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.”
4/. Is the #GreenwichSpeech the ‘smoking gun’ of the herd immunity strategy: a strategy whereby the UK achieves immunity to #COVID19 before competitor countries & emerges like Superman “with it’s cloak flowing”?
And if so, are the govt STILL pursuing it?
And if so, are the govt STILL pursuing it?
5/. The ongoing covert pursuit of #HerdImmunity offers reason to the otherwise almost inexplicable decisions to stop community testing (12/3), to delay lockdown (23/3) & to transfer people untested to care homes (another ‘smoking gun’ I revealed on 13/5).
6/. A #HerdImmunity strategy would also explain lack of testing, failure to monitor people arriving in UK airports, late introduction of the tracing app & face masks etc.
The UK is not unique in attempting to deny this strategy. See Dutch PM (16/3 & 4/6)
The UK is not unique in attempting to deny this strategy. See Dutch PM (16/3 & 4/6)
7/. The narrative that #COVID19 was “an unexpected & invisible mugger” which we couldn’t have prepared for is repeated by the govt.
But...
Scientists warned us
WHO warned us
Cygnus warned us
Intelligence warned us
Italy gave us a graphic warning
But...
Scientists warned us
WHO warned us
Cygnus warned us
Intelligence warned us
Italy gave us a graphic warning
8/. Trying to get information from the govt is hard.
Ministers avoid answering the most straightforward questions on a daily basis, SAGE minutes are withheld, redacted & posted at random times.
Even PHE fails to provide facts to parliamentary committees.
Ministers avoid answering the most straightforward questions on a daily basis, SAGE minutes are withheld, redacted & posted at random times.
Even PHE fails to provide facts to parliamentary committees.
9/. By examining minutes of scientific meetings it becomes apparent that no modelling was done for the lockdown until mid-March & the capacity of the NHS / ICU was only inputted into the models around that time. That would be consistent with #HerdImmunity.
10/. Realising that a strategy that could kill hundreds of thousands of Britons, wouldn’t go down well, the govt have denied #HerdImmunity is or ever was a strategy.
But on 11 March, David Halpern, a behaviourist who helps lead UK #COVID response, said👇
But on 11 March, David Halpern, a behaviourist who helps lead UK #COVID response, said👇
11/. On 23 March @piersmorgan was told on @gmb by @MattHancock that “#HerdImmunity has never been the strategy.”
@piersmorgan: Your own Chief Science Officer said it was.
MH: No he didn’t
[PLAYS AV]
VALLANCE: “build-up some degree of herd immunity.”
@piersmorgan: Your own Chief Science Officer said it was.
MH: No he didn’t
[PLAYS AV]
VALLANCE: “build-up some degree of herd immunity.”
13/ #Herdimmunity makes sense as an outcome NOT as a strategy.
On 12/3, briefed by No.10, @Peston wrote: “The strategy of the govt is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so we acquire herd immunity.”
On 26/3 @Jeremy_Hunt said:👇
On 12/3, briefed by No.10, @Peston wrote: “The strategy of the govt is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so we acquire herd immunity.”
On 26/3 @Jeremy_Hunt said:👇
14/. Here Prof Edmunds, a key govt modeller on #COVID19, is asked by @cathynewman:
“Did you change your mind on herd immunity?”
He replies very unconvincingly: “Err...umm...no.”
Ystdy, he admitted late lockdown was a mistake. The relationship btw govt & scientists is fraying.
“Did you change your mind on herd immunity?”
He replies very unconvincingly: “Err...umm...no.”
Ystdy, he admitted late lockdown was a mistake. The relationship btw govt & scientists is fraying.
15/. Over the past 3 months, my timeline has become filled with interlinking threads which attempt to document & make sense of an ever expanding multitude of issues around the govt’s #coronavirus response. All seem to stem from, or lead to, #herdimmunity.
16/. This thread👇explores what has happened to the PM’s promise of a fully operational “world beating” track & trace app by 1 June.
There are reports that it won’t be operational at local level until September.
Yet the lockdown is being eased anyway.
There are reports that it won’t be operational at local level until September.
Yet the lockdown is being eased anyway.
17/. “Test, test, test!”
We've known from the start that accurate mass testing is vital.
So why was contact tracing was stopped on 12/3 & why are we sending out home test kits which have a 30% chance of being inaccurate?
This thread has some answers👇
We've known from the start that accurate mass testing is vital.
So why was contact tracing was stopped on 12/3 & why are we sending out home test kits which have a 30% chance of being inaccurate?
This thread has some answers👇
18/. This thread👇examines “the science” & asks why govt #COVID19 strategy has excluded public health experts.
e.g. The SAGE meeting of 13/3 comprised:
14 govt advisers
4 modellers
3 behaviourists
2 virologists
10 independents
ZERO public health experts
e.g. The SAGE meeting of 13/3 comprised:
14 govt advisers
4 modellers
3 behaviourists
2 virologists
10 independents
ZERO public health experts
19/. This thread👇documents the incomprehensible & ongoing failures to source:
• proper PPE for front line NHS staff & carers;
• sufficient #COVID19 tests even for doctors & ICU nurses;
• ventilators (opting out of the EU ventilator procurement scheme)
• proper PPE for front line NHS staff & carers;
• sufficient #COVID19 tests even for doctors & ICU nurses;
• ventilators (opting out of the EU ventilator procurement scheme)
20/. This thread👇asks why the recommendations of #ExerciseCygnus – the 2016 drill which showed UK's unreadiness to respond to a pandemic - weren't implemented.
