Media Coverage of COVID -19

[Richard Scott]

I did read something like 3,000,000 cancer screenings had been delayed or cancelled in recent months. While the vast majority of those will be false alarms, there are going to be tens of thousands of people who are in real danger because of the current crisis.

My sister is currently awaiting one, has been delayed for the second time. Whilst she thinks it's nothing it's obviously causing her worry.

 

[johnnychips]

Coronavirus: Are mutations making it more infectious

Read the BBC article: we don’t really know: but look at that headline!

Coronavirus: Are mutations making it more infectious?

While there have been thousands of changes to the virus only one is seen as possibly altering its behaviour.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MikeWM]

Coronavirus: Are mutations making it more infectious

Read the BBC article: we don’t really know: but look at that headline!

Probably good if it is, though I'm sure the headline writer meant to make us yet more fearful.

Moving to more infectious usually goes together with less dangerous.

 

[Bantamzen]

Coronavirus: Are mutations making it more infectious

Read the BBC article: we don’t really know: but look at that headline!

Coronavirus: Are mutations making it more infectious?

While there have been thousands of changes to the virus only one is seen as possibly altering its behaviour.

www.bbc.co.uk

Don't worry, the Karens of Facebook are already latching onto the fact (but not yet a proved fact) that this particular mutation is more infectious and that we more now than ever have to stay inside least we murder billions of people. As I understand it, they have been working all night on a meme to spread the word...

 

[westv]

Don't worry, the Karens of Facebook are already latching onto the fact (but not yet a proved fact) that this particular mutation is more infectious and that we more now than ever have to stay inside least we murder billions of people. As I understand it, they have been working all night on a meme to spread the word...

The mutation emerged months ago and is the main source of worldwide infections now.
A non story from the Beeb?

 

[Huntergreed]

Scotland up to 23 cases today.

There’s talk about a local lockdown in North Lanarkshire due to an increase in transmission. For 23 national cases? Surely we can’t go on like this for long.

 

[kez19]

Scotland up to 23 cases today.

There’s talk about a local lockdown in North Lanarkshire due to an increase in transmission. For 23 national cases? Surely we can’t go on like this for long.

I hope that if she did plan on locking down Scotland the public tell her to take a hike!
So I guess "masking" up isn't working Sturgeon?
Do we really think she would apply "local" lockdowns? There was an outbreak in Edinburgh she failed to tell the public but was happy to announce Dundee was the "first" so by my logic if there was a lockdown she would apply it more to Dundee than somewhere like Glasgow or Edinburgh (it screams double standards and what is wrong with the whole political system).

Just to add are the politicians really that scared of the Coronavirus? Maybe some need their own wakeup call then?

 

[Huntergreed]

I hope that if she did plan on locking down Scotland I hope the public tell her to take a hike! .... So I guess "masking" up isn't working Sturgeon? Do we really think she would apply "local" lockdowns"? There was an outbreak in Edinburgh she failed to tell the public but was happy to announce Dundee was the "first" so by my logic if there was a lockdown she would apply it more to Dundee to somewhere like Glasgow or Edinburgh (it screams double standards and what is wrong with the whole political system)

I can’t disagree there, she really needs to start to get a grip, and locking down for 20 cases is not the answer.

Just to add are the politicians really that scared of the Coronavirus? Maybe some need their own wakeup call then?

I don’t think so, but the public are, and any politician who’s seen to eliminate (or nearly eliminate it) will look very good and potentially gain a lot of votes at the next Scottish election and the subsequent indyref

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Scotland up to 23 cases today.

There’s talk about a local lockdown in North Lanarkshire due to an increase in transmission. For 23 national cases? Surely we can’t go on like this for long.

Largely off-topic, however, it seems the increased numbers over the past few days has been a result of 1) an upsurge in testing capacity and 2) the addition of a backlog of care home tests[1].

I've also had a look at the data published here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-trends-in-daily-data/ and it seems that the cases are well spread out across each health board, however Glasgow does have the most profound rise in cases.

[1] I read this on Twitter (on various accounts) - so don't take it as gospel!

 

[kez19]

The mutation emerged months ago and is the main source of worldwide infections now.
A non story from the Beeb?

The thing is do they expect the public to stay indoors all year round? yes that'll work...

