to afford on-line food deliveries so will need support on this
Solution is to pay people to isolate for 14 days properly I would say pay median weekly wage - if employee can work at home no cost to Government as employer paying the wage
Secondly work out the highest risk locations where #CovidUK spreading and how you mitigate risk in these locations The aforementioned lack of proper track and trace detail means we also don’t really know where #COVID__19 spreading
Hands, face, space is correct in terms of broad mitigation but as a society there is still too little compliance - we need 100% compliance with clear rules The fudging on social distancing has not helped - return to 2m and make it clear. Make face covers a requirement in all
Enclosed spaces other than your own home or at a desk in a place of work. I wore one in the HSBC bank the other day out of respect to the staff but my work colleagues said Government excluded banks from definition of shops (not checked thus yet)
I have attended various grass roots football matches over last few weeks where spectators not following hands, face, space - again in needs to become natural norm
I know I will receive abuse but sadly this means proper social distancing when you have people in your house in accordance with rule of 6 - you can do 1m and the wealthy 2m social distancing if you move furniture around - we need to land that mental health requires interaction
& company BUT #CovidUK loves enclosed, non ventilated space so keep your distance, open windows (we will all be cold this winter) to mitigate societal and family risk
Make people embarrassed for non compliance with face covers and social distancing - newspapers and broadcast media could do a real service here. Personally I would require MPs to show leadership by speaking with face covers on in the House of Commons on TV etc
Be conscious that Alcohol does make people get too close so make the point that venue (eg pub) will remain open if social distancing complied with but be closed if people do not
Key point - Rules work when we all have a stake in them
Go to clear criterion for local lockdowns which won’t ever be fudges - we all need to know the number that drives a change in traffic lights At one stage it was 20 for foreign travel but then this was fudged for politics (such changes popular with Telegraph but results in
Subsequent fail - hopefully agree consistent UK position with devolved Governments At moment @BorisJohnson only speaks for England
So in summary hard but not impossible - need working track and trace and back to all in this together Otherwise we are in for once of the roughest winters in history
The end
