Media Coverage of COVID -19

[RomeoCharlie71]

Regarding the FFP/FFP2 masks wasn’t that not highlighted last year that they were useless or public not to buy them?

Supplies could run out, the public won't use them correctly, they're expensive. Etc.

 

[kez19]

Supplies could run out, the public won't use them correctly, they're expensive. Etc.

Yet let me guess this is something not properly thought out but in my view to try and encourage the public to get them (even before any announcement), isn’t this just pushing it? Do the masks come in designer styles? Could we see Sturgeon styling out to the media with it on next? (this part being sarcastic not serious)

 

[Tezza1978]

Sturgeon will probably announce that several "branded" versions of the FFP mask will be made on Scottish soil, paid for by Barnett formula money - a tartan one, a Scottish flag one, an "Independence - Now!" one and a special edition one with "You'll never take our....FREEDOM!!!" emblazened across it......

 

[DB]

Yet let me guess this is something not properly thought out but in my view to try and encourage the public to get them (even before any announcement), isn’t this just pushing it? Do the masks come in designer styles? Could we see Sturgeon styling out to the media with it on next? (this part being sarcastic not serious)

We've not had any rules changes for several weeks now, so clearly the politicians are getting twitchy and need to introduce something new to confuse and annoy people.

 

[kez19]

We've not had any rules changes for several weeks now, so clearly the politicians are getting twitchy and need to introduce something new to confuse and annoy people.

I wonder why the twitching, something about to come out and kick them?

Still though the ideas they come away with is more at the public’s expense than theirs

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2021 ==

Sturgeon will probably announce that several "branded" versions of the FFP mask will be made on Scottish soil, paid for by Barnett formula money - a tartan one, a Scottish flag one, an "Independence - Now!" one and a special edition one with "You'll never take our....FREEDOM!!!" emblazened across it......

Giggles

 

[WelshBluebird]

I’ve been laughed at on here (literally!) for saying this previously but I think cheap air travel is going to become a thing of the past. If they’re serious about tackling climate change, which I now believe they are (they being western governments), it needs to be curtailed. This is too good an opportunity for them to miss, budget airlines will be victims of the pandemic rather than government policy and so they’ll escape the flack they’d otherwise face. I may be wrong about this of course but it’s hardly a wild conspiracy theory, I don’t think so anyway.

My reply to that is if that was the "plan", then why have governments across the world given billions in support to airlines, including the budget ones? If they were going to let those companies go to the wall then they surely wouldn't waste literally billions supporting then now?

 

[bramling]

I doubt it is a majority but if these people want to remain locked in their homes then that is fine by me. If they dare not go to work then they can hand their notice in/get sacked. There will be plenty of unemployed takers for their jobs.
In the meantime the rest of us can get back to a more normal way of life.

I suspect there’s some for whom it is plain virtue-signalling (no doubt these people are in solid jobs or retired), and others happy to take barely-enforced restrictions in return for not having to commute to work.

I can’t see any other logical reason why one would want to support a long-term lockdown.

I wonder if people would be so keen if we had a genuine China-style lockdown?

 

[brad465]

I suspect there’s some for whom it is plain virtue-signalling (no doubt these people are in solid jobs or retired), and others happy to take barely-enforced restrictions in return for not having to commute to work.

I can’t see any other logical reason why one would want to support a long-term lockdown.

I wonder if people would be so keen if we had a genuine China-style lockdown?

Not so much a China-style lockdown, but it may have been you and/or some other forum members who have said if enforcement reached a certain level there would be unrest.

 

[farleigh]

Not so much a China-style lockdown, but it may have been you and/or some other forum members who have said if enforcement reached a certain level there would be unrest.

I think there will at some point be a resistance to the measures being implemented. Whether it takes the form of civil unrest or just circumvention of the rules, I think it is likely. Time will tell I suppose

 

[43096]

I think there will at some point be a resistance to the measures being implemented. Whether it takes the form of civil unrest or just circumvention of the rules, I think it is likely. Time will tell I suppose

I see there has been rioting in the Netherlands after new restrictions were imposed.

 

[Bantamzen]

I see there has been rioting in the Netherlands after new restrictions were imposed.

And they did it in such a Dutch way using bicycles to form barricades...

 

[Yew]

And they did it in such a Dutch way using bicycles to form barricades...