 

[kez19]

I can’t disagree there, she really needs to start to get a grip, and locking down for 20 cases is not the answer.

I don’t think so, but the public are, and any politician who’s seen to eliminate (or nearly eliminate it) will look very good and potentially gain a lot of votes at the next Scottish election and the subsequent indyref

Not at you, but what difference is locking down a community hope to eliminate it I guess?? My god if Sturgeon and Co are geniuses then by all means provide the cure!

The thing is you can't eliminate this thing and I wish politicians would get their heads out of the sand on this sort of wishful thinking, but I guess she hopes this is a cold or flu? (yet we are told its not....)

 

[kez19]

Largely off-topic, however, it seems the increased numbers over the past few days has been a result of 1) an upsurge in testing capacity and 2) the addition of a backlog of care home tests[1].

I've also had a look at the data published here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-trends-in-daily-data/ and it seems that the cases are well spread out across each health board, however Glasgow does have the most profound rise in cases.

[1] I read this on Twitter (on various accounts) - so don't take it as gospel!

So in other words a possible backlog but lets give a dramatic effect, as to regarding cases, but because its Glasgow she wouldn't do anything to the area though, but if it was another part of Scotland expect lockdown to come in again.... This has bugged me ever since hearing about the Nike outbreak in Edinburgh on a technicality it was there, but Scottish Government announced Dundee as one of the first (so why no mention of Edinburgh in the beginning?), that week in particular in regards Nike I was staying in Newcastle and heard on the news about their stores in Sunderland closed for deep cleaning (never thought of anything until recently).

 

[Cowley]

Ok we’re somewhat drifting off topic here as this thread is for discussing media coverage of COVID-19.
We may move some of the posts about Scotland into a different thread at some point but can we leave that discussion there for now please.
Thanks everyone.

 

[Scrotnig]

The BBC are busy making sure nobody inadvertently has any positive thoughts about the situation.

 

[Darandio]

I did read something like 3,000,000 cancer screenings had been delayed or cancelled in recent months. While the vast majority of those will be false alarms, there are going to be tens of thousands of people who are in real danger because of the current crisis.

Staying slightly off-topic, apologies @Cowley !! but thankfully not all are delayed or cancelled, i'd also read elsewhere that there was a possibility that backlogged cases would take precedent over newer cases but that hasn't been the case where my dad is. Three weeks ago my brother visited with his weekly shopping and noticed his face looked somewhat thinner than the previous week. He called to make an appointment at the local surgery and they had him straight in for blood and other tests. Ten days later he was called into hospital to see the consultant to be told he has prostate cancer which has also spread to his bones and he's now on a monthly injection that they say should hopefully give him 4-5 years.

I appreciate others aren't so fortunate in terms of being seen but I just wanted to chuck this story out there to say it isn't the case everywhere, some trusts do seem to still be getting the job done.

 

[adc82140]

Two words- exponential decay.

No mention either that the 11 reported deaths are the lowest yet (weekend lag understood) or that on Saturday we had 40 compared to the 140 odd just a week before.

 

[MikeWM]

The BBC are busy making sure nobody inadvertently has any positive thoughts about the situation.

Pathetic as ever. The first graph is almost certainly due to more testing and focused testing (the % of (number positive tests) / (number tests performed) continues to fall).

As for the second graph, if it hadn't 'slowed' it would be negative by now. Maybe the BBC would enjoy the reanimated dead roaming the streets, but personally I'd rather that didn't happen.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

It’s not just national media outlets that like sensationalist reporting. Look at the use of the word ‘rocketed’ when describing an increase in infection rates in parts of Sussex.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/18591990.coronavirus-increase-covid-rates-across-sussex/?ref=ebmpn

A weekly rise, from 1.7 cases per 100,000 of population to 4.5 cases per 100,000 in Brighton & Hove is a big percentage jump, yes. However, the total population of said area is around 300,000. So that means they only had around 14 new cases!!

 

[Cowley]

@Darandio - No problem and best wishes to your dad, you, and your family.
Nick

 

[Huntergreed]

Another scare-mongering piece from the Beeb.

https://bbc.in/2ZMZLys

I’m getting absolutely sick of this. The article says:

The UK will be living with coronavirus for many years to come and even a vaccine is unlikely to eliminate it for good, experts are warning.

