Javid Contracts Foot In Mouth

[Gromit]

130,000 have died, 1 million active cases, thousands in hospital.
Javid is fortunate to get a mild dose so he is telling people not to cower over covid.
Even if he doesn’t give a toss about people who have lost a loved one, it is a stupid and insensitive thing to say.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/25/sajid-javids-advice-to-not-cower-from-covid-provokes-angry-backlash

[ichkeria]

Personally I think the backlash is a bit harsh.

We should never cower before anything.
And he’s talking about now.
Still, you really do have to be careful what you say I suppose

[Mozz71]

Is that the same covid that nearly killed his boss?

[bobbinwales]

Presume he means after the vaccine. Most of the 130000 deaths were pre vaccines from it. Still he should acknowledge pain and loss for some

[douglas9401]

Politicians like a pithy phrase and the Saj is full of pith.

[naomi24]

Are you 'cowering' Gromit?

[Mozz71]

Sounds more like he's taking the pith Douglas.

[New Judge]

Let's have a look at what he said:

“Please, if you haven’t yet, get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus.”

I'm assuming it's quoted correctly because it's the Grauniad, so it must be right.

So what he's saying is:

1. Get the jab.

Perfectly reasonable. It makes sense but if you don't want it, don't have it (don't take to the streets about it).

2. Learn to live with it instead of cowering from it.

Also perfectly reasonable. Many people are cowering from it. Those who have been vaccinated certainly should not do so. Yes, some people are still dying from it. People die from all sorts of things and at present 96 people of every hundred who die succumb to something other than Covid. In May and June Covid was number 24 in the list of causes of death. This irrational reaction is being engendered by the continuing atmosphere of fear and anxiety which the government is engendering. Mr Javid, of course, is a senior member of that government so his advice does seem a little contradictory, but there we are.

Just because he is giving this advice does not demonstrate that he is insensitive to those who have lost friends and relatives to Covid over the past eighteen months. One does not exclude the other. He is simply trying to encourage the population to live with the virus (as we must). All he needs to do is to persuade the rest of the government to do likewise.

[gulliver1]

Boris is cowering at Chequers living a life of luxury, why should he care

[david small]

My son’s father in law is cowering in fear. He has had the double vaccine but is absolutely terrified. To live in abject fear like this is destroying him. His wife is tired of his whining and hiding from everything and everyone.
Paranoid behaviour stoked and encouraged by those that spout death and misery at every media opportunity have ruined many a fragile mind. But they mean well....yer right.

[Sqad]

Bloody stupid comment by Javid.

[naomi24]

I agree with David and NJ, who has at least made the effort to read what he actually said - and understand it. We do have to learn to live with it.

[New Judge]

//Bloody stupid comment by Javid.//

Why is it, sqad? I've explained why I believe it is reasonable. Why do you think it's stupid? You can see from david small's post what this continuing atmosphere of fear and anxiety is doing to people and I doubt very much that his F-I-L is alone. In fact I know a few people of similar ilk and it's very disturbing to see. Nobody should be living under a regime that is continually trying to inject fear into its population so as to get them to shelter from a disease which most of them won't contract and from which few sufferers will suffer serious illness or death. It's simply irrational and will breed the sort of paranoia which david describes.

I note that Mr Javid has now deleted his "tweet" and apologised for his "poor choice of words." I'm afraid that decision says much more about his character than his original message.

[Sqad]

NJ........why?.

It may well be that we may have to live with Covid , how and when cannot at this moment in time be judged.
However, in my opinion, with cases rising here and particularly on the Continent, hospital admissions rising and the number of deaths increasing NOW is not the right time to take one's foot off the pedal.
Yes, I agree that the number of cases seem tobe flattening out and I hope they continue to do so, BUT, we have yet to experience the result of the lifting of restrictions.

I know and respect your line of argument but I don't accept it.

[Sqad]

Can you just imagine the furore if Maff Hancock had muttered those words.

I don't think that Javid is that "breath of fresh air" that has been attributed to his appointment and a rough sea is ahead of him.

[Mozz71]

Gulliver, Johnson isn't "cowering", he's in isolation. I'm sure if he wasn't isolating and carried on as usual, you would've been first to jump at him for not following his own government's regulations.

[burlyshirley]

I agree with him, it IS time to stop cowering. It's the scaremongering amongst the many who refuse to get back to some sort of normal life when it's offered, who are causing all the problems imo. Just like the flu, it's never going to go away - how much longer must we give in to others insecurities ??

[pixie374]

Unfortunately, David's post applies to an awful lot of people- and especially, the most vulnerable, who least need the stress.
As I said some time ago, we are now bullying those who least need it or will listen, while also terrifying those who are aware.

[pixie374]

And not just older people. My 5 year old granddaughter has been asking me for around a year, if we can go swimming "when everyone is better". And missed months of schooling and normal interaction. This can't be good for the youngsters.

[bobbinwales]

Sad though it is if David's dad won't listen to his wife I can't see how a change in the message from having going to make any difference to him. People make there minds up from what they see and believe, maybe hussein some very ill covid people

[bobbinwales]

^ message from Having should say Javed