Topic: PM before Commons Liaison Committee

[Fambo Number Mive]

Just started ten minutes ago

Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative chair of the health committee, is up first and asks if there will be enough NHS intensive care beds for those who need them in the next few weeks.

Boris Johnson says there are 70% more inpatients than at the April peak and the pressure on the health service is "very considerable".

He replies he can't give a prediction of when capacity will be "overtopped" but says the risk is "substantial".

"overtopped". Never heard that word being used before.

[Fambo Number Mive]

First time I've heard of a Brazil varient.

[Jasha]

Prime Minister yesterday the Home secretary said the lockdown rules were very clear so can I ask why those that require bsl are still being denied this simple but vital service during briefings

eeerm ahh ooh well I I I I eerm yyyour ththththank you for your question

Cunt

[Huxleys Babkins]

First time I've heard of a Brazil varient.

Doing everything we can to stop the arrival of the new Brazil variant, except closing our borders to travellers arriving from Brazil.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Labour's chair of the Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper, points out loopholes for travellers arriving home from abroad - including travelling on UK public transport when coming back from a holiday destination.

Mr Johnson says there is a "balanced approach" from the government on the health of the nation vs the health of the economy.

Ms Cooper says other countries brought in negative Covid tests as a requirement to travel "months ago" whereas the UK is only bringing these in from Friday.

Mr Johnson says 3.5m passengers have been spot-checked since June 2020. He says a "great deal of work" goes into checking "passenger data forms" to check where people have come from.

Ms Cooper says over 90% of those passenger data forms are not being checked. She says these checks "might as well be voluntary".

Mr Johnson replies that those arriving from abroad are being screened.

Ms Cooper asks why people from Brazil are not being checked for Covid, considering that there is a new strain in the South American country which could undermine the UK's vaccination programme.

"We are taking steps to ensure" that the UK doesn't see the new variant in Brazil coming to the UK, replies Mr Johnson.

Unbelievable. I imagine the new Brazil variant is already in the UK given Johnson's answers.

What is this "balanced approach"?

[steveh]

The Brazil variant is worrying as it has a mutation that may make the immune response less effective and has been linked to some confirmed reinfections. There is also a concern that it likely originated in an area where infection rates were incredibly high so selective pressure helped that mutation's success.

[Bleeding Kansas]

What is this "balanced approach"?

They are taking steps to define what the balanced approach is.

[Fambo Number Mive]

All these varients are very demoralising.

[bomb_dog]

There is also a concern that it likely originated in an area where infection rates were incredibly high so selective pressure helped that mutation's success.

Well that’s what happened in Plague Britain, and so fingers crossed it won’t be a problem.