I’ve just read that Pfizer have said they are looking to get US emergency allowance to release their vaccine next month if it passes their testing. Unless they have a particularly close relationship with Trump, that would suggest they are confident their vaccine will pass the test (whether it is actually any good i guess is a different matter).
Anyone else read anything on this?
HS2 is nuts under the current circumstances. We’re investing millions upon millions in shaving twenty minutes off travel time between London and Birmingham when no-one know knows when, if ever, that travel will be viable again.
I disagree, I think they should actually be extending it.
Infrastructure projects during a recession (or maybe coming depression) for me is a good thing. Stimulation of industries (Steel, concrete, technology, support). Low interest rates are a given, and all governments are going to have high debt. (And would not be surprised if a lot of debt written off)
I would caveat that by saying pandemic in UK needs to be under control. But once it is, investment rather than cuts is for me the way to go.
I dont think there is that much to read into it. The EUA provisions exist precisely for a situation like this. It is designed to get promising treatments available during a declared public health emergency when no other treatment exists or is available. It is more often for off label use produce, like we saw with the HCQ and convalescent plasma authorizations, but there is a pathway for an experimental drug as well. We’ve discussed the implications an EUA would have for the development of the rest of the class of vaccines still being tested, and that will be part of the Risk-Benefit assessment the FDA makes when considering the application, but there is still good reason to consider one for a vaccine at the height of a likely second wave.
I agree with this and it’s been one of my frustrations over the last ten years that we haven’t done enough investment into infrastructure.
However, that doesn’t mean it remains prudent to carry on with HS2 just because it’s a major infrastructure project. The cost benefit analysis was already marginal and that calculation cannot have improved with the pandemic.
Put funds and energies towards different infrastructure projects: more hospitals, improving the existing road and rail networks as well as communications infrastructure, train more doctors and nurses, put back the money stripped from the criminal justice system, build more affordable housing. These would seem to me more viable projects and a better use of public finances.
Just to chime in from a position where I’ll admit I haven’t fully seen the benefit analysis of the project it does seem to be an odd one to me.
I agree that something needs to be done but I remain unconvinced that a whole new line is the answer. There is something that makes me very skeptical of it but we need massive investment in our infrastructure. We are years behind in the maintenance and upkeep.
I’m simply not convinced.
It’s a difficult one has billions have already been spent (perhaps they will be sunk costs)
Fully agree the world has changed. Both Brexit and pandemic alters priorities. This could make HS2 more favourable or less favourable.
For example post Brexit a benifit is protectionism can occur. You can award all contracts to UK firms. Building HS2 could be difference of UK steel industry surviving (which was struggling before the pandemic). Also with no deal Brexit seemingly on the cards a new vision of infrastructure (rather than huge lorry parks near Dover) is required. HS2 could be part of the solution.
A review is needed, as I don’t think anyone has the answer. Government seems to be firefighting and reacting rather than proactive and strategically thinking (bigger picture than simply HS2). Just as you say there are numerous ways the government could be investing (HS2 may not be part of that given new dramatically different view of future). But I think we both agree there are better ways to invest rather than than eat out to help out gimmick that’s already cost half a billion !
I do believe though that the UK does need to upgrade it’s rail infrastructure. It’s expensive, outdated and slow. It’s capacity could be greatly enhanced and we could reduce pressure on the roads (people and freight). A solution for me is required. It mad it cheaper to fly from Edinburgh/Manchester to London than catch the train.
Instead of building a whole new line to shave fractions off journey tines, wouldn’t it be better to upgrade existing rolling stock and provide free wi-fi to all passengers?
Who gives a shit about getting to Birmingham 20 minutes earlier if you can actually work and be productive on the train?
No one wants to get to Birmingham 20 minutes quicker 
But the real benifits half a million extra seats a day, and extra 144 freight trains day (equivalent 7000 lorries worth of cargo).
The thing I don’t like about it is the wisdom of extending the London ‘commuter belt’ ever wider and wider and wider.
We need proper regional investment strategies to create jobs and enterprise outside London, across the midlands and in the North instead of carrying on with this crazy idea of having millions and millions of people rocking up in London every day because that where the vast majority of the decent jobs are.
It’s also fucking bonkers from a climate perspective.
Yes the whole leveling up is bollocks.
It should not be about making further and further commuter belts. It should be about connecting cities from Aberdeen to London.
Instead of focusing it being quicker, the messaging should have been building rail network for the next 100 years rather than relying on one 100 years old. Greener, cleaner, more reliable, less congested and providing infrastructure to increase commerce.
Everyone can see the rail network is not fit for purpose. No one believes they should be paying £200 to go to London (and not guaranteed a seat). It should be an easy sell. But somehow the message has been reduced to getting somewhere a little faster. It’s almost like the government needs a three word slogan . How mad is it, in s small country there are thousands of internal flights. There should be none.
But as ever they piss about, give mixed messages, and costs balloon. Giving little or no confidence to the public.
I’d cancel HS2 on the basis that it’s utter bollocks. I can get from Warrington to Euston in just under 2 hours now. HS2 speeds that up by 20 minutes. A quite magnificent waste of a huge amount of our money 
And don’t be surprised that might happen. Many countries who could not withstand the onslaught of the virus to its economy and closure of it, has already indicated that they are more than happy to give any vaccine that is going to come onto the market to their citizens. I can understand why but it is also very sad when in some places, lives are cheap and you are forced to recklessly abandon health for getting through the next meal.
I stand with Luce.
It was one rehersal. 12 out of 16 got infected.
But if she fucks the 30 men in the office that is fine
with that, she is going to achieve bird immunity
Me too, since her weekend plans are now fucked.
One state, Maharashtra (my state), has messed our country’s fight against Covid. Even before opening internal migration, most of the country had flattened the curve, only for Maharashtra to export loads of cases everywhere and ruin the work. And within months we went from decent to terrible.
While most independent watchers called the state government out, some in the mainstream media are finally doing its job and calling the state government out now.
For non Indians to get a context. The state government were former coalition partners of national government, but broke ties and are now in opposition. And in India, the largely left leaning mainstream media treats anyone against Modi kindly.