"[...] although we do now have actual experience of dealing with first waves (as opposed to just modelling), ‘the science’ is still highly uncertain, with conflicting evidence for the effectiveness of different strategies (mitigation vs. suppression) in different countries."
"it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions but, in brief, the evidence we have is generally from low quality observational data which have significant limitations – and so we don’t know for certain if the reduction in disease was due to the intervention or other factors."
"it is still too early to say which countries’ strategies are correct, and we won’t know until the end of the pandemic."
"The evidence for the effectiveness of local lockdowns is mixed, but they will still have associated harms – and will exacerbate inequalities and so similar comprehensive, cost-benefit analyses are needed – with the input of economists and educationalists as well."
"Finally, having served on the front-line, I am only too aware of the death and suffering that Covid-19 causes – but the harms of a second lockdown would be greater," writes @drraghibali
Essential reading.
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🇬🇧Yesterday was the 4th anniversary of the UK leaving the EU.
🌎Brexit has allowed us to unlock our international trade potential meaning that #Wycombe, #Bucks, #NI, and the rest of the UK have easier access to global trade.
👇Take CPTPP, for example, which I long advocated for the UK to join.
📊When the UK fully enters it later this year, our membership will deliver lower tariffs, easier connections, and better trade.
👏We will be the first European country to join #CPTPP.
“CPTPP can provide a better standard of living for people in the UK & across the original member countries. It can deliver free trade plus self-government in this great age of interventionism.”
"I was extremely disappointed to be informed last week about the threatened closure, once again, of High Wycombe’s Driving Test Centre."
"Having been through this before, just over a year ago, I remain determined for High Wycombe to maintain driving tests for the thousands of learner drivers in our town."
@profpauldolan@timesredbox 👎Under the threat of penalties, social media companies won’t risk allowing content that could come close to “legal but harmful” to remain on its platform.
💀Free speech and free discussion on the internet will die a slow and painful death.
@profpauldolan@timesredbox 📱It would become unlawful to make a social media post that is intended to cause harm to a likely audience: anyone who may come across the post on the internet.
👉Online abuse is abhorrent, but are we going to become a country that puts people in jail for two years for a tweet?
It has divided the two communities, destroyed political confidence, ended power sharing and caused trade diversion.
These are all not only good reasons for change but reasons which were foreseen.
Even its doctrinaire defenders say it will be changed, but don’t ever spell out how this will happen.
Moreover, the vague promises - from the people who cheered the disastrous, demonstrably unsustainable Protocol on - leave us entirely dependent on trusting the EU’s goodwill
🏠I wrote to @ChrisPincher on how we can use brownfield developments to deliver affordable homes with local community support.
🏷️Many in #Wycombe have a genuine concern their children will be priced out of their area.
🤝Heart of the problem is an adversarial planning system.
@ChrisPincher 🏗️Less than half of approved brownfield developments are completed within 6 years.
📉When developments are completed, the complexities of the current system mean that affordable housing contributions aren’t always met.
➡️We need to find a better way forward.
@ChrisPincher We must
👉Speed up the approval process which imposes a high burden on all parties.
👉Incentivise developers who have approval for developments but sit on brownfield sites for years.
👉Ensure new developments work for local communities by directing contributions directly to them.