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I can't think of a single jurisdiction during this pandemic that has thought 'we really locked down too early'. Plenty did the opposite. Messing about with tier 3, tier 4, wear masks, take-away beer only, keep your distance etc demonstrably doesn't work. If the rumour mill is correct - we have multiple locations and community spread - then I'd advocate a strict, complete lockdown - just like in March - for a short time, instead of too-ing and fro-ing for a couple of weeks while cases build such that we have to lock down.

She has a successful company, which possibly indicates that she has, actually, got a clue... Who cares if she is/has? She may, at times, come across as a bit self-regarding but because of her professionalism and application, and obvious concern for us all I'm comfortable with over-looking any of that... Now that's not what we want. I think we benefit from her critical judgment, she is, after all, an educated person and familiar with the science, her assessment of this ongoing situation and projections are an absolute necessity. Maybe if she'd been listened to earlier the situation we now find ourselves in could have been minimised.

This is suggestive that it probably is the new strain which has a far longer incubation period, that in itself may be leading to the increased transmissibility. The Uk probably haven't had the time to study the incubation period as what has occurred here in at least two cases. Throws a curve ball potentially for quarantine and border issues. This occurred with similar increasing number on IoW. This is a bit of a pickle and clearly the the whole approach needs re thinking. They missed a trick with not having the positive samples from xmas analysed on the island for the UK Strain. To say it would not effect their approach is risible.

If howie and ashie dont go cap in hand to dr glover now they both need sacking. Time for a bit of genuine leadership

That was an excellently posed question today, asking if we have the ability to test on Island for the new variant. Henrietta replied no, then went on to give an evasive and deliberately confusing description of why that was. The identification of the new variant on Island by us could easily be fed into the UK afterwards instead of us having to wait for them. Although identifying it may not inform your initial basic control measure it would certainly inform your future choices and it is therefore vital time sensitive information. The question, IMO was designed to highlight the fact that the finest asset we had in this pandemic (Rachel Glover) is no longer working for us unfortunately. I would love to know why that is.

He might have done better if he wasn’t a known associate of known extreme right wingers, racists, brexiteers.

That's the thing though, she clearly does. She runs a company that is busy enough in its' own right. She was helping here because she has the skills, and wants to keep people safe. Clearly, the calls she made for 13 day testing months ago, would've been very valuable for potentially avoiding our current situation. It isn't worth having to fuck around making shell companies or liability concerns, when they're artificial goalposts being set by the DHSC and IOMG to make life more difficult. She herself has said she only went public after trying every possible route within Government. Your view comes across as quite brutish and maybe naive of the full facts of the situation.

The thing is, if approached sensibly, Dr Glover would leap at the opportunity to help out. Not because she has any respect or like, or professionally repeatable opinion of CM and Ashie, but because she wants to help the people of the Island, despite their government.

I’m fairly sure after 10 months of the Island being ‘Covid free’ our Government plan in such an instance has been thoroughly explored, prepared for and is meticulous. Some are implying that CoMin are sat around a table like startled rabbits in headlights. We have an MBE recipient running the show health wise so nothing to worry about. We’ve got this ... or something.

Dr Ewart suggested they wouldn't have the answer from the Liverpool lab until at least end of this week. This is why they should have just bitten their tongues and let @rachomics deal with it.

Having a company on island who can, I imagine, examine the genomics of these new cases and identify if they came from the original strain, a genetic variant or one that may have possibly emerged from the recent vaccination campaign would be absolute dynamite in addressing this emerging situation. The fact said person and company are on island but in exile is an embarrassment to our government and one would hope common sense would now prevail.

Or perhaps she is motivated, sincere, hard-working and wants to give herself the best chance of success? I can understand why that may be a difficult concept for you to grasp of course.

You would think that at a time when the world is facing a crisis, all politicos, and I include our tinpot airheads in that, would put aside politics, egos and face saving, and address the crisis at hand, with whatever help and advice is available. Whilst this crisis is very serious, it is concerning that if we ever had something worse, we have really proven that we don't have anyone capable of acting quickly and with clear purpose, irrespective of their politics or egos. If we didn't realise how much politics and perception has overcome any common sense we do now !

What they haven't got the foresight to see, is that if they did a U turn, they would soar up in the estimation of the Island. We really WOULD cheer for them then. And they could do with a bit of that right now.

I know I keep going on about New Zealand, but one thing that we can learn from them is the importance of using genomics to track cluster outbreaks so you can trace the spread of particular outbreaks. It's not just about whether these are the new strain or not, it's also a way of seeing how many separate outbreaks there are. The fact we have a company on the Island that can do this should be grasped with both hands. Instead they are spending money to legally harass them because the only thing that really matters is the egos of DHSC management and they will fight to the death to make those the most important things Not their own deaths obviously - ours.

