Johnson is going to repeat the stunt that briefly had ineffectual Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle showing a bit of backbone, and bypass parliament to tell us all about ‘Freedom Day’ on TV.
Freedom Day! The day this government officially frees itself from all responsibility for the health, welfare and financial security of the people of this country and leaves everyone free to take their chances against a fast-spreading version of the virus. Free to choose not to wear a mask and risk the lives of others! Free to allow the next generation to be sacrificed at the altar of market forces and herd immunity! Free to be exploited by big pharma as it steps in to make more money from the conscientious, the vulnerable and the sick! Lovely-jubly and whoopie-doo!
Following the science? Nah. Following the money. After all, why did this government let the Delta variant into the country?
Fear not, though! Sajid Javid (the new Wealth…I mean Health minister, that world-renowned eminent virologist and epidemiologist…not!) reckons Covid-19 is just like the flu and we need to learn to live with it. But then Javid, disciple of Ayn Rand, believes we should all just endure whatever is coming to us without the help of the state. Survival of the fittest, and all that…or survival of the richest. Same thing, really.
But, hey, who cares about numbers unless we’re talking profits or tax-payer funded contracts?
Javid makes no mention of devastating effects of Long Covid, which may have claimed up to 2 million sufferers to date, with nearly 10 per cent of those being children. Here’s an extract from Professor Anthony Costello’s important thread:
On Children and Long Covid.
People are rightly worried about Long Covid and possible effects on children’s developing brains. The Zoe study shows 4.4% of 1,734 infected children (588 younger 1,146 older children) get headache, fatigue and anosmia (three neurological signs) lasting more than one month. Worrying. If children are now to be exposed to infection by the UK government failure with public health/vaccination measures, + say another 50% of children up to 16 become infected, we’re looking at 8.8 million x 0.5 x 0.044 = 193,600 kids facing prolonged symptoms. [… NB we have cut quite a lot. You need to read the whole thread]Perhaps most worrying is that the latest UK Long Covid estimate for children aged 12-16 who experience prolonged symptoms for at least ONE YEAR is 0.12% (0.06-0.17) or 1 in 830, with possible but unknown effects on developing brain structure based on recent adult studies.
Despite the extremely low risk of myocarditis in vaccinated children, all of whom recovered, the USA, European Union, Israel + others judge benefit-risk to strongly favour vaccination of older children. The UK is an outlier. Why are we exposing children to these risks?
The argument to donate our children’s vaccines supplies to Africa are spurious. Africa needs technology transfer, a patent waiver + finance so their companies can make their own vaccines. Not almost expired donations from the G7 +UK, which blocked the patent waiver. (13)
Worse, the government boast it is good to ‘live with the virus’, Minister Javid, ‘it’s good for our health’, + SAGE/NERVTAG advisers on TV say children have a very mild illness. We need to look at the population data evidence, not clinical opinions. There are real risks .
Originally tweeted by Anthony Costello (@globalhlthtwit) on 04/07/2021.
Long Covid is no trivial condition. In severe cases it turns life into little more than mere existence.
Here is John West, sharing the experience of his family and the life-changing effect on his 24 year old son and his passionate plea to anti-maskers, ‘freedom’ junkies. (He doesn’t pull his punches, but if you are reading this, his message will not be directed at you, so please don’t be offended!)
I don’t like talking about my personal life & family, but tonight I think it is necessary.
In December 2020 my whole family caught covid. My wife, me, 3 daughters & our son.
It knocked me and the son out for quite a while – though the girls did better.
I lost 6 weeks
I have also been hit with long covid since – some days barely able to move, let alone get out of bed or think. Every joint has ached, my chest has really hurt, my heart has raced for no good reason.
But that has been nothing compared to my 24 year old son.
He is 10x worse
He cannot sit for more than 1/2 an hour.
Cannot walk for more than 15 minutes.
Is on massive doses of codeine for the pain.So – when you come with comments of low death numbers?
F*ck off.
You know nothing.My boy has already had one shot and is laid low.
20% of the population is completely unvaccinatedThat is ALL of the sub 18 category.
You who are arrogant enough to think children do not matter? To hell with you.
The numbers do not lie.You gamble and rely on your ignorance. And you make everything a game of live or die. You have been warned – the likes of @dgurdasani1 and others – far smarter than you – have told you over and over again.
Do not be arrogant pricks. Do not pretend your desires outweigh reality. Because they do not.
Oh,
And facts:
Originally tweeted by John West 🕯💙 (@JohnWest_JAWS) on 03/07/2021. Reproduced with thanks.
Aren’t we all beginning to see why that Hancock tape was suddenly leaked to Murdoch’s Sun with its soaraway losses? Javid’s approach to the nation’s health ticks even more boxes than even Hancock’s crony-rewarding style. Ditch the science, ditch the support, ditch the rules and put the whole moral dilemma thing on the shoulders of the people. They can decide henceforward how many live or die.
There’s a poll going on even as I write : will you or won’t you continue to wear a mask after ‘Freedom Day’. Guess what the split is right now? 49.7/50.3 with the anti-maskers ahead. Grim. It’s the new metric of division devised by a government that loves nothing more than to divide…and rule.
I am going to carry on wearing a mask indoors, in shops, on public transport or in crowds for as long as it takes…forever, if necessary. How about you?
