tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20614275.post1415512142789000524..comments2024-03-08T09:26:07.970+01:00Comments on ¡Esto es jauja!: Headless chickensBigastroandbeyondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01149977986056620867noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20614275.post-19659150402187201412020-05-10T16:28:21.816+02:002020-05-10T16:28:21.816+02:00Hi Keith
Thanks for the information you have post...Hi Keith<br /><br />Thanks for the information you have posted about the situation in Spain. The authorities in Spain seem to have a much better control of the situation and are issuing clear rules and guidance. Sky News is now saying that Johnson is going to muddy the waters further by telling us to 'stay alert', 'wash our hands' and 'save lives'. Much too wishy-washy and people will be be confused by this mixed messaging.<br />The scene here is one of chaos and people are increasingly breaking what lockdown rules there are. The government refuses point blank to be questioned or scrutinised. My daughter volunteered to be a helper and do shopping for the vulnerable but has received no tasks! Last week she felt unwell and reported it to the authorities. She was instructed to go to a testing centre in Portsmouth where they took swabs. That was on 1 May and she has still not received a result! The media is saying that 50,000 tests have been sent to the USA because the labs here cannot handle the numbers. Matt Hancock miraculously hit his 100,000 test a day target on the 30 April but it was a stitch up. On 29 April the number of tests completed was 81,000. On 1 May they told us that 120,000 had been completed, but it was a lie. The difference of 39,000 tests had been sent in the post but not actually carried out. Yet the counted them as 'completed' tests.<br />We are now seeing the combined disastrous effects of austerity, Brexit and the virus. So much of the NHS has already been privatised that it is badly fragmented and this makes it impossible co-ordinate a response, But the government is lining up the scientists to take the blame. In the Commons, Rosena Allin-Khan, a Labour MP and doctor who has been working 12 hour shifts in her local hospital, challenged Hancock and he had the audacity to tell her to 'mind her tone'. He is cracking under the pressure and the PM, himself, was made to look a fool at PMQs by Keir Starmer. No wonder he hides away.<br />The international press, including 'El Pais', is hammering the UK calling it the 'problem child of Europe'. It is difficult to disagree. The British government ignored the warnings of events in Italy but the Greeks and Spanish locked down quickly and effectively. We have 30,000 deaths and rising, the Greeks are well under 1,000 I believe.<br />Johnson is on record as wanting an American style private health care system with the NHS existing merely for the poorest in society. His life was saved by two immigrant nurses in St Thomas' Hospital. He paid nothing for top quality treatment, yet he is worth millions. Meanwhile, we know that Trump is itching to get his hands on the NHS and I think it is going to happen.<br />It is time the British government ate some humble pie and told the truth about its failings. It also refuses to contemplate any extension of the Brexit transition period. I think they have completely lost their marbles. The country is in crisis thanks to the arrogance and complacency of a government that believes that the UK is still a world power.<br />You and Pam are safer in Spain. I am an avid cyclist and concur with what you say about buying bikes for your grandchildren. Apparently, bike shops in the UK have sold 20,000 bikes in the last few days and have run out of stock. Hope you manage to get them fixed up. I do a run of about 25 kms daily and before this crisis I would meet a handful of cyclists. Yesterday, I counted 150 there and back. Cycling will be part of the new normal, no doubt about it.<br /><br />I enjoy your Blogging which gives me excellent first hand information about Spain.<br /><br />All the best<br />William D Taylorvvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16407884938971732711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20614275.post-30756454737411856132020-05-10T16:28:20.444+02:002020-05-10T16:28:20.444+02:00Hi Keith
Thanks for the information you have post...Hi Keith<br /><br />Thanks for the information you have posted about the situation in Spain. The authorities in Spain seem to have a much better control of the situation and are issuing clear rules and guidance. Sky News is now saying that Johnson is going to muddy the waters further by telling us to 'stay alert', 'wash our hands' and 'save lives'. Much too wishy-washy and people will be be confused by this mixed messaging.<br />The scene here is one of chaos and people are increasingly breaking what lockdown rules there are. The government refuses point blank to be questioned or scrutinised. My daughter volunteered to be a helper and do shopping for the vulnerable but has received no tasks! Last week she felt unwell and reported it to the authorities. She was instructed to go to a testing centre in Portsmouth where they took swabs. That was on 1 May and she has still not received a result! The media is saying that 50,000 tests have been sent to the USA because the labs here cannot handle the numbers. Matt Hancock miraculously hit his 100,000 test a day target on the 30 April but it was a stitch up. On 29 April the number of tests completed was 81,000. On 1 May they told us that 120,000 had been completed, but it was a lie. The difference of 39,000 tests had been sent in the post but not actually carried out. Yet the counted them as 'completed' tests.<br />We are now seeing the combined disastrous effects of austerity, Brexit and the virus. So much of the NHS has already been privatised that it is badly fragmented and this makes it impossible co-ordinate a response, But the government is lining up the scientists to take the blame. In the Commons, Rosena Allin-Khan, a Labour MP and doctor who has been working 12 hour shifts in her local hospital, challenged Hancock and he had the audacity to tell her to 'mind her tone'. He is cracking under the pressure and the PM, himself, was made to look a fool at PMQs by Keir Starmer. No wonder he hides away.<br />The international press, including 'El Pais', is hammering the UK calling it the 'problem child of Europe'. It is difficult to disagree. The British government ignored the warnings of events in Italy but the Greeks and Spanish locked down quickly and effectively. We have 30,000 deaths and rising, the Greeks are well under 1,000 I believe.<br />Johnson is on record as wanting an American style private health care system with the NHS existing merely for the poorest in society. His life was saved by two immigrant nurses in St Thomas' Hospital. He paid nothing for top quality treatment, yet he is worth millions. Meanwhile, we know that Trump is itching to get his hands on the NHS and I think it is going to happen.<br />It is time the British government ate some humble pie and told the truth about its failings. It also refuses to contemplate any extension of the Brexit transition period. I think they have completely lost their marbles. The country is in crisis thanks to the arrogance and complacency of a government that believes that the UK is still a world power.<br />You and Pam are safer in Spain. I am an avid cyclist and concur with what you say about buying bikes for your grandchildren. Apparently, bike shops in the UK have sold 20,000 bikes in the last few days and have run out of stock. Hope you manage to get them fixed up. I do a run of about 25 kms daily and before this crisis I would meet a handful of cyclists. Yesterday, I counted 150 there and back. Cycling will be part of the new normal, no doubt about it.<br /><br />I enjoy your Blogging which gives me excellent first hand information about Spain.<br /><br />All the best<br />William D Taylorvvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16407884938971732711noreply@blogger.com