Indefinite Travel Restrictions Loom Over New Variant Fears
With the ever-present prospect of the emergence of new virus variants that can escape or weaken vaccine protection, it appears to be dawning on Government figures that a vaccine-dependent recovery will have to be one with closely guarded borders. This means that even when restrictions are lifted domestically, strict border controls are likely to remain, and it is not clear when it will be deemed safe to remove them. James Forsyth in the Spectator has his ear to the ground in Westminster.
The view is that testing and tighter procedures at the border will be needed to protect the UK from the danger of any vaccine-resistant strain. Priti Patel’s admission this week that the Government should have shut the borders last March is revealing of the current conversations inside Government on what to do, and the way in which they are going.
One thoughtful figure in Government tells me that “the advantage the vaccine has given us is so huge that we have to protect that”. The Government is particularly interested in how Australia has used tough border measures to keep Covid out; the country has had under a thousand deaths from the virus during the pandemic. There is a feeling that Australia is a “parallel democracy” and so the restrictions used there could be replicable here.
This Australian-style system – whereby entry is refused except to residents and those with an exemption, and quarantine must take place in a state-approved facility – would be devastating for business travel and tourism. But there is a growing sense in Westminster that this might be a price worth paying to protect the domestic economy from potential new strains of Covid until other countries have caught up with their vaccination programmes. Though even advocates of the strictest measures accept that hauliers would have to be exempt from quarantine and allowed in (if they had a negative test) to keep trade flowing. Others are sceptical, suggesting the Australian approach is possible only because of its geographical isolation.
Fraser Nelson takes a look at this issue in his Telegraph column this week, and urges a rethink.
Before the pandemic, Brits flew abroad more than any other people in the world, Americans included. Travel is about community, not just investment and trade. I have a divorced friend who now lives in Malmo, but travels back every other week to be with her son in London. What becomes of such families?
You can see the arguments for a Fortress Britain strategy. That, if we’re one of the first countries in the world to reopen, we should exploit that advantage – and not risk it all by letting a new variant fly in via Heathrow. But there are plenty of arguments against. Surely, if we’re vaccinated, we have less reason to fear the virus, so we can open up? Also, there have been some 20,000 mutations of Covid – none of which, so far, threaten to dodge the vaccine. Might we be overstating the risk?
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: The Prime Minister of New Zealand, standard-bearer of the Zero Covid crowd, has signalled her intention to live with Covid through rolling vaccine programmes “as we do seasonally, with the flu”. Stuff has more.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has used her first public remarks for the year to declare 2021 “the year of the vaccine” and stated the Government’s goal is getting Covid to the point where it will be managed like the common seasonal flu…
“Our goal has to be though, to get the management of COVID-19 to a similar place as we do seasonally, with the flu. It won’t be a disease that we will see simply disappear after one round of vaccine across our population,” Ardern said.
Are Infections Really Rising?
Many news outlets yesterday reported claims from the latest React study at Imperial College London that COVID-19 infections may be rising, despite the Government dashboard and ZOE Covid Symptom Study App showing new infections falling since the start of the year.
Ross Clark in the Spectator tries to get to the bottom of this discrepancy.
The React study… is based on testing a randomised sample of the population. Between January 6th and January 15th, it tested 142,909 people across the country, of which 1,962 were positive. That figure was then used to estimate that 1.58% of the population had the virus between those dates.
But React has a major weakness in that it is not a continuous survey; rather it is carried out in rounds, the last of which was between November 25th and December 3rd. It can tell us that prevalence grew between that period (when 0.91% of the population was estimated to be infected) but there is no data for the intervening period.
How, then, does it come to the conclusion that cases may have risen since the beginning of the third lockdown, which began on January 6th? Interestingly, the Office for National Statistics’ summary of the React study does not make this claim. It merely states there is “no strong evidence for either growth or decay in prevalence across the period January 6th and January 15th”. It is only when you go to the paper itself, published by Imperial, that it makes the assertion that infection levels “may have started to rise” at the end of the period – a claim it says it makes on the strength of analyses using “P-splines” – an analytical technique which seeks to smooth out lines generated from limited amounts of data.
A flimsy basis for such an alarming claim then. But it does make for an eye-catching headline…
Long Lockdown Starts Looking Even Longer
It was reported yesterday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not rule out continuing restrictions into the summer. MailOnline has the details, in a report snappily titled: “PM refuses to rule out lockdown lasting to SUMMER amid claims he is willing to keep curbs longer to make sure it’s the last national squeeze – despite UK cases slumping for 12th day in a row and rise in deaths easing.”
Boris Johnson today refused to rule out the brutal lockdown lasting until the summer amid claims he is willing to keep curbs longer to ensure it is the last national squeeze.
The PM insisted it is “too early to say” whether the restrictions will stay in place for months longer – despite cases falling by more than a fifth on last week and hopes rising that the most vulnerable groups will be vaccinated by mid-February, with a record 366,919 jabs administered in 24 hours.
Mr Johnson also delivered a stark message that the new coronavirus strain is “much more contagious”, repeating his plea for people to stay at home and obey the rules.
The intervention came as scientists delivered a grim warning that even mass vaccinations will not be enough to stop the disease spreading, suggesting that measures will need to remain longer.
There are claims from the PM’s circle that he is ready to risk the wrath of Tory MPs – who are clamouring for confirmation of an easing starting March 8th – by persisting with the curbs.
The UK recorded another 37,892 infections today, but that was down more than a fifth on last Thursday.
There were another 1,290 deaths but that was up just 3.4 per cent on the same day last week, suggesting that the rate might be slowing.
Boris cited the questionable React study data in justifying his caution.
On a visit to see flooding in Greater Manchester today, Mr Johnson was asked whether lockdown could stay until the summer.
“I think it’s too early to say when we’ll be able to lift some of the restrictions,” he said.
“We’ll look then (February 15th) at how we’re doing but I think what we’re seeing in the ONS data, in the React survey, we’re seeing the contagiousness of the new variant that we saw arrive just before Christmas – there’s no doubt it does spread very fast indeed. It’s not more deadly but it is much more contagious and the numbers are very great.”
He said it is “absolutely crucial” to obey the current restrictions “in what is unquestionably going to be a tough few weeks ahead”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We will continue to keep all of the scientific evidence and data under review. It remains our position that we want to ease restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so, but in order for us to do that we need to see the transmission rates of the virus come down and we need to see the pressure on the NHS reduce. It is our intention and our hope that this will be the last national lockdown.”
Worth reading in full.
What Happened to Plan A?
In these days when being known as a sceptic can lead to notoriety it can be hard to remember that the approach favoured by the sceptics is nothing other than the pandemic plan the Government had prepared on the basis of WHO advice. A Lockdown Sceptics reader has revisited this plan, which is still available here and was reaffirmed as recently as February 27th last year, and copied out some excerpts to show how far current policy differs from it.
The envisaged death toll from the hypothetical pandemic (assumed to be flu but allowing for the possibility that it might be something similar to SARS) is given as 210,000-315,000. This was assumed to occur in as little as 15 weeks with perhaps half the deaths, up to 158,000, in just three weeks. These death tolls are significantly higher than the current UK Covid death toll (95,000 according to the Government dashboard), even allowing for the inflated PCR-based metric and the fact that we are now adding on the usual excess winter deaths as well.
Our reader observes:
Seen from my rather soggy molehill in God’s own county (Essex) we tore up the plans and threw them out the window with very little new knowledge, and absolutely no publicly made justification, in March, on the back of one single model produced by a nutter with form from previous incidences.
Yet even Neil Ferguson’s model of doom was only projecting 510,000 deaths, not a far cry from the 315,000 envisaged in the plan, making the Government’s mid-March volte face even harder to fathom. The reality is, the incoming pandemic was textbook, but the textbook was discarded.
