Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[merithyn]

Spain will open borders for foreign tourism in July.

I am desperate to leave the country for a break.

Drinks with The Larch in Madrid? Then a drive to Barcelona to help me apartment hunt?

[Josquius]

I expect Brits to be excluded from that?

[Sheilbh]

I think you are misreading this. No minister would do this for a mere advisor. Also, I'd be surprised if the cabinet ministers have any actual say in decisions like that. They are not in cabinet due to their own merits or power, they are there because Johnson chose them, so I expect them to do what they are told. And that's what's happening.

Either Johnson told them to circle the wagons or Cummings have such a hold on them and/or Johnson that at least one of them thought it is worth taking the initiative and suck up to him, then the rest felt they must follow suit or fall out of favour.

I think we're saying the same thing. He's not a mere advisor - he's the PM chief advisor, like Alastair Campbell for Blair or Andy Coulson for Cameron, Damian Collins for Brown or Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill for Theresa May. The PM's chief advisor is probably more powerful than most cabinet ministers (and Cummings is particularly powerful because Johnson is particularly powerful in his party). But he doesn't have his own free-standing powerbase, his power is political: he is close to PM.

Some of the cabinet will back him because of their own association (like Gove), there are others who I can see really not getting on with Cummings (no basis for this but Patel, Hancock and Raab spring to mind). But the overwhelming reason will have been because Johnson has decided to back him - so they've all released supportive tweets, but I think it's pretty striking the lack of people going onto the media to do interviews and that today's briefing was Grant Shapps who's fairly low down the pecking order. They're being supportive, to a point so far. But I don't think any of this has been done to Cummings' power (which is wildly diminishing anyway - especially as new witnesses and breaches come forward), it's because Johnson's decided to back him, for now. At some point, I think inevitably, Johnson will decide the damage isn't worth it and Cummings will step down.

What I meant was that Johnson and the cabinet definitely met and decided to defend him "he has the full confidence of the Prime Minister" They coordinated on their message, there's no way anyone would freelance on this. But  I'm not seeing anyone go beyond sending a tweet, yet - I won't watch, but it'll be worth seeing who's doing the Sunday morning shows. There's a very different message if it's Sunak or Hancock than if it's, say, Shapps or Oliver Dowden.

Also I think they've really fucked this up and it's inevitable he'll go at some point, the only question now is how much damage this causes before then. They should have either released a full statement and grovelling apology, or he should have stepped down (could have had a good resignation) and then come back once the dust's settled like Mandelson.

Edit: Also superb press work by the Mirror. Release the initial story, get a day when half the cabinet comes out to defend him and then drop the story that he took a second trip. Brilliant

Edit: Also interesting that the Deputy Chief Medical Officer when asked about her view on this several times repeated the same line: "Guidance is if you're symptomatic, stay home, take yourself out of society with your family and stay there. Unless there is an extreme risk to life."

[The Larch]

Spain will open borders for foreign tourism in July.

I am desperate to leave the country for a break.

Drinks with The Larch in Madrid? Then a drive to Barcelona to help me apartment hunt?

Madrid and Barcelona might be the two worst possible destinations in Spain this summer. 

[Maladict]

While the headline focuses on the Republicans accepting the theory, I'm also shocked and surprised that 48% of Democrats/37% of Clinton voters don't reject the conspiracy myth outright.

Presumably they're the same people who say they won't get vaccinated, so the problem should solve itself.

[Sheilbh]

Spain will open borders for foreign tourism in July.

I am desperate to leave the country for a break.

Drinks with The Larch in Madrid? Then a drive to Barcelona to help me apartment hunt?

Madrid and Barcelona might be the two worst possible destinations in Spain this summer. 

Yeah. I'll see you in Asturias, meri

I expect Brits to be excluded from that?

I don't think so - I think the main thing is whether you have to quarantine where you go or when you return. Not sure about Spain, but the UK and France (two of the only countries in Europe not to close their borders at all through all this) have agreed that travellers between countries won't need to quarantine/recognise each others quarantines. If not Spain I'll definitely be going to France

[Josquius]

I've read with Greece there's a bit of uncertainty on whether Brits will be allowed to go. Though googling today looks like it's clearing towards it'll be OK.

On France I thought the latest was that there wouldn't be an exception for quarantine? (which sucks as we will need to go to Geneva and could spin it as a French trip)

[merithyn]

I just know that Larchie wouldn't leave Madrid to see me, so was trying to work within his boundaries.

I'm looking NE of Barcelona for places, out about 45-60 minutes by train. Cel knows this. But sure, Asturias works, too. I think there's a horseback riding tour up that way.

[Sheilbh]

On France I thought the latest was that there wouldn't be an exception for quarantine? (which sucks as we will need to go to Geneva and could spin it as a French trip)

France and UK are working on a common approach for their borders and mutual recognition within. Not sure if Switzerland is covered.

I think this'll be the first steps of something more European and international around mutual recognition of quarantine periods.

I've read with Greece there's a bit of uncertainty on whether Brits will be allowed to go. Though googling today looks like it's clearing towards it'll be OK.

Given the size of the tourist sector for Greece and parts of Italy and Spain, I'd expect efforts to be made to try and have some sort of summer season. I feel like the UK will probably be part of that. Greece would be great (I work with a Greek who is really annoyed as I think he's had to cancel two planned trips already ).

[The Larch]

I just know that Larchie wouldn't leave Madrid to see me, so was trying to work within his boundaries.

I don't even live in Madrid, I just happened to be there for work those days. 

[The Larch]

Spain will open borders for foreign tourism in July.

I am desperate to leave the country for a break.

Drinks with The Larch in Madrid? Then a drive to Barcelona to help me apartment hunt?

Madrid and Barcelona might be the two worst possible destinations in Spain this summer. 

Yeah. I'll see you in Asturias, meri

Oh come on, I'm right in the next region along the coast! 

[Sheilbh]

I said what I said.

Would love to go to Galicia in fairness. Haven't been to that bit of Spain yet.

[The Larch]

I said what I said.

Would love to go to Galicia in fairness. Haven't been to that bit of Spain yet.

Any particular motivation to visit Asturias?

[merithyn]

I just know that Larchie wouldn't leave Madrid to see me, so was trying to work within his boundaries.

I don't even live in Madrid, I just happened to be there for work those days. 

I'm just giving you shit, friend.

Galicia is high-high on my list of places to visit. So sure. Why not this summer? Are there horse-back riding tours, there, too?

And yes, a LOT safer than Madrid.

[The Larch]

I just know that Larchie wouldn't leave Madrid to see me, so was trying to work within his boundaries.

I don't even live in Madrid, I just happened to be there for work those days. 

I'm just giving you shit, friend.

Galicia is high-high on my list of places to visit. So sure. Why not this summer? Are there horse-back riding tours, there, too?

And yes, a LOT safer than Madrid.

You can do the Camino de Santiago on horseback if you want.