At today’s Downing Street press conference, Boris said he was going to recommend to Cabinet tomorrow that we stick to ‘Plan B’, i.e. not impose any more Covid restrictions. True, he left his options open, as he always does, but given that the Omicron wave is peaking it seems unlikely he’ll change his mind.
He opened by urging “utmost caution”, saying anyone who thinks our battle with Covid is over is “profoundly wrong”. But we also know, he said, that Omicron is milder than previous variants and not translating to into the same intensive care demand as previous cases. (That’s borne out by the latest ICNARC data, released on Christmas Eve, which shows Covid patients in ICU remaining flat.)
He went on to say that thanks to the “substantial” levels of immunity in the population, there was a good chance we can “ride out this Omicron wave”. But the weeks ahead will be “challenging” and some essential services will be disrupted due to staff absences. He said that 100,000 key workers in England, “from food processing to transport to Border Force”, will have to test every day they are working from January 10th, which is supposed to help with staff absences, though may backfire if more people test positive.
In a welcome change from his last press conference, he clarified that when he said nine out of 10 Covid patients in intensive care were unvaccinated he meant 90% hadn’t had a booster, not that 90% were completely unvaccinated. (The BBC reported this wrongly.) He added that about 60% of Covid patients in ICUs are unvaccinated, which is the figure that appeared in the latest ICNARC report (61%).
Sir Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, said Covid hospitalisations in London were still going up, but neglected to mention that at least a third of infected patients only have COVID-19 incidentally, i.e. they were admitted for something else, and the reason numbers are increasing is because there’s a bottle-neck of patients who’ve been earmarked for discharge but who can’t be because of absences among care workers. (See the Telegraph report on this from yesterday.)
That would explain why the number of Covid in-patients in London is going up while admissions in the community are falling. The number for the past seven days has gone down, week-on-week (see below).
27-Dec: 321 28-Dec: 331 29-Dec: 361 30-Dec: 330 31-Dec: 246 01-Jan: 251 02-Jan: 262
The most ominous thing Boris did was to hint that Covid Passes will soon be withdrawn from those that haven’t had a booster. I imagine that this tightening of the Covid passport rules won’t require parliamentary approval so can be done without risking another rebellion. Bound to be controversial with the Parliamentary Conservative Party, though.
All in all, quite good news.
You can read the Telegraph‘s report about the press conference here.


Discussion
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The scumbag is only a month too late.
In my experience the totally unjabbed ie those who have not injected their bodies with any poison have stayed well away from NHS. Most have their ivermectin supplies, colloidal silver and other well known over the counter remedies. There is a real and very deep distrust of the NHS among older people due to their knowledge of the use of midazolam.
It seems to me that lies, lies and statistics have been shamefully used as propaganda against the unjabbed to scare them into doing something they are never going to do.
It will be very interesting what truth comes out in a few years when the media is sidelined for new more interesting and honest street journalism and when this crop of stained, Blairites finally leave the stage to make way for new ideas and newer parties.
I cannot bear to hear a word he says. He is so bl**dy patronising he makes me sick.
You haven’t mentioned Whitty’s claim that it’s ‘misinformation’ to suggest vaccines may have any adverse effects.
In his world, every single claim of an serious adverse effect – death, myocarditis, thrombocytopenia, Guillane Barre, anything at all- is a lie. Are you going to let him get away with this?
Have you thought about the implications for vaccine safety of having that safety monitored by someone who has already adopted a quasi religious faith in vaccines – such that he must necesssrily reject all worrying data as heretical?
What does this say about how safety signals will be dealt with? About the Yellow Card system? About the honesty of the NHS? How can we now place any faith at all in the ability of the regulator to investigate & analyse safety data properly? And in the absence of that faith who would trust the medical intervention bring forced on us with such demented zealotry?
Please can you supply a link to this comment?
Whitty has to be referred to the GMC for gross professional misconduct if he is suggesting that comments about the existence of adverse effects of “vaccination” constitutes misinformation.
The FDA had a conference call in October 2020 covering the anticipated adverse reactions of the drugs. The MHRA (or relevant) must (should) have done something similar. Has this been FOI’d?
https://www.fda.gov/media/143557/download
Incidentally, early attempts at developing genetic malaria vaccines in the late 1980s were failures. The drugs were quickly withdrawn from use. The reason – those taking the drugs experienced worse symptoms than the ‘unvaccinated’ – aka ADE. Sounds familiar? Whitty is a global malaria specialist, so he must know this.
