Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #ExerciseCygnus
Most recents (14)
The @Conservatives were warned for years about the risk of a novel virus yet did nothing to prepare the UK for what was known to be a high national security risk. This Thread brings together the documents and exercise's that no10 had at their disposal. 
#OperationWinterWillow
In 2007 the UK held a pandemic exercise that predated #OperationCygnus code named Winter willow, which put in place everything needed for a #coronavirusuk outbreak! Austerity depleted #PPE EX, Cygnus only exposed how badly!
In 2007 the UK held a pandemic exercise that predated #OperationCygnus code named Winter willow, which put in place everything needed for a #coronavirusuk outbreak! Austerity depleted #PPE EX, Cygnus only exposed how badly!
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
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries says the is of your child dying in a road traffic accident “is probably higher than their risk from #COVID”.
Especially if Dominic Cummings is behind the wheel!
#schoolsreopening #Corona #COVID19 #BackToSchool
Especially if Dominic Cummings is behind the wheel!
#schoolsreopening #Corona #COVID19 #BackToSchool
It’s extraordinary that the same govt scientists who got it wrong on lockdown, testing, screening etc are still in charge
12/3 - Contact tracing halted
26/3 - Harries says community testing is “not an appropriate mechanism”
5/5 - Harries changes her story
12/3 - Contact tracing halted
26/3 - Harries says community testing is “not an appropriate mechanism”
5/5 - Harries changes her story
In answer to @Jeremy_Hunt, Jennie Harries told the @DHSCgovuk Select Committee that the govt had abandoned test, track & trace strategy due to lack of capacity NOT because it was “an inappropriate mechanism”
But the govt had claimed otherwise for 6 weeks!
But the govt had claimed otherwise for 6 weeks!
This is no joke
“Govt to hire 'Head of Pandemic Preparedness' (salary <£61K)”
This comes 8 months too late
It comes 13 months after @BorisJohnson scrapped the govt’s anti-pandemic committee
It comes 4 years after #ExerciseCygnus found the UK was woefully unprepared.
#COVID19
“Govt to hire 'Head of Pandemic Preparedness' (salary <£61K)”
This comes 8 months too late
It comes 13 months after @BorisJohnson scrapped the govt’s anti-pandemic committee
It comes 4 years after #ExerciseCygnus found the UK was woefully unprepared.
#COVID19
Exercise Cygnus was a 2016 drill to show the UK's pandemic preparedness
Its recommendations weren't implemented
Ministers claim they thought they had been or plead total ignorance
@MattHancock claims he “was assured” recommendations had been implemented
Its recommendations weren't implemented
Ministers claim they thought they had been or plead total ignorance
@MattHancock claims he “was assured” recommendations had been implemented
“When it first came up in the media I asked my officials to go back & check that everything recommended by #ExerciseCygnus was done & that was the assurance I got,” says @MattHancock
I’ve been asking WHO these “officials” are. They were lying.
#COVID19
I’ve been asking WHO these “officials” are. They were lying.
#COVID19
1/. Many of the govt's claims have fallen by the wayside
However, the central myth upon which the others hang, persists
This is the idea that the govt switched from their #HerdImmunity strategy.
Yes, they moved from mitigation to suppression, but the strategy remained the same
However, the central myth upon which the others hang, persists
This is the idea that the govt switched from their #HerdImmunity strategy.
Yes, they moved from mitigation to suppression, but the strategy remained the same
2/. The govt knew about the virus at the start of January. By February Hancock viewed it as “the single biggest issue that is about to come & hit us”.
"From about mid-January, it was absolutely obvious that this was very serious,” says SAGEs John Edmunds
"From about mid-January, it was absolutely obvious that this was very serious,” says SAGEs John Edmunds
3/. On 14 March, SAGE modeller, @neil_ferguson, told @Channel4News that “400,000 Briton’s could die from #COVID19” if no action was taken.
On 21 February, NERVTAG (a sub-group of SAGE), told govt advisors the death toll could be as high as 1.3 million.
On 21 February, NERVTAG (a sub-group of SAGE), told govt advisors the death toll could be as high as 1.3 million.
“Whether scientific or otherwise, advisers advise ministers who are elected to make decisions so people can hold us accountable ultimately.” @RishiSunak
For the first time in 3 months, a govt minister does not claim to be “guided entirely by the science”.
For the first time in 3 months, a govt minister does not claim to be “guided entirely by the science”.
“We’re guided very much by the science & whether we think that the advice that we’re given is working.”
This is how @BorisJohnson starts his answer to @bbclaurak on 19 March when asked if the govt will consider shutting pubs, cafes, clubs etc.
This is how @BorisJohnson starts his answer to @bbclaurak on 19 March when asked if the govt will consider shutting pubs, cafes, clubs etc.
"Our approach to coronavirus is to be guided by the science,” @michaelgove says referring to testing, ventilators & PPE.
But they were political decisions to stop community testing, opt out of EU procurement scheme & ignore #ExerciseCygnus recommendations
But they were political decisions to stop community testing, opt out of EU procurement scheme & ignore #ExerciseCygnus recommendations
1/. It’s 3 months since I stumbled upon what may turn out to be one of the greatest scandals of modern British history: the #HerdImmunityScandal.
On 8 March, after a tip off, I found the clip of the PM’s #TakeItOnTheChin comment.
I tweeted it & it was viewed 2.5m in 24 hours.
On 8 March, after a tip off, I found the clip of the PM’s #TakeItOnTheChin comment.
I tweeted it & it was viewed 2.5m in 24 hours.
