COVID-19 and the economy
Yesterday’s OBR report on the impact of coronavirus on our economy is a stark warning which underlines the importance of the unprecedented measures the government has put in place to protect people, businesses and jobs.
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Nick Herbert on his visit to flood hit areas of Cumbria
Please note that the post below was published more than ten year ago on 21st November 2009 Nick Herbert MP, shadow cabinet member for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, was in Cumbria this morning to see the areas affected by the flooding. He writes on Conservative Home about his visit. Here is an extract. I’ve been in Cumbria today to see the areas affected by the floods. I arrived early in Keswick where I met officials from the Environment Agency. Although the river levels had fallen considerably and homes were no longer flooded, the damage to homes had been done. And the water which had got into houses wasn’t just from the river – it was foul water which had risen from the drains. I talked to fire crews who were pumping flood water back into the river, and discovered that they were from Tyne & Wear and Lancashire. They had been called in at an hours’ notice and had been working on the scene ever since, staying at a local hotel. You cannot fail to be impressed by the...
Comments
Right so this time we have a start in that the director general of the WHO has told us where we (or at least where the WHO think we) need to be, its here
the points, which is much better than the media focusing on the single point of when we get a dip in the daily death rate, that isn’t really the daily death rate, but a mix of the previous 5-6 days reported deaths, which is then not inclusive of the none hospital deaths.
No we have these to work with instead.
”First, that transmission is controlled”
so we need to have in place our social distance rules
”Second, that sufficient public health and medical services are available”
This is not only a bed in hospital for whoever needs it, it also means we need to test, isolate and treat people with Covid 19 and trace their contacts.
”Third, that outbreak risks in special settings like long-term care facilities are minimized”
Its great to hear we have tests available for care home settings, as these are one of the most likely reservoirs for the trigger of a the second wave.
”Fourth, that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it’s essential for people to go”
Here Is where things like continuing home working come in, but, allowing more of those who can’t work from home to get back to work, a plan to get kids to school.
Fifth, that importation risks can be managed
Its going to take time to get our travel plans finalised, so we need to know how and when we can open up to travel again.
And sixth – and I cannot over-emphasize this point – that communities are fully aware and engaged in the transition. Every single person has a role to play in ending this pandemic.
This is exactly why we need to publish an exit strategy it informs people and engages them, how on Earth can people play their role in ending the pandemic, if they don’t have a clue what that role is?
Certainly a far more noble approach than sitting back and waiting for more favourable conditions to magically appear, out of fear of a bored journalist wanting to shout “U turn”
2) Nobody is "sitting round waiting for more favourable conditions to magically appear."
Just about everyone in the country is making huge sacrifices to try to create more favourable conditions.
3) Yes, the plan should be published as soon as there can be a reasonable degree of confidence that it bears at least some resemblance to what will actually be implemented.
4) While there is still great uncertainty about when it will be possible to relax things and how rapidly, publishing a plan which might well end up bearing little resemblance to what eventually happens could easily be counterproductive rather than helpful.