crikey

We read the news about the pandemic response  in the UK.  (I've just deleted three paragraphs of angry comment and criiticism, so thank your lucky stars.) There is so much wrong with what has happened in the UK and is still happening.  Fortunately we have a prime minister who knows how to get his message across.  First of all, do it on telly on a Sunday night (taking a leaf out of Trump's book -  ratings, ratings, ratings).  Then get a team of intelligent communicators to write a script which conveys the message effectively.  Hey presto!

There follows an understandable amount of derision.  My favourite skit comes from Mark Steel on Twitter here. 
 

¡caramba!

Meanwhile here in Mexico the beer ran out weeks ago. No wonder the government wants to reopen the factories..........  There are accusations that they are hiding the number of deaths and cases in the country.  Mexico has one of the lowest rates of testing in Latin America and is relying on disease modelling.  Mexico City has had about 700 deaths according to the official figures, and yet the city authorities have counted 2,500 (according to a New York Times article).  The low numbers may mean that Mexicans don't take the social distancing too seriously.  At the same time the government, like the UK, has begun talking about how they will relax the quarantine rules.  It's a poor message to be sending out when the pandemic has yet to peak here.

“Let’s move toward this new mortality,” said Jorge Alcocer, the Mexican health secretary, before correcting himself: “New normality.”  (The Guardian 13/5/20)

"when there's no beer people may resort to cocktails" Leon Trotsky 1919