There is a mighty interesting report in the Guardian today by the superb David Conn, who you’ll know from all his superb reporting on the Hillsborough disaster.
He argues that the government’s decision to allow over 3,000 Atletico Madrid fans to fly into Liverpool 11 days ago was nothing short of disgraceful.
Spain had already ordered Atleti’s stadium to close and for all Spanish games to be played behind closed doors, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Madrid – but the English authorities thought it acceptable for them to travel into our city and then Anfield.
At the time, the government was sticking by its ‘herd immunity’ plan – in which it planned on allowing the coronavirus to run through communities and infect many, allowing us to develop an immunity.
Of course, this totally ignored the sick and vulnerable and has put us on a path to lockdown, something which should have been done immediately – based on the scientific advice every other country was using.
‘The last major football match in England was just 11 days ago; 54,000 people gathered at Anfield including 3,000 from Madrid, already a COVID 19 hotspot. As we found out, that was during the ‘herd immunity’ phase, just before the policy changed,’ Conn tweeted.
Dreadfully irresponsible.