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.
4/. Fears around the impact of #coronavirus on ICU beds was flagged as early as 24 January in the @TheLancet.
On 25 February, the modelling from Imperial college was presented at SAGE. It showed the govt that ICU beds would be overwhelmed without action.
On 25 February, the modelling from Imperial college was presented at SAGE. It showed the govt that ICU beds would be overwhelmed without action.
5/. Lockdown was imposed on 23 March.
The minutes of the 5 March SAGE meeting - the first Cummings attended - suggest "sustained community transmission was underway”, yet it was decided “there are no scientific grounds to moving from contain to delay”.
The minutes of the 5 March SAGE meeting - the first Cummings attended - suggest "sustained community transmission was underway”, yet it was decided “there are no scientific grounds to moving from contain to delay”.
6/. Contact tracing was halted on 12 March due to testing capacity shortage.
Even frontline NHS staff & people in care homes weren’t able to get tested.
On 26/3, Jenny Harries claimed community testing was "not an appropriate mechanism as we go forward”
Even frontline NHS staff & people in care homes weren’t able to get tested.
On 26/3, Jenny Harries claimed community testing was "not an appropriate mechanism as we go forward”
7/. The govt claim to have put a “protective ring” around care homes but 16,000+ people have died from Covid-19 in UK care homes.
Govt guidelines instruct hospitals to discharge patients with #COVID19 into care homes without testing.
We broke the story.
Govt guidelines instruct hospitals to discharge patients with #COVID19 into care homes without testing.
We broke the story.
8/. Like other scandals, the story of Dominic Cummings breaking the lockdown has not gone away.
Yet the fact that he did not get fired or forced to resign shows just how central he is to the wider government strategy of which #HerdImmunity is just a part.
Yet the fact that he did not get fired or forced to resign shows just how central he is to the wider government strategy of which #HerdImmunity is just a part.
9/. We now know that 90% of #Covid19 infections came from 1,356 individuals who entered UK between 28 Feb - 28 March mostly from Italy, Spain & France.
At that time, the govt kept saying we didn't need the airport checks every other country had in place.
At that time, the govt kept saying we didn't need the airport checks every other country had in place.
10/. In 2016, #ExerciseCygnus – a drill which exposed the UK's unreadiness to respond to a pandemic - made number of recommendations.
These were not implemented.
This is a key reason why the UK was so woefully under-prepared (re PPE, ventilators etc.)
These were not implemented.
This is a key reason why the UK was so woefully under-prepared (re PPE, ventilators etc.)
11/. We were told the app is vital in the fight against #COVID19
We were told it would be up & running by 1 June
The PM claimed it was running by 1 June
Hancock said it would be the cherry on Dido’s cake
£11m contracts were signed before it was axed.
We were told it would be up & running by 1 June
The PM claimed it was running by 1 June
Hancock said it would be the cherry on Dido’s cake
£11m contracts were signed before it was axed.
12/. The UK has eased lockdown despite not meeting all of the govt's 5 tests.
It only meets 2 or 3 of WHO's 6 tests for lifting locking.
In a table of countries listed in order of readiness for easing coronavirus lockdown, the UK comes 191 out of 195.
It only meets 2 or 3 of WHO's 6 tests for lifting locking.
In a table of countries listed in order of readiness for easing coronavirus lockdown, the UK comes 191 out of 195.
13/. Dominic Cummings sat in 6 SAGE meetings
Ben Warner, who worked with Cummings on Vote Leave, attended 13.
Ben & Marc Warner set up Faculty AI which is building the NHSX "data platform" alongside Palantir, a US company with strong links to CIA & NSA.
Ben Warner, who worked with Cummings on Vote Leave, attended 13.
Ben & Marc Warner set up Faculty AI which is building the NHSX "data platform" alongside Palantir, a US company with strong links to CIA & NSA.
14/. Last month, an OpEd by @AmnestyTech warned that "The shadowy data-mining firm, Palantir, whose technology has powered some of the most nefarious immigration abuses, is now collecting troves of health data about all of us.” (by @charanya_k in @WAPO)
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