https://x.com/chrischirp/status/1394020168490160132
THREAD:
Spread of B.1.617.2 ("India") variant could have been prevented.
It's not "Captain Hindsight" @MattHancock to highlight our leaky border policy & red list delay in particular. thetimes.co.uk/article/indian…
Here are some early warnings from SAGE, @IndependentSage & me! 1/6
SAGE on *21 January* said red list countries would not prevent importation of new variants. If used, they'd need to be imposed quickly.
Most effective would be quarantine for all arrivals (as AUS & NZ).
Israel closed its borders while vaccinating.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl… 2/6
Independent SAGE called for comprehensive border measures on 24 January (independentsage.org/independent-sa…)
@GabrielScally of @IndependentSage wrote that comprehensive quarantine was needed to prevent importation of new variants on 28th January
theguardian.com/world/commenti… 3/6
Strict border measures were pillar 5 of @IndependentSage 's sustainable suppression strategy in February
independentsage.org/wp-content/upl…
In fact, strict border measures were discussed back in our very meeting a year ago in May 2020!
ft.com/content/08b7b3… 4/6
I highlighted how leaky our border controls were on 27th January as part of this article.
theguardian.com/world/2021/jan…
In February I spoke to @BBCNewsnight about the summer and highlighted the massive risk of new variants:
https://x.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1361459805953613826?s=20
5/6
In fact, I (& *many* others) have warned about variants repeatedly over the past months.
Finally, on 14th April, I said it was crazy that India was not yet on the red list.