1. THE PLAN

We see countries like China & New Zealand succeed by implementing border controls and wonder why our government didn’t do the same. Unfortunately, it’s been following the 2011 influenza pandemic plan, which says...

2. China & New Zealand have international travel (limited in the case of New Zealand) and freight, and rather than delay their peaks, their border controls have helped keep cases to a minimum. Border controls might not work in a flu pandemic, but they worked for #COVID19.

3. Countries that have done well against #COVID19 have high adherence to mask wearing. The pandemic plan tells us the British people won’t bother wearing masks over time so let’s no bother asking them to, eh.

4. Mass super spreading events have been shown to play a significant role in the transmission of #COVID19.

But the pandemic plan tells us they don’t play a role (perhaps the source of Jenny Harries’ comments about Cheltenham?) and therefore the government will not restrict them

5. I call this the white flag clause. Surrender was built into the assumptions behind our pandemic response. The success of other countries has proved this clause completely wrong.

6. And the optimist’s clause. The worst of the pandemic will be over in 3 to 5 months.

7. Rather than push for eradication (which the plan says is impossible), the presumption is a return to normality at the earliest opportunity.

8. The government has been following a plan for the wrong virus. In light of the way flu has been suppressed this year, it may want to consider a rewrite even for influenza, but in the case of a coronavirus pandemic this plan has led us to a bad place.

9. The underlying assumption that the virus could not be contained has been shown to be flawed by countries that have done it. Other flawed assumptions have impacted everything from mask wearing, mass events and when and how to open up.

10. It’s one reason why the government got its response so wrong. Refusal to adapt, innovate and learn from others are other reasons we are where we are.

What’s going to change? When is the government going to start implementing measures appropriate to this pandemic?

11. Boris Johnson looks determined to keep the country in some sort of semi-permanent lockdown. He doesn’t seem to understand how we can get back to normality before mass vaccination. 2020 has been gruelling. We need a change of strategy to give us a better 2021.

12. If you want to read the full plan, you can find it here

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/213717/dh_131040.pdf