Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #TestingScandal
Most recents (13)
Still lack of checks at airports. We know about Brazilian & S.African variants so why not close off the air corridors?
Victoria Aitkins: “Travel measures take a little bit of time...There’s a delicate balancing act btw controlling the virus & the economy”
Victoria Aitkins: “Travel measures take a little bit of time...There’s a delicate balancing act btw controlling the virus & the economy”
Ystdy, @YvetteCooperMP asked the PM what the govt are doing to stop new S.African variant spreading in the UK.
Why have people been able to travel from SA to UK for last 4wks without being tested & can go on public transport.
@BorisJohnson didn’t know!
Why have people been able to travel from SA to UK for last 4wks without being tested & can go on public transport.
@BorisJohnson didn’t know!
“Oh god!”
Questioned about his govt’s repeated inexplicable failures to try & control #COVID19 at airports & lack of action to protect the UK from a new Brazilian variant of #coronavirus @BorisJohnson appeared to mutter “oh god” under his breath.
Questioned about his govt’s repeated inexplicable failures to try & control #COVID19 at airports & lack of action to protect the UK from a new Brazilian variant of #coronavirus @BorisJohnson appeared to mutter “oh god” under his breath.
JOURNALIST: Why, after 10 months, are there still no checks at airports?
@BorisJohnson: Um...er...We will be bringing in measures to...um...er...to ensure that we...err...test people coming into this country & prevent the virus...er...being re-admitted.
@piersmorgan last July👇
@BorisJohnson: Um...er...We will be bringing in measures to...um...er...to ensure that we...err...test people coming into this country & prevent the virus...er...being re-admitted.
@piersmorgan last July👇
The PM, #BorisJohnson, also says at the start of his answer👆
“Just to repeat, schools are safe” on the same day he just introduced a new #lockdown & shut down schools because they’re not safe.
#Lockdown3 #schoolclosures #COVID19 #coronavirus #HerdImmunityScandal #covidbriefing
“Just to repeat, schools are safe” on the same day he just introduced a new #lockdown & shut down schools because they’re not safe.
#Lockdown3 #schoolclosures #COVID19 #coronavirus #HerdImmunityScandal #covidbriefing
#BorisJohnson makes clear his strategy is sometimes to PRETEND not to know what's going on so that when he ACTUALLY doesn’t know, people won’t be able to tell the difference
The trouble is that we can ALL tell
Is the #BumblingStrategy really govt policy?
The trouble is that we can ALL tell
Is the #BumblingStrategy really govt policy?
"I am not confident - & nor is anybody confident - that the Tier 3 proposals for the highest rates, if we did the absolute base case & nothing more, would be enough to get on top of it.” Whitty
Did the govt just announce a #COVID19 strategy that they are not confident will work?
Did the govt just announce a #COVID19 strategy that they are not confident will work?
Whitty goes on: “That’s why there is a lot of flexibility in the tier 3 level for local authorities, guided by the directors of public health, to actually go up that range so they can do significantly more than the base, b/c the base won’t be sufficient huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/local-lo… 
After months of excluding
local & regional public health experts from outbreak management (centralising data & contracting testing to companies like Serco etc), No.10 now going to get local govts involved in deciding & enforcing restrictions
@doctorshaib👇
local & regional public health experts from outbreak management (centralising data & contracting testing to companies like Serco etc), No.10 now going to get local govts involved in deciding & enforcing restrictions
@doctorshaib👇
1/ Is this the “smoking gun” of the #EducationScandal?
NHS Professionals - the organisation that supplies temporary staff to the NHS - “received some important training updates”
Staff are told they “should not escalate any #COVID19 cases who work or attend educational settings”
NHS Professionals - the organisation that supplies temporary staff to the NHS - “received some important training updates”
Staff are told they “should not escalate any #COVID19 cases who work or attend educational settings”
2/. This document appears to give clear instructions to Tier 2 (national) contract tracers not to pass on single positive #COVID19 cases in schools, colleges & universities to Local Health Protection Teams.
I’m no expert, but surely this is not good outbreak management advice?
I’m no expert, but surely this is not good outbreak management advice?
3/ This would presumably mean having to wait for a #COVID19 outbreak before the Local Health Protection Teams even knew there has been a positive test in the school or university
In Scotland, by contrast, there are daily updates in local areas citing individual cases in schools
In Scotland, by contrast, there are daily updates in local areas citing individual cases in schools
Matt Hancock says “we are currently at alert level 3” pointing at the government’s own chart which shows level 3 means we should be “relaxing restrictions & social distancing measures”!
