Would that journalists and broadcasters paid as much attention to places with no restrictions doing fine as they do to the latest places experiencing a Covid surge.
All eyes are currently on India and especially Delhi where, after a year of little impact, the virus is making its nasty presence felt. But as Ivor Cummins points out, India for whatever reason has a long way to go to catch up with countries in Europe and the Americas when it comes to Covid deaths. The country is not a good comparison for the UK where the virus is endemic and substantial population immunity is now present.
If only our media would spend as much time telling the population about how Florida lifted its restrictions back in September, how South Dakota never had any, and how Texas and Mississippi reopened in full at the start of March, as they do telling us about how many people are in hospital in Delhi. The latest positive-test data for these open states is in the graph above, along with two other light-restriction states, South Carolina and Georgia. Note the conspicuous lack of surge despite being basically back to normal. What more evidence do our politicians and scientists need that the threat from the virus is overblown and does not warrant social restrictions or emergency measures? Is the Government interested in data which contradict their preferred narrative?
The Telegraph today is reporting that as of June 21st – another seven weeks away – Brits will be permitted once again to attend large events without anti-social and uneconomic distancing requirements and hug one another. Our ultra-cautious scientists are advising that these things might just be okay by then. Though in case you might have thought they would then end the seemingly endless state of emergency, they have said measures such as staggering entries to venues accommodating large groups and good ventilation will still be required. What part of normal don’t they understand?
Nor is there any indication of a move to return international travel to normal, as the country faces more limitations on travel this summer – when most of the country is vaccinated – than last summer – when nobody was. What this has to do with following the science is, as ever, unclear.
What’s strange is that even in America where parts of their own country are living free and showing that the measures aren’t needed, state governments, with popular support and backed by federal agencies, just carry on with their restrictions, lifting them only very slowly and with no obvious commitment to bringing them finally to an end. It’s as though people don’t want to know. Too much has been invested in the lockdown narrative, it seems, for people to be able to cope psychologically with the trauma of facing the truth that it is fundamentally false. Too many reputations are at risk. Too many interests coincide.
Are we doomed to live forever in this Covid state of emergency? I confess it is hard to see what will prompt governments to bring it to an end, now that we live in permanent fear of the appearance of variants and believe we must continually top up the whole world’s antibodies through rolling annual programmes of vaccinations. One of the most depressing thoughts is I find it almost impossible to imagine Boris Johnson facing the camera and announcing: “My friends, our ordeal is over. The data is clear. The virus is now one among many hazards with which we daily must live. Vaccines are available to the vulnerable, as are effective treatments, and we will continually strive to find the safest ways to protect those at risk from this and other illnesses. It is time to resume our old lives. I declare the state of emergency to be over.”
Will we ever reach a point where we no longer even think about whether some activity is “Covid secure”? Where we no longer see our fellow human beings as sources of infection? It would be good to hear much more often from the Government that this is where it believes we are headed, sooner rather than later.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
So it’s only taken six years to resolve this and get justice!
This culture means that you exclude the best minds. That is why it is banned in many countries. It leads to weakness and inevitable collapse simply because your best minds are excluded from your arsenal. Best bodies as well, anyone or anything superlative or even superior. Very short life expectancy for such a culture.
Well done, Mrs Higgs.
Fight. Fight. Fight.
Don’t have any illusions about them. They want you to shut up and comply until they have total control over every aspect of your life.
A small victory, but it matters.
The snidey sh**s who snitch on correct thinking people with who they disagree should be called out. Cowardice of Olympic proportions should be punished.
Anonymous complaint. Let their cowardly accusers face them. Keep fighting this rubbish.
Shame the judges did not also observe that off duty teachers are entitled to express their opinion. I would say the lady’s position might have been less secure if she had been part of top management and she had flagged off the school.
I note the public sector does get away with all that so long as they express woke left wing views and swear at anyone to the right of (say) Starmer.
Six damned years for justice and not for doing anything wrong, oh no Mrs Higgs simply upset some lily livered member of the wokerati. However, if Kneel had his way not only would this good lady have lost her job she would also be in clink.
What is required now is an inquiry into the people who were responsible for her sacking, names made public and the promise that they will receive some re-education shall we call it.
What an absolute disgrace. Britain 2025.
I suspect that it was fear of the mob that did it, fear of what might happen to them if they did not sack her.
“Pastoral Administrator and Work Experience Manager” … Huh?
Still, it was ridiculous to sack her, the people that did the sacking should face consequences, how about getting the sack.
And the fact that she is Christian should have nothing to do with it.
They should have to pay for her legal fees plus interest personally.