[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

‘ Old Boy there’s no reasoning with someone who thinks Covid 19 is a communist plot to keep people in lockdown.’

I didn’t say that. Another twist. I said Communists like to control people.

‘I told you it wouldn’t go away in the summer. It didn’t.’

The variant we were dealing with then did, actually. It was a new variant that changed the infection rate.

‘I told you variants would reduce vaccine efficacy. It did.’

It was always obvious that mutations could do this, and I warned about that ages ago. However, you only really know what the impact of any new mutation is when it happens. The problem with the latest variant from SA is that the scientists are leaping into control freakery before they actually know we have a problem. You seem blind to the fact that we cannot go on like this, year after year.

‘I said there was no evidence it would become less virulent. There isn’t.’

True. No evidence it will be more so, either. However, thus far, SA infections are not leading to increased hospitalisations over other variants, so we will have to see if that changes.

‘How do you propose to recover the economy when rational actors in the economy stay home - at least some of the time - so they don’t get sick?’

I should imagine that the vast majority will carry on as they do now, going into work. Of course if the government continue to enforce isolation a la pingdemic, it goes without saying we will have a problem, but that is not what I am advocating.

‘What proposals do you have to support those businesses your heart bled so much for when they could rely on furlough and other support measures to get them through Christmas? They can’t live on entrepreneurial spirit’

Except that I am not advocating enforced isolation. You are.

A question for you, however. When we have totally ruined the economy and we are all reduced to poverty, how do you propose the NHS will be funded? You’re the economist, apparently. Knock yourself out.

Use the quote function as intended OB. Not doing so is only going to make it more tedious for everyone else to wade through.

I like the fact that, as someone who can’t answer my question on the economy, you’ve thrown one back at me. You can’t get off that easy - many in the hospitality sector have been key to your internal thinking on restrictions - how do you propose to support them when people take personal responsibility and stay home? Do you propose to support them at all? The spiral of economic damage is inevitable.