Northern Ireland’s data show clear timing link between closure of schools and falling infection rates
Boris Johnson is, typically, extremely late for his 4pm press conference at which he is expected to announce a new, month-long ‘lockdown’ across England.
However, this new measure is said to exclude schools and universities, which will remain open.
This makes Johnson’s announcement yet another scam and sham, because schools and universities between them are known to be driving almost 40% of new infections.
By contrast, pubs and clubs – which will close – account for only around 4% of new cases.
This reality is demonstrated in the latest numbers from Northern Ireland, which did close schools as part of its ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown:
The change from red to blue marks the closure of schools – and a week later, in line with the incubation period of the virus, cases had begun to fall sharply.
A ‘lockdown’ in which the biggest driver of the second wave is left running is a con.
Johnson is too late – and definitely doing too little, having squandered the opportunity to incorporate the now-finished half-term holiday into a 2-week fire-break that would have had far more impact than, and reduced the need for, the half-baked measure he now proposes.
His arrogance and shoddiness will put thousands more needless deaths on his already guilt-stained hands.
The SKWAWKBOX needs your help. The site is provided free of charge but depends on the support of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (SKWAWKBOX will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount). Thanks for your solidarity so SKWAWKBOX can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.
This just doesn’t make sense, so what are the Tories really up to.
Whatever it is, your idol will back it …Which means you’ll sycophantically and obseqiously oblige.
There will be gobbledegook bluster of promises and a “Tier4 or Tier3+” lockdown till December ie for a month. But it is all rubbish as schools pubs etc will remain open while people will not be allowed to meet in their homes.
Tories never had any intention of saving lives. They are DELIBERATELY allowing the virus to spread snd giving uncontested multimillion contracts to chums and donors. They are in a win win situation as if even they were to lose power, they move into revolving door directorships while David Milliband and his other Tory understudies get their turn to exploit the many. SIR Starmer will get some more expensive suits and remain as dull but get richer.
PS just occurred to me, Has anyone ever read what Allan Howard advises we do? I know he says don’t do what others suggest or media will attack. But when he next pops up, do ask him to state SPECIFICALLY actions we should have taken and actions for the future instead of calling anyone with a suggestion a “Shill”.
Give us your positive suggestions White Flag Man. Take a break from ferreting for “shills”. Educate the rest of us as you are sooooooo smart.
“Johnson’s [& Starmer’s] ‘schools open’ lockdown” would be more accurate I think Skwawky, even if Starmer’s changed his mind on schools by now.
SteveH, Johnson is a man-child – that was the source of his popularity but the downside is that consequences seem more distant to children than to adults.
He may by now be sick of the demands of leadership and ready, almost eager to be replaced.
“I don’t like this job after all” would be an utter humiliation and he’s declared himself healthy – so in a child’s mind why not go for broke on the one measure that if it doesn’t succeed will at least drag Starmer and Labour down with him?
All politicians know that there is no limit to the number of deaths that can be written off as collateral damage.
Deaths resulting even directly from political leaders’ decisions almost never result in more punishment than loss of leadership at the ballot box – so why would a rich man-child give a fuck?
The delay is entirely down to who is going to gaol, St Rishi is telling them ‘you can fuck right off’
For stuff like this https://goodlawproject.org/news/special-procurement-channels/ ?
National lockdown till early december. “Tier4” Nonsense like their Security levels and slides. Just meant to bamboozle the public, Kill off the vulnerable, impose more state spying and control, bung billions to Tory bandits.
We are now in stage 3 of opening schools along age grouping of children,in Cambodia,its taken 3months and laws apply across all regions 290 infections and no deaths,borders still closed down and enforcement by consent.Most foreigners left the country desperately trying to find flights from Phnom Penh earlier in the year.The British government ordered all citizen’s to return home,but home is were the heart ❤ is so a few of us “barrang” stayed.I couldn’t have stood and watched the destruction of the UK and just made comments.I see lockdown in Ulster is being enforced by armoured vehicles and a contingent Crown forces PSNI and British army inside Derry and Strabane over the last 3 days.friends tell me that no one including Sinn Fein councillors can find out whats going on.and why ordinary citizens are being taken away without arrest.procedure and no comments regarding were they are taken and why?.Even the son of my friend a disabled teenager “Zip tied” and thrown into the back of a armoured vehicle by soldiers.The Conservative and unionist party are starting a war against the Catholic population again and I cannot begin to see the political lodgic behind the secrecy and the lack of reporting on this…Strange times and the jackbooted approach to security will be responded to in a like mind of a people that will not be trampled down.Are we seeing a form of diversion politics here hoping to poke a hornets nest?