@AndrewMarr9 fails to challenge him on this. #Marr #COVID19 #COVID
@AndrewMarr9 fails to challenge him on this. #Marr #COVID19 #COVID
Marr asks how many people are being tested at the moment?
@MattHancock says the “capacity” is 250,000
#Marr asks again about people tested
Hancock says: “Ystdy 226,000” people were tested for coronavirus”
Really Matt?
Is there any ‘evidence’ of this?
@MattHancock says the “capacity” is 250,000
#Marr asks again about people tested
Hancock says: “Ystdy 226,000” people were tested for coronavirus”
Really Matt?
Is there any ‘evidence’ of this?
Matt Hancock says “the public must follow the rules”
Whilst the majority do so through “a sense of civic duty” he says “there’s a minority who don’t follow them”
#Marr: Would you call the police on a neighbour who's failing to self-isolate?
Hancock: Yes
Whilst the majority do so through “a sense of civic duty” he says “there’s a minority who don’t follow them”
#Marr: Would you call the police on a neighbour who's failing to self-isolate?
Hancock: Yes
MAY: Let Our Teacher Be Heroes @GavinWilliamson
JULY: Eat Out to Help Out @RishiSunak
AUGUST: We’ve Had Our Lunch Now Get Back to Work @michaelgove
SEPTEMBER: £10,000 Fine For Leaving House @BorisJohnson
The #HerdImmunityScandal in four @DailyMailUK frontpage headlines
JULY: Eat Out to Help Out @RishiSunak
AUGUST: We’ve Had Our Lunch Now Get Back to Work @michaelgove
SEPTEMBER: £10,000 Fine For Leaving House @BorisJohnson
The #HerdImmunityScandal in four @DailyMailUK frontpage headlines
The #HerdImmunityScandal is the overarching scandal which all the other scandals (the #TestingScandal, #CareHomeScandal, #AppScandal, #ScreeningScandal, #LockdownFatigueScandal, #PPEScandal etc. - are all part of.
The BIG question is what is their goal?
The BIG question is what is their goal?
#HerdImmunity is merely the strategy.
As journalist @sarahkendzior puts it: "[They're] covering up crime with scandal & covering up malice with incompetence. They want to project an image of being inept, instead of as having a cruel & well-defined plan.”
As journalist @sarahkendzior puts it: "[They're] covering up crime with scandal & covering up malice with incompetence. They want to project an image of being inept, instead of as having a cruel & well-defined plan.”
KB: How close are we to a national lockdown?
MH: #COVID19 is accelerating
KB: Yes, but how close are we to national lockdown?
MH: I want to avoid a lockdown
KB: Yes, but how close are we to national lockdown?
MH: Lockdown is the last line of defence
MH: #COVID19 is accelerating
KB: Yes, but how close are we to national lockdown?
MH: I want to avoid a lockdown
KB: Yes, but how close are we to national lockdown?
MH: Lockdown is the last line of defence
When, in June, @KayBurley asked @MattHancock why the contact tracing app won’t be operational before the easing of lockdown, he didn’t seem too concerned.
In fact, he could hardly stop laughing
At the time, tens of thousands of people had died. #COVID19
In fact, he could hardly stop laughing
At the time, tens of thousands of people had died. #COVID19
When @MattHancock says he realised in Feb COVID was “the single biggest issue that's about to hit us” @KayBurley is incredulous
He knew & didn’t DO anything!
“Did you tell the Prime Minister?” she asks
“Yes,” he replies. “I told him right at the start.”
He knew & didn’t DO anything!
“Did you tell the Prime Minister?” she asks
“Yes,” he replies. “I told him right at the start.”
Wow
If you need more evidence of #TestingScandal we relocated to another test site in Bolton which chief exec thought opened at 8. It didn’t exist
We went to another due to open at 8
It didn’t exist
He has no idea if, where or when these test centres will open 🤯@BBCBreakfast
If you need more evidence of #TestingScandal we relocated to another test site in Bolton which chief exec thought opened at 8. It didn’t exist
We went to another due to open at 8
It didn’t exist
He has no idea if, where or when these test centres will open 🤯@BBCBreakfast
And remember this is Bolton the #Covid capital of the UK
They have no idea what the private contractors are doing and even key workers yesterday couldn’t get a test for love nor money @BBCBreakfast
They have no idea what the private contractors are doing and even key workers yesterday couldn’t get a test for love nor money @BBCBreakfast
Just want to make that point again
The chief exec of the covid capital of the country has no idea if, where or when 2/4 test facilities will be put back into place here
He had no idea they were gone
Somethings going v badly wrong with this system @BBCBreakfast
World beating?
The chief exec of the covid capital of the country has no idea if, where or when 2/4 test facilities will be put back into place here
He had no idea they were gone
Somethings going v badly wrong with this system @BBCBreakfast
World beating?
