Boris Dithered Over South African Variant

[Sunk]

// SAGE experts warned the government to close borders to stop the spread of the South African variant of coronavirus weeks ago, it emerged tonight, only for Boris Johnson to ignore their recommendations.

According to the Times, the experts told the government that Britain's borders must be fully closed to stop the variant spreading.

It is believed that that Home Secretary Priti Patel and Health Secretary Matt Hancock both argued for the closure of the borders last week, only to be overruled by the PM who opted against a total border lockdown. //

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9212683/SAGE-warned-No10-close-borders-WEEKS-ago-South-Africa-variant-PM-ignored-them.html

Now it has been found in Ealing, Tottenham, Mitcham, Broxbourne, Maidstone, Woking, Southport, and Walsall. And Boris has responded with another U-turn.

[Bobbisox1]

Sunk those who've contracted the SA variant have had no connection at all or have been in contact with anyone travelling to or from South Africa , Did you watch the briefing last night?

[teacake44]

What are you telling us that we don't already know? What ever variant comes about you won't stop it

[bobbinwales]

Not sure that a complete ban would of been accepted especially if it stopped UK citizens coming home from holidays or work. Would of been complaints of overkill?
Didnt we close borders to some countries like South Africa.
Some of those whove got it have no history of travel?? So not sire where they got it

[emmie]

from BBC website
A door-to-door testing blitz is under way in what the health secretary calls a bid to find "every single case" of the South African variant in England
Matt Hancock says 105 cases of the coronavirus variant have been found in the UK - 11 had no links to international travel

[ToraToraTora]

"Boris has responded with another U-turn. " - as TGM once said "when the facts change, I change my mind" - I assume you think he should not have adapted to new information? Is it the left wing way to never change course, come what may?

[bobbinwales]

Hope am wrong but am wondering whether there more concerned about this SA variant than there letting on at the moment. We know variants will appear and will need to keep checking vaccinnes can handle them and updating if necessry, but an not clear why there suggesting mass testing of everyone in these post code areas- sounds like there maybe some extra concern

[New Judge]

//A door-to-door testing blitz is under way in what the health secretary calls a bid to find "every single case" of the South African variant in England//

Good luck to him with that. There are houses in the area where I live (mine included) where the door is not opened to anybody unless either they are expected or have phoned in advance to announce their arrival. There are people across the country who work for themselves who will not take a test under any circumstances. They cannot afford to be ordered to self-isolate. No work = no pay = no food on the table. I seem to recall a number of them going to pubs and restaurants when we were allowed to do so. Their parents were obviously fans of Walt Disney.

[dannyk13]

More bad news. Apparently the Kent virus has mutated again.This virus is stubborn if nothing else.

[dannyk13]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/signs-kent-covid-mutating-again-19751070

[Sqad]

Tell the public too much and you are scarring them, hold back and you are acting too late.
Offer me £500,000 per annum and I still wouldn't take the job as PM of U.K or Health Secretary.

[Sunk]

// those who've contracted the SA variant have had no connection at all or have been in contact with anyone travelling to or from South Africa //

// 105 cases of the coronavirus variant have been found in the UK - 11 had no links to international travel //

It has got here somehow, and already has a geographical spread - Merseyside, Midlands, London and Kent. It seems obvious that it is spreading from a small number of initial overseas travellers to the general population.
Tracking down everyone with the SA variant now is futile. Keeping the lid on it when SAGE advised was an opportunity missed.

[teacake44]

It don't matter how many times governments change their mind here or anywhere else. This virus like many others don't just travel with humans. We in the UK import goods from about 190 different countries and the virus can travel with goods, on goods, and yes some of those viruses will die in transit, others especially in refrigerated containers will survive,and then be man handled this end. Some other goods can carry the virus for up to 72 hours, more than enough time for those goods to be flown into the UK, and then dispatched all over the UK. Your hissing in the wind trying to stop it fully.

[emmie]

me neither sqad. whatever they do will be wrong in someones eyes

[bobbinwales]

The trouble is sunk by the time we find variants here its already to late and weer shutting the door after the horse has bolted.
Teacake am not sure that much if any of the infections are coming by packaging

[Sunk]

Tora,
It is not new information. SAGE warned weeks ago, and Cabinet colleagues were urging it last month, only to be ignored and over-ruled.
If Boris is ignoring his scientific advisors, and his Cabinet colleagues, it makes you wonder who he is listening to to make the wrong decission.

[Ellipsis]

> It is believed that that Home Secretary Priti Patel and Health Secretary Matt Hancock both argued for the closure of the borders last week, only to be overruled by the PM who opted against a total border lockdown.

That's not dithering. It's a wrong decision, with the benefit of hindsight.

I'm no Boris fan, but I'd rather he made a decision then went back on it if it was wrong, than dithered about making a decision or refused to go back if it was wrong.

[TrevorThePug]

"whatever they do will be wrong in someones eyes"

I suspect closing the borders in early March 2020 would have been agreeable to most people, especially Brexiteers.

[teacake44]

The testing in those post codes is nothing more than a PR stunt, other than that a waste of time.

[Sunk]

// On 24 January, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, announced 77 cases of the South African variant had been detected in the UK, and that these were linked to people entering the country from overseas.

But Public Health England (PHE) has said that cases are no longer confined to people who have recently entered the country, with 11 cases picked up among those with no such travel history – in other words the variant is spreading between people in the community.

To date the South African variant has been found in more than 30 other countries, including Austria, Belgium, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and Japan. In some of those countries, including Belgium, cases of community transmission have been detected. //

We knew it was in Europe, but we allowed flights from there. Just stopping flights from South Africa was like closing the front door, but leaving all the windows wide open.

[Sunk]

bobbinwales

// Hope am wrong but am wondering whether there more concerned about this SA variant than there letting on at the moment. //

Results from the Novavax Covid vaccine trials:

Original Covid 95.6% effective
UK variant 85.6% effective
South Africa variant 60% effective.