[ad_1]
The British have reacted with confusion to recently released government coronavirus messages and mocked him in a series of memes.
Boris Johnson has decided to get rid of the highly effective ‘stay home, protect the NHS and save the slogan’ in favor of a ‘more nuanced alert, control the virus and save lives’.
It is expected to officially launch at 7 p.m. tonight when he heads to the nation to establish a ‘road map’ to get the country out of the blockade it imposed on March 23.
But the British have scoffed at the change on social media, saying it’s confusing and creating their own versions that advise people to yell at the virus to scare it away, take care of themselves, and avoid injecting bleach.
Political heavyweights have also challenged the new message, including SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, who said he thought the phrase ‘stay alert’ had been thought of by a ‘jester’.
MP Ian Blackford shared the government’s new orientation, but described it as ‘pointless’
The Scarfolk Council decided to alter the words of the new catchphrase and “sneak up on them, yell at the virus and then run.”
Twitter user Olaf Falafel also altered the guide to “stay selfish, take care of yourself, I’m not high risk.”
The torrent of memes mocking the government’s new catchphrase came just hours before the prime minister officially revealed.
Writing in his first tweet using the catchphrase at noon today, the prime minister said: ‘Everyone has a role to play in helping to control the virus by staying alert and following the rules.
“This is how we can continue to save lives as we begin to recover from the coronavirus.”
Use the ‘StayAlert’ hashtag in the tweet and post an image of the new catchphrase surrounded by green and yellow emergency tape.
Twitter user Olaf Falafel took the template from the government and developed a program that would allow users to create their own versions.
One version accuses ministers of “shirking responsibility,” while a second says everyone has “given up” and a third asks people to look left and right to check for viruses before crossing the street.
Others have posted memes in response to the upcoming announcement, showing the virus like velociraptors in Jurassic World, rummaging through the fridge for a snack and camouflaging themselves in a pub with a top hat.
A tweet, posted from an account representing Margaret Thatcher, said: “We are asking for” alert “volunteers to join our Virus Watch scheme here at Brexit-on-Sea.
“You will be equipped with a free pair of binoculars to help detect the virus, a net to catch it, and a bag to put it in.”
In a separate post, Olaf appears to channel recent controversies from Donald Trump and Professor Neil Ferguson.
Several politicians have contributed to the government’s message change, saying it “just won’t cut it” and criticizing the lack of advice issued by Westminster.
Secretary of Occupational Health Jonathan Ashworth criticized the message for ambiguity about what it means to “stay alert” on Andrew Marr’s show.
“When it comes to a public health crisis of this nature, absolute clarity is needed on what the advice is,” he said.
‘There is no place for nuance. And I think the problem with the new message is that many people will be puzzled. They will not understand what we mean by being alert.
Labor MP Angela Rayner said the government message “is simply not enough.”
“Without an adequate testing and tracing program, as well as social distancing measures, any release from closing conditions carries a second peak,” he said. “We have to follow science and best practices from around the world.”
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon criticized the government and said she only found out about the change in the Sunday papers.
In a tweet he said: “The Sunday papers are the first I see of the Prime Minister’s new catchphrase.” Of course, he must decide what is best for England, but given the critical point at which we find ourselves fighting the virus, #StayHomeSaveLives remains my clear message to Scotland at this stage. “
Scotland has said it will not change its closing restrictions at this time. Wales has also indicated that it prefers the simple original guide.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford also criticized the change, tweeting: ‘#StayAlert. What kind of jester thinks of this kind of nonsense? It is an invisible threat. Staying alert is not the answer.
He accused the government of delivering “mixed messages” today when it began rolling out the slogan, saying that delegated administrations and opposition parties had not been consulted.
The government has come under fire for trying to roll out the slogan today, after apparently failing to inform delegate governments in the UK.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick was brought today to Sky Sophy Ridge and BBC Andrew Marr to defend the message.
“I think now that we are past the peak of the virus, it is right that we update and expand the message to the public,” he said on Sky.
“I think that is what the public wants and that they will be able to understand this message, which is that we should stay home as much as possible.”
When asked to further clarify the message about Marr, he said, “Staying alert will mean staying alert by staying home as much as possible.”
“ But be alert when you go out by maintaining social distance, washing your hands, respecting others in the workplace and the other environments you will go to.
“This will be a cautious message because the infection rate is still high and the public is understandably anxious.”
Faced with the mixed-message allegations, Johnson released a more complete version this afternoon explaining that people are still being urged to ‘stay home where possible’ and ‘stay alert’ when they leave.
