1/. Two months ago I was strolling along, my head in the clouds, when I stumbled through a mysterious portal into strange new world: a world of political intrigue where the ground never stood still
The background is laid out👇 in these interwoven threads, but I’ll sum up briefly
The background is laid out👇 in these interwoven threads, but I’ll sum up briefly
2/. On 8 March, I was talking #coronavirus with a friend & she said @BorisJohnson had floated a theory that we could #TakeItOnTheChin!
I tracked down the clip, tweeted it & it went viral.
A week later, @peston revealed the govt’s #HerdImmunity strategy.
I tracked down the clip, tweeted it & it went viral.
A week later, @peston revealed the govt’s #HerdImmunity strategy.
3/. Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a large % of a population becomes immune, whether through previous infections or vaccination.
Without a vaccine it is, by definition, NOT a preventative measure.
Without a vaccine it is, by definition, NOT a preventative measure.
4/. Herd immunity makes sense as an outcome but NOT as a strategy.
On 12/3, briefed by No.10, @Peston wrote: “The strategy of the UK govt is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so that we acquire herd immunity.”
On 26/3, Hunt said:👇
On 12/3, briefed by No.10, @Peston wrote: “The strategy of the UK govt is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so that we acquire herd immunity.”
On 26/3, Hunt said:👇
5/. Surely the govt strategy couldn’t really have been to delay lockdown to allow #COVID19 to spread so as to achieve herd immunity?
It seems unthinkable
But some prefer this approach to lockdown & argue the economy must come 1st.
It seems unthinkable
But some prefer this approach to lockdown & argue the economy must come 1st.
6/. Some scientists were speculating that herd immunity was still the strategy.
Then I was tipped off about the PM’s speech from 3 Feb.
In it he warns against allowing #coronavirus to trigger a reaction that could do “real & unnecessary economic damage.”
Then I was tipped off about the PM’s speech from 3 Feb.
In it he warns against allowing #coronavirus to trigger a reaction that could do “real & unnecessary economic damage.”
7/. Some people have credited me with “finding” the #GreenwichSpeech.
But I didn’t.
It is was in plain sight all along.
Every senior political journalist had been there for this big post-Bexit media moment & they had all written about this very “Britain as Superman” passage.
But I didn’t.
It is was in plain sight all along.
Every senior political journalist had been there for this big post-Bexit media moment & they had all written about this very “Britain as Superman” passage.
8/. The #GreenwichSpeech clip went viral (1m views in 24hrs) but, like the #TakeItOnTheChin clip, was ignored by MSM.
@guardian mentioned it in a timeline,
@BylineTimes did a piece & @peterjukes called it “the smoking gun”
But on Friday, that changed...
@guardian mentioned it in a timeline,
@BylineTimes did a piece & @peterjukes called it “the smoking gun”
But on Friday, that changed...
9/. If you want to read the full story of the #HerdImmunityScandal see this long, but gripping, thread. 👇
