• Login
  • Register
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result

Boris Confirms “Nothing” is Ruled Out in Responding to Indian Variant. How Worried Should We Be?

by Will Jones
13 May 2021 1:22 PM

Boris Johnson confirmed today that “nothing” is ruled out in responding to the Indian variant. Asked if local lockdowns are possible, the Prime Minister told reporters:

There are a range of things we could do, we want to make sure we grip it. Obviously there’s surge testing, there’s surge tracing. If we have to do other things, then of course the public would want us to rule nothing out. We have always been clear we would be led by the data. At the moment, I can see nothing that dissuades me from thinking we will be able to go ahead on Monday and indeed on June 21st, everywhere, but there may be things we have to do locally and we will not hesitate to do them if that is the advice we get.

Meanwhile, Professor James Naismith, from the University of Oxford, told BBC Radio 4 that local lockdowns will be ineffective at containing the variant and it should be viewed as a national problem.

I think we should view it as a countrywide problem. It will get everywhere. We keep learning this lesson, but we know that this will be the case. When we tried locally having different restrictions in different regions that didn’t really make any difference. So I don’t think thinking about a localised strategy for containment will really work.

An emergency meeting of Government scientific advisory group SAGE was convened this morning to address the rapid spread of the variant. One member reportedly warned that a delay to the June 21st lifting of restrictions is “possible”.

Is the Indian variant really something we should be afraid of? No doubt India is currently experiencing a surge in which the variant plays the dominant role. But that doesn’t mean the variant will pull the same trick everywhere – viruses aren’t as simple as that. There are all kinds of reasons one variant might come to dominate, and it isn’t necessarily accompanied by a surge in infections.

Italy is the European country currently most dominated by the Indian variant, having seen it quickly grow in the past few weeks (Indian variant in green).

Here’s what’s happened to the positive test rate in that time.

Clearly, the growth and dominance of the Indian variant does not necessarily lead to a new epidemic.

Meanwhile, in Spain (which has ended its state of emergency) the variant came and went very quickly.

In the UK, the variant is taking longer to grow, and appears to have stalled, though this could change (and it is reported to have grown in the past week).

This pattern has not led to a new surge, of course

India’s own epidemic has slowed and may be peaking.

There is also no evidence that the Indian variant is particularly good at evading vaccines (or causes serious illness when it does), as Oxford Professor Sunetra Gupta told Julia Hartley-Brewer on talkRADIO this morning.

SAGE has called an emergency meeting in response to the so-called Indian variant of Covid.

Epidemiologist Prof Sunetra Gupta: “This fear around variants mystifies me. Vaccines work against them. Whether infections go up is not relevant.”@JuliaHB1 | @SunetraGupta pic.twitter.com/ZzQ4e8TngY

— TalkTV (@TalkTV) May 13, 2021

Isn’t it past time the Government stopped scaring people with stories of variants and came through on its promise to restore basic freedoms now that the vulnerable are vaccinated? There will be no end to the coming of new variants of contagious diseases. That’s not a good reason to live in a permanent state of quarantine.

Tags: Boris JohnsonExit strategyIndian variantVaccinesVariants

Donate

We depend on your donations to keep this site going. Please give what you can.

Donate Today

Comment on this Article

You’ll need to set up an account to comment if you don’t already have one. We ask for a minimum donation of £5 if you'd like to make a comment or post in our Forums.

Sign Up
Previous Post

‘Externality Argument’ for Lockdown Isn’t as Strong As It Seems, Argue Economists

Next Post

27% Of Adults in the E.U. Unlikely to Accept a Covid Vaccine, According to a New Survey

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please log in to comment

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.

163 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
FerdIII
FerdIII
1 year ago

Built a fortune from the pharma and biotech industries….So this chump made millions poisoning and killing people. How noble, how intelligent, how diligent, how hardworking, how ‘American dreaming’….Why would anyone vote for another fascist-enabling corporate stooge? Wasn’t Drumpf the quackcine salesmen enough? Or that idiot Biden the military salesman with his endless wars?

Farage is clueless about many things including the Rona Fascism and the $cientism of our world which seeks the destruction of just about everything. Maybe instead of ejaculating praise he can analyse the world for what it is.

Last edited 1 year ago by FerdIII
52
-25
stewart
stewart
1 year ago
Reply to  FerdIII

I share your suspicion of anyone capable of emerging out of the whole rotten system.

However if this guy is a fascist enabling corporate stooge he’s brazenly lying to everyone because he openly calls for a greatly reduced state, eliminating corporate welfare, fiscal prudence. These are the opposite of a fascist agenda.

He could of course be lying through the teeth. How could we know either way other than by voting him in and seeing what he does?

15
-2
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  stewart

I tend to agree. My preference would be for DeSantis as he has a proven track record in Florida. Trump would be better than Biden but his execution was poor last time and he was unsound on covid.

24
-1
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  stewart

Voting solves nothing.. if it did they’d ban it..

18
-1
TheGreenAcres
TheGreenAcres
1 year ago
Reply to  FerdIII

Whilst certainly a yellow flag, not all pharma and biotech is evil.

