IOM Covid removing restrictions

[Happier diner]

2 hours ago, cissolt said:

We followed the UK public health herd immunity strategy at first.  Calls for early border closures and mask wearing by the medical director were dismissed by Henrietta.  Even David Ashford admitted that the medical director called for earlier action.  

A full independent public enquiry is required, we cannot leave it up to the AG to appoint his mate again(and promote him)

I don't think there was ever a so called 'herd immunity' strategy as such.

However it was clear that great many of the developed nations thought they could control the spread in such a way that hospitals were overwhelmed. The strategy was that no one should die though lack of care, but yes, they accepted that there would be severe casualties. 

I don't think anyone expected it to be as bad as it was though. Perhaps no one in the UK died through lack of care, but safe to say with hindsight the strategy was rubbish. 

One of the rare things I will agree with Ashford though is that there was no handbook.

[snowman]

Edited June 3, 2021 by snowman

[trmpton]

9 minutes ago, snowman said:

Ben still isn't back in service 

[Banker]

14 minutes ago, snowman said:

What’s this supposed to mean, it’s only one day ? Liverpool boats start 1/07 so plenty of capacity 

Also the times/dates quoted are available for cars so maybe an error 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Banker

[Ham_N_Eggs]

10 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

I don't think there was ever a so called 'herd immunity' strategy as such.

However it was clear that great many of the developed nations thought they could control the spread in such a way that hospitals were overwhelmed. The strategy was that no one should die though lack of care, but yes, they accepted that there would be severe casualties. 

I don't think anyone expected it to be as bad as it was though. Perhaps no one in the UK died through lack of care, but safe to say with hindsight the strategy was rubbish. 

One of the rare things I will agree with Ashford though is that there was no handbook.

Yes there was. "Controlling the spread" or "flattening the curve" was simply a way of selling it to people in order to keep business open (look at Johnson's superman of Europe speech or the take it on the chin interview on good morning Britain) whilst it spread through society enough for natural herd immunity to be achieved. It was a massive mistake because the economies that have faired better out of this global crisis are those that locked down harder, earlier and were able to open up internally sooner. The Isle of Man blindly followed the UK policy as we do on nearly everything. We got lucky that our lockdown ended up eliminating the virus earlier.

Perhaps the army logistics team that was flown over pointed out that the hospital would not cope with a fullscale outbreak; UK hospitals could be overrun leaving the excess patients nowhere to go; and they advised us to go for a elimination policy.

[trmpton]

A couple of observations now home.

The bar on the boat is closed - this is bad

The shop on the boat doesn't sell magazines or papers, because COVID - this is bad.

The way you have to book and wait for a test is rubbish - this is bad

Wifi on the boat is now free and works - this is good.

Robinson have adverts on the boat for their online store and will deliver stuff to your house for while you are stuck home and cant stop for milk etc- this is good.

Robinsons don't seel beer - this is bad, very bad indeed.

Robinsons don't sell wine - this is very, very bad.

Robinsons don't sell gin - I feel a letter to my MHK coming on

 

[John Wright]

28 minutes ago, Banker said:

What’s this supposed to mean, it’s only one day ? Liverpool boats start 1/07 so plenty of capacity 

Also the times/dates quoted are available for cars so maybe an error 

First weekend away with no testing or isolation restrictions on return. The world and his dog are going away for the weekend.

[Flyingfemme]

The boat is, and has been, rubbish. It's grubby, uncomfortable, badly maintained and unreliable. And that's the better one! There is no reason why the boat(s) cannot be a great advert for the IOM - serving some of the excellent local products. But instead you get the cheapest, nastiest stuff at a premium price. I've been on the Ben in midwinter, on the night sailing, watching people entering the cabin with blankets and sleeping bags - did they know something I didn't? Too right! No discernable heating. Trying to sleep on a sticky carpet because the seats are not suitable for relaxing.