From the plan (emphasis added):
2.12 This means that it almost certainly will not be possible to contain or eradicate a new virus in its country of origin or on arrival in the UK. The expectation must be that the virus will inevitably spread and that any local measures taken to disrupt or reduce the spread are likely to have very limited or partial success at a national level and cannot be relied on as a way to ‘buy time’.
2.20 For deaths, the analysis of previous influenza pandemics suggests that we should plan for a situation in which up to 2.5% of those with symptoms would die as a result of influenza, assuming no effective treatment was available.
A pandemic is most likely to be caused by a new subtype of the Influenza A virus but the plans could be adapted and deployed for scenarios such as an outbreak of another infectious disease, e.g. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in health care settings, with an altogether different pattern of infectivity.
It will not be possible to stop the spread of, or to eradicate, the pandemic influenza virus, either in the country of origin or in the UK, as it will spread too rapidly and too widely.
Taking account of this, and the practicality of different levels of response, when planning for excess deaths, local planners should prepare to extend capacity on a precautionary but reasonably practicable basis, and aim to cope with a population mortality rate of up to 210,000 – 315,000 additional deaths, possibly over as little as a 15 week period and perhaps half of these over three weeks at the height of the outbreak.
4.11 To protect others and reduce the spread of infection, anyone ill with pandemic influenza should:
– Stay at home.
– Minimise close contacts.
– Adopt thorough respiratory and hand hygiene practices, i.e. covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, disposing immediately of that tissue after use, and washing hands frequently with soap and warm water, or alcohol gel if water is not readily available.4.15 Although there is a perception that the wearing of facemasks by the public in the community and household setting may be beneficial, there is in fact very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use in this setting. Facemasks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good respiratory, hand, and home hygiene behaviour in order for them to achieve the intended benefit. Research also shows that compliance with these recommended behaviours when wearing facemasks for prolonged periods reduces over time.
4.18 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will issue advice regarding travel to affected countries. There are no plans to attempt to close borders in the event of an influenza pandemic. The UK generally has a high level of international connectivity, and so is likely to be one of the earlier countries to receive infectious individuals. Modelling suggests that imposing a 90% restriction on all air travel to the UK at the point a pandemic emerges would only delay the peak of a pandemic wave by one to two weeks 10,11. Even a 99.9% travel restriction might delay a pandemic wave by only two months. During 2009 it became clear that the pandemic virus had already spread widely before international authorities were alerted, suggesting that in any case the point of pandemic emergence had been missed by several weeks. The economic, political and social consequences of border closures would also be very substantial, including risks to the secure supply of food, pharmaceuticals and other supplies.
Restrictions on public gatherings and public transport
4.21 There is very limited evidence that restrictions on mass gatherings will have any significant effect on influenza virus transmission. Large public gatherings or crowded events where people may be in close proximity are an important indicator of ‘normality’ and may help maintain public morale during a pandemic. The social and economic consequences of advising cancellation or postponement of large gatherings are likely to be considerable for event organisers, contributors and participants. There is also a lack of scientific evidence on the impact of internal travel restrictions on transmission and attempts to impose such restrictions would have wide-reaching implications for business and welfare.
4.22 For these reasons, the working presumption will be that Government will not impose any such restrictions. The emphasis will instead be on encouraging all those who have symptoms to follow the advice to stay at home and avoid spreading their illness. However, local organisers may decide to cancel or postpone events in a pandemic fearing economic loss through poor attendances, and the public themselves may decide not to mix in crowds, or use public transport if other options are available.
School closures
4.23 There is modelling data highlighting the potential benefit of school closures in certain circumstances, both in terms of protecting individual children from infection and in reducing overall transmission of the virus in the population. However, to be effective prolonged closures are required. This would involve schools over a wide area, but carries a risk that social mixing of children outside school would defeat the object of the closures.
Business as usual
7.4 During a pandemic, the Government will encourage those who are well to carry on with their normal daily lives for as long and as far as that is possible, whilst taking basic precautions to protect themselves from infection and lessen the risk of spreading influenza to others (see Chapter 4). The UK Government does not plan to close borders, stop mass gatherings or impose controls on public transport during any pandemic.
Was the November Lockdown Effective?
There follows a guest post by David Paton, Professor of Industrial Economics at Nottingham University Business School, who tweets as @CricketWyvern.
Recent data have confirmed beyond doubt that infections in most if not all regions of England were falling before the national lockdown was even announced on January 4th. Whether the falls can be attributed to the earlier imposition of strict Tier 4 restrictions is another matter though it is noteworthy that decreases in Yorkshire, which never went into Tier 4, started at a similar time to the South East which had been in Tier 4 from before Christmas.
Queries over whether the latest lockdown was necessary to reduce infections have resurrected debates about the effectiveness of the last national lockdown imposed on England on November 5th. For example, Christopher Snowdon of the IEA has argued recently that this is a clear example of effective lockdown. But does his claim stand up to scrutiny of the data?
Our best reference point is the ONS series of COVID-19 related deaths by date of occurrence. Based on information from death registrations, it gives us the best indicator of trends in infections.
Although there is some uncertainty over the average lag between infections and death, we should expect any effect of lockdown to be visible in the deaths series after about three weeks.
So if the November 5th lockdown had been effective, we might expect an effect on the deaths trend from around November 26th. Similarly, if the relaxation of lockdown measures on December 2nd led to an increase in infections, we might expect an effect on the deaths trend from about December 23rd.
Figure 1 shows the trend in deaths by date of occurrence in England over the relevant period using the centred seven-day average to smooth the series. The series ends on January 1st as delays in death registration may mean it is not complete after that point. The grey line indicates the likely point at which the lockdown will have an effect, the black line indicates when we might see an effect of its lifting.
Deaths increase during November but peak on the 21st, just 16 days after the lockdown, almost certainly too early for that to be causing the decrease. Just as striking is that, although deaths do decrease thereafter, they only do so until December 4th after which they increase again. Given the infection-death lag, not only is it hard to attribute the decrease in deaths to the lockdown, it is clear infections start to increase again right in the middle of the national lockdown.
What about the impact of releasing the lockdown on December 2nd? Even if deaths are already increasing (perhaps due to spread of the new variant), we might expect to see the rate of increase go up from about December 23rd. But no, relaxing the lockdown has little observable effect on the trend.
One problem is that the national data aggregates various different regional trends. Looking at the regional data also helps to isolate some testable lockdown predictions. Much of the North and Midlands were already under quite tight restrictions by November 5th. Those areas also largely returned to even tighter restrictions when the lockdown was lifted. As such, we should expect any impact of both the imposition and the lifting of the national lockdown to be stronger in London, the East, the South East and the South West. Note London and most of the South East went into Tier 3 and then Tier 4 later in December, too late to effect deaths up to January 1st.
Figures 2 and 3 show the deaths trend for the regions least and most affected by the lockdown respectively. Deaths in the North West, North East and Yorkshire were decreasing well before the national lockdown was likely to have exerted any effect whilst deaths in the Midlands were stable before and after the likely impact. Similarly, it is hard to identify any significant effect on the deaths trend from lifting the national lockdown in December.
More striking is the lack of any obvious impact in those regions where we would expect the national lockdown to have had most effect. Possibly the slow increase we had been seeing in South East and London stabilised a little after lockdown, but only for a very short period of time. The South East, East and London all increase again about 10 days after the lockdown should have been having an effect and there is no obvious effect on the trends from the December lifting of the lockdown. The South West seems remarkably unaffected either by the lockdown or its lifting.
The deaths trends are consistent with hospital admissions (figure 4) which should be affected some 10-12 days after lockdown or relaxation. In fact admissions decreased from 12 Nov, too early for lockdown to be the cause and had started increasing again by November 30th before the lockdown had even been lifted.
