Tories’ measures clearly inadequate – and leading medic says effective test-and-trace is missing key to defeating virus
The number of new confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK in the last 24 hours was 6,178 – the third-highest since the pandemic hit this country – and an increase of over 20% in a single day, as the exponential growth of the second wave continues:
Today’s figure has not been exceeded since 1 May – and underlines the utter inadequacy of Boris Johnson’s fiddling with pub closing times as a measure to reverse the growth while leaving open the main drivers of the surge: schools, workplaces and indoor hospitality.
And the dire shambles of the UK’s privatised, largely Serco-run test-and-trace system is also at the centre of the catastrophe, according to leading medic and honorary BMA vice-president Dr Kailash Chand. Dr Chand told RT that a properly functioning, locally-coordinated system is essential for any successful fight against the virus, but that the ‘fiasco’ of the current UK system is not fit for purpose and the Tories are pouring billions down the drain of private profits:
Johnson’s constant pantomime in place of real action simply will not do – nor will Labour’s tame willingness to simply endorse everything Johnson does instead of shouting from the rooftops to make the public aware of his failure and of what really needs to be done.
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