Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #DavidHalpern
Most recents (8)
Wow!
@MattHancock has announced that the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jenny Harries, will be the first chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency which will aim to plan, prevent & respond to health emergencies like pandemics
How is #JennyHarries still in a job
@MattHancock has announced that the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jenny Harries, will be the first chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency which will aim to plan, prevent & respond to health emergencies like pandemics
How is #JennyHarries still in a job
2/. Jenny Harries has been a handmaiden of the #HerdImmunityScandal
#HerdImmunity is an outcome, NEVER a “strategy”
On 12 March, the govt stopped community testing
On 26/3, #JennyHarries falsely claimed that community testing was "not an appropriate mechanism as we go forward”
#HerdImmunity is an outcome, NEVER a “strategy”
On 12 March, the govt stopped community testing
On 26/3, #JennyHarries falsely claimed that community testing was "not an appropriate mechanism as we go forward”
3/. Stopping community testing - as the UK did on 12 March - would only make sense as a strategy if the UK’s strategy was to allow #COVID19 to spread through the population
Questioned by @Jeremy_Hunt, Jenny Harries changed her story to a claim of capacity issues. #JennyHarries
Questioned by @Jeremy_Hunt, Jenny Harries changed her story to a claim of capacity issues. #JennyHarries
1/. The PM claims that the govt “stuck to the science like glue”
But this is not true
At crucial times they ignored the science or concocted pseudo-scientific justifications for their actions & inaction
This thread, & the embedded threads, set them out
But this is not true
At crucial times they ignored the science or concocted pseudo-scientific justifications for their actions & inaction
This thread, & the embedded threads, set them out
2/. “BEHAVIOURAL FATIGUE”
A key justification for delaying lockdown was that “if we do it too early people will get bored”
The paper-thin reasoning of this claim was apparent at the time
But it was repeated by the PM, Ministers, @uksciencechief & Whitty
A key justification for delaying lockdown was that “if we do it too early people will get bored”
The paper-thin reasoning of this claim was apparent at the time
But it was repeated by the PM, Ministers, @uksciencechief & Whitty
3/. The concept of "lockdown fatigue" had no basis in behavioural science
On 14 March, 700 behavioural scientists published an open letter stating this
So where had the idea come from?
How had it been allowed to shape govt policy at this crucial time?
On 14 March, 700 behavioural scientists published an open letter stating this
So where had the idea come from?
How had it been allowed to shape govt policy at this crucial time?
1/. Extraordinary!
Sir Patrick Vallance yet again washes his hands entirely of any responsibility
Here, @PippaCrerar asks why the whole country isn't in lockdown
“The Tier decisions are not for me,” he says. Really?!
It’s a system designed to ensure the buck stops with no one
Sir Patrick Vallance yet again washes his hands entirely of any responsibility
Here, @PippaCrerar asks why the whole country isn't in lockdown
“The Tier decisions are not for me,” he says. Really?!
It’s a system designed to ensure the buck stops with no one
2/. I’m not a body language expert, but @uksciencechief’s habit of adjusting his glasses, looking away & um-Ing & ah-ing whenever he’s asked a penetrating question is getting wearily familiar.
Here is Vallance being questioned by @Jeremy_Hunt in May.
Here is Vallance being questioned by @Jeremy_Hunt in May.
3/. In July, Vallance claimed he couldn't remember which date SAGE called for lockdown!
"The 18th or the 16th, I don't remember” he said
SAGE’s @JeremyFarrar says it was 13th
If these people’s memories are so bad now, imagine what they will be like in 2022 at a Public Inquiry!
"The 18th or the 16th, I don't remember” he said
SAGE’s @JeremyFarrar says it was 13th
If these people’s memories are so bad now, imagine what they will be like in 2022 at a Public Inquiry!
1/. It’s widely thought that the unscientific concept of #LockdownFatigue, used to delay lockdown for 2 weeks, came from #DavidHalpern & his Nudge Unit.
When asked if #BehaviouralFatigue came from him he said:
“It did not, in my memory, come from SPI-B or us", his eyes darting.
When asked if #BehaviouralFatigue came from him he said:
“It did not, in my memory, come from SPI-B or us", his eyes darting.
2/. With #DavidHalpern suffering memory loss, we asked SPI-B (the govt's behavioural scientific group). #LockdownFatigue did NOT come from them!
So we wrote to the Nudge Unit to see if any of their staff remember.