Looking at the national and the regional pictures, it is hard to identify any beneficial impact of the November lockdown. Given the different factors going on: regional restrictions, development of the new variant and so on, it is impossible to rule out some marginal beneficial effects on the rate or timing of increase. But it is hard to see much in the data to suggest England’s November lockdown was effective in preventing any deaths or hospitalisations at all.
Given the huge costs involved with lockdown restrictions, the lack of any obvious benefit from both the November and (from the early data) the January lockdowns, raises important questions about our current strategy.
SAGE Should Not Even Exist
Today we’re publishing a new piece by Lockdown Sceptics contributor Sean Walsh. Bringing his distinctive philosophical edge to the analysis, Sean asks whether SAGE, as an organ of state power, is even capable of giving Government sound, objective advice.
It is always the mavericks who add the most to objective knowledge. In 1905 Einstein published four papers, each of which was a Nobel contender, and he wrote them in his spare time. With all due respect, Chris Whitty is no Einstein.
Things are, though, even worse than that. The Establishment ‘scientists’ have corrupted the worldview of the politicians they are supposed merely to advise. And the political class has passed that corruption of thought onto the people whose interests they are supposed to serve, not to define. In his excellent piece for Lockdown Sceptics, Ben Hawkins discusses Wittgenstein’s thoughts about the nature of certainty, and how it seems that some beliefs are foundational, that they serve as enabling conditions of thought in general. As Ben points out, for the High Priests of SAGE and their Government disciples the belief in lockdown has become cognitively indispensable. It’s not so much that they have rejected any alternatives to the current strategy. It’s that without a belief in the rightness of their approach, they are unable to think about the C19 problem at all.
Worth reading in full.
The Moral Panic Against Lockdown Sceptics
There follows a guest post by Rob Tyson.
Remember when that paediatrician was driven from her home by a gang of vigilantes who also daubed “paedo” on her door, in the mistaken belief they were dealing with a paedophile?
Maybe you remember the late 80s panic over Pitbull terriers and their feckless owners?
Readers of a certain age may remember the reported conflicts between “mods and rockers” of the 1960s.
All were classic “moral panics” and as I write we appear to be in another one, but this time, the “folk devils” are you, lockdown sceptics.
Observing the hysterically shrill response to anything outside of a narrow orthodoxy on our eminently questionable COVID-19 response by “moral entrepeneurs” such as Neil O’Brien MP, I suddenly remembered Stanley Cohen’s 1972 book Folk Devils & Moral Panics.
I don’t have the book anymore but Wikipedia does a good precis. The hysteria directed at lockdown scepticism since the turn of 2021 feels like a textbook example of a moral panic:
A moral panic occurs when “…[a] condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests”.
Those who start the panic when they fear a threat to prevailing social or cultural values are known by researchers as ‘moral entrepreneurs’, while people who supposedly threaten social order have been described as “folk devils”.
According to Cohen, there are five key stages in the construction of a moral panic:
1. Someone, something or a group are defined as a threat to social norms or community interests
2. The threat is then depicted in a simple and recognizable symbol/form by the media
Yes, that’s you “covidiots”, “conspiracy theorists”, and “anti-vaxxers”. Not only that, but in recent days a “new variant” of derogatory labels has emerged: “denialists”.
An intriguing term, isn’t it? Being so flexible it is very useful to moral entrepreneurs, as Douglas Murray was quick to notice:
Cohen’s stages continue:
3. The portrayal of this symbol rouses public concern
4. There is a response from authorities and policy makers
5. The moral panic over the issue results in social changes within the community
Moral panics have several distinct features, say a couple of other researchers, Goode and Ben-Yehuda:
Concern – There must be the belief that the behaviour of the group or activity deemed deviant is likely to have a negative effect on society.
Hostility – Hostility toward the group in question increases, and they become “folk devils”. A clear division forms between “them” and “us”.
Consensus – Though concern does not have to be nationwide, there must be widespread acceptance that the group in question poses a very real threat to society. It is important at this stage that the “moral entrepreneurs” are vocal and the “folk devils” appear weak and disorganised.
Disproportionality – The action taken is disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the accused group.
Volatility – Moral panics are highly volatile and tend to disappear as quickly as they appeared because public interest wanes or news reports change to another narrative.
Concern – check.
Hostility – check.
Consensus – I would say we are seeing this hardening this week; certainly the moral entrepreneurs have been extremely vocal.
Then only today I saw this call for jail, not just for “Covid rule breakers” themselves, but for a “list” of “celebrities using their platform to encourage rule breaking”:
I’d consider that Disproportionality.
Let’s hope Volatility keeps up its side of the bargain too, and this moral panic doesn’t last too long.
A Dentist Writes…
Lockdown Sceptics reader and retired dentist Dr Mark Shaw has come up with a good analogy of the poor approach to risk in this pandemic.
I am very concerned about the way the risks associated with COVID-19 are being presented to the public.
Professional healthcare workers are generally held in high regard and the public trust them to look after their needs. It’s a privilege that the healthcare worker must never take for granted – and that trust must never be abused. If a professional health worker advises a patient to have a radiograph taken for diagnostic purposes, it is quite reasonable
for the patient to know whether it is absolutely necessary to have it and what the risks of having that exposure to radiation are (no matter how small). I would have to explain the pros and cons and put the risk in context.If the patient was having a total radiation exposure equivalent to a single chest x-ray, a good practitioner would explain some basics of natural background radiation exposure. Then the clinician could put things into context and describe this as being equivalent to roughly three days of additional background radiation.
If the practitioner was taking the patient’s trust for granted and intended to abuse that trust and try to alter the patient’s reasonable decision to opt for the x-ray, he or she could scare the patient by taking things out of context. Every time the patient came in to the clinic the clinician could say that diagnostic radiology causes 700 cancer cases a year – which might not be a lie.
Of course, if it is found that the health care professional is doing this and systems are in place that deal with patient safety and allow for whistle-blowing, then this practitioner can be reported and disciplined. If it persists the practitioner could rightly be struck off.
How can the Government, the medical establishment and media organisations that publicise the Covid death figures and Covid risks be allowed to do so in the way that they are doing? It is an absolute scandal.
The public are being misled by taking overall risks out of context. The classification of a Covid death as being a death within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, the publication of these deaths on a daily basis, and the citing of positive tests as “cases” are only a few examples.
In a fair society all risks need to be kept in perspective and when that doesn’t happen those responsible need to be held accountable. In the medical and dental profession disciplinary action is taken in these situations to protect the public and so that lessons can be learned. It may be a little too late to halt the damaging (possibly catastrophic) effects of the publication of information that seems designed to scare the public into conforming to a particular agenda. I do not think it is too late for those responsible – the Government, some of the media and some healthcare professionals and their representatives to be held accountable and learn lessons.
How Well Has the BBC Covered this Crisis? Readers’ Views Requested
The Beeb is asking for the views of its audience, so do be sure to let them know.
We are really interested in understanding your views on the BBC and some of the other services you use. Here is a short survey that should take no longer than five minutes to complete and your answers will be completely confidential.
We will be looking at the results of the survey, alongside looking at how you and others use the BBC’s services when you are signed in to your account. For example, we might look at whether people who use the BBC a lot have a different view to those who don’t use it very often. This is to help us better understand how people feel about the BBC. The survey results and how you use the BBC will remain totally anonymous.
Find the survey here.