16
-2
Grahamb
Grahamb
1 year ago

What an odd choice that would be. Not sure why DeSantis is not doing better in this process. Perhaps he is too much of a risk to this who like to influence what happens

Last edited 1 year ago by Grahamb
24
0
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  Grahamb

DeSantis is no risk.. he’s owned by Israel lock stock and barrel. Watch what they do, not what they say. Politicians are liars.. professional liars.

18
-19
Grahamb
Grahamb
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Personally, I have been watching DeSantis and he has been doing ok from my perspective. The media support, however he is “owned” has definitely changed so perhaps some of the other people “owners” do see him as a risk.

8
-2
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  Grahamb

They’re all owned Graham.. politicians are just puppets.. told what to do..

29
-3
Marcus Aurelius knew
Marcus Aurelius knew
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Indeed. Guilded slaves.

17
-2
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

If they’re all professional liars, how do you suggest we pick a leader then?
It’s OK to bad mouth everyone but please suggest an alternative!

Last edited 1 year ago by Dinger64
15
-2
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

Do you need a politician as a leader.. I certainly don’t. Never have, never will.. perfectly able to lead myself thanks.

As for bad mouthing.. you appear to have learnt nothing over the past three years about the political class, both in UK and abroad, but don’t fret.. you won’t have to worry soon.. your precious politicians are leading you towards the Great Reset, and New World Order, then you’ll be enslaved to a World Governing Technocracy.. should be fun.. 😉

14
-1
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

FWIW George I am in complete agreement.

7
0
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

Tah Hux.. on reflection I think I was a bit hard on Dinger.. I got spiked.. haha 😉

4
0
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Blimey.. all the 11s.. I must be popular.. I’m keeping that one.. 😉

Screenshot_2023-08-07 Will Vivek Ramaswamy Emerge as the Break Out Star of the Primaries – The Daily Sceptic.png
4
0
George L
George L
1 year ago

Not wanting to be negative Toby.. but American presidents are chosen.. yes.. Trump too.. he was no maverick.. a little research into his son-in-law Jared Kushner will put you on the right track. There will be no saviour from the wings.. especially one from an established political party like the GOP.

Politicians that get to power are bought and paid for, those that aren’t languish on the sidelines.

Just like UK.. voting for a politician is not going to get America or any other country out of the mess we are in. The only way that will happen is from the grass routes, the bottom up. The populace have to realise what has happened to them, what has happened to their countries, and whose been responsible. The ‘gilet jaune’s’ in France were an example of ordinary people rising, and look how brutally they were put down. The put down was brutal because TPTB knew that there is real danger to them when the common people are united.

Sadly.. Gramsci’s long march through the institutions has taken place over decades, and been largely successful. Groups like Common Purpose have infiltrated every institution. Our culture’s have fundamentally changed. Those leaving our universities are carrying a cultural Marxist banner. A slick wealthy politician of any persuasion is not going to change that in five minutes.

As the late great comedian George Carlin says.. we have owners.. we are owned. Watch the video.. The American Dream.. its an education..

https://youtu.be/acLW1vFO-2Q

Last edited 1 year ago by George L
49
-1
10navigator
10navigator
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Carlin’s monologue points out it could all be fixed with a truthful media.—-Fat chance!

12
-1
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  10navigator

Well at least with a truthful media people would know what the f*ck was going on and be able to make decisions based on that knowledge.

The media is the most powerful tool in powers control.. because it does the controlling for them..

17
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Our salvation is not going to arrive via the ballot box.

I need to ‘tm’ this phrase.😀

7
-1
stewart
stewart
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

The idea of the grassroots revolution is, I think, a myth.

I can’t think of any revolution that wasn’t led by a group of elites, generally a different one to those already in power.

The only grassroots revolution i recognise is mass non-compliance which doesn’t look very revolutionary as it generally entails not doing rather than doing something.

5
0
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  stewart

Yes.. Richard I’m afraid you’re right about revolutions and the leadership of them.

If you’d been with me during the rise of the Gilet Jaune’s though I’m sure you’d have thought one was taking place, especially if you were manning the many roundabout encampments or facing off against totally unwarranted tear gas volleys.

No.. what that was, was a groundswell demonstration against Macron and his cronies. People sick to death of being pushed around. It scared them rigid and that’s why it was brutally put down..

5
0
Marcus Aurelius knew
Marcus Aurelius knew
1 year ago

“… [Ramaswamy] built a fortune via the pharmaceutical and biotech industries…”

What could possibly go wrong?

34
-1
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  Marcus Aurelius knew

Working on a new covid jab maybe.. 😉

18
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
1 year ago

Its a bit disappointing to see him written off by my fellow posters because he is involved in pharma. I’ve seen very little of the guy to be able to tell you who’s pocket he is in, but on the principle that there is no ‘independent’ candidate, I will wait and see. Scepticism doesn’t mean you have to be negative about everything.

