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Media Coverage of COVID -19

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Mugby

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I can’t see it being ended by November at this rate. Things seem to be heading rather ominously in the wrong direction at the minute.

Yes, I'm getting that feeling too, it's looking like it's going to drag on into next year now.

And Mr. Whitty is on record as indicating he wants the rules and restrictions to continue 'for a very very long time'
 
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adc82140

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Mr Whitty isn't a politician. He doesn't have to worry about getting re elected etc. It's his job to focus on the medical side of things alone. If he didn't he wouldn't be doing his job properly. Politicians are the ones who are tasked with weighing that up against the econonic consequences to make decisions.
 

Richard Scott

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Mr Whitty isn't a politician. He doesn't have to worry about getting re elected etc. It's his job to focus on the medical side of things alone. If he didn't he wouldn't be doing his job properly. Politicians are the ones who are tasked with weighing that up against the econonic consequences to make decisions.
And whatever he's paid it's too much. Anyone on here has worked out that best long term gain in terms of virus numbers is to be had by continuing restrictions, doesn't really need a medical 'expert' to come up with that. It's just we also realise this is unrealistic.
 

Class 33

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Well, whilst it's disappointing and worrying that the number of new cases is creeping upwards again, the number of deaths is STILL continuing to fall. Only 38 people in all settings died from Coronavirus yesterday. That's the lowest WEEKDAY total now since 20th March! And this is over 95% down from the peak in Mid April when over 1,000 people a day were dieing from Coronavirus. But sadly the press don't seem to have made a fuss about these facts! What if say by mid October when Boris holds his review about the next changes in November, that the number of average daily cases is say 900, but the number of average daily deaths is down to only 25. Will that mean it's decided that social distancing must still continue on and on, due to the number of new cases being so high even though the number of daily deaths is very low? The main thing to consider should be the deaths being very low and continuing to fall. We just can't continue on with this social distancing very long term or indefinitely, just because the number of cases is so high. As this is continuing to wreck the economy and people's lives week by week. Godknows what this country is going to be like in 6 months time if we're still having to adhere to these social distancing rules. It's absolute madness.

But sadly I too get the feeling now that social distancing will not end in November, and this insanity will drag on into next year. Because the government will probably take notice of what Chris Whitty says again with his "Social distancing is here to stay now.", "We'll have to keep up social distancing for a very VERY long time yet." comments. If he had his way we'll have to keep up social distancing for eternity now. He just doesn't take into account the absolute catastrophic damage this is doing to the UK economy and people's lives. More and more jobs cuts, more and more unemployed, more and more businesses having to close for good because it's not financially viable for them to operate to these restrictive social distancing guidelines. And the effects this will have on people's livelihoods and mental health. It's absolute insanity if this drags on into at least next year.
 

Bantamzen

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Well, whilst it's disappointing and worrying that the number of new cases is creeping upwards again, the number of deaths is STILL continuing to fall. Only 38 people in all setting died yesterday. That's the lowest WEEKDAY total now since 20th March! But sadly the press don't seem to have made a fuss about that! What if say by mid October when Boris holds his review about the next changes in November, that the number of average daily cases is say 900, but the number of average daily deaths is down to only 25. Will that mean it's decided that social distancing must still continue on and on, due to the number of new cases being so high even though the number of daily deaths is very low? The main thing to consider should be the deaths being very low and continuing to fall. We just can't continue on with this social distancing very long term or indefinitely, just because the number of cases is so high. As this is continuing to wreck the economy and people's lives week by week. Godknows what this country is going to be like in 6 months time if we're still having to adhere to these social distancing rules. It's absolute madness.

But sadly I too get the feeling now that social distancing will not end in November, and this insanity will drag on into next year. Because the government will probably take notice of what Chris Whitty says again with his "Social distancing is here to stay now.", "We'll have to keep up social distancing for a very VERY long time yet." comments. If he had his way we'll have to keep up social distancing for eternity now. He just doesn't take into account the absolute catastrophic damage this is doing to the UK economy and people's lives. More and more jobs cuts, more and more unemployed, more and more businesses having to close for good because it's not financially viable for them to operate to these restrictive social distancing guidelines. And the effects this will have on people's livelihoods and mental health. It's absolute insanity if this drags on into at least next year.

BREAKING NEWS!

We interrupt this thread to announce that it has been reported that someone in Bolton sneezed this morning, and as a result the whole of the North of England is immediately under quarantine with anyone living within a 10 mile radius of the sneeze ordered to report to their local hospital for immediate termination.....

Seriously though, it really does feel like every time we seem to take one tentative step forward, we leap back three. And these latest developments are starting to confirm my worst fears that there are a body of people within the decision making process grimly determined to hang onto the emergency powers for as long as possible.
 

