Coronavirus

[Witton Park]

Well that's a change from "apples and pears"

Thoughts from the towpath:

Hindsight is not 100%.

You can't change the past.

Anecdote is an inadequate basis for decision making.

People making decisions are flawed and if they are politicians corrupted by political self-interest.

There is always a reason for a decision/ action - although it may not be a sound or laudable one. The reason is rarely discovered or revealed or admitted.

Everyone including Governments, plcs,... temper the message to what the recipient will accept. There is no such thing as truth (I recommend the book Corporate Discourse on the subject - not only because I am thanked in the preface for my insights!).

People often prefer to be given a simple message so they don't have to think or research for themselves and accept responsibility for their own actions. (Think fell runners and navigation!).

It is naive to think that Ministers are really very clever people with huge brains that know far more than ordinary mortals and always make the right decisions - even supposing there is such a thing as the "right" decision - ie "right" for whom?

For the government to issue "guidance" that was equally applicable to rush hour crowds on the London Underground and walkers on the top of Pen y Ghent in a gale, might have been inherently slightly flawed: but then even "Thou Shall Not Kill" is not always applicable.

are your Oracle?

[Muddy Retriever]

As proven (not) by countries that did take action sooner like Germany? New Zealand? They locked down earlier and could therefore un-lockdown sooner

New Zealand locked down two days after the UK on 25th March. Germany did lockdown earlier than the UK by one day.

I don’t think the date of lockdown is what we got wrong. In retrospect we probably should have had the travel quarantine back in February and March rather than now. The number of tests available was also insufficient. But I would blame Public Health England for that rather than the Government.

[Graham Breeze]

are your Oracle?

Merely Omniscient!

[Muddy Retriever]

In many ways we could’ve learned from Italy and Spain and chose not to. Also South Korea and Japan. Wasn’t South Korea’s pandemic playbook copied line for line from our own? But they just chose to actually implement it?

Japan barely had a lockdown worthy of the name and didn’t test much either. It is a mystery why they escaped so lightly.

Reasons given for this have included, the Japanese being more healthy, are naturally reserved and therefore more easily social distance and the fact that many wear face masks in public anyway. I have also heard that the strain of Covid-19 is more virulent in Europe than the Far East.

[Graham Breeze]

Japan barely had a lockdown worthy of the name and didn’t test much either. It is a mystery why they escaped so lightly.

Reasons given for this have included, the Japanese being more healthy, are naturally reserved and therefore more easily social distance and the fact that many wear face masks in public anyway. I have also heard that the strain of Covid-19 is more virulent in Europe than the Far East.

I think we humans naturally want to be able to put Covid-19 in a little box and feel we "understand" it - but in reality there have been an infinite number of variables across countries, villages, government actions, human behaviours, social circumstances etc.

The desire for understanding is an aspect of human vanity. We resent being brought so low to impotency by something we cannot even see (without a microscope).

[Graham Breeze]

Japan barely had a lockdown worthy of the name and didn’t test much either. It is a mystery why they escaped so lightly.

Reasons given for this have included, the Japanese being more healthy, are naturally reserved and therefore more easily social distance and the fact that many wear face masks in public anyway. I have also heard that the strain of Covid-19 is more virulent in Europe than the Far East.

But on the other hand it is one of most densely populated counties but also a fastidiously "clean" nation,so...so...so

[Muddy Retriever]

But on the other hand it is one of most densely populated counties but also a fastidiously "clean" nation,so...so...so

It was ever thus. I remember years ago watching Shogun. Even when it was set in the early 1600’s the Japanese regularly bathed and were disgusted at the stench of the English sailors who would have a bath once a year at most.

[Witton Park]

In retrospect we probably should have had the travel quarantine back in February and March rather than now.

Did you watch the Commons debates? The line up of Labour MPs in particular demanding that Raab gets Brits back from all four corners of the earth, regardless of whether they were hotspots or not was relentless.

[Muddy Retriever]

Did you watch the Commons debates? The line up of Labour MPs in particular demanding that Raab gets Brits back from all four corners of the earth, regardless of whether they were hotspots or not was relentless.

I think it was fair enough to get Brits home but they should have been required to quarantine when they were back.

Most of the early UK infections came from Spain and Italy. I suppose I’m open to the charge of speaking with the benefit of hindsight but it is a real pity we didn’t have controls in place back then.

[Graham Breeze]

It was ever thus. I remember years ago watching Shogun. Even when it was set in the early 1600’s the Japanese regularly bathed and were disgusted at the stench of the English sailors who would have a bath once a year at most.

Touring Japan was probably my most memorable holiday but I cannot decide which was the most pleasurable experience: seeing Mt Fuji from the shinkansen or the warm wash and air drying automatic hotel bedroom toilet.