The elephant in the room throughout Cummings' testimony is precisely how Whitty, Vallance & others were advising the PM last March. On 12 Mar they abandoned test & trace *and* said shielding was not yet necessary.
We need urgently to hear from them now.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
We need urgently to hear from them now.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
On self-isolation of elderly and infirm, Whitty stated on camera on 12 Mar: "While we will need to move to that stage, we do not think this is the right moment along the pandemic to do so. But that point will come."
Incredibly, on 12 Mar the *only* advice aimed specifically at protecting those over 70 & with pre-existing health conditions was not to go on cruises.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-518578…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-518578…
And Whitty added this by way of explanation for not recommending the vulnerable start shielding on 12 Mar:
"It [shielding] has big practical implications and may lead to loneliness and other issues which are clearly very undesirable for them."
"It [shielding] has big practical implications and may lead to loneliness and other issues which are clearly very undesirable for them."
Now I am no government apologist - far from it - & @BorisJohnson's divergence from his scientific advisers from Sept onwards (delaying lockdowns) was grotesque.
*But* in Mar 2020, were the govt and those advising it not aligned?
And should we not, therefore, hear from them now?
*But* in Mar 2020, were the govt and those advising it not aligned?
And should we not, therefore, hear from them now?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