Round-up
- “Ministers consider £500 payment for positive Covid test” – The Telegraph reports that ministers are considering paying £500 to everyone who tests positive for Covid (costing £2 billion a month) amid concern that only one in six people with symptoms are getting tested because many can’t afford to self-isolate
- “Scientists challenge ‘flawed’ lateral flow tests report” – The PCR vs LFT battle heats up, with Prof Calum Semple, Prof Sir John Bell and PHE’s Dr Susan Hopkins among others coming out in defence of the beleaguered LFT, reports the BBC
- “Lockdown flouters will get £800 fine just for going to a party” – Enforcement ramps up, reports the Mail
- “Swiss propaganda on mortality” – The Swiss Doctor exposes the underhand efforts of Swiss national newspaper NZZ to discredit the factually accurate statement of chief physician Dr Vernazza that mortality among Swiss seniors in 2020 was roughly at the level of 2009-2015
- “Scruton, lockdown and the metaphysics of the face” – Sean Walsh in the Article brings the great thinker’s ideas to bear on present concerns
- “What makes us think they’ll release lockdown after vaccines?” – Entertaining and outrageous as ever, Rod Liddle in the Spectator has a serious point to make
- “The Madness of Crowds” – The latest episode of the Real Normal Podcast is out, taking a look at NHS failings, heroes and villains of Covid and looking ahead to the vaccine rollout and what potential there is for a free society
- “Covid debate won’t improve until ‘lockdowns’ themselves are questioned” – Michael Psaras in Bournbrook writes on the baffling lack of interest within Government and the media to question lockdown orthodoxy, “even though the policy of ‘lockdown’ is completely new and, surely by this very reason alone, is worth being sceptical about”
- “Lords Spooked by Parliament’s Halloween Unlock Timetable” – Guido notes the ominous news that Parliament’s events team have decided not to resume hosting events until October
- “Italy – China’s virus gateway to the West” – Edward Gifford in Conservative Woman wonders whether there’s a link between Italy’s eagerness to sign up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the country’s role in pioneering Chinese-style policies like lockdown
- “The showtrial of the sceptics” – Peter Hitchens joins Brendan O’Neill on the latest spiked podcast
- “US president Joe Biden signs 10 executive orders to curb spread of coronavirus” – New boss, new direction, though the president’s direct power to address public health issues in the US is limited
- “The COVID-19 suicides” – David Bullard writes in Politicsweb on the recent tragic deaths of three of his friends and acquaintances
- “Take Junction 3 off the road to Hell? That’s the choice ahead on lockdowns” – Jon Dobinson of Recovery writes in Think Scotland that for all the talk of vaccines, lockdown is “a cycle which will never end until we learn to live with this unpleasant virus”
- Ross Clark has hit back against Neil O’Brien for lashing out at lockdown sceptics
Theme Tunes Suggested by Readers
Ten today: “Anxious” by The Housemartins, “Living in a box” by Living in a box, “Please release me” by Engelbert Humperdinck, “19th Nervous breakdown” by Rolling Stones, “Going nowhere” by Neil Sedaka, “Confusion” by The Electric Light Orchestra, “Perilous Times” by Mystic Eyes, “Fool If You Think It’s Over” by Elkie Brooks, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House and “When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees.
Love in the Time of Covid
We have created some Lockdown Sceptics Forums, including a dating forum called “Love in a Covid Climate” that has attracted a bit of attention. We have a team of moderators in place to remove spam and deal with the trolls, but sometimes it takes a little while so please bear with us. You have to register to use the Forums as well as post comments below the line, but that should just be a one-time thing. Any problems, email the Lockdown Sceptics webmaster Ian Rons here.
Sharing Stories
Some of you have asked how to link to particular stories on Lockdown Sceptics so you can share it. To do that, click on the headline of a particular story and a link symbol will appear on the right-hand side of the headline. Click on the link and the URL of your page will switch to the URL of that particular story. You can then copy that URL and either email it to your friends or post it on social media. Please do share the stories.
Social Media Accounts
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Woke Gobbledegook
We’ve decided to create a permanent slot down here for woke gobbledegook. Today, it’s the worrying news that Boris Johnson has declared “there’s nothing wrong with being woke”. The Spectator has the details.
Labour’s shadow Foreign Secretary, Lisa Nandy, opened a Pandora’s box yesterday in an interview with the Guardian, in which she praised the new US President Joe Biden for being a “woke guy” and, according to the paper, appeared to suggest that those defending the Parliament Square statue of Churchill were comparable to white supremacists marching in America. Mr S imagines that isn’t quite the strategy the party had in mind to win back Red Wall towns lost in 2019.
Nonetheless, it appeared to be Boris Johnson who was struggling most with the idea of a ‘woke’ US President yesterday. In an interview with Sky News, the PM was asked if he thought Joe Biden was woke as well. At first, a visibly flustered Boris Johnson, clearly worried about poisoning US relations, sought to evade the question. But the PM then added the surprising admission that ‘there’s nothing wrong with being “woke”’.
It must clearly have been a different Prime Minister who was reportedly considering starting a “war on woke” last year…
Katy Balls added further analysis here.
Stop Press: Will Knowland, who was sacked from Eton for posting online a lecture questioning feminist orthodoxy, has told Freddie Sayers from UnHerd that he stands by his “patriarchy lecture”.
“Mask Exempt” Lanyards
We’ve created a one-stop shop down here for people who want to obtain a “Mask Exempt” lanyard/card – because wearing a mask causes them “severe distress”, for instance. You can print out and laminate a fairly standard one for free here and the Government has instructions on how to download an official “Mask Exempt” notice to put on your phone here. And if you feel obliged to wear a mask but want to signal your disapproval of having to do so, you can get a “sexy world” mask with the Swedish flag on it here.
Don’t forget to sign the petition on the UK Government’s petitions website calling for an end to mandatory face masks in shops here.
A reader has started a website that contains some useful guidance about how you can claim legal exemption. Another reader has created an Android app which displays “I am exempt from wearing a face mask” on your phone. Only 99p.
If you’re a shop owner and you want to let your customers know you will not be insisting on face masks or asking them what their reasons for exemption are, you can download a friendly sign to stick in your window here.
And here’s an excellent piece about the ineffectiveness of masks by a Roger W. Koops, who has a doctorate in organic chemistry. See also the Swiss Doctor’s thorough review of the scientific evidence here and Prof Carl Heneghan and Dr Tom Jefferson’s Spectator article about the Danish mask study here.
The Great Barrington Declaration
The Great Barrington Declaration, a petition started by Professor Martin Kulldorff, Professor Sunetra Gupta and Professor Jay Bhattacharya calling for a strategy of “Focused Protection” (protect the elderly and the vulnerable and let everyone else get on with life), was launched in October and the lockdown zealots have been doing their best to discredit it ever since. If you googled it a week after launch, the top hits were three smear pieces from the Guardian, including: “Herd immunity letter signed by fake experts including ‘Dr Johnny Bananas’.” (Freddie Sayers at UnHerd warned us about this the day before it appeared.) On the bright side, Google UK has stopped shadow banning it, so the actual Declaration now tops the search results – and Toby’s Spectator piece about the attempt to suppress it is among the top hits – although discussion of it has been censored by Reddit. The reason the zealots hate it, of course, is that it gives the lie to their claim that “the science” only supports their strategy. These three scientists are every bit as eminent – more eminent – than the pro-lockdown fanatics so expect no let up in the attacks. (Wikipedia has also done a smear job.)
You can find it here. Please sign it. Now over three quarters of a million signatures.
Update: The authors of the GBD have expanded the FAQs to deal with some of the arguments and smears that have been made against their proposal. Worth reading in full.
Update 2: Many of the signatories of the Great Barrington Declaration are involved with new UK anti-lockdown campaign Recovery. Find out more and join here.
Update 3: You can watch Sunetra Gupta set out the case for “Focused Protection” here and Jay Bhattacharya make it here.
Update 4: The three GBD authors plus Prof Carl Heneghan of CEBM have launched a new website collateralglobal.org, “a global repository for research into the collateral effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures”. Follow Collateral Global on Twitter here. Sign up to the newsletter here.
