2m review must consider test, trace and isolate strategy
Responding to reports that the Government will announce in the coming week whether the 2m social distancing rule in England will be relaxed, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said:
The economic and public health impact of the Coronavirus is deeply worrying and has left thousands of families facing financial hardship and uncertainty. We all want to get back to normal life as soon as possible.
However, any easing of the lockdown can only happen once the Government delivers a comprehensive strategy to test, trace and isolate to protect lives and prevent a new surge.
Thus far, the Government has been woefully slow to ramp up capacity and their tracing plans are in disarray. It is clear Ministers failed to prepare properly and have created confusion by badly communicating their plans. The public deserve a lot better this week.
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2 Comments
Munira Wilson is right to draw attention to this aspect of the epidemic.
Meanwhile the Scottish Government is yet again ahead of the Johnson/Cummings administration by publishing a report setting out a programme for economic recovery. It will be interesting to get a reaction from LDV’s resident economic gurus, Joe Bourke et al. The BBC reports it has lots of interesting stuff, not least the idea of a “Scottish Jobs Guarantee” for 16 to 25-year-olds :
The Advisory Panel was chaired by the former CEO of Tesco Bank and had some heavyweight academics on it. It can be downloaded on the website shown below :
https://www.gov.scot/publications/towards-robust-resilient-wellbeing-economy-scotland-report-advisory-group-economic-recovery/ …
The report on developing Scotlands future economy is well-informed and makes practical and deliverable proposals that should garner cross-party support. Recommendations include:
– an accelerated review of the Fiscal Framework and access to low-cost debt to significantly increase capital investment to support an investment-led recovery
– a Scottish jobs guarantee, in partnership between business and government to address unemployment, with refocused skills strategies and decisive steps to align teaching and learning in universities and colleges to the needs of business
– prioritisation of sector plans to deliver a green recovery, where the coincidence of emissions reductions, the development of natural capital and job creation are the strongest
– critical investment in the country’s digital infrastructure to improve connectivity, reduce inequalities and build the country’s resilience
– urgent action to develop a stronger relationship between business and government on the strategy for Scotland’s economic recovery