Some Dodo Harding attitudes quoted...
“We’ve seen the new variants emerge, which was something that none of us were able to predict”.
Scientists have been predicting mutations from Day 1, whether weaker or stronger variants.
“About 20,000 people per day who are contacted by test and trace are not fully isolating”
Then what are you doing about it? Which organisations are you co-opting for enforcement? You have the info and the support of the law. Are you hiding behind the Data Protection Act?
“Harding was further pushed to defend the business case she put forward in September for an extra £15 Billion for NHS test and trace. At the time she argued that the “main driver” for the justification was the avoidance of a second national lockdown.”
The second lockdown came in November followed by a third in January.
What is it now? £22+ Billion? I lose count. Track and trace is being quickly overtaken by vaccination. It has proven to have been a massive waste so far. It might come into play later in Spring/Summer for clearing up residual cases and new variants. Because it has failed over the past year is the reason why we have had the recent lockdowns.
T&T should have been working full-tilt last August/September when infection numbers were very much lower, for it to be effective and value for the huge splurge of cash. They had already had 6 months to develop it by then. If the Govt had handed the T&T job from the start to local authorities, public health experts and the NHS it would have been sorted, imho.