Judicial Reviews Against the Government
There are now so many legal cases being brought against the Government and its ministers we thought we’d include them all in one place down here.
The Simon Dolan case has now reached the end of the road. The current lead case is the Robin Tilbrook case which challenges whether the Lockdown Regulations are constitutional. You can read about that and contribute here.
Then there’s John’s Campaign which is focused specifically on care homes. Find out more about that here.
There’s the GoodLawProject and Runnymede Trust’s Judicial Review of the Government’s award of lucrative PPE contracts to various private companies. You can find out more about that here and contribute to the crowdfunder here.
And last but not least there was the Free Speech Union‘s challenge to Ofcom over its ‘coronavirus guidance’. A High Court judge refused permission for the FSU’s judicial review on December 9th and the FSU has decided not to appeal the decision because Ofcom has conceded most of the points it was making. Check here for details.
Samaritans
If you are struggling to cope, please call Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected] or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year, providing a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, whatever life has done to them.
Shameless Begging Bit
Thanks as always to those of you who made a donation in the past 24 hours to pay for the upkeep of this site. Doing these daily updates is hard work (although we have help from lots of people, mainly in the form of readers sending us stories and links). If you feel like donating, please click here. And if you want to flag up any stories or links we should include in future updates, email us here. (Don’t assume we’ll pick them up in the comments.)
And Finally…
Watch Toby being interviewed by Rowan Dean, co-presenter of Outsiders on Sky Australia, about the Government’s mismanagement of the coronavirus crisis.
Discussion
Comments
This week across the site:
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“ we tore up the plans and threw them out the window …on the back of one single model produced by a nutter with form from previous incidences.”
Made my day.
I only just noticed just how prescient the parents of the O’Brien fellow were….
They called their son NOB.
Has any one seen the James ( what a traitorous BASTARD ) Corden headed celeb video , rejoicing in Trumps last day ! FFS ! Whatever people think of The Donald ,- – How can anyone imagine life will be better under the geriatric puppet & his wonderful woman of colour colleague 😤😭
The fun’s only just begun for the MSM and celebs, because without Trump they won’t have anyone to blame. They’ll likely go quiet, like some satirists did after Blair got into power, because they won’t want to make fun of Biden or criticise him in any way.
Very good of you, that was a lot of work! (I was a translator from 20 to 16 B.C.)
https://mobile.twitter.com/grumpybill147/status/1311048798811172865
El Presidente on the ropes in this short clip from September 2020….wee boot.
Look at her face; she’s raging.
One correction, though; that interview was November 2019 – before the 2019 General Election.
Aye, I actually noticed that it was from 2019 after I posted that 😳
however, here is more of it….on the NHS…this is even better.
https://youtu.be/7YYXjr0P6AM
Yeah, it’s a superb interview; he ripped her and her ‘Government’ apart.
The tragedy is, when the next election comes along and she’s reminded of all those failures again, she’ll just blame it all on Covid – and she’ll get away with it.
Unless the Salmond scandal brings her down, of course. If any of what some people are suggesting is true, she could be up on a charge of Perverting the course of Justice.
I’d pay good money to give that bitch a good slapping.
Meanwhile in Wales:
Guess they won’t be ‘digging deep for victory’
Yup, food is non-essential. What a farce! I’m thinking about buying seeds now for the spring. I’ve never grown anything but my paranoia is spurring me to try and grow some of my own food.
Oh, you definitely should, Lisa. It can be challenging, but very therapeutic. My garden helped to get me through last year’s lockdown. As this summer looks unlikely to change on that front, I daresay I’ll be spending a lot of time getting down and dirty in the soil again.
I’m going to give it a try. I have no green thumb but I can learn I suppose!
Give foraging a try too. Lots of books and Youtube videos on it. There’s tons of food for free in the lanes, hedgerows etc and most people, even country folk, haven’t the faintest idea it’s edible.
Yes so will I. I bought lots of seeds last year for this year. As struggled last year to get the things I needed. I don’t buy any F1 hybrid seeds, always old fashioned types that you can collect seed from. I recommend growing squash if you have the space as they keep so long. I long to be self sufficient and to never venture out into zombie world, but I haven’t got enough space and my partner doesn’t share my dreams.
I do NOT like coincidences; this one is waaaaaay to coincidental for me.
Gibraltar: January 13th – total cumulative deaths was 20. January 21st – total cumulative deaths was 59. Increase of 195%.
Watch the numbers go up since January 14th. Guess what started on January 14th.
1st chart is deaths, 2nd chart is vaccinations.
Vaccinations.
Source: https://twitter.com/GibraltarGov
Of the the thirty-nine people who died in that week, do you know how many had been vaccinated?
On the topic of the non-vaccine, experimental gene therapies, the manufacturers don’t think it’s “fair” not to offer the placebo group the therapy now that it has been authorized for emergency use. What that means is that they are purposely fucking up the long-term safety aspect of the trial. A “normal” trial would last for years and both groups would be followed and compared over time on a variety of metrics. By unblinding the trial participants there won’t be any such safety data available. So folks, those of us who won’t take the therapy under any circumstances will become the de facto placebo group but nobody will compare us to the therapy group. Adverse effects will be obscured and scientists will have a very hard time linking increases in autoimmune disease, cancer, allergies, etc. to the experimental therapy. Brilliant move on the part of big pharma.
Evil genius.
That’s why cancer research is not going anywhere. Because when researching new drugs they dont think it’s ethical not to still use their dangerous chemo drugs and radiation.
Might get a few posters knocked up to stick around town:
This is from September but I hadn’t seen it before and Gabriela Gomes is brilliant: https://youtu.be/egN8oXFBTWk
2 hour interview covering herd immunity (specifically modelling heterogeneity) and various other covid related things.
Considering thing are odd about everything at present I have a few questions I don’t know if they are answerable.
The two part vaccine has been stalled for supposed reasons of supply. It has been said most trial stage side effects happened after the second dose. Is it possible the pause was planned in the design phase but not communicated to the public?
I wonder if there is more to the pause than supply. Could a longer time between doses provide less risk of side effects? Or perhaps it is better to get millions on one dose before risking the second does side effects.
Have two dose vaccines been routinely paused in the past?
Am I wrong to wonder if something fishy is going on that perhaps has more planning than the slap dash change of two doses at 21 days apart to 1 dose and a 3 month gap as presented to us.
It reeks of desperation to me. The situation is worse than it might have been and they only armed themselves with one tool for the job, lockdowns/restrictions.
Desperate times called for desperate measures so they chose to give as many people as possible the first dose in the hope that it would reverse the trend in the figures.
I’m not saying it was necessarily wrong, just a desperate move.
Thanks. All thoughts interesting to me on this.
That would be to assume that the figures are true.
And I can’t believe that.
I think they’ve found yet another way to drag their feet.
Oh I think it stinks to high heaven. There are several possible agendas.
Here are my observations:
Not administering according to directions completely exonerates the manufacturers – who already had indemnity. Why would HMG make themselves such easy targets for litigation?
Why are they so desperate to shove an untested vax into everyone, including those who clearly don’t need it?
Given that the phase three trials are currently underway via the over 80s and some frontliners, is this just about a simple cull?
By the time everyone has had whatever they’re determined to get into us via the first dose, the side effects of the second may be irrelevant.
I’m not aware of a previous two-stage vaccine. But I could be wrong and besides, none of these are actually vaccines.
I doubt very much that it’s a question of supply. It’s certainly an easy excuse to prolong the mockdown until it’s achieved its purpose of destroying the economy ready for the reset.
Comforting to know others have many questions too!
If part of the design phase records may reflect that. The surprise switch in roll out can then be shown to not be spontaneous. Too many ifs in my thinking I grant you. I am curious.
