Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[garbon]

And his answer on whether it was credible that Cummings traveled 60 miles round-trip to test his eyes.

[Sheilbh]

And his answer on whether it was credible that Cummings traveled 60 miles round-trip to test his eyes.

Also Cummings admission of making mistakes is going to prompt a lot of questions of basically every minister now - especially the PM.

[Legbiter]

I think he drove with his wife (who had covid) through half the country to drop his son at some family estate.

Ah ok.

[Sheilbh]

What is the absolute TL;DR of this Cummings business? I can't quite understand it because the I'm missing the context and the last 2 seasons in this drama. Also feel myself losing the will to live at even the thought of investigating the matter.   

This is Cummings' version.

Cummings and his wife both got covid symptoms (never got tested), her first. He could forseee that if they both got they'd need someone to look after the kids. So he drove the family up to Durham, where his parents have property (three houses on the grounds plus some private woodland etc) and stayed in one of the spare properties where his nieces could provide childcare if needed. This was after lockdown when the government guidance was that if one person showed symptoms the entire household needed to self-isolate and stay at home. There's an argument around whether there was a reasonable exception especially for people with young kids. His answer of why he didn't ask anyone in London for help wasn't very convincing to me ("I couldn't expose a friend to this deadly infection when my 17 year old niece had already volunteered" ).

While in Durham they recovered. He had some symptoms that made his vision go funny. But they were better and he was advised he could return to work - which meant driving back to London. But given the vision issues they decided to "test" his eyesight for a long journey by taking a half hour trip to a local beauty spot with his whole family, on his wife's birthday. I feel this may be the weakest bit of his narrative.

Once back in London, him and his wife both wrote detailed pieces for the Spectator about having coronavirus. Neither mentioned they were in Durham and both talked about how surreal London was in lockdown.

This is the first time since Friday they've actually tried to put details on this story and he's still showing no regret or apology. Apparently the reason people are angry is because of "false" information in the media - from his version v the stories in the Guardian/Mirror, I can't identify any falsehoods. He's just provided personal details/colour.

I think if that press conference happened two days ago, plus an apology he'd be fine. But we've had two days of bluster and growing anger. He might survive (but he'll be very diminished), but I feel like the public have now built up a head of anger which will be tough. Worth having a look at the comments under the Daily Mail and, the Mail online is currently leading with "Dominic Cummings REFUSES to apologise and has NOT offered to resign for breaking lockdown to drive 260 miles to Durham without PM's permission - despite admitting he DID go to woods and drive to Barnard Castle to 'check if he felt better'" which does not indicate they're willing to move on. And the general rule is newspapers don't start campaigns they don't think they can win.

[Admiral Yi]

I found the Carlists to be the most sympathetic part of the Francoist coalition.

[Sheilbh]

Due to overruns of the various government press conferences today the BBC has had to change their schedule and cancel Padddinton 2 on a Bank Holiday Monday. Really endearing themselves to the nation there

[The Brain]

UK = failed state?

[Sheilbh]

I found the Carlists to be the most sympathetic part of the Francoist coalition.

Weird, I'd have had you done as more sympathetic to the technocrats than ultra-Catholic legitimists

UK = failed state?

Not far off.

On the other hand I am glad breaching the rules causes this much scandal - plus the two previous resignations.

[merithyn]

Which is extraordinary given the uniforms

[The Brain]

Oh, honey. Hate to break it to you...

[celedhring]

I found the Carlists to be the most sympathetic part of the Francoist coalition.

My mother's family were Carlists. Actually my great-grandfather was the head of the local Carlist faction and nearly became major of my hometown (3rd largest in Catalonia), before Carlists fell out of favor with the regime.

[Admiral Yi]

Weird, I'd have had you done as more sympathetic to the technocrats than ultra-Catholic legitimists

I liked their dead, hopeless cause, their doughty small farmer backgrounds, and their berets.

[Legbiter]

This is Cummings' version.

Cummings and his wife both got covid symptoms (never got tested), her first. He could forseee that if they both got they'd need someone to look after the kids. So he drove the family up to Durham, where his parents have property (three houses on the grounds plus some private woodland etc) and stayed in one of the spare properties where his nieces could provide childcare if needed. This was after lockdown when the government guidance was that if one person showed symptoms the entire household needed to self-isolate and stay at home.

Right. This wonderfully ties into all sorts of UK quirks regarding class/fair play, etc so I get the uproar. 

[merithyn]

Oh, honey. Hate to break it to you...

Pretty is still pretty.

[The Brain]

Oh, honey. Hate to break it to you...

Pretty is still pretty.

Pretty... awesome!