AdamWW

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Well, whilst it's disappointing and worrying that the number of new cases is creeping upwards again, the number of deaths is STILL continuing to fall. Only 38 people in all settings died from Coronavirus yesterday. That's the lowest WEEKDAY total now since 20th March! And this is over 95% down from the peak in Mid April when over 1,000 people a day were dieing from Coronavirus. But sadly the press don't seem to have made a fuss about these facts! What if say by mid October when Boris holds his review about the next changes in November, that the number of average daily cases is say 900, but the number of average daily deaths is down to only 25.

And the answer is that the government are - correctly - not basing their descisions on looking at the death rates.

Because while they are of importance, they aren't what will tell them if the so-called "second wave" is starting up again. If it does, then death rates will go up in due course, but far too late for them to be a useful indicator.

The decision in October will be based on how much coronavirus is still circulating in the UK, and what the trend is.

So while it is indeed worrying that new cases aren't dropping (so far as I know it's not clear yet if daily infections are rising or not), the fact that deaths are falling isn't relevant.

(Though of course it's relevant if the chance of dying is decreasing, possibly due to better treatment).

I'd also say that it's wrong to just concentrate on the death figures, as if someone not dying but having their health severely impaired long term isn't a problem.

That's my view anyway - always happy to hear from someone with a different reasoned take on it.
 

Huntergreed

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Meanwhile the BBC are now excitedly talking about a third wave in Hong Kong.....
Third wave!?

At least they now have something to scare us with if there is a second wave, after it it’ll be “THIRD WAVE IMMINENT: Hong Kong disaster could be much worse here as UK heads for third wave of deadly coronavirus pandemic”
 

adc82140

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It's Corona inflation. The media love it. I'm waiting for the first "fourth wave" story. During the April lockdown they were trying to outdo each other with speculating how long full lockdown would last. I think the biggest value, quoting an "expert" was 20 years.
 

Yew

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And the answer is that the government are - correctly - not basing their descisions on looking at the death rates.

Indeed, whilst in times of limited testing, the deaths figure was more useful, with our current testign capacity, we can read a lot more into the results, as long as we are cognicent in changes to the testing stratergy (ie contact tracing)
 

AdamWW

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Indeed, whilst in times of limited testing, the deaths figure was more useful, with our current testign capacity, we can read a lot more into the results, as long as we are cognicent in changes to the testing stratergy (ie contact tracing)

And we are now doing random sampling to get numbers which aren't affected by changes in testing capacity and strategy.
 

Class 33

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Oh god. I see Chris Whitty is appearing with Boris at the press conference. Expect the usual we must keep up social distancing for a long time yet nonsense yet again.
 

Bantamzen

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Oh god. I see Chris Whitty is appearing with Boris at the press conference. Expect the usual we must keep up social distancing for a long time yet nonsense yet again.

Someone needs to socially distance both of them from the cameras, as there is risk of injury as I launch my TV out of the window....
 

Yew

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Someone needs to socially distance both of them from the cameras, as there is risk of injury as I launch my TV out of the window....
I believe the technical term is defenestration
 

carlberry

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But sadly I too get the feeling now that social distancing will not end in November, and this insanity will drag on into next year. Because the government will probably take notice of what Chris Whitty says again with his "Social distancing is here to stay now.", "We'll have to keep up social distancing for a very VERY long time yet." comments. If he had his way we'll have to keep up social distancing for eternity now. He just doesn't take into account the absolute catastrophic damage this is doing to the UK economy and people's lives. More and more jobs cuts, more and more unemployed, more and more businesses having to close for good because it's not financially viable for them to operate to these restrictive social distancing guidelines. And the effects this will have on people's livelihoods and mental health. It's absolute insanity if this drags on into at least next year.
He says that because that's the scientific advice, based on the best that the scientific community can come up with at present. His job is to report that, the government then decide on the balance between economy and lives. He's only dragged out every so often to try to give Boris some credibility but it's no good shooting him just because you don't like his message.
 

Andyh82

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Does Nicola Sturgeon get held to account on BBC Scotland and STV as in the national media, everything she does is taken as factual information with no questions, like today's banning of travel to GM, WY & E Lancs

Whereas everything that Boris does is met with - How is it being policed? How come you can do X but not Y?, why not open up Z as the economy is tanking?

By doing stuff 2 weeks later I also feel she gets to ride on the praise of not opening too soon, but then doing it anyway when everyone has moved on to the next subject
 

kez19

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Does Nicola Sturgeon get held to account on BBC Scotland and STV as in the national media, everything she does is taken as factual information with no questions, like today's banning of travel to GM, WY & E Lancs

Whereas everything that Boris does is met with - How is it being policed? How come you can do X but not Y?, why not open up Z as the economy is tanking?