I think it stinks as well. There are vaccines that are multi-dose, such as Hep B. My recollection that if you don’t time the next 2 doses after the first correctly you must start again. Having said that, the Pfizer and Moderna treatments are gene therapies and completely new technology — not vaccines. Therefore, governments are flying by the seat of their pants. The manufacturers can’t tell them what will happen, or not happen, by spacing the jabs apart by longer than initial trials suggested.
Clearly there are supply problems, but I think governments are so desperate they are trying to fudge the number of “vaccinated” to make them look good. I also think there may be more nefarious motives at work. Indeed, the second dose of the Moderna treatment in particular was responsible for the bulk of adverse reactions. So, this may also be a reason to delay the second dose.
My gut feeling is that everything is done in a way so as to drag out and delay every step of the way.
They are playing for time until whatever agenda they have is implemented.
Bonus: Nice way to add a bit of gaslighting to the whole affair too. You need the vaccine to have protection, but you have now got to wait for that critical second dose.
Oh no, here comes a +30% more fatal threat, yikes…..!
Fear, Fear, Fear – are you all weak and pliable yet?
Just my feeling nowadays.
I’m so untrusting now that I’ve even considered the possibility that the vaccines deliberately chose new tech in order to be deliberately ineffective. i.e. placebo only.
Hence requiring little testing and useless regardless of age cohort, allowing for a long protracted roll out with little progress in solving the constructed viral “problem”.
Cynical or what?!
I share your cynicism.
But if they’re relying on a placebo effect, why are they now shrilling that the vaccine won’t solve anything? Undermining their own deception?
Are they that stupid?
Er….
I tend to agree on the deliberate delays too. Look at Johnson’s latest proclaimation – an announcement that he might later announce the possible consideration of maybe looking at easing lockdown restrictions, if the numbers are down, and gradually reducing lockdown over a steady period of time, well into the summer. They can keep that one going until about September at least, by which time there will be dire warnings of the Fourth Wave and so all plans to ease lockdown have to be cancelled, sorry folks.
Potato Joe already flip-flopping into, “c’mon man, nothing I can do!” stance on WuFlu:
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/promises-made-promises-broken-biden-now-says-nothing-we-can-do-change-pandemic-trajectory
I hate this timeline.
As I said yesterday, Trump has (indirectly) exposed the way the world works. It’s now all about who controls the narrative with media complicit in the con.
Yesterday Sky News mentioned that Biden is limited in what he can actually do in individual states. Yet all the time Trump was in office it was all about him doing nothing. Never any mention that the powers of any President are mostly limited to Federal matters.
Hence why Biden’s mask mandate only applies to Federal land. The best he can do after that is go on TV and say it’s patriotic to wear a mask.
The world we know is built on lies and the people who control the information are telling us those lies are the truth.
I was thinking of teaching my son and grandkids this so, after reading the posts about people being cooped up with kids, I thought I’d share it here.
It’s a South Yorkshire game called Nipsy. My father taught us the Barnsley version.
You need a piece of broomhandle about 3″ long, whittled to a (very) vaguely cone shape at one end. That’s the nipsy. The other piece of broom handle, about cricket bat length. You also need a brick or a flat-topped stone and a field, bit of park, or piece of rough ground. (A lawn would do if you’re posh with a big garden.)
Place the nipsy on the brick and whack downwards on the shaped end with the stick. The nipsy should rise, spinning into the air, whereupon you whack it with the stick.
The rest of the players are pointers and the one nearest stands and marks where it lands.
The whacker then offers the opponents a number of strides to reach the nipsy from the brick. The opponents have to take up this challenge and they pick their best ‘strider’ who attempts to get to the nipsy in the set number of paces or less… Read more »
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/295134
Interesting. Seems a bit of a power battle based on access to data and approval role for the Committee. So it comes down to whether its classified as a ‘clinical trial’ or not.
Might be political more than anything
Many in Israel – despite the horrendous record of the state itself and the conflicts – remember their roots and principles.
We must be the only country that blabs about new variants. Every other leading nation would keep it under their hat and certainly wouldn’t make one up. We’ve got every strain going – multicultural Britain.
Multicultural mutants. Interracial microbes. All the world’s a petridish.
That is tremendous, may I suggest a fourth prize: to be personally swabbed in a highly invasive manner in every orifice by the UK’s Chief Medical Officer, Christopher Whitty, in his very own lock-up garage? It’s all about staying safe guys, amirite?!!
Lies
https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1352745732034453510?s=20
IDK..technically it might not be far off – Sir Patrick Vallance said recently plain as day the vaccine does not make you safe & realistically will prob have little effect on lockdown measures – loosely translated it appears as though he was saying it doesn’t do that much. What’s half of: doesn’t do that much?! 🙂
The variants are a gift for them. Black box data from the high priests used to deflect from anything they had promised failing to deliver, like vaccines
Or lockdowns.
It’s just an excuse to keep us locked up.When the vulnerable are nearly all vaccinated even the most brainwashed sheep are going to question the rationale behind continued lockdown.
I don’t share your optimism, Jonathan. Some folk are just too far gone now. I foresee mask-separation anxiety and an unwillingness to participate in normal life again. If that life ever returns.
I agree. The cult will need deprogramming but I’m not sure when or how that could even happen.
It’s quite soul destroying, Lisa.
Probably literally.
I still retain hope that lockdowns will end, albeit not through some ‘great awakening’ but simply through fatigue and economic collapse.
Evidence in the public domain??????
Winter seasonal bump in Sweden is over. Publicize far and wide!
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/
Glorious. I think we are all looking for a small thing we can do. They have talked about small badges, leaflets. How about we all get ourselves a Sweden flag and fly it our our windows. People know exactly what it means now.
Here’s a thought-provoking article by John Day:
We need to have compassion for those who have been manipulated by fear and false images. We need to be stable, and demonstrate our healthy and cooperative nature to them. We must turn our cheeks sometimes, knowing that our greatest existential threat comes from being set against each other ….
https://therealslog.com/2021/01/22/freedom-united/
I know. I get it. I repeat it. But still my tolerance for the stupid is low to non existent. I am from a thick family, from a thick school in a thick area. If I get it why can’t the university clever’ens get it.
Obviously the term ‘thick’ is so out dated only the aged non-pc will get it. And since I only applied it to myself etc the woke pc thought brigade can’t get me (so maybe I ain’t so thick?)
If you’re here, you’re definitely not thick!
Because a university education teaches you what to think not how to.
How do we reverse that ? How do we literally save our children (sorry if that sounds a bit over dramatic but), how do we equip them with enquiring minds, scepticism even (😱)? A love of debate, challenge, open mindedness?
We educate them ourselves. We interact with them, instead of leaving them with a screen. We play proper face-to-face games with them. (Cassino is a favourite here, great for number bonds too.) We share our passions with them. Ask them their opinions.
Last weekend, my granddaughter, who doesn’t read much (do any of them nowadays?) asked me what’s my favourite book. Where to start????
In fairness, she read Animal Farm at school last year. I asked her to consider that in light of what’s happening this year and suggested she read it again. It’s up to us to make them think.
Prompted by the right questions, she already told me that masks incubate bacteria and fungi. We had a joke about how covie can only get you when you’re standing up but not sitting down.
Her mum is a hypochondriac who had a very bad bout of flu or covid last October and recently texted me excitedly to say she’d managed to get a covid jab. Go figure!
I fear for my granddaughter but will continue to subvert her as far as I dare because that’s going to be her true education for the time being.
There’s no easy answer to that Andrea, but here’s my opinion for what it’s worth.
I’ve always thought that experience is the best way to learn. A trip to Germany is far better than watching a video on Germany. The memories stick better when all the senses are stimulated.
Unfortunately time is short and also finances may restrict the ability to do this often. So the next best thing is to learn from others experiences via film or books. Books are better because they require you to think and visualise. Through books you can effectively gain many lifetimes of experience in your own single lifetime.
