Matt Hancock "Important Statement" 5pm 16/7

[westv]

Anybody care to guess/speculate what he will be saying and how "important" it might be?

 

[Huntergreed]

Something about mask mandation I imagine (A U-turn? Doubtful).

Perhaps the end of the Leicester lockdown or a local lockdown in Blackburn.

Announcing the new changes coming in in the next phase (August 1st?)

Changes to/end of shielding?

(Doubtful but possible) discovery of an effective treatment or significant progress with a vaccine (hopeful but not quite sure)?

Extremely doubtful: Closing the land border to Scotland and Wales due to a different strategy in use?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Surprised it hasn't been leaked. It usually is a few hours beforehand.

 

[Huntergreed]

Surprised it hasn't been leaked. It usually is a few hours beforehand.

I wouldn't be shocked if it is before 5PM.

 

[PHILIPE]

I wouldn't be shocked if it is before 5PM.

Be wary of him lying though with his track record

 

[NorthOxonian]

Most of the rumours I've seen claim it's about testing (a journalist who works for the BBC in parliament claims this). I'm not sure what could be so earth-shattering to warrant an emergency statement though!

 

[Class 33]

Whatever it is, it probably won't be any good news for us.

Also doubt it will be about the easing of the lockdown on 1st August. As it's a bit too early for that yet. That will be next week.

 

[Yew]

(Doubtful but possible) discovery of an effective treatment or significant progress with a vaccine (hopeful but not quite sure)?

There was a story today about the oxford vaccine giving good immunity, though I think that was from follow up on phase 1 trials, as opposed to results from the more recent phase 2/3 trial.

I suppose that there could be another treatment, DISCOVERY has already shown some results, so there could be more for some of the treatment options.

Most likely I think is a formal announcement of Masks in England, who knows if they will provide this "new evidence" that is so often spoken about.

EDIT: Last night I saw that an indoor activity I had booked had been delayed from re opening (And indoor ski slope) so I wonder if it could be delaying some restrictions lifting?

 

[MrTurbostar170]

Found something by the Telegraph:

Coronavirus tests halted over safety fears, as Matt Hancock to make statement

Government has called halt to Covid-19 tests used by NHS because they may be unsafe

www.telegraph.co.uk

Coronavirus tests used by the NHS may be unsafe and have been halted, the government has announced.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary is to make a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday afternoon about the problems with coronavirus kits, which could hamper widespread testing.
The Department of Health said that the NHS Test and Trace service had been notified that some test kits produced by Randox Laboratories may not meet required safety standards.
“As a precautionary measure and while we investigate further, NHS Test and Trace are requesting that all settings pause the use of Randox test kits with immediate effect and until further notice,” a government statement said.
“The risk to safety is low and test results from Randox kits are not affected.
“We will be supporting all testing settings to receive replacement kits as soon as possible.”
Randox was paid to carry out tests, both posted to individuals at home and administered at testing centres, as part of Mr Hancock’s pledge to reach the target of 100,000 tests a day.
The company, based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, supplies tests to more than 40 countries and won the second biggest contract for testing in the UK, worth £133 million. Only Hologic won a bigger contract worth £151 million.
However the government was criticised at the time after it emerged that Tory MP Owen Paterson receives £100,000 a year from Randox to act as a consultant.
Randox’s test results are available in less than hours as the tests and its analysers are capable of processing 54 patient samples simultaneously.

Coronavirus Test Kit

It is not the first time there has been problems with Randox during the pandemic. In May, testing was held up at the company’s lab in Northern Ireland when a machine stopped working properly.
The government was forced to send samples to a US laboratory for testing, but nearly 30,000 had to be voided because they were wrongly processed.
Samples have to be tested within 72 hours of the test being taken, which means that any delay in their processing could leave people with symptoms unsure if they have the virus.
Randox has not yet responded to the announcement.
Separately British company Diagnostics.ai has filed a claim in the High Court against the Government over the selection testing of companies by the government.
The company claims that based on testing of 100,000 a day, 1,000 tests a week are being falsely diagnosed as negative, meaning large numbers of people do not know they have the disease and so are not self isolating.

How many years would it take to test entire population?

Professor Brian Glenville, Chairman of Diagnostics.ai, said: “We can confirm that we have submitted a claim to the High Court, seeking an urgent review of the choice of system used to support the analysis of Covid-19 tests.
“The government had two systems to choose from: one with a near 100 per cent accuracy and one that was less accurate – for reasons best known to them, they chose the non-clinically validated, less accurate, system.
“This issue is one of urgent public health and safety and we take no pleasure in issuing this claim.”
The High Court has agreed the case should be expedited in the interests of public health and instead and will hear the matter on September 23.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't see the Torygraph article as it's behind a paywall, what is unsafe about them? I have been tested for COVID twice in the past week (both negative) for reasons that are a bit complex, so I hope it didn't put me at risk!

 

[Yew]

Alternatively, this was just on the BBC, looking at Leicester's lockdown https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-...103dd1bac8f90655aaa190&pinned_post_type=share

Leicester's mayor has called for 90% of the city's lockdown to be lifted and said residents will be "very angry" if restrictions are extended further.

A prolonged lockdown for the city was announced on 29 June after a spike in Covid-19 cases, with non-essential shops and schools closed.

But mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said new data showed only 10% of Leicester had seen higher transmission rates.

The health secretary is due to rule on whether to extend restrictions later.

The Department of Health and Social Care previously said it "makes no apology" for trying to reverse infection rates.

 

[Mag_seven]

Anybody care to guess/speculate what he will be saying

How about "It's all over".

