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VMany remembered the days before the first corona wave, when the British government’s two top science advisers appeared in Downing Street on Monday and made depressing reports: the number of infections doubling every seven days, Patrick Vallance explained. Unless the trend stops and we “change course”, the country will face 50,000 infections in the middle of next month and 200 deaths a day starting in November. “The message is simple,” Vallance said. “As the disease spreads to all age groups, we will see more hospitalizations, which in turn will lead to an increase in deaths,” said colleague Chris Whitty. that the virus has by no means become more harmless and that the death rate is “considerably higher” than with the common flu.
The joint appearance, the first in a long time, was seen as a prelude to new restrictions. This Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to convene the crisis cabinet (with representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), then appear in front of the House of Commons and then address the British with a speech to make them aware of the seriousness of the situation and the applicable distance. – and remember the rules of hygiene. Rumors circulated Monday that Johnson could impose a two-week “mini-lockdown” across the country, which this time should not affect schools or employment.
It had already happened in rapid succession over the last week. First, the government introduced the “Rule of Six”, according to which, with some exceptions, no more than six people are allowed to meet. From then on, the opening hours of pubs and restaurants were limited in more and more regions of the north of the island and “mixing of households” was prohibited. Beginning Thursday, pubs and restaurants across the country must close by 10 p.m. Additionally, only table service will be allowed.
Over the weekend, the government announced draconian fines for those infected or possibly infected who oppose the demand for self-isolation: the equivalent of 1,100 euros for the first contempt, to 11,000 euros in the case of repeat offenses. The government increased the police presence in particularly affected areas and began recruiting special supervisors (“Covid Marshals”).
The Corona app is not in use until today
The Labor Party attributes the tense situation mainly to government failures. This did not take advantage of the relatively calm summer to prepare for the second wave. Criticism of the “Test and Trace” system, which Johnson had vigorously announced as “the best in the world,” goes beyond the opposition banks. Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin suggested over the weekend that the army be deployed to deal with irregular contact tracing.
People walking in the British capital, London
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Image: Reuters
The government boasts of its efforts and explains the plight of the global trend country. Vallance and Whitty on Monday drew on statistical curves for Spain and France and derived from them developments in Britain. However, Johnson is finding it increasingly difficult to counter the charge of “incompetence.” The Corona app presented with Aplomb is not yet in use today, and the trial offer is proving to be inadequate.
The government has managed to increase capacity from 1,000 to 230,000 a day since March, but demand is now at a million a day. Many Britons are referred to testing centers hundreds of miles away. Only half of all test takers receive results within the promised 48 hours; many wait more than a week.
“The British cannot be treated like children”
Not only the new measures, but above all the means for their implementation, arouse discontent. The British are not “treated like children”, he says in the conservative banks. Johnson himself assured that he did not want a “Petz Society”, but his ministers, led by Priti Patel (Internal Affairs) and Matt Hancock (Health), encourage citizens to report the violations to the police. Many MPs now regret his decision to have given the government authority to fight the disease.
It is expected that this week an attempt will be made to reintroduce the parliamentary scrutiny reservation, at least for the imposition of another blockade. In the lower house, influential backbencher Graham Brady is campaigning on his behalf. In the House of Lords, the revolt is driven by two former presidents of constitutional courts. Lord Jonathan Sumption has presented himself as a fundamental critic of government protection measures for months; now Baroness Brenda Hale is also calling for a return to a “properly functioning constitution.”