When I was in high school we had something called a reading progress report (RPR) where we would read a book and write about it. Back then it seemed like a waste of time to me but now I realise that it actually made me think about everything I consume from TV to social media. When I watch a film I don’t just look at the images, I try to think if there’s something I can learn from the plot or from any particular scenes. Similarly with books, I’m always trying to visualise how what… Read more »
Involve them in nature. The natural world is nuts when you get down and look at it. All kinds of strangeness that can increase wonder in a kid. An acorn ffs! To a tree. The spider that rolls a leaf into a spliff then lives in it. Bees that provide bus lifts for gnats that cling onto its legs – rtn journies!
Curiosity starts with wonder.
Remember Kipling:
I keep six honest serving-men, they taught me all I knew:
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
When my sister was training as a journalist, she was told to make that her mantra. It was a long time ago, mind.
I also firmly believe that time in nature is necessary for psychological well being. It’s the environment we evolved to live in, not concrete cities, ring roads, tower blocks and all the other alienating aspects of modern western civilization.
That actually isn’t true. The university system has been ‘democratized’ i.e. dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. If you have some wit about you and you understand how to learn university teaches you how to think and how to construct an argument. The problem is it is very much a hands-off way of learning and most school kids come from school having been spoon-fed material of indoctrination. Most who come to uni are happy just passing. Yesterday’s first class honours are today’s masters.
So you agree with me.They are educated enough to take in the propaganda not enough to think beyond it.
No, you have completey misrepresented what I have said. The problem isn’t how the university teaches, it is that most people aren’t smart enough or hard working enough to learn.
When I took my degree I had to take a minor course for the first year (I think the idea was to prop up failing courses). I chose sociology because it was fairly close to what I’d studied at A Level. On my first day we were given a sheet of paper which was basically like the Creed in church. ‘We believe…’ followed by a long list of presumptions (one of them was ‘welfare states are a good thing’) and we were then told ‘and we expect you to believe these things too.’
You ain’t thick. If anybody told you you were, they were wrong..
If they end it now, call it what it is, and all is forgiven.
I’ve actually thought about that again and no. This ends when Hancock is in jail
More than just Wancock, surely?!
Another important study published today in JAMA from Germany that children 1-10 years are not spreading C-19 and do not play a key role in Sars-Cov 2 spreading during the pandemic(contrary to flu).
This is a very large study and another strong argument to keep schools open
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2775656?guestAccessKey=2dbd9c87-b95d-4d1a-80c3-1fddb43117af&utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamapediatrics&utm_content=olf&utm_term=012221
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children and Their Parents in Southwest Germany
This is building. Good find
Mother phoned tonight to tell me she had got her first jab today (Pfizer, next in 12 weeks). She knows my views and to be honest is getting as much of sceptic as I am.
Gave her the same warning as I did the old nan last night about being aware of side effects etc, which she accepted with good grace. Then she really cheered me up. Her words:
“Talking with you and the things you’ve been telling me about what has been going on has given me a lot more courage when I go out.”
Almost everything I tell her to counter the crap she hears off the news, Jeremy Vine and Piers Morgan (I know, but you can’t change some things) comes from what I discover thanks to this site.
So thanks everyone for giving a very active 79 year old the courage to go back to living her life to the best of her ability for the past few months, instead of cowering in her home.
I’m lucky with my mum, at 82 she’s my go to lockdown sceptic and has refused the vaccine – ‘I’m not going to be a guinea pig’. Unfortunately everyone else in my family is taken in by the propaganda including my brother who has tested positive for the anti bodies but still had the jab (he’s NHS nurse). Sorry to say it but if he’s the level of our NHS virus/immunity intelligence/awareness then god help us all.
Don’t be sorry. If the stuff on the MSM is to be believed, he’s pretty typical.
Scary thought!
things are moving quickly- the £500 bribe mentioned this morning is already history. Shame as I was happy to adopt their slogan-act as if you got it. Certainly, every day if you like.
There is something happening, and its not what we think. All the predictions of the alternative science are falling away, and we indeed seem to be having a replay of the 1918 Spanish flu, albeit with less numbers – so far. At the same time we are seeing the governments of many nations both great and small in the throws of a seemingly unimaginable panic which is gravitating to the “Through the Looking Glass” scenario of Zero Covid, which translates to the total elimination of Viral & Bacterial disease.
The Governmental panic is reminiscent of a plot from a sci-fi movie like “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, the only escape for mankind is total extermination of the alien invaders. Well perhaps? We are entering a solar minimum and cosmic dust is more likely to enter our atmosphere, however this is happening more or less continuously and obviously our ecosystems have learnt to cope, and even more likely, to benefit from this “Cosmic Rain”.
More likely is the realisation of the total scientific & analytical ignorant morass that they have fallen into. Science is now driven by the almost religious stature of its protagonists who in turn only crave for… Read more »
i agree . i always take extra deep breaths of air going by people, mostly to annoy the mask wearers but also to breathe in any bugs or viruses in the air to help my immune system . i never get colds . well once every 5 yearsor so, never get vaccines and for sure wont get this tracking GMO bill gates one thats for sure !
We are not even close to a Spanish flu scenario.Strip away the fake figures and we have a small increase in excess deaths.This would be expected after NHS care has been withdrawn for most of the year and that is before the adverse reaction to an experimental potion is factored in.
Watch the press conference from the chuckle brothers tonight again.Could be,maybe,might ,possibly.
This is a political coup under cover of a medical emergency.Once you understand that everything becomes clear.
Great post. I think my immune system must be in pretty good shape, having done regular litter picking for the past 4 years. It also comes with benefits: found my first £50 note last week!
I endorse ‘chat to dog walkers’. They are the salt of the earth.
an old one but still good
Well, well. Ta very much.
Many Remain voters in 2016: Sod these old people; they’ll be dead soon, and they have no right to vote in this election and help to determine my future.
Many of these same Remain voters in 2020: We must shut everything down and severely restrict the movement of people in order to protect the dear, wonderful old people who are an intrinsic part of our nation.
Marvellous.
Generally people make a decision intuitively and then use their ability to reason to invent a rationale to justify the decision, believing that their rationale is the reason for their decision.
I could not have put it better myself, Steve. That is extremely well put.
Hmmm? Does that play out in terms of being a sceptic? The easy way is to go with the flow. In this case my gut/nose/instinct tell me ‘this ain’t right’ and the facts turn out to prove that instinct right.
One can of course test one’s judgement by subjecting it to the test of evidence and reason. The more there is one and only one correct answer (as in maths for instance), the easier this is to do; the more room there is for uncertainty and a range of potentially correct answers, the harder it is to do. Similarly, the less interest one has in the answer, the easier it is; and the more interest one has in the answer, the harder it is. However, the more one practises making decisions on the basis of evidence and reason dispassionately, the more skilled one becomes in doing it.
Instinct, evidence and reason lead one to conclude that lockdown is not and never will be the answer.
Ain’t that the truth. Bitter. Irony.
Edit: referendum, not election.
Simplistic twaddle.
… and, just as a factual corrective (no, I’m not suggesting alternate twaddle) – it’s Brexiteers in government that have brought this shit-show.
Just saying
1. Not simplistic but utterly/fairly representative, since it was not absolute and allowed for exceptions. In other words, it was fiercely accurate and balanced. That this went beyond your head is your problem.
2. Avoiding the Issue. Category Error. One is not talking about ‘Brexiteers’. That’s a separate topic, and one ripe for discussion, but this does not detract from the *real and present* anomaly with regard to the *Remain* element of society.
You don’t think very well, do you?
Just saying.
Yes, good point.
One problem though – old people are suffering terribly as a consequence of these lockdowns, and anyone who cares to look knows it. A simple observable fact that points to the deep hypocrisy of the perpetrators.
