PMQ: COVID-19 and Self-Isolation
The United Kingdom Parliament met together for the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions Time. Labor Party and Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer asked six questions to Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader Boris Johnson on COVID-19 and self-isolation.
Starmer began by saying that as of the current PMQ, half a million people were self-isolating, including Johnson. He asked him that if someone was pinged by the NHS on their phone, should they self isolate?
Johnson understood that the NHS app was not the best, and could be frustrating to use. However, the government will be working on a system based on contact testing rather than self-isolation. But, he reminded everyone of the importance of self-isolating, and that it was a vital tool against COVID-19. Even if one was vaccinated, they could still pass it onto other people.
Starmer said that despite Johnson’s answer, his government was all over the place on whether self-isolation was necessary or not. One official said that notifications from the NHS should only be taken as advice. Another official said that the app was only there for someone to make their own informed decisions.
Johnson repeated the importance of self-isolation, and said that Starmer should be more focused on encouraging people to vaccinate. He told Parliament that in August, the government would be going forward with a new system to combat COVID-19.
Starmer argued that in reality, the UK is heading into a summer of chaos. In one week, one million children were out of school because of self-isolation. A lot of businesses were closing down because of it. Furthermore, the government did not have a clear line on what businesses need their employees to self-isolate and what other businesses need not to.
Johnson said that he gave Starmer an answer through a letter he sent to him about it. He accused Starmer of being hypocritical. He said that Starmer attacked self-isolation one week, and the next week opposed going forward with Johnson’s roadmap. He accused Starmer of wanting to keep the country in lockdown.
Starmer said that businesses could not plan ahead if Johnson was constantly changing the rules. Now, Johnson announced plans for a vaccination ID card, something that in the past he said he was against. He asked Johnson to clarify why people could currently go to nightclubs without a proof of vaccination, but cannot do the same thing in September.
Johnson said throughout history, the Labor Leader had always been given a choice on what to do during a national crisis.
“That is whether to get behind the government and to offer constructive opposition, or to try endlessly to oppose for the sake of trying to score cheap, political points,” he said.
He said that it was vital to wait until September so people could consider getting a second dose before going to a nightclub. Most people in the country wanted to see the younger generation get vaccinated.
Starmer said that he would not support Johnson’s chaos. He also pointed out that he discovered a text message Johnson sent, where he said that COVID-19 only kills people who are 82 years or older. In the text, Johnson said that people should get COVID-19 and live longer. He further pointed out Johnson’s contradictory standpoints. He promised to have a plan for social care, which he failed to develop. He promised not to raise taxes, which he did, and he promised he wouldn’t cut the army, which he did.
“The truth is, he let a new variant into the country, he’s let cases source, and he’s left us with the highest death toll in Europe,” he said.
Other Members of Parliament asked questions to Johnson in the remainder of the PMQs.