By doing stuff 2 weeks later I also feel she gets to ride on the praise of not opening too soon, but then doing it anyway when everyone has moved on to the next subject

Short answer.....nope, seems more like STV, BBC Scotland allow her to walk over them... If need be you just need to watch the news bulletins!
 

Huntergreed

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Does Nicola Sturgeon get held to account on BBC Scotland and STV as in the national media, everything she does is taken as factual information with no questions, like today's banning of travel to GM, WY & E Lancs

Whereas everything that Boris does is met with - How is it being policed? How come you can do X but not Y?, why not open up Z as the economy is tanking?

By doing stuff 2 weeks later I also feel she gets to ride on the praise of not opening too soon, but then doing it anyway when everyone has moved on to the next subject
The media in Scotland don’t seem at all sceptical of her decisions and instead seem extremely supportive of the approach (whether that’s a good thing or not is another matter entirely)
 

kez19

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The media in Scotland don’t seem at all sceptical of her decisions and instead seem extremely supportive of the approach (whether that’s a good thing or not is another matter entirely)


Thats why I gave up watching everything news related on both channels in Scotland, they question more the opposition but be SNP in general its a cosy love in, that even includes STV's Scotland Tonight programme too! (impartial ... yeah right!)
 

Mugby

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Oh god. I see Chris Whitty is appearing with Boris at the press conference. Expect the usual we must keep up social distancing for a long time yet nonsense yet again.

Well that was pretty clear wasn't it.

Boris: "The further easing of restrictions due to take place this weekend will be postponed for a further two weeks"

Whitty: "We have now reached the limit of any further easings"
 

Bantamzen

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Well that was pretty clear wasn't it.

Boris: "The further easing of restrictions due to take place this weekend will be postponed for a further two weeks"

Whitty: "We have now reached the limit of any further easings"

Bantamzen: "I have now reached the limits of what Whitty Waffle I can take".
 

adc82140

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Front of the Daily Mail this morning is promoting a free Laura Ashley face covering for every reader, complete with a picture of it being used as a neck warmer when not in use, contrary to the safe use instructions of face coverings. Oh dear.


The Daily Star (yes I know) is claiming that another deadly virus is on its way from Mars. It's funny, until you remember that some people actually believe this stuff.
 

kez19

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Front of the Daily Mail this morning is promoting a free Laura Ashley face covering for every reader, complete with a picture of it being used as a neck warmer when not in use, contrary to the safe use instructions of face coverings. Oh dear.


The Daily Star (yes I know) is claiming that another deadly virus is on its way from Mars. It's funny, until you remember that some people actually believe this stuff.


I am sure I have seen a similar thing in the Express also (face masks), seems like a new trend/marketing gimmick!

Possibly its not a virus .... I could guess its... Biker Mice From Mars (remember that cartoon?) :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

AdamWW

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Bantamzen: "I have now reached the limits of what Whitty Waffle I can take".

So....we have gradually relaxed things and now reached the point where infections are no longer dropping. The logical conclusion is that if we open up further they are likely to go up.

So what has Chris Witty done wrong by pointing this out?

Should he have checked whether this was politically acceptable or not and kept his mouth shut if it disagreed with the Prime Minister's take on it?
 

bramling

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Bantamzen: "I have now reached the limits of what Whitty Waffle I can take".

I do get the feeling there’s something going on behind the scenes between the government and the advisers. The last couple of weeks have seen some quite strange things, not least the time when Vallance came out and openly contradicted what Boris had just said regarding home working. Meanwhile still no sign of the two who are clearly on the naughty step over their comments on the Cummings scandal.
 

Bantamzen

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So....we have gradually relaxed things and now reached the point where infections are no longer dropping. The logical conclusion is that if we open up further they are likely to go up.

So what has Chris Witty done wrong by pointing this out?

Should he have checked whether this was politically acceptable or not and kept his mouth shut if it disagreed with the Prime Minister's take on it?

I should maybe have used an emote, but this was said somewhat in jest. However you may have noticed that people are becoming increasingly fed up with his hang-dog, doom & gloom approach. I count myself among this group.
 

AdamWW

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I should maybe have used an emote, but this was said somewhat in jest. However you may have noticed that people are becoming increasingly fed up with his hang-dog, doom & gloom approach. I count myself among this group.

Well fair enough...but as you will know if you look at my previous posts I think anyonewho has convinced themselves that he is being overly pessimistic has misinterpreted what the evidence is telling us.
 

AdamWW

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OK, what is the evidence telling us?

That coronavirus is not going away in the UK, infection rates are staying level or increasing, and if we stop the restrictions we have now they will rise exponentially, very likely to the point that the health system can't cope with all the people who require hospitalisation.
 
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