Wellcome Trust director Prof Sir Jeremy Farrar told the House of Commons' Health Committee "things will not be done by Christmas".

He went on to say humanity would be living with the virus for "decades".

It seems that the thought of living under restrictions for “years” isn’t enough, and instead the BBC have opted for “decades”.

I have absolutely no time for this low-level form of journalism, it’s designed to instill fear, damages mental well-being and serves absolutely no purpose.

 

[al78]

Another scare-mongering piece from the Beeb.

https://bbc.in/2ZMZLys

I’m getting absolutely sick of this. The article says:



It seems that the thought of living under restrictions for “years” isn’t enough, and instead the BBC have opted for “decades”.

I have absolutely no time for this low-level form of journalism, it’s designed to instill fear, damages mental well-being and serves absolutely no purpose.

I don't see the problem with the article. It is basically saying the virus is here to stay, we won't eradicate it, so we'll have to deal with it as we deal with other contageous viruses. It is exactly the same as what some on this forum have stated. It says nothing about the current restrictions lasting for decades.

It is merely publishing someones opinion who is in a position to advise the government. The media should be ideally be objective, but they shouldn't conceal the truth because some people find it inconvenient. Ignoring or denying the truth doesn't change the truth, but it does stop us taking optimal strategies for dealing with the truth, so it is best in the long run to face it.

 

[Jamesrob637]

So they are still reporting daily deaths - 110 today

The positive? Lowest Tuesday since March and reflects the first weekend of pubs/hairdressers etc reopening.

Could have been far worse for sure.

 

[MikeWM]

So they are still reporting daily deaths - 110 today

The positive? Lowest Tuesday since March and reflects the first weekend of pubs/hairdressers etc reopening.

Could have been far worse for sure.

And only 15 in hospitals. 95 - somewhere else. Maybe legitimate care home deaths, for example, or maybe people who got a positive test result back in February and got hit by a bus yesterday. Who knows?

Worth pointing out that hospital deaths are now only barely over 100 *a week*. That means 99% of people who died in the last week didn't die in hospital of Covid.

 

[Huntergreed]

And only 15 in hospitals. 95 - somewhere else. Maybe legitimate care home deaths, for example, or maybe people who got a positive test result back in February and got hit by a bus yesterday. Who knows?

Worth pointing out that hospital deaths are now only barely over 100 *a week*. That means 99% of people who died in the last week didn't die in hospital of Covid.

99% of people who died in the last week didn’t die in hospital with Covid, the deaths caused by Covid will be significantly lower than even that.

 

[GrahamD83]

Another scare-mongering piece from the Beeb.

https://bbc.in/2ZMZLys

I’m getting absolutely sick of this. The article says:



It seems that the thought of living under restrictions for “years” isn’t enough, and instead the BBC have opted for “decades”.

I have absolutely no time for this low-level form of journalism, it’s designed to instill fear, damages mental well-being and serves absolutely no purpose.

Also throughout the pandemic we have been warned of no return to normal until a vaccine is found. The way this headline was reported on Radio 2 implied that this is no longer the case.

To be fair Boris Johnson never said we would eliminate the virus by Christmas, just that life may be closer to normal if possible.

 

[MikeWM]

99% of people who died in the last week didn’t die in hospital with Covid, the deaths caused by Covid will be significantly lower than even that.

You're completely right, of course. Apologies for the schoolboy error...

 

[Huntergreed]

You're completely right, of course. Apologies for the schoolboy error...

It just highlights how small the proportion of the population that are at risk are. It makes all of these restrictions even tougher to face sadly.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Good possibility that today's may be the final triple-digit figure we see. Saturday week ago bounced back but not to the extent of the previous Tuesday. Last Friday bounced back but again not to the extent of last Tuesday.

 

[HSTEd]

Remember the 110 figure is untrustworthy due to the mechanism used to develop it.

 

[Richard Scott]

More doom and gloom. Reported on a news feature that Boris has said that if we follow rules we may be able to relax things by middle of next year, does he, or they (if from report's point of view) realise that some of us are having our mental health destroyed by this and middle of next year may as well be 10 years away. I'll be in mental health institute by then, if this nonsense carries on. Being melodramatic, don't think so.