Talk of imposing a one hour exercise rule, or being able to exercise with one person from another household, is just theatre. It's not about suppressing transmission - it's about keeping the focus away from the fact that what we're seeing is the result of failed policy.
The hospitalisations and deaths we're seeing are from infections which predate the national lockdown.
It's a legacy from a time when the government insisted schools were safe to open, when households were mixing for Christmas, when the flawed Tier system was still in operation.
It's a legacy from a time when the government insisted schools were safe to open, when households were mixing for Christmas, when the flawed Tier system was still in operation.
We've also known since September that self-isolation rates are woefully low. According to SAGE than 20% of people in England self-isolate when told to do so. According to the Department of Health, the proportion might even be as low as 11%.
I was really lucky when I had coronavirus, because my employer's sick pay policy covers 100% of my wages. It meant I could afford to self-isolate.
But statutory sick pay - which doesn't even protect every worker: 2 million people aren't entitled to SSP - isn't enough to live on.
But statutory sick pay - which doesn't even protect every worker: 2 million people aren't entitled to SSP - isn't enough to live on.
According to one survey, two-fifths of workers say they'd fall into debt or arrears if their income dropped to £96 a week (the amount paid for SSP). This goes up to half of all disabled workers.
So people are caught in an impossible choice: work sick, or self-isolate poor.
So people are caught in an impossible choice: work sick, or self-isolate poor.
Your rent, bills and groceries don't get cheaper when you're sick. So why aren't people entitled to an amount they can actually live on?
The government's statutory sick pay policy actively disincentives people to self-isolate. Which is obviously, a boost to the virus.
The government's statutory sick pay policy actively disincentives people to self-isolate. Which is obviously, a boost to the virus.
So, there are things that the government could do to drive down transmission (and it's about facilitating, not forcing, people's ability to stay at home). But where we are is the result of weeks and months of government dithering - we're still in the phase of 'consequences'.
also, apologies for typos: that first tweet should read "no longer being allowed to exercise with one person from another household", but turns out the telepathic connection between brain and screen failed at just the wrong moment.
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