You’ve probably seen it – if not YOU MUST
https://vladtepesblog.com/2022/01/03/full-dr-robert-malone-interview-with-joe-rogan/
The moronic variant is clearly just a cold. Why does any private sector worker bother to test themselves? I get why the lazy public sector workers (in general) do this. Perhaps they just wanted an extended Christmas and New Year holiday, perhaps they do indeed have the psychosis that Dr Malone mentions.
I must correct you there, it’s the moronic scariant.
Please read Dr PaulAlexander’s substack blogs each day and Coffee and Covid with Jeff Childers. Two great resources for up to date info. So many others. Turn off msm (radio, tv, newspapers, magazines) until some sense of integrity returns, in that line of work, if ever.
How can TY possibly conclude it’s “quite good news”? He should be thoroughly dissecting Johnson’s putrid outpourings, not taking crumbs of comfort. The fact that Plan B hasn’t been consigned to the dustbin of useless and illiberal policies should have TY quaking on his readership’s behalf. Everything the cabal want (digital ID via health pass) is being kept firmly in place.
“Those who believe the battle with Covid is over are profoundly wrong”. How many more absurd and utterly pointless measures do we need to implement then? The Governnent’s subliminal messaging appears to be “Muzzle up and keep the NHS inefficient”. The crisis is being strung out. I note that the narrative of fear still dominates politicians on the continent. Boris appears to lack the courage and/or conviction to fully break away from the European mindset. I suspect that in his heart he is a closet remainer.
“All in all, quite good news.”
Toby’s words. Reflecting on utter garbage and lies put out by one of the two most disgusting PM’s ever to inhabit No 10.
At the moment Bliar leads because his kill bag clearly exceeds Bozo’s. On current trends Bozo will be the overall winner by year end. Krankie will be runner-up, the rapists dad will be dragging his arse in last.
Still, in line with Bill and Charlie’s predictions the body count should be substantial and the meandering maiden that is the NHS should be suitably bereft.
All going to plan then.
“He opened by urging “utmost caution”, saying anyone who thinks our battle with Covid is over is “profoundly wrong”.”
Anyone fighting a battle against Covid has a 99%+ chance of winning with just their natural immune system you twat.
Why does the UK stand almost alone (in Europe anyway) in its reluctance to marginalise, vilify and criminalise the unvaccinated?
Is it cultural, strategic, or something else?
CG on that I have no idea. Truly baffled. Is the intention to work up the population even more? Increase stress levels? Push us to breaking point? A mealy ‘I’ll show you whose boss?’
My defiance increases by the day.
It probably is strategic in terms of timing but the notion of marginalising and vilifying was put in to the public sphere when the newly ennobled master of the dark political arts opined on Marr’s show that the unvaccinated needed to be “distinguished” from the vaccinated halfway through last year.
Maybe that should be “its perceived reluctance…”. Just give it time. The longer they delay, the more credibility they will be seen to have when they tell everyone that “It is with much regret….”
Good news? Good news?
Complete abolition of all covid measures now might, just might, be regarded as good news.
The arrest pending trial for crimes against humanity of Johnson, Hancock and the rest of the cartel is what I would call good news.
Can I suggest that the Daily Sceptic adopts a style guide and refers to public figures by their surname. Referring to the PM as Boris makes it sounds as though you are talking about a friend.
He is talking about a friend .
I can just about stomach Bozo but for ease and speed would prefer CC…
Chief Cnut.
Ah so this is good news Toby?
”The most ominous thing Boris did was to hint that Covid Passes will soon be withdrawn from those that haven’t had a booster”
So all he has to do then to follow Macron completely is widen the scope of the passports under any pretense at all.
Yeah, great news (sic)
What he needs to do now A.S.A.P. is scrap testing, which in itself is causing considerable economic, societal & NHS harm.
Imagine if it really was a highly contagious virus, this ludicrous testing regime would shut down the entire country without mandates & “rules”.
People would literally be starving to death, including the feckless schizophrenic middle classes. Take note, devi shrekdar et.al.
GB News: “I had Omicron at Christmas”. How does anyone know what they had, is every test checked for the variant and how would it be over the christmas period. Are they checking millions of swabs for the variants?
No one knows what they had as they funny tell you this info. They also don’t state the CT number of the PCR. Without the CT value it means nothing.
If one of the three PCR reactions doesn’t work they class it as an Omicron case.
