1. Its welcome there is Boris Johnson press conference. I totally understand the need for the restrictions announced last night - the ONS estimates infections are rising, we’re seeing a resurgence in Europe, we have the highest excess deaths in Europe & ministers were too slow.
2. But the way in which you restrictions were announced has caused confusion, upset and anxiety. In a pandemic we need clarity from ministers not muddle. At the Press Conferenve Johnson should explain:
3. MPs in areas impacted were invited onto a 8.30 zoom call last night at 8.04. I appreciate the briefing but surely there the govt can put in place a better procedure for announcing decisions like this.
4. Given infection rates serious questions now about whether future easings can go ahead. Boris Johnson should outline precisely the evidence base and safety implications for asking workers to return to offices from 1st August.
5. Those shielding are very concerned. What is the guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people in these areas? What is the evidence behind pausing shielding for these groups given the local peaks?
How are changes being communicated to those shielding?
How are changes being communicated to those shielding?
6. In impacted areas. Will there be increased testing of all NHS and care home staff and care home residents, to ensure that staff are not transmitting the virus to people who receive care in these areas?
7. And will Government publish the guidance behind the decision to not extend regular testing to care homes for under 65s and to domiciliary care staff?
8. An effective testing and tracing regime could have avoided these measures. When will we move to a mass testing regime with regular routine testing of symptomatic and asymptomatic people?
9. Tracing is not ‘world beating’ as promised. Boris Johnson promised all non-home tests would be done in 24 hours by 30 June. Yet in yesterday’s figures that promise has been broken a with a third of non-home tests still taking over 24 hours. Why?
10. In fact Test and Trace isn’t getting faster, it’s getting slower. What is government going to do about this considering the urgency of this situation?
11. We need proper support to help people isolate we know people are isolating. People have been asked to isolate are not followed up to check they are isolating. This is a huge hole in our defences. Why not give this data to local public health officials so they can follow up?
12. With people going on holidays we need to ensure we capture date accurately. If a visitor to an area tests positive while on hols, then its recorded as an incident in their home location, not where currently are. Will government change this to help assess true local spikes?
13. Finally we need to see the regulations that govern the restrictions in the North West, West Yorkshire and Leicester. When will they published? This is now urgent. People deserve clarity. Ends