Hancock claims they were. Others hadn't heard of it despite it being front page news on 28/3.
Hancock claims they were. Others hadn't heard of it despite it being front page news on 28/3.
21/. This thread👇looks at some of the conflicting evidence & inexplicable memory loss of SAGE members when questioned about the failure to model for #COVID19 lockdown 'til mid-March, #herdimmunity, abandoning community testing, & changing govt messaging.
22/. This thread👇asks why hundreds of thousands of people were allowed to walk into the UK from #COVID hotspots without screening.
@OliverDowden repeatedly claimed cabin crew had been trained to spot #COVID19 & that people arriving are tracked. Really?!
@OliverDowden repeatedly claimed cabin crew had been trained to spot #COVID19 & that people arriving are tracked. Really?!
23/. The trampling of some basic precepts of press freedom gives cause for concern: ratcheting-up negative rhetoric & curbing proper transparency.
This thread👇includes a look at how media have been banned from Daily Briefings or boycotted by ministers.
This thread👇includes a look at how media have been banned from Daily Briefings or boycotted by ministers.
24/. BOTTOM OF LEAGUE IN FOOTBALL
Fans wouldn’t stand for it.
They’d be unfurling banners in the stadium, ripping up season tickets & tweeting up a storm.
BOTTOM OF LEAGUE: COVID DEATHS
What are you going to do?
This thread👇isn’t really about football
Fans wouldn’t stand for it.
They’d be unfurling banners in the stadium, ripping up season tickets & tweeting up a storm.
BOTTOM OF LEAGUE: COVID DEATHS
What are you going to do?
This thread👇isn’t really about football
25/. This thread👇shows SAGE noted that critical care beds were vital on 11 Feb & that "evidence on the role of children in transmission of #COVID19 is unclear” on 6 April.
Attending SAGE meetings were Ben & Marc Warner who set up the AI firm, Faculty.
Attending SAGE meetings were Ben & Marc Warner who set up the AI firm, Faculty.
26/. A leaked document from 23/3 shows Faculty – who are working with Palantir on the app - proposed a simulation to assess the impact of “targeted herd immunity” (an oxymoron), a week after ministers insisted that #herdimmunity wasn't being contemplated.
27/. 582 deaths over last 3 days
R rate over 1 in parts of UK
Testing data not published for 2 weeks
Face masks not mandatory
Highest excess deaths in world
UK = 191st out of 195 in league of countries readiness to lift lockdown
Shops open on Monday
R rate over 1 in parts of UK
Testing data not published for 2 weeks
Face masks not mandatory
Highest excess deaths in world
UK = 191st out of 195 in league of countries readiness to lift lockdown
Shops open on Monday
28/. In this clip, @devisridhar asks the key question: “What is the govt’s objective?”
That she - & all of us - are still having to ask this question 16 weeks into crisis, should raise urgent further questions.
Fortunately, there are Ali some answers.👇
That she - & all of us - are still having to ask this question 16 weeks into crisis, should raise urgent further questions.
Fortunately, there are Ali some answers.👇
29/. The govt's policy of sending elderly people from hospital to care homes without #coronavirus testing is being exposed.
But there has been little exposure about the appalling situation for those treated at home. This thread👇🏽looks at #HomeCareScandal.
But there has been little exposure about the appalling situation for those treated at home. This thread👇🏽looks at #HomeCareScandal.
30/. This thread explores govt's decision to announce a further easing of the lockdown on 4 July, seemingly against most scientific advice.
It's perhaps too early to dub this the #EasingLockdownScandal, & I hope the experts & scientists are proved wrong.
It's perhaps too early to dub this the #EasingLockdownScandal, & I hope the experts & scientists are proved wrong.
31/. UK isn’t alone in attempting a #HerdImmunity strategy.
Sweden was open about it & has a #COVID19 mortality rate 7x higher than rest of EU with cases rising 16x faster.
US & Brazil are “opening the economy”.
This thread is about the Dutch strategy👇
Sweden was open about it & has a #COVID19 mortality rate 7x higher than rest of EU with cases rising 16x faster.
US & Brazil are “opening the economy”.
This thread is about the Dutch strategy👇
32/. You’ve read this thread & you’re thinking: “What can I do about it?”
The answer is spread the word
Tell your friends, tag MPs & journos, contact @Under_Covid
If your friends aren’t interested in COVID stuff, share a video, a cartoon or the “football” or Hitchcock threads.
The answer is spread the word
Tell your friends, tag MPs & journos, contact @Under_Covid
If your friends aren’t interested in COVID stuff, share a video, a cartoon or the “football” or Hitchcock threads.
33/. The #EasingLockdownScandal overlaps with other scandals
Unlike the lockdown which was imposed far too late - at midnight on 23 March - the easing of lockdown has been more gradual but potentially just as deadly. THREAD👇#COVID19 #COVID #coronavirus
Unlike the lockdown which was imposed far too late - at midnight on 23 March - the easing of lockdown has been more gradual but potentially just as deadly. THREAD👇#COVID19 #COVID #coronavirus
This thread👇exposes how the PM & his govt deliberately make themselves appear bumbling or incompetent inorder to cover-up malfeasance.
This is not to say they are not also incompetent.
#HerdImmunity is an intentional ongoing strategy, not some mishap.
This is not to say they are not also incompetent.
#HerdImmunity is an intentional ongoing strategy, not some mishap.