No interviewer has ever asked how they knew it was omicrom, I agree no cycles either, when they state that they had omicrom, its ridiculous
Our healthcare system is about to experience a tsunami! Potential side effects of jabs include chronic inflammation, because the vaccine continuously stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies. Other concerns include the possible integration of plasmid DNA into the body’s host genome, resulting in mutations, problems with DNA replication, triggering of autoimmune responses, and activation of cancer-causing genes. Alternative COVID cures EXIST. Ivermectin is one of them. While Ivermectin is very effective curing COVID symptoms, it has also been shown to eliminate certain cancers. Do not get the poison jab. Get your Ivermectin today while you still can! https://ivmpharmacy.com
Here’s a good 90-second summary of the U.S. experts’ past pronouncements on vaccines ….
https://www.facebook.com/chris.buechler/videos/1015799722480254
How is this good news? That there are any restrictions is unacceptable.
Good news, is it?
Is it really ‘good news’ that the pig dictator is condemning 100,000 workers ( at least, for now) to being medically raped every working day?
I once admired you. Not now.
You can bin my account for all I care. I won’t be posting here again.
And let’s bear in mind the position of the “opposition” Labour Party on this:
“‘I think the answer to schools is that we should have vaccinated more children.‘
Labour Leader Keir Starmer says the answer to keeping schools open is more vaccinations, ventilation and mass testing.”
https://twitter.com/GMB/status/1478272575285477377
I know what that b*stard needs, and it ain’t a stiff talking to. A creep and then some. He makes my skin crawl..
Him and a few others….
I despise Sir Queer more than the Pig Dictator
About those ICU numbers. I note that the number of deaths in the unvaccinated is about equal to the number of ICU admissions, but around 2-3 times more vaccinated die than are admitted to ICU.
Maybe Boris could explain what’s going on.
Bloody hell!
Perhaps the ill vaccinated people are being looked after in the so called ‘virtual hospital wards at home’ and as such, aren’t admitted to a real ICU?
Bring me the bleached buffoon and stand well clear….
Drunken sot taking on bleached buffon?
Churchill had a special exemption from prohibition restrictions in the US – bottles of wine classified as a medical requirement.
Worrying if this data turns out to be true …
What if the largest experiment on human beings in history is a failure?
https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/what-if-the-largest-experiment-on
One would think this would be a major story. Somehow though I don’t think any mainstream journalists are going to write about this.
“…I imagine this tightening of the COVID passport rules won’t require parliamentary approval…. All in all, quite good news.”
I’m speechless.
I’ve a feeling old Toby secretly loves watching his Eaton chums run riot over the great unwashed, but every now and again it gets the better of him and his fat finger presses send..
Me too – I’m speechless about so MUCH of the entire piece, Whitty ‘neglecting to mention’ etc etc (memo to TY – it is called ‘lying’ where I come from).
And the fact that parliamentary approval won’t be needed to remove freedom to move for a large swathe of the population – and ALL this is considered to be ‘good news’??
Remind me again, Toby, but this site relies on donations no? How in the name of God do you think you are going to get anyone to make a donation to fund this site if this is the top article they read on this site. They will offski to TCW or LeftLockdownsceptics very smartly
Also ‘Plan B’ was the extreme one in about November.
The status quo was the more mainstream one.
We’ve been played again by SAGE, or is it SPI-B.
I’m in New Zealand and agree with the above that the main horror of Boris’s announcement, is the quiet introduction of passes and passports and how Plan B is suddenly the normal option and acceptable. You are being played with the distraction of numbers not correctly quoted etc, of ‘battles ahead’ ‘war is not over’ hyperbole.
Once the slightest introduction of any passport is in (as it is under Plan B) I can tell you with absolute surety (from NZ) that it is the beginning of the loss of the liberties we have taken for granted for such a long time. My 12 year old unvaccinated child can no longer enjoy a normal life here. No cafes, no restaurants, no swimming pools, no cinemas…..on it goes. My 12 YEAR OLD child!
Getting rid of medical passports is something you must fight to do from the very start, along with the emergency protocols where these things can come in unapproved.
How can you say “all in all, quite good news”.
I too am speechless.
“FFS Toby, please use your undoubted intellect to reconsider where we are – and how we came to be there – with this entire shitshow; the stumbling bumbling mumbling apology of an alleged Leader of the UK’s official Government, waffling throughout the entire Press briefing last night , including at least one question that he was barely able to stagger through with repeated “er, er, er” should have been an emetic experience for you if you conceive that the PM “has shown leadership”….FFFHS WAKE UP!!!!!!!!! – he does not have the capacity to be on top of his brief which is the minimum prerequisite!!!!
