The best reactions to Boris Johnson’s plans to scrap regulations in favour of personal responsibility
On Monday evening, Boris Johnson announced likely changes to the coronavirus rules in England from the 19th of July, and we learnt nothing, because it had all been drip-fed via the media over the past week.
Unless the plans change, most restrictions will be lifted, apart from the requirement to self-isolate if you test positive or if the app pings you.
PM confirms that from the 19th July you will still have to self isolate if you test positive or are told to by test & trace. BUT they are 'ooking to move to a "different regime" for fully vaccinated people and children. @LBC
— Rachael Venables (@rachaelvenables) July 5, 2021
The plan has caused concern among scientists, with infection rates rising and likely to reach 50,000 new cases per day – or more – by the 19th. The PM insists it’s simply time to learn to live with it.
It is a total dereliction of duty for Boris Johnson to say that people must “live with the virus” while denying people the basic financial and other key support needed to do so.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) July 5, 2021
By ‘Live with it’, he included ‘Die from it’.
Did our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson really just say at the Downing Street Briefing – "We must reconcile ourselves that there will be more deaths".
Must we?
Really?
Are you fucking kidding me?#UnfitToGovern
— Katy BSc Hons RN Adult #NHSPay15 (@Katynurse27) July 5, 2021
What is the magic formula that the government expects to be the antidote to the volatile combination of rising cases and a lack of regulation? Personal responsibility?
We can’t see that backfiring at all.
Summary of Briefing:
-the pandemic is far from over.
-cases are rising rapidly.
-so do what the fuck you like.#DailyBriefing #DowningStreetBriefing— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) July 5, 2021
Here’s a snippet of Vidal Sassoon’s worst nightmare announcing the changes.
Boris Johnson – We are seeing cases rise rapidly… 50,000 cases could be detected a day by the 19th of July… & there will be more deaths from Covid… so we're going to end social distancing & the legal obligation to wear a face covering.. 🤔#DowningStreetBriefing pic.twitter.com/QcLOSudZ26
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) July 5, 2021
And this is what Twitter thought of the briefing.
1.
Boris Johnson outside the ruins of Jurassic Park telling the survivors it's "time to live with bloodthirsty dinosaurs"
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 5, 2021
2.
Boris Johnson's announcement to the nation – summarised#DailyCovidUpdatepic.twitter.com/E9Xhp0FHmh
— I Am Incorrigible FCA (@ImIncorrigible) July 5, 2021
3.
We've heard this message about a shift to "personal responsibility" before, about a year ago. It was a disaster then too.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) July 5, 2021
4.
Guys, forget the deaths and soaring infection rates. What about that Roll-out!
— Nick Frost (@nickjfrost) July 5, 2021
5.
Doctors and scientists: Mask wearing and social distancing are still needed
Boris: GO FUCKING NUTS, LICK AS MANY FACES AS YOU WANT, HUMP A STRANGER TODAY#DowningStreetBriefing— Mitten d'Amour (@MittenDAmour) July 5, 2021
6.
I agree that summer is the time to unlock at least for a bit. But to remove mandatory masks on transport, in shops and theatres is nuts. Why risk lives for this small sacrifice? How can they knowingly allow us to risk killing eachother in this way?
— Jessica Simor QC (@JMPSimor) July 5, 2021
7.
Call me crazy but I don't think that we should be taking advice from a PM who ended up in ICU because he decided to ignore the science and shake hands with covid patients.#July19th #DowningStreetBriefing#BorisJohnsonOut
— Katy (@KatyJayne101) July 5, 2021
8.
Weirdly, you now have no choice but to hope that the bloke who's never taken personal responsibility for anything's gamble on everyone taking personal responsibility pays off.
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) July 5, 2021
9.
Boris Johnson: "Everyone in the country must now be personally responsible for how this deadly pandemic affects them"
Also Boris Johnson: "Some millionaire paid for the refurbishment of my taxpayer-funded home. I didn't think to ask who it was, so it's not my problem"
— Dean Burnett (@garwboy) July 5, 2021
