Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Eddie Teach]

I bet Walter would sack Jeff Dunham if he could.

[Threviel]

Swedish Department of social services has done some calculations. Apparently about 11,000 have died so far this year of all causes, compare to about 10,000 a normal year. They compared it to just a bit worse than a normal flu season.

Both those numbers are too low if we are talking about Jan-May 2020; they must be using a shorter timespan.

I can't seem to find the article again, I read it a few days ago. IIRC the numbers don't square with my calculations a while back.

Maybe this? Forum can't handle "ö" in the link but you'll manage. https://www.msn.com/sv-se/nyheter/coronavirus/liknande-dödstal-på-äldreboenden-varje-år/ar-BB14uAvD?ocid=spartanntp

It's about the number of dead in Sweden at care homes for olds. 10,000 at this point of a normal year, 11,000 so far this year, not extremely different from normal flu season. Their point is that the situation at care homes in Sweden isn't apocalyptic.

Thanks. Apparently I misremembered an article I hadn't fully grasped.

[Sheilbh]

Sure but here was a pretty open and shut case. And he chose his advisor over the health of the populace.

Sure, but I mean Campbell was accused of massaging intelligence so we could join the Iraq war and Blair tried to keep hold of him. Coulson hacked a murdered girl's voicemail for a scoop. I don't think there's anything special about Cummings or Johnson on this. My suspicion is they basically don't think it matters and that no-one outside of Westminster cares. I think they've misjudged that pretty severely.

What will do for Cummings in the end is if Johnson calculates that he's causing more damage than he's worth, or he's forced to fire him (i.e. if cabinet ministers or MPs basically say it's him or us). Campbell, Coulson and McBride were in the former category, Hill and Timothy are in the latter. I'm not sure which it'll be with this, but I think the damage will be pretty clear pretty quickly and I think a lot of the cabinet will be fuming that they basically torched their credibility when there were more shoes to drop.

And it won't end. Johnson wasn't answering a lot of those questions, including when he knew.

[fromtia]

Splendid knifing by the Mirror. Couldn't be happier. He might survive though.

[Syt]

[Tamas]

This is really weird. He could just ask Cummings to resign, then give him some BS job to keep paying him and could still consult him.

Only possible explanation is that Cummings doesn't want to go, and he, not Johnson, makes the final decision on this.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Splendid knifing by the Mirror. Couldn't be happier. He might survive though.

The longer he survives the more the government will be held in deserved contempt. I'm very pleased that Johnson has backed him.

[Sheilbh]

This is really weird. He could just ask Cummings to resign, then give him some BS job to keep paying him and could still consult him.

Only possible explanation is that Cummings doesn't want to go, and he, not Johnson, makes the final decision on this.

As I say I think they think this is a Westminster bubble/left-wing/social media furore, like so many others we had in the run-up to and during the election - I suspect they're wrong, but I think that's what they think. Also I think there is a strand on the right and especially in government that apologising for anything is weakness. It's too late for apologies now. I suspect they'll see polling this week that shows it hurting Johnson, there will be a distinct lack of enthusiasm among the cabinet to do media appearances and there'll be more questions. All of which will lead to him going.

Edit:

Splendid knifing by the Mirror. Couldn't be happier. He might survive though.

Yeah it is a cracking tabloid drip-drip. Very pleased for the Mirror after they were getting frozen out by Number 10 too

[Agelastus]

Top comment in the Daily Mail : expecting Johnson to sack Cummings is like expecting Emu to sack Rod Hull 

A pity only me and mongers will get it 

While he was past his glory days, I have strong memories of Emu as well.

[11B4V]

Look at the proud beaming brainwashed parents.

[Syt]

Cummings is not popular with the neighbours right now (video):

https://twitter.com/ladyhaja/status/1264641858585714689?s=20

[Sheilbh]

Cummings is not popular with the neighbours right now (video):

https://twitter.com/ladyhaja/status/1264641858585714689?s=20

My mum is furious and she's normally a useful barometer. I'm also seeing a lot of Tories online who are absolutely spitting tacks about it, not MPs either. I'm seeing just Tory supporters and councillors as well as MPs getting very angry.

It's really not a bubble story.

However, in the bubble I'm really enjoying seeing all the hard Brexiteers who Cummings has held in contempt for years really enjoying their moment. Eg Steve Baker - "he needs to go before he causes any more harm" - I can't imagine anything more likely to make Cummings want to stay

Edit: Actually Steve Baker was the first Tory MP to go beyond "this is bad" to "he should go". The Tories really do love their beef.

Edit: And the Mail has turned - again, not a bubble/London-centric paper:

[Razgovory]

Missouri got three national stories about reckless disregard of virus safety!

[Gups]

Cummings will be gone within 48 hours. What's in question is whether Boris can survive.

[mongers]

Top comment in the Daily Mail : expecting Johnson to sack Cummings is like expecting Emu to sack Rod Hull 

A pity only me and mongers will get it