We can't promise festive cheer but we can give you the facts to make an informed choice on how best to keep your loved ones safe this Xmas. With @theAliceRoberts & @Kit_Yates_Maths crunching numbers. pscp.tv/w/cqtVCDFNV0V3…
We are live and @Kit_Yates_Maths is presenting the week's figures: 'This is the worst set of data I've presented so far, things are deteriorating quite rapidly and tiers are not keeping things under control'. Join us
'Even the toughest set of measures (Tier 3) is not enough to slow the virus down, which is extremely worrying' @Kit_Yates_Maths
@SusanMichie shares SAGE household advice for Christmas
Kevin Courtney @cyclingkev, general sec of NEU asks what Independent SAGE think about teachers being asked to implement mass testing
It's staggering that the government have asked teachers, who are supposed to be teaching, to do testing. It's not fair @Zubhaque
Why has the tiers system failed to suppress the virus? Is it the calibration of tiers or the fundamental tiers concept? @Peston of @itvnews asks the @IndependentSage panel
'This govt is a one-trick pony. All it knows is tiers and it hasn't addressed the Test & Trace system. It's put all its eggs in one basket & now those eggs are breaking and the country is suffering' @GabrielScally responds to @Peston question on why tiers aren't working
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Is it safe to see relatives at Christmas? What do the members of #IndependentSAGE think? And what are they personally choosing to do?
1/ First up, @Kit_Yates_Maths: "I have an 80 year old dad and a 70 year old step-mum, so we're taking the decision not to see them, even though it's legally allowed. For me, the risk is too great."
2/ @GabrielScally: "We'll see one of my daughters in the garden or outside somewhere... we've come through so much this year, it would be so wrong to risk anything at this point in time."
In case you missed our livestreamed briefing earlier, here's @Kit_Yates_Maths brilliant presentation of the latest figures. Warning: if you're in the mood for festive cheer, look away now. Thread 1/15
This is not a good situation, cases are high and they are rising rapidly
1/ Presentation of the week’s figures from @chrischirp. Some positive signs but a lot of regional variation. Coming out of restrictions will be hard
2/ Hospital admissions: sustained decreases in NI & Scotland, Wales plateauing. In England we saw a slowdown end of Oct/start of Nov, then a rapid increase and it’s now (just) starting to reduce again.
3/ High admissions have meant numbers of people in hospital are continuing to go up and we aren’t that far from April peak. Hopefully if admissions keep dropping, these numbers will start to come down soon which will be important for NHS
It's not too late but we must act now. Independent SAGE sets out plan to fix failing Test & Trace and answers your Qs on transmission in schools. With @theAliceRoberts. Latest figures from @chrischirppscp.tv/w/cmFzwDFNV0V3…
Welcome all, we are LIVE and @chrischirp is talking us through the week’s figures.