Last week the choice of catering was bacon bap or sausage bap. Possibly a fried egg bap for the veggies..........The bacon was pale, undercooked, greasy and most unappetising in appearance. So I had the sausage, which was mostly tasteless filler. All served in a Warburtons bap - why not something from Noa? Does it belong to the GMP or not? Who makes these decisions? And, more to the point, why? The person serving these vile baps was wearing plastic gloves. Good idea, I thought. Until they dropped something on the floor, grabbed it with the gloved hand, stuffed said gloved hand in the bin and dropped whatever it was, then went right back to assembling baps!

I overheard an older gentleman, who wanted to buy some food and drinks for himself and his wife, with no credit card and they were not taking money............the hostess(?)/purser(?) came to his rescue and paid with her own card.

The whole thing is just dreadful and reflects badly on the island.

[cissolt]

51 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

One of the rare things I will agree with Ashford though is that there was no handbook.

Of course there is.  The government have been planning for pandemics for years. We have plans for SARS, swine flu, bird flu.

What we don't have any is competent leadership who are willing to listen to experts.

http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/33451/influenza-plan-updated-by-government

[Happier diner]

1 minute ago, Flyingfemme said:

The boat is, and has been, rubbish. It's grubby, uncomfortable, badly maintained and unreliable. And that's the better one! There is no reason why the boat(s) cannot be a great advert for the IOM - serving some of the excellent local products. But instead you get the cheapest, nastiest stuff at a premium price. I've been on the Ben in midwinter, on the night sailing, watching people entering the cabin with blankets and sleeping bags - did they know something I didn't? Too right! No discernable heating. Trying to sleep on a sticky carpet because the seats are not suitable for relaxing.

Last week the choice of catering was bacon bap or sausage bap. Possibly a fried egg bap for the veggies..........The bacon was pale, undercooked, greasy and most unappetising in appearance. So I had the sausage, which was mostly tasteless filler. All served in a Warburtons bap - why not something from Noa? Does it belong to the GMP or not? Who makes these decisions? And, more to the point, why? The person serving these vile baps was wearing plastic gloves. Good idea, I thought. Until they dropped something on the floor, grabbed it with the gloved hand, stuffed said gloved hand in the bin and dropped whatever it was, then went right back to assembling baps!

I overheard an older gentleman, who wanted to buy some food and drinks for himself and his wife, with no credit card and they were not taking money............the hostess(?)/purser(?) came to his rescue and paid with her own card.

The whole thing is just dreadful and reflects badly on the island.

Yeah....but apart from that its not too bad

I thought the food had got a bit better last time I was on the Ben (My god almost 18 months ago), but then it was from a very low baseline. The chilli always makes me laugh. Mostly baked beans with a hint of mince. Its not like mince is expensive is it?

We always get a cabin and go and hide for 4 hours.

[Happier diner]

5 minutes ago, cissolt said:

Of course there is.  The government have been planning for pandemics for years. We have plans for SARS, swine flu, bird flu.

What we don't have any is competent leadership who are willing to listen to experts.

http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/33451/influenza-plan-updated-by-government

There's planning and there's planning. No substitute for experience. 

[Andy Onchan]

1 hour ago, Ham_N_Eggs said:

Ah yes, blindly copying PHE and their absolutely mental herd immunity policy. I still can't believe the Conservatives are in power after they advocated for a portion of the population to be killed for the "greater good".

I think Valance deeply regrets any reference to HI after he said it. The politicians pounced on that and regurgitated the phrase without realising what it actually meant and what was involved. 

[Andy Onchan]

16 minutes ago, cissolt said:

Of course there is.  The government have been planning for pandemics for years. We have plans for SARS, swine flu, bird flu.

What we don't have any is competent leadership who are willing to listen to experts.

http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/33451/influenza-plan-updated-by-government

Beat me to it. There's a whole host of documentation available on WHO website too.

[Albert Tatlock]

7 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

I think Valance deeply regrets any reference to HI after he said it. 

Didn't he die in a conservative plane crash with the big blooper?

[Banker]

26 minutes ago, John Wright said:

First weekend away with no testing or isolation restrictions on return. The world and his dog are going away for the weekend.

Queue a press conference from Howard the week before saying 

Comin have met & we’ve agreed we’re not quite ready to proceed as planned!!