 

[Huntergreed]

From the BBC:

Leicester's mayor says his residents will be "very angry indeed" if a lockdown in the city is extended further.
Leicester became the first city in the UK to have tight restrictions reimposed following a rise in infections last month.
Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby is now urging the government to lift the measures in 90% of the city.
He said he hopes Health Secretary Matt Hancock "will allow us and trust us at a local level to work with the people of the city".
The most recent official data shows the number of new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 population in Leicester dropped from 127.2 in the seven days to 5 July to 104.4 in the week to 12 July.
It was 143.6 in the period before the local lockdown was imposed at the end of June.
Mr Hancock is to make an "important statement" to MPs about the virus at 17:00 BST - and we think this will be about Leicester.

(Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-53426297/page/2)

It looks like it'll be the end of the Leicester lockdown (and maybe the start of the Blackburn one??), and probably questions about the 'unsafe testing' news.

 

[birchesgreen]

How about "It's all over".

He will stand on the deck of one of the aircraft carriers and announce "Mission accomplished!"

 

[adc82140]

As it's not the PM, it's unlikely to be earth shattering. I think it'll be Leicester related, as the review is due today.

 

[Smidster]

It will be Leicester as the review is due today.

In the data there don't seem to be other areas that would be at the trigger point - Though places like Blackburn and Bradford aren't in great shape.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

How about "Now we're making masks compulsory we don't need to socially distance any more so we're going to scrap the silly "1 metre plus" rule that's limiting shops' capacity and causing people to jump into oncoming traffic to avoid passing other people on the pavement"?

 

[Domh245]

I would be surprised if Leicester had it's lockdown lifted. Whilst cases are on a downwards trajectory they still seem rather high, with an average of 60 new cases per day as of the 9th. Unless of course they've tested so many people as to be confident that they've got (near enough) everyone with it identified

 

[Huntergreed]

How about "Now we're making masks compulsory we don't need to socially distance any more so we're going to scrap the silly "1 metre plus" rule that's limiting shops' capacity and causing people to jump into oncoming traffic to avoid passing other people on the pavement"?

Doubtful, they've emphasised that social distancing is 'here to stay'. Whilst I don't think it's economically viable beyond September, I think the government are planning on it for the rest of 2020, and I hope this changes eventually.

I would be surprised if Leicester had it's lockdown lifted. Whilst cases are on a downwards trajectory they still seem rather high, with an average of 60 new cases per day as of the 9th. Unless of course they've tested so many people as to be confident that they've got (near enough) everyone with it identified

Perhaps 'eased' but not lifted? With masks maybe shops can reopen but on the whole the travel ban is still on and the pubs stay shut?

 

[John Hunt]

I'm just waiting to see what happens.
There have been door-to-door testings carried out (but not in my part of Leicester). I have not been contacted at all (age 60+, heart history).
What does concern me, however, is the number of Deliveroo riders without masks all over the city (personal observation).

 

[Domh245]

Well done to anyone who did think partial lifting of Leicester restrictions!

from BBC live thread

The local lockdown in Leicester will be partially relaxed, including for schools and early years childcare, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs.

Hancock says schools and nurseries can reopen in Leicester from 24 July.

He says the city council will also be able to take a “targeted approach” to closing non-essential shops, replacing the blanket ban.

But he says pubs and restaurants - which have reopened in the rest of England - will stay closed.

Hancock says the new restrictions will now only apply to the city of Leicester itself, as well as the suburbs of Oadby and Wigston.

He says guidance against meeting in larger groups and against "non-essential" travel will remain in place.

The measures will be reviewed in a fortnight, he adds.

 

[Yew]

Not going to lie, I was hoping for something more substantial.

 

[BJames]

A reportedly disappointed Mayor of Leicester on the lack of restrictions being lifted. Can't blame him really, it means another 2 weeks (at least) of local economic slowdown.

 

[Scrotnig]

A reportedly disappointed Mayor of Leicester on the lack of restrictions being lifted. Can't blame him really, it means another 2 weeks (at least) of local economic slowdown.

Hancock claims he asked the city mayor for his thoughts on reducing the areas of the city under lockdown, but he refused to cooperate.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Not going to lie, I was hoping for something more substantial.

You should know by now that Boris does the substantial announcements!

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

From the part of the announcement I caught, it sounds like general retailers may be permitted to reopen again. He was a bit unclear on that (as with most things).

 

[Scrotnig]

From the part of the announcement I caught, it sounds like general retailers may be permitted to reopen again. He was a bit unclear on that (as with most things).

He’s given the city mayor the power to allow that in some areas. Which means it won’t happen.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Most of the rumours I've seen claim it's about testing (a journalist who works for the BBC in parliament claims this). I'm not sure what could be so earth-shattering to warrant an emergency statement though!

I understand that he dunked his biscuit in his tea, it broke, and he needed someone to run in with a spoon to fish it out.
Not that I regard him as entirely clueless or anything.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I understand that he dunked his biscuit in his tea, it broke, and he needed someone to run in with a spoon to fish it out.
Not that I regard him as entirely clueless or anything.

I'm intrigued what's so unsafe about the tests if the results aren't the problem - I wonder if maybe they had a couple of instances of the end of the swab snapping off or something.

 

[Domh245]

I'm intrigued what's so unsafe about the tests if the results aren't the problem - I wonder if maybe they had a couple of instances of the end of the swab snapping off or something.

Daily Mail is reporting:

MailOnline understands safety concerns were raised yesterday when it emerged that one of Randox's suppliers had not provided safety assurance documents.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons tonight that physical checks were carried out on the swabs which 'were not up to the standards that we expect.'

Could be all sorts when you read that, but does seem to be something that could be noticed non-destructively.