The delay could mean they floated the idea of schools remaining open and they’re watching the country’s response to see how badly mauled they’ll be if the lockdown doesn’t work.
There may be changes to what was pre-announced before he speaks, maybe with schools closing and pubs, restaurants etc. remaining open but with ID’s photographed and submitted daily to test and trace for monitoring.
I hope they’re not just sat in number ten playing the fucking markets..
“I hope they’re not just sat in number ten playing the fucking markets..” Not in No10. In their haunts, the private clubs, in Chipping Norton, in the Hedge Fund lounges … they work over the weekend … 24/7 all computerised. Since Covid-19 they are monitoring the markets from yachts, villas, winter retreats in the USA deserts etc etc ALL is plunder‼️‼️‼️
Yeah, that goes on all the time – the particular ‘playing’ I referred to is about using government policy announcements to make money.
The top of the pyramid of insider trading.
That too. Goes on all the time. Profiting from information to which the rest of the market has no access. Every now and again one or two miscreants are prosecuted but i have always suspected it is because they fell out with some powerful entities. OR it is a means of shutting them up. Thats why i say better to go down fighting if one really believes in something. Go with as much publicity and fight as possible. And make sure you have others like you ready to step up. Then ironically you are likely to survive.
Think of the fate of poor Dr David Kelly. He received threats but whispered it to a few. He understandably wanted to remain in the shadows. Totally understandably and i empathise. But it is dangerous… even DEADLY you could end up propped against a tree. And before your unusual death is even announced, a long running inquiry is set up to kick things in the long grass. All questions are batted away with “WE MUST WAIT FOR THE INQUIRY TO CONCLUDE”.
When it eventually does after ages and millions £££, questions are batted away with “ITS SETTLED”.
Compare and contrasts with George Galloway, Ken Livingstone etc. They receive great threats all the time from very powerful entities. Yet they take them on IN PUBLIC. If threatened make it PUBLIC ASAP. Tell everyone every where!!! Even market exploiting crooks should do that. Surely why not take other crocks down with you?
Princess Diana also received threats to her life re the Land Mines campaign. Again she only mentioned it to a few people. Tiny few. BIG mistake. There are times when the best place to be safe is Trafalgar Square, and LOUDLY with a megaphone, plus every radio station, parish council, the market everywhere, laying out your situation clearly🌹🌹🌹
All questions are batted away with “WE MUST WAIT FOR THE INQUIRY TO CONCLUDE”.
When it eventually does after ages and millions £££, questions are batted away with “ITS SETTLED”.
Reminded of anyone…Posts on here in an uncannily similar fashion, regarding any and every scrutiny of stammer?
Ha! Did not even think of that. In mind were those used pessaries Bliar & Arsetair et al. But U r right! Hmmm… wonder if he’s been coached? Won’t be surprised. They take serving the 1% very seriously. No waiting for miracles. Nor hoping to be “loved” by us.
Proof 2 minds r better than 1. Thanks🌹🌹🌹
Obviously there’s another agenda. New laws are already in place. They knew the economy was in trouble last year, maybe y’could call it ‘cyclical capitalism’, where the taxpayer is lumped with the bill for the bailout about every ten years.
It fact, capitalism is under so much trouble that austerity won’t cure it, any more than a lock-down will solve the ‘virus problem’. Hopefully, more people will soon realise, if we concentrate our efforts, that capitalism is a complete scam. It’s one of the reasons why the same cabal are removing democracy. The best slave is one that thinks it’s free.
Well put potatoclockp. NB more than one thing can be true at the same time. The fact Tories are using Covid-19 to rape the public purse and withdraw freedoms etc, do not make Covid-19 false. A virus like this was well overdue. But the West preferred to bomb for oil and encroach on reservoirs of viruses eg the Amazon for beef.
And now that it has struck, and we are not in government, Starmer & Johnson can do what jells and johnsons do.