“Kill the Oldies. Save the NHS.” Perhaps Boris Johnson should think of adopting this for his next slogan because it’s what his government has done. In fact, it’s the second most scandalous aspect of his record so far in dealing with the Chinese coronavirus.
The scandal, essentially, is this: on March 19 the UK government issued an order to the NHS quickly to clear out 15,000 patients to make way for the expected surge in patients with Covid-19. Many of these were elderly patients who had nowhere to go save care homes. Some of these patients were already infected with coronavirus and instead of being isolated — as they should have been — they were instead sent to the very place where they were likely to do the most damage: residential homes full of people in the worst at-risk category.
So far, more than 8,000 people have died in care homes with Covid-19. This represents around a quarter of the total coronavirus deaths in the UK so far. We cannot be sure how many of these deaths can be attributed to the government’s panicked decision to dump elderly patients from hospitals into care homes. But the government undoubtedly bears a degree of culpability.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is currently denying responsibility.
Last week, he told a press conference:
#1: ghostdogtxn To: Ada (#0)
ghostdogtxn posted on 2020-05-19 15:26:27 Reply Private Reply
#2: Dakmar To: ghostdogtxn (#1)
"Mistake"...."almost"? They want you too Malachi! :)
Dakmar posted on 2020-05-19 16:06:43 Reply Private Reply
#3: hondo68 To: Ada (#0)
hondo68 posted on 2020-05-19 16:08:21 Reply Private Reply
#4: Dakmar To: hondo68 (#3)
How else is it going to balance out? Why do you think FedGov subsidizes tobacco?
Dakmar posted on 2020-05-19 16:13:22 Reply Private Reply
#5: Esso To: hondo68, 4um (#3)
We don't exactly have socialized medicine here in the US, but why do the hospitals here, that charge you $500.00 for an aspirin pill, need a government bailout?
How can some dick with an MD behind his name charge $35 for a housecall without insurance manage to eek out 65% of what an institutional doc does.
Esso posted on 2020-05-19 19:11:04 Reply Private Reply
#6: Esso To: Dakmar, 4um (#4)
Because they love me.
Let it go at that.
Esso posted on 2020-05-19 19:12:31 Reply Private Reply