As I write this, Boris Johnson is giving a press conference saying that practically all Covid-19-related restrictions on social contact are to be removed on July 19, meaning you can leave your mask off – anywhere – if you want to.
Official advice on this has changed since this was originally suggested, though:
Literally the opposite of what the prime minister told the nation on Monday. This isn’t just incompetence, it’s deliberate chaos. https://t.co/Eucj3Nblzc
— Jonathan Lis (@jonlis1) July 11, 2021
Yes – you will be expected to wear a mask in some circumstances. If you don’t – and people get sick as a result – then the public will get the blame. That seems to be the only reason for the change at this time.
Professor Alice Roberts (she of TV boffin fame) fabricated a conversation between herself and Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi in which she pointed out that this was a huge U-turn in government rhetoric.
She also pointed out that his figures leave a lot to be desired and that his call for “vigilance” means nothing if we don’t know what he means by it.
Zahawi: We’re seeing a rise in infection rates in this country, but also in Europe and elsewhere.
Me: I realise you think the context is useful, and it is. But just to be clear, our daily cases in the UK are currently around the same as the rest of the EU combined (29k vs 31k)— Prof Alice Roberts💙 (@theAliceRoberts) July 11, 2021
Zahawi: I think it’s important that we remain cautious and careful.
Me: Good, because that has’t been quite the impression we’ve been getting from the government of late.— Prof Alice Roberts💙 (@theAliceRoberts) July 11, 2021
Me: That’s a very welcome U turn. A lot of vulnerable people and their families are rightly very worried about going out in places – including to work – where people have previously been told they can ditch distancing, masks, everything.
— Prof Alice Roberts💙 (@theAliceRoberts) July 11, 2021
such as ventilation in workplaces and schools. I mean, vigilance is great, but actual, concrete measures to protect people would be better, don’t you think? You could spend the summer supporting schools, putting meaningful mitigations in place. Other countries did this ages ago.
— Prof Alice Roberts💙 (@theAliceRoberts) July 11, 2021
Me: Most of us have been doing this all along. I think you may be a little late to this idea that we need to think of others. There’s a great thing you should find out more about: it’s called “public health”.
Anyway, lovely to chat. And nice to know you're starting to listen.— Prof Alice Roberts💙 (@theAliceRoberts) July 11, 2021
Others have been less kind to our Vaccines Minister:
Nadhim Zahawi is just dangerously misleading. Only 50% of the country is vaccinated, the numbers are escalating before our eyes and it just. doesn't. register.
The backlog of care services will continue to increase & you'll blame the NHS for it. #Marr— Damien Willey (@Cornish_Damo) July 11, 2021
I reckon that’s right.
Thank goodness I live in Wales, where the law on face masks will continue to be rigidly defined:
More information available here ⬇️ https://t.co/vL4bS1eApt
— Mark Drakeford (@fmwales) July 11, 2021
Remember the golden rule of Johnson rule, though:
Rules only apply to you: Boris Johnson and his cronies will do what they like, no matter what they tell you.
Yes, the rules only apply to you. That’s why we’ve heard the following from Tory ministers:
Sunak:
“I’ll stop wearing a mask as soon as possible”Javid:
“I won’t wear a mask on a quiet train even if asked”Jenrick:
“I won’t wear a mask”Whately:
“I can’t wait to stop wearing a mask”Johnson:
[already not wearing mask in car back from football]In unrelated news: https://t.co/mP9MckzQQS
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) July 11, 2021
If you’re still desperately hanging on to the myth that the Johnson government can be trusted on this, let’s look at its record:
Boris Johnson’s Covid failure, in numbers:
– Over 150k have died
– 700k pushed into poverty, inc 120k children
– 1.7m unemployed
– 2m living with long Covid
– 3m excluded from financial support
– 4.7m on the NHS waiting list
He shouldn’t just resign, he should be in prison
— Breakthrough Party 🟠🌤️ (@BThroughParty) July 11, 2021
U.K. Coronavirus state of play
• 200,000 infected last week
• 147 dead
• 550% increase in hospitalisations
• 110 clusters in Care Homes
• 50%+ all clusters continue to come from schoolsNHS is 2-3 weeks away from being overwhelmed. Boris Johnson’s Freedom Day is oxymoronic
— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) July 10, 2021
Daily *hospitalisations* from Coronavirus have now climbed 621% since mid May.
Now running at a rate of 4,000 a week.
Just 9 days to Freedom Day.
— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) July 10, 2021
On the current predictions, perhaps we should be asking questions of SAGE:
2) hospitalisations, and deaths, so why aren't we being told the whole story ? SAGE are responsible for the modelling , so as far as I am concerned the "only following orders defence " does not apply . In matters of health they are responsible to the people, not a political party
— neil flek waugh . revolutionary socialist/marxist (@sammythedog1989) July 10, 2021
2) trajectory and allowing for increased trajectory when restrictions are removed, we could see daily infection rates in the hundreds of thousands by August 31. On hospital admissions we have been given NO information of the modelling figures, and ditto deaths. The government
— neil flek waugh . revolutionary socialist/marxist (@sammythedog1989) July 10, 2021
4) government at any cost. In the coming days I believe we will see more and more panic from government, and hopefully someone , anyone in SAGE will break ranks, before this catastrophe takes hold.
— neil flek waugh . revolutionary socialist/marxist (@sammythedog1989) July 10, 2021
Finally, if you’re still willing to give Boris Johnson the benefit of the doubt, let me remind you of something else he is understood to have said:
“Let the bodies pile high in their thousands.”
Boris Johnson
— Dr Martin Character Matters (@MartinRemains) July 10, 2021
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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