"It absolutely 100% was not from us" their press office replied.
So we wrote to the Nudge Unit to see if any of their staff remember.
"It absolutely 100% was not from us" their press office replied.
3/. Ultimately - due to memory loss & lack of proper minutes - we will never find out where the concept of #BehaviouralFatigue originated.
But it doesn't matter.
What matters is the process by which it became govt policy. It was assessed, approved & sent to the media, MPs & PM.
But it doesn't matter.
What matters is the process by which it became govt policy. It was assessed, approved & sent to the media, MPs & PM.
“The spread of coronavirus could have been slowed with earlier quarantine restrictions on arrivals, & lack of border measures earlier in the pandemic was a "serious mistake”.
This was obvious from Day 1.
Were this another political decision dressed-up in science?
@piersmorgan👇
This was obvious from Day 1.
Were this another political decision dressed-up in science?
@piersmorgan👇
Was it scientific advice:
* not to screen flight arrivals?
* to transfer people from hospitals to care homes without testing?
* not to ban big gatherings?
* to ignore modelling that warned of huge fatalities?
These decisions clearly defied all logic
https://t.co/1OhqjkaoVq
* not to screen flight arrivals?
* to transfer people from hospitals to care homes without testing?
* not to ban big gatherings?
* to ignore modelling that warned of huge fatalities?
These decisions clearly defied all logic
https://t.co/1OhqjkaoVq
The answer lies in the SAGE minutes from 5 March - the first attended by Cummings.
In that meeting, the advice from previous meetings: e.g. “sustained community transmission was underway” & the need for "early measures" to protect vulnerable were ignored.
https://t.co/US76yN0Iti
In that meeting, the advice from previous meetings: e.g. “sustained community transmission was underway” & the need for "early measures" to protect vulnerable were ignored.
https://t.co/US76yN0Iti
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
Unseen footage from 10 March, shows #DavidHalpern talking about the idea of lockdown fatigue: "You don't want to cry wolf - you want to start asking people to do these things...when they're likely to be effective.”
This was the non-scientific grounds govt used to delay lockdown.
This was the non-scientific grounds govt used to delay lockdown.
On 14 March, 700 behavioural scientists signed an open letter calling out the non-sensical use of #BehaviouralFatigue to justify delaying social distancing.
But the scientific guidance against #LockdownFatigue was entirely ignored by the govt & the media.
sites.google.com/view/covidopen…
But the scientific guidance against #LockdownFatigue was entirely ignored by the govt & the media.
sites.google.com/view/covidopen…
The crucial questions we have been asking since early March are:
1) Where did this idea of lockdown/behavioural fatigue come?
2) How did it gain such prominence in govt strategy & in the media narrative?
#COVID19 #HerdImmunityScandal #coronavirus #COVID
1) Where did this idea of lockdown/behavioural fatigue come?
2) How did it gain such prominence in govt strategy & in the media narrative?
#COVID19 #HerdImmunityScandal #coronavirus #COVID
The Ultimate Applied Behavioural Science Graduate Programme
If I had ALL the resources in the world (+ social capital, logistics skills, etc) this is the programme team I’d put together.
(Mostly joking/a bit deludedly optimistic that something like this could happen)
Thread :
If I had ALL the resources in the world (+ social capital, logistics skills, etc) this is the programme team I’d put together.
(Mostly joking/a bit deludedly optimistic that something like this could happen)
Thread :
Okay. First of all, who is going to facilitate? Easy.
I’d grab @IrrationalLabs
I’ve seen the @bermster @evelyngosnell and @RichardMathera in action. They’re absolute rock stars.
I’d also add @Nudgeathon creator @umar_taj and @dilipsoman for when we scale this thing digitally😎
I’d grab @IrrationalLabs
I’ve seen the @bermster @evelyngosnell and @RichardMathera in action. They’re absolute rock stars.
I’d also add @Nudgeathon creator @umar_taj and @dilipsoman for when we scale this thing digitally😎
Right. Guest speakers. The ultimate programme needs interesting, accessible and articulate guest speakers. Fortunately the field has plenty of these.
I’d rope in @danariely @rorysutherland , @katy_milkman , @jeffkreisler , @m_sendhil , @AnnieDuke and #DavidHalpern.
Sorted👌
I’d rope in @danariely @rorysutherland , @katy_milkman , @jeffkreisler , @m_sendhil , @AnnieDuke and #DavidHalpern.
Sorted👌