UK’s #TestingScandal hits a new low
There are NO tests are available in Bolton or ANY of the 10 #Covid_19 hotspots in England
Ystdy, @NicolaSturgeon accused @MattHancock of trying to restrict testing in Scotland
Time for some transparency, some accountability, some leadership
There are NO tests are available in Bolton or ANY of the 10 #Covid_19 hotspots in England
Ystdy, @NicolaSturgeon accused @MattHancock of trying to restrict testing in Scotland
Time for some transparency, some accountability, some leadership
The #TestingScandal has been going on for 6 months
THREAD tracing it from the start & also unpacking a dozen other individual scandals that are all part of the overarching #HerdImmunityScandal
If #HerdImmunity was the govt’s strategy, what is their plan?
https://t.co/fBzXNMEsgz
THREAD tracing it from the start & also unpacking a dozen other individual scandals that are all part of the overarching #HerdImmunityScandal
If #HerdImmunity was the govt’s strategy, what is their plan?
https://t.co/fBzXNMEsgz
Matt Hancock concedes that UK #COVID19 testing is facing "operational challenges"
At a test centre in Oldham there were no tests for a 75-yr-old with chronic pulmonary disease who lives with a child just sent home or a social care worker. #TestingScandal
At a test centre in Oldham there were no tests for a 75-yr-old with chronic pulmonary disease who lives with a child just sent home or a social care worker. #TestingScandal
@DMinghella @BorisJohnson @MattHancock 72/ #TestandTrace has worst week since launch with 30% of close contacts missed.
itv.com/news/2020-09-0…
itv.com/news/2020-09-0…
@DMinghella @BorisJohnson @MattHancock 73/ People from Reading told to take ferry to get #coronavirus drive-through test getreading.co.uk/news/reading-b…
1) On 19 March, with the UK still not locked down, I noted that the role of #DavidHalpern & his Nudge Unit is key to
the ever-growing #HerdImmunityScandal
It was widely assumed the Unit had come up with the idea of #LockdownFatigue / #BehaviouralFatigue
the ever-growing #HerdImmunityScandal
It was widely assumed the Unit had come up with the idea of #LockdownFatigue / #BehaviouralFatigue
2) Ignoring the horrific evidence from Italy & advice of @WHO & their own behavioural scientist group (SPI-B), the govt - supported by Vallance & Whitty - pushed out this absurd idea that if we locked down in early/mid March, people would get bored.
The media didn't question it.
The media didn't question it.
3) On 14 March, 700 behavioural scientists published an open letter calling out #LockdownFatigue as cod science
It would later emerge that earlier in March, Spi-B & SAGE had said there was limited evidence for the idea of #BehaviouralFatigue
Clearly the govt ignored the science
It would later emerge that earlier in March, Spi-B & SAGE had said there was limited evidence for the idea of #BehaviouralFatigue
Clearly the govt ignored the science
1). Patrick Vallance tells the @CommonsSTC that SAGE advised the govt to impose lockdown measures “as soon as possible” “on the 18th or 16th of March, I can’t remember”
Remarkable that he doesn’t recall the date.
He fails to explain why the govt wait a week before locking down?
Remarkable that he doesn’t recall the date.
He fails to explain why the govt wait a week before locking down?
2). Professor @JeremyFarrar, who is a member of SAGE, does remember.
He has just clarified that on 13 March - with #COVID infections doubling every 2-3 days - SAGE decided a lockdown was needed.
They advised the govt of this on 16 March.
UK locked down on 23 March.
#COVID19
He has just clarified that on 13 March - with #COVID infections doubling every 2-3 days - SAGE decided a lockdown was needed.
They advised the govt of this on 16 March.
UK locked down on 23 March.
#COVID19
3/. On 10/6, @neil_ferguson who did the modelling presented on 16 March, said locking down a week earlier could have saved 20,000 lives.
Modeller, Prof Edmunds, told #Marr: “We should have gone into lockdown earlier…I think that has cost a lot of lives.”
Modeller, Prof Edmunds, told #Marr: “We should have gone into lockdown earlier…I think that has cost a lot of lives.”
This graph shows UK, where there were 155 deaths ystdy.
Of these, 154 of them were in England.
This isn't bad luck or incompetence.
It's down to the #CareHomeScandal, #TestingScandal, #PPEScandal etc.
ALL of which are part of the #HerdImmunityScandal
Of these, 154 of them were in England.
This isn't bad luck or incompetence.
It's down to the #CareHomeScandal, #TestingScandal, #PPEScandal etc.
ALL of which are part of the #HerdImmunityScandal