There we have it, once again, Banker showing his selfishness. Its always, always, just about him.

Stop trying to make out that everyone in favour of sensible precautions is either hysterical or some kind of shirker.

Has to be more sensibly locking down for a short time now when people are skint and not shopping or going out than in a few weeks when the cases will be spiralling needing a longer more damaging lockdown

Thank fuck we have you as our all-knowing and sagacious arbiter of reassurance. Where would we all be without you.

They bulk tested far too early. Will need to do so overall again.

Are you sure? There's plenty of people who couldn't even name their own MHK's, who don't know the difference between Local and Central Govt and either don't care what goes on or haven't the time to care. Govt. relies on this too, to push through policies and schemes without too much opposition other than the very few interested and informed. For example, look at DOI. Or MUA with its recent debacle over the Peel sewerage works including unauthorised (at that point) demolition. Only a few years ago the esteemed Geoff Corkish MLC stated that "ill informed" forae should be shut down. Which speaks volumes for the attitude towards discussion.

Well, the wheels go round and round, the wipers go swish swish swish, the driver says move along please etc. etc. All day long in fact.

The whole section about when to wear a mask carries more weight (in my mind anyway) than that single addendum in the general statement. Wear one in public places, but if you are off piste far from anyone else, just have one ready to put on for that chance encounter with another human. Common sense.

Out of everything I've seen/read today, this is the sentence that made me open the wine.

It's because he knows he's inadequate. He knows he's an imposter. Anyone secure in their own abilities wouldn't behave like that and they certainly wouldn't have orchestrated getting rid of the one valuable asset that the Island needs right now.

You mean, like they did in the UK? Like that do you mean?

Absolutely pointless waste of resources testing to detect a virus at a stage in its incubation where it's indetectable.

fake news

Like Daleks, Covid still can't climb stairs yet.

Privacy. It is in the arm , not the arse.

Good call. Let’s hope the pubs etc implement immediately rather than wait until midnight tomorrow (which I think is a legal requirement rather than ministerial dithering)

Manx gas will be rubbing their hands...though not necessarily with hand gel.

I'd rather have a short sharp lockdown now than a 6 month long drawn out affair. A reset.

We’ve got 12 cases not 1200 so drop the stupid lockdown calls. There’s so many on here & Facebook would love a lockdown so they can say told you so!!!

Director or above will get that salary at the DOI ,the Cabinet office will be slightly higher again at Director level, although I find it extraordinary why we need half of these posts in such a small community? it beggars belief.

As posted before...we got sloppy, complacent and over confident. Plus manipulation of figures to back it up where applicable. And not updating protocols to suit any changes. Until the knowledge is proven - assume worse case scenario. Which doesn't mean allowing roofers, jetskiers or HNWs to ride roughshod over the rules.

I'd like to see an analysis done on cost of a 21 day lockdown now vs the reintroduction of distancing measures (incl. in workplaces) over a much longer period. I'd also like to know what the impact of each would be on the long-term ill in our community, with regard to cancer treatment etc.

IOMG are going to have a hard time convincing me that this isn't in the community.

Quite possibly, as RM says, a scutch of day 13 tests pushing the number up. If so, proof that this policy should have been in place much earlier. It's not as if they weren't told it was a good idea. Some boffins are hypothesising that the new variant has a longer incubation period. This would make the 14 day 'gold standard' somewhat defunct.

A woman told them to do it.

If we just been testing on arrival as some of us have been calling for months then we would have picked up a lot of these cases before they got out of isolation. But no, we didn’t want cases and no we didn’t want to spend money on testing at ports like Guernsey .

Shield the vulnerable & elderly, vaccinate the care home staff & patients & let’s get on with it ffs.

This. The delay in results will have had an effect on continuity. Who will ask those very difficult questions? Paul Moulton? Tim Glover? Let's not forget there's little accountability for anything that goes tits-up on this Isle.

Hope this pans out OK. You really don’t want to be back to square one. Chasing their tails over here.

Close the corridoars surely

Pfft.

I think the biggest issue for the Gov is that previously they could do as they do and a few people might be aware, might kick off on here or social media but it went by the by. Now, the Manx public are far more politically engaged then they have ever been. They know more of what the politicians are doing and discussing their views about it. Same can be said for any other country. If they wish to carry on doing their old style either way and think they can muscle and bully people who don't agree with them, then more fool them.

Is it better like this in a lockdown...or before lockdown? Better like this or before?

Oh I don't know their other high profile appointments have gone well ...... oh hang on !