18
-7
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

My post didn’t mention pharma Neil.. he’s a politician.. if you expect a politician to solve problems, and make life better for the ordinary man on the street, I’m afraid you’ll have a very-very long wait.. oh.. and that includes DeSantis..

15
-4
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

I certainly don’t expect any politician to “solve” any problem. The best we can hope for is that there are some who create fewer problems by leaving law abiding citizens alone.

12
-1
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

Yeah.. I’d rather have cancer than the plague.. 😉

4
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
1 year ago
Reply to  George L

Sorry George, but I didn’t think I was replying to you. I have no expectations of politicians at all. They are all bought and paid for, but some are worse than others…

9
0
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

Believe it not I agree Neil.. thank God for Andrew Bridgen..

7
0
AethelredTheReadier
AethelredTheReadier
1 year ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

I understand where you’re coming from, Neil, but given our experiences over the past three years, is it any wonder that people aren’t getting overly excited by what seems an already moulded product of the system – Harvard, finance, pharma and biotech? We should all know by now that Presidents and their VPs are frontmen for the real power. Anyone getting into the prime position of US politics won’t be because of a popular uprising.

13
0
NeilParkin
NeilParkin
1 year ago
Reply to  AethelredTheReadier

Thats true, But the current Democrats are beyond appauling, I suspect as Labour would be if they win the next GE. I was very disappointed that Trump, for all his faults, didn’t win in 2020. I’d like to see him win in 24, with a running mate who can win the next two after that. I still think that a rejuvenated Republic party is the medicine the USA needs right now, and the western world with it..

8
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  NeilParkin

Trump did win in 2020 and accepting the lie that he did not simply reinforces that lie.

5
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago

Don’t dump desantis just yet!…watch this space

11
-3
Sepulchrave
Sepulchrave
1 year ago

I have read interviews and listened to Vivek Ramaswamy speaking and I think that he talks sense, if I had a vote he would get mine, and in my opinion he doesn’t need Trump.

4
-2
George L
George L
1 year ago
Reply to  Sepulchrave

He’s a politician, of course he talks sense.. it wins votes. What happens when they get into power though is nearly always the exact opposite, the many promises made seem to vanish as if by magic..

4
0
timdowl
timdowl
1 year ago

Might he fare better if he changed his name to Victor Ramsden?

Just asking…

1
0
True Spirit of America Party
True Spirit of America Party
1 year ago

He also wants to raise the voting age to 25, so he will alienate a pretty big chunk of the population. Probably that’s because he knows that such voter suppression is the only way his party could win without blatantly cheating nowadays. Even if it would require a constitutional amendment to do it. That said, 18-24 year olds are known for the subpar voter turnout. So it really is “use it or lose it”.

Last edited 1 year ago by True Spirit of America Party
1
0
evilhippo
evilhippo
1 year ago

I really have lost all faith in Farage’s judgement.

4
-1

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

DONATE

PODCAST

Episode 36 of the Sceptic: Karl Williams on Starmer’s Phoney Immigration Crackdown, Dan Hitchens on the Assisted Suicide Bill and Tom Jones on Reform’s Local Council Challenge

by Richard Eldred
16 May 2025
0

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Chinese ‘Kill Switches’ Found in US Solar Farms

15 May 2025
by Will Jones

News Round-Up

16 May 2025
by Richard Eldred

Spy Agency Report on the Alleged “Extremism” of AfD Turns Out to Be So Stupid That it Destroys all Momentum for Banning the Party

16 May 2025
by Eugyppius

The Folly of Solar – a Dot on the Horizon Versus a Blight on the Land

16 May 2025
by Ben Pile

Civil Servants Threaten to Strike Over Trans Ban in Women’s Lavatories

16 May 2025
by Will Jones

The Folly of Solar – a Dot on the Horizon Versus a Blight on the Land

29

Civil Servants Threaten to Strike Over Trans Ban in Women’s Lavatories

25

Spy Agency Report on the Alleged “Extremism” of AfD Turns Out to Be So Stupid That it Destroys all Momentum for Banning the Party

19

News Round-Up

18

Chinese ‘Kill Switches’ Found in US Solar Farms

27

Trump’s Lesson in Remedial Education

16 May 2025
by Dr James Allan

Spy Agency Report on the Alleged “Extremism” of AfD Turns Out to Be So Stupid That it Destroys all Momentum for Banning the Party

16 May 2025
by Eugyppius

The Folly of Solar – a Dot on the Horizon Versus a Blight on the Land

16 May 2025
by Ben Pile

Renaud Camus on the Destruction of Western Education

15 May 2025
by Dr Nicholas Tate

‘Why Can’t We Talk About This?’

15 May 2025
by Richard Eldred

POSTS BY DATE

May 2021
M T W T F S S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
« Apr   Jun »

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union
  • Home
  • About us
  • Donate
  • Privacy Policy

Facebook

  • X

Instagram

RSS

Subscribe to our newsletter

© Skeptics Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In

© Skeptics Ltd.

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment
Perfecty
Do you wish to receive notifications of new articles?
Notifications preferences