2/. Some questions raised by the #TakeItOnTheChin clip were answered by @peston No.10-sourced piece on 12 March revealing the govt’s #coronavirus “strategy” was #herdimmunity.
But then on 16 April, @peterjukes shared another tip off: the #GreenwichSpeech
But then on 16 April, @peterjukes shared another tip off: the #GreenwichSpeech
3/. In this speech, made on 3 February, @BorisJohnson mentions #coronavirus for the first time & warns there’s a danger it will “trigger panic & [measures] that go beyond what’s medically rational to the point of doing real & unnecessary economic damage.”
On 6/5, @MattHancock told @KayBurley he remembers thinking at PMQs: “Nobody is asking about the single biggest issue that's about to hit us.”
So why wasn’t he shouting about it from the rooftops?
Did he even tell the PM?
“I told him right at the start.”
So why wasn’t he shouting about it from the rooftops?
Did he even tell the PM?
“I told him right at the start.”
Journalists have had difficulty getting clear answers over the past 2 months but here’s your chance to have ago.
In a effort to demonstrate this government’s “unparalleled transparency” he is answering questions on Instagram here 👉instagram.com/stories/highli…
In a effort to demonstrate this government’s “unparalleled transparency” he is answering questions on Instagram here 👉instagram.com/stories/highli…
Perhaps you could ask to how he can talk about “putting a protective ring around care homes” when the govt had instructed hospitals to send people with #coronavirus back to care homes?
When asked this week, @MattHancock kept misunderstanding the question.
When asked this week, @MattHancock kept misunderstanding the question.
This Govt is appallingly, consistently inept. By not taking obvious decisions in Jan/Feb it has already unnecessarily killed tens of thousands & is destroying our economy...now we’ve got this idiotic #StayAlert message. It is hard to stress enough: IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS
No one with half a brain could read about #ExerciseCygnus (based on a relatively mild ‘flu for which a vaccine would have been available quickly) & *not* conclude that we were hideously unprepared for the more virulent and not-yet-treatable #COVID19 theguardian.com/world/2020/may…
In these circumstances, ANY half decently-motivated Government that was reasonably balanced would put measures in place early to contain the virus and protect people, particularly those most at risk, while working for a global solution (we won’t be safe unless everyone is).
On 22/4 @DominicRaab was asked if he’d read the Exercise Cygnus document. He said he’d have check but it wasn’t “something that springs to mind.”
Today, Victoria Atkins, admitted to @piersmorgan she’d never heard of it
Cygnus was a 2016 simulation of the impact of a pandemic.
Today, Victoria Atkins, admitted to @piersmorgan she’d never heard of it
Cygnus was a 2016 simulation of the impact of a pandemic.
Journalist: “Have you personally read the Exercise Cygnus document & has it been made available to your key scientific advisers?”
Dominic Raab: “I would have to go & check...but it's not something that immediately springs to mind.”
#COVID19 #coronavirus
Dominic Raab: “I would have to go & check...but it's not something that immediately springs to mind.”
#COVID19 #coronavirus
1/ Great package on UK v Asian pandemic planning in today's paper, plus more on #ExerciseCygnus
Kicks off with scoop interview with Taiwan’s vice-President and epidemiologist Chen Chien-jen via @niccijsmith Very interesting on WHO and patient zero...⬇️
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
Kicks off with scoop interview with Taiwan’s vice-President and epidemiologist Chen Chien-jen via @niccijsmith Very interesting on WHO and patient zero...⬇️
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
2/ Then with help from @journobill + @DanielFalush + Twitter encouragement from @Dr2NisreenAlwan an analysis of the UK pandemic strategy against those of S Korea, Singapore, Taiwan etc telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
3/ UK plan raises white flag from off: "It will not be possible to stop the spread ... either in the country of origin or in the UK", it says.
Asian plans, by contrast, all go for virus containment in bid to save lives. As @DanielFalush says, the "framing" is entirely different.
Asian plans, by contrast, all go for virus containment in bid to save lives. As @DanielFalush says, the "framing" is entirely different.
This @thesundaytimes piece on Johnson's nonchalance towards the coronavirus crisis is utterly damning, and ought to be a resigning matter.
He skipped 5 cobra meetings, calls to order protective gear were ignored and scientists’ warnings fell on deaf ears thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/c…
He skipped 5 cobra meetings, calls to order protective gear were ignored and scientists’ warnings fell on deaf ears thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/c…
Here's one excerpt from @JCalvertST @Arbuthnott and @Jonathan__Leake's Sunday Times Insight piece detailing the extraordinary nonchalance of Boris Johnson as the coronavirus spread around the UK in January to March.
The UK's last rehearsal for a pandemic, #ExerciseCygnus in 2016, predicted the NHS would collapse and highlighted a long list of shortcomings — including a lack of PPE and intensive care ventilators. But none of the recommendations to address these deficiencies was implemented.
1/ Lots of interesting #COVID19 reading here from the Tel Global Health team:
First some good news (!): The lastest modelling from Imperial estimates 59,000 lives have already been saved in Europe by the suppression measures, including 370 in UK
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
First some good news (!): The lastest modelling from Imperial estimates 59,000 lives have already been saved in Europe by the suppression measures, including 370 in UK
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
2/ Important systematic review from Kings College London looking at psychological impact of quarantine. Key findings - keep it as short as pos, never change the time frame and make sure everyone gets good wifi
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
3/ A strong op-ed from Paul Davis of @mologic - makers of a new covid antibody test - putting the case for the global sharing of new tests and treatments. We don't want a return to the early days of HIV antivirals telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