Perhaps each of your observations point to the same hypothesis: a comfortable, complacent middle-class elite who believe the world must bow to their view of things, and their interests.
‘One problem though – old people are suffering terribly as a consequence of these lockdowns, and anyone who cares to look knows it. A simple observable fact that points to the deep hypocrisy of the perpetrators.’
Indeed, TJN. It is those ostensibly ‘looking out for’ and ‘protecting’ Granny and Grandad who are ultimately doing them harm. Ironically and tragically, their shrill and obscene claims that lockdown sceptics are ‘killing Granny’ boomerang back at them. These people never learn.
‘Perhaps each of your observations point to the same hypothesis: a comfortable, complacent middle-class elite who believe the world must bow to their view of things, and their interests.’
I wouldn’t single out the middle-class, my friend. I think that’s too simplistic. The nauseating self-righteousness comes from all directions. I believe this transcends class.
I think, in their hearts, they must know they are doing Granny harm – but they don’t seem to care.
I know what you mean about middle class – but I struggle to get a term to define the type of person I mean. ‘Woke’ seems inadequate; Liberal elite is better, but still doesn’t capture it fully.
In my experience, this sort of holier-than-thou almost pharisaical attitude does seem more common among the better off.
Did you see UK Column today?
Fantastic broadcast. Highly recommend watching it all: https://www.ukcolumn.org/ukcolumn-news/uk-column-news-22nd-january-2021
They closed with this. Chilling and revealing stuff from January 2019.
https://youtu.be/edln7eWn4ck?t=3696
(Link should take you to the relevant bit. If it doesn’t, scoot along to 1hr 1min.)
Thanks for the link, Cheezy.
The most interesting part of that (other than what Mike said about reporting normal stuff as if it weren’t) was the bit about if the media get told they will get their info from the Government/Authorities, they won’t go looking for other points of view.
That’s a lot like what we have had here in the UK.
JVT was in the audience of the Belgium press conference. Apparently. Yes it was chilling. They have brainwashed us by the book. Brainwashed by experts.
Worked perfectly. Wow! That’s a corker. Audience chuckling about how easily the stupid public can be manipulated, it seemed.
Cheers Cheese. I’m a subscriber to UK Column. Not got around to watching today’s drop yet. It’s in my Watch later. UK Column is one of if not THE best channels out there. Great, honest guys. I’ll catch up on their latest video tomorrow.
Passionately keen to support you and always very happy in (or in the present sorry pass, outside) a cafe, I did look up the public transport route to your door the other day, but discovered to my disappointment that it would be at least a 7-hour round trip. I will come when I can at last stay overnight and combine it with a lovely day in the Fitzwilliam.
Just be careful of the oriental porcelain! They don’t want any more practice at restoration!
On a serious note, take a look what’s on at the Heong Gallery in Downing College whilst you’re there. Only a few minutes walk from the Fitzwilliam and they have some interesting exhibitions.
Thanks, I am always pleased to learn of new-to-me collections.
I will go anywhere to see art. I have seen the full-size Tintoretto in Gateshead, a most exciting experience!
Not, I note, that there is anything specially unlikely about the presence of great art by the Tyne, but it did require a fairly intrepid engagement with local bus timetables.
I shall have to head up that way to see it myself when this shitstorm is over.
I want to head NE as one of my tribe is in Durham, so it would be short hop from there.
In Durham, there is the Oriental Museum. It is superb. It seems small in its online presence, but when you get there you find hundreds of excellent and beautiful things, mostly ceramics.
And there’s the Bowes Museum (amusingly, in Barnard Castle). Also fabulous. Automata, jewellery, clocks, 18thC porcelain, and three galleries full of paintings including a spectacular Canaletto.
God, I love museums. Paintings. Artworks. Objets de vertu. Bibelots! Pots, teapots, Bachelor Sets. I could enthuse endlessly about museums all over the North. In Sunderland city museum, for example, there is a small but absolutely excellent specialist collection of 18th and 19thC ceramics from the immediate region.
Boris the “Known Liar” A quote from 2019 by Dorothy Byrne.
Remember this lady? Dorothy Byrne was the ex Head of Channel 4 News. Now Editor at Large for Channel 4. When Dorothy made these comments back in 2019 I was a Boris fan, so I was slightly upset. What a fool I was.
Things have changed. Now I completely get where Dorothy was coming from. Dorothy is very astute with a great track record in investigative journalism. I completely revised my opinion of Boris in March 2020. He certainly is a known liar. And a very dangerous one at that. Dorothy was spot on.
https://leftfootforward.org/2019/08/is-boris-johnson-a-known-liar-heres-five-times-hes-known-to-have-lied/
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/channel-4-news-boss-brands-18982147
So Dorothy Byrne now has my total respect. She recently wrote a better than average article for the Guardian as well. Contains tips for Older people who don’t want to die in the hands of the NHS.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/28/covid-england-older-people-care-health-service
The big problem now is that no-one in the media is brave enough / financially motivated enough to call the head of the UK regime, Boris, a liar. They have forgotten he is a known liar and think Boris is their benefactor and savior. In reality, 90% of the important stuff that Boris… Read more »
Max Hastings calls Johnson a liar regularly, and he’s still in the media, just about. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/24/boris-johnson-prime-minister-tory-party-britain
Richard North (Eureferendum.com) regularly calls BJ a liar, among other epithets. No comeack from BJ , since its on record he is a liar
Hate to be ‘told you so’ about it. But Mr Toad’s talent as a narcissistic liar was well known from way back.
Eddie Mair (when there were some decent journalists at the BBC) famously called him out as ‘A nasty piece of work’ in 2013. You can still find the interview.
Went for a walk in the park today. What struck me was that people seemed to go out of their way to say hello, just like the old days pre-mockdown. That’s very encouraging because, before Christmas, I’d noticed that people seemed to be wrapped up in themselves and avoided interaction, despite the lack of muzzles.
Only saw two face nappies in the park – which was busy. One, an old lady who studiously avoided us, though her unmuzzled husband gave us a big smile and said hello.
The other was a woman who looked as if she was probably in her early 60s. She had bright purple hair and leopard skin leggings. Not the sort of thing you tend to see in my conservative neck of the woods! Incredibly, she’d have looked awesome if it wasn’t for the ditzy fabric face muzzle that killed the whole effect. Seriously weird!
Yes. Had a lovely bike ride with daughter and 2 y/o granddaughter today. We do this around the local parks quite often and today we met at 9.30am – it was quiet and people were indeed very friendly. Sunshine helps. Spotted a couple of women with masks and coffee but we had fun closing them down on the bikes and this made them temporarily stop with the antisocial distancing.
Do not help your flood-hit neighbours, a council has warned amid concern “gestures of kindness and goodwill” could fuel the spread of Covid. – Warrington Council, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Is there no limit to the sheer, heartless inhumanity of officialdom? I suppose we could leave people to ‘sadlidrown’ and help boost the body count. I’m sure drowning must be a symptom of Covid.
These people are evil and heartless. When F&M was here, another massive over reaction, they stopped people from helping animals that were drowning. I know a lot of people would think so what, they’re animals but it shows the ruthlessness of them all, Ferguson was running that show too.
WTF is wrong with these people? When my dad had his stroke I was down there in a matter of minutes. I didn’t stop to think about the risks of spreading the virus. How inconsiderate of me.
If I see somebody needing help I’m going to help them. How often do people need emergency help for it to make a significant difference to the spread of the virus? I can count the number of people I’ve given life saving mouth to mouth rescucitation to on no hands.
The whole idea is to reduce the spread and thus minimise the risks but it’s never been zero spread and zero risk otherwise we’d never have been allowed out of our houses.
At least that’s what I thought.
in other words let the bastards die so we dont spread covid, fuckers!
I have no words!