FFS x many.
I sometimes think you’re far too easily pleased Toby.
Exactly. If you think this is good news to any extent, Toby, it must be that the last 20 months has finally ground you down.
Good news would be the removal of all restrictions, the reinstatement of school education as normal and the abolition of passports to show whether you had partaken of an experimental medical injection.
WILLFULLY neglected tosay i imagine .The government smell an election for sure and this is them being nicer to the people they have been treating like pieces of shit for two years .Also the population of which there are quite a few ddont believe this crap anymore .Its the propaganda equivalent of the Russians wheeling out Breshnev decalring him a picture of health when he was probably already dead !!
I suppose you could look at this way. Fewer people have got boosted, many are seeing the reality of what having constant jabs means, and they ain’t having it now. These are the ones that are joining us. They have questions now. The newly called “unvaxxed” are increasing in numbers as they officially become as unvaccinated as the rest of us! The withdrawal of vax passports to all but those with the most up to date stabs, will suddenly ring alarm bells with many, as I’m seeing and hearing from people on our campaign days in town!
Its almost as if millions of people are stupid enough to think that having a booster pretty much intavenously on a drip(the next option surely) constantly is a good idea .Oh fuck there are millions of peple who think ………………………
Utterly depressing day. Mask compliance 99% (only myself and my family refusing – and now my daughter getting upset that she had to exempt herself and feel the “odd one out”)
return to school for year 9 involves a supervised test ahead of return. Our test is Friday PM. So daughter misses three more days of schooling – this is not picked up anywhere in the media, funny that.
omicron represents the best news (pandemic wise) of the past two years, yet tonight it’s like society is back to square one and determined to stay there.
As for their fucking Covid passes, how is that even legal ? Surely by now, after 2 years something would make the courts – Jesus Gina Millar got into court twice quickly to stop Brexit, it’s absolutely astonishing how when the powers that be what to expedite something then bang it’s done.
nothing is stopping this gravy train of doom is it ?
Whitty lies again. Vallance lies again and Johnson will eat himself in the end. I hate them all so much.
plus in case we forget, three out of 4 parties of the U.K. are under lockdown restrictions. Masks are everywhere again.… Read more »
I agree with you 100%…and another thing, before returning to work today after Xmas, the staff got an email saying we all had to do a LFT and upload the results online in 2 places – one on the govt website and once on the college’s own website. So, I had a look at the college website and there is a database with all the names of everyone – staff and student, who have ever tested positive, plain for all to see. How does this square with GDPR?
It doesn’t. You MUST report this to your college’s Information Officer as a formal incident/complaint. They must not be allowed to get away with that kind negligence in their compliance to this nonsense narrative. See also:
https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/make-a-complaint
“..we all had to do a LFT.”
The company cannot force you to do any medical procedure, if you do not give voluntary fully informed consent.
Here’s something that may be of interest.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-devices-given-exceptional-use-authorisations-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/list-of-medical-devices-given-exceptional-use-authorisations
Note the following: “Device/model name: COVID-19 Self-Test to detect infection in asymptomatic individuals (Repurposed Innova/Biotime Test Kit) to detect positive cases amongst asymptomatic people..”
Now take a look at the original inserted instructions that came with these devices:
https://minhalexander.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/instructions-for-use-innova-sars-cov-2-antigen-test-ifu.pdf
“..intended for the qualitative detection of nucleocapsid antigens from SARS-CoV-2 in human nasal swabs or throat swabs from individuals who are suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider. within the first five days of the onset of symptoms…. The SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Test is intended for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel specifically instructed and trained in the techniques of in vitro diagnostic procedures, and proper infection control procedures and individuals similarly trained in point of care settings.”
they have not even bothered to update the booklet.
Human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed and occurs primarily via respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes within a range of about 6 feet (1.8m). Viral RNA has also been found in stool specimens from infected patients. It is possible that the virus can be infectious even during the incubation period, but this has not been proven, and the WHO stated on 1 February 2020 that “transmission from asymptomatic cases is
likely not a major driver of transmission” at this time.
The median incubation time is estimated to be approximately 5 days with symptoms estimated to be present within 12 days of infection.3 The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to other viral respiratory diseases and include fever, cough, shortness of breath.
As far as I am aware, there isn’t one single documented cases of asymptomatic transmission anywhere in the world, yet the UK govt claims 1 in 3 (presumably modelled out of Ferguson’s posterior orifice)