"Dutch Biker gang attacks police"

 

[DB]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

 

[Mag_seven]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

Its April the 1st everyday in media land.

 

[yorksrob]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

It will be easier than giving pussy his worm tablet

 

[kez19]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

I read through it and yet surprisingly they don't mention that they have tested it even on pets, will it be rushed through? (none of this is at you but more of the spin in this)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2021 ==

It will be easier than giving pussy his worm tablet

You have upset Mrs Slocombe!!

 

[yorksrob]

I read through it and yet surprisingly they don't mention that they have tested it even on pets, will it be rushed through? (none of this is at you but more of the spin in this)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2021 ==



You have upset Mrs Slocombe!!

And I am unanimous in that

 

[kez19]

And I am unanimous in that

No firemen were harmed in the incident with Mrs Slocombe!

 

[DerekC]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

If you read the Independent's article on the same thing you will find that there is a serious point - that cross-species transmission increases the chance of major changes to the virus being transmitted back to humans:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-vaccine-cats-dogs-covid-b1792178.html

Cats and dogs may need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to curb the spread of the virus, according to a group of scientists.
Coronavirus can infect a wide range of species including cats, dogs, mink and other domesticated species, experts from the University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich-based research facility the Earlham Institute and University of Minnesota have said.

In an editorial for the journal Virulence, they warned that continued evolution of the virus in animals followed by transmission to humans "poses a significant long-term risk to public health".
"It is not unthinkable that vaccination of some domesticated animal species might... be necessary to curb the spread of the infection," they wrote.

 

[Yew]

If you read the Independent's article on the same thing you will find that there is a serious point - that cross-species transmission increases the chance of major changes to the virus being transmitted back to humans:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-vaccine-cats-dogs-covid-b1792178.html

But once the vulnerable are vaccinated, transmission isn't important anymore.

 

[farleigh]

If you read the Independent's article on the same thing you will find that there is a serious point - that cross-species transmission increases the chance of major changes to the virus being transmitted back to humans:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-vaccine-cats-dogs-covid-b1792178.html

Should cats & dogs be subject to lockdowns & masks??

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Should cats & dogs be subject to lockdowns & masks??

No, but they could be subject to muzzles instead

 

[farleigh]

No, but they could be subject to muzzles instead

You may laugh....


Picture shows cat wearing a mask to protect other cats

 

[kez19]

If you read the Independent's article on the same thing you will find that there is a serious point - that cross-species transmission increases the chance of major changes to the virus being transmitted back to humans:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-vaccine-cats-dogs-covid-b1792178.html

Yet if my memory serves me right at the start of this wasn't there a dog that contracted it?

Even though I am looking at an article at Daily Mail... there appears to be a bit of calm.

Kitten becomes first pet infected with Covid-19 in South Korea

The kitten was infected at the International Prayer Centre, a missionary school in the southern city of Jinju where more than 100 people have been infected with Covid. (Stock photo).

www.dailymail.co.uk

Can animals catch Covid-19?

The chance of your dog catching Covid-19 strain is very slim, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Professor James Wood, head of veterinary medicine at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Despite millions of people having had Covid-19, the numbers of pets found to be ill or infected is still tiny.

'Put simply, our pet dogs and cats can catch Covid-19 from us, when they are living with us, but only do on very rare occasions.'

Scientists say pets don't appear to get very sick with Covid-19, and various pet organisations and charities say there is no need to be worried.

The first dog in the world to catch coronavirus died after it was declared disease-free and returned home to its owner in Hong Kong.

The owner of the 17-year-old Pomeranian, whose also had Covid-19, did not allow the dog to be autopsied, so the exact cause of death remains unknown.

How do animals get infected?

Animals are likely to catch the virus the same way a human would — when respiratory droplets enter the pets' nose or mouth.

Professor Wood said: 'Cats may become infected by the high doses of virus transmitted by their infected owners in some settings.

'The relative size of a cat versus a human means that there is far less exhaled breath from one cat in a house, compared to the exhaled breath volumes from a human patient.

'Further, the grooming behaviour of cats means that they are more likely to catch infection from an owner than vice versa.'

When pets have been reported to have the virus, they have signs that indicate a respiratory illness.

Downing Street said the cat in England with the virus had symptoms of a respiratory infection with a nasal discharge and some shortness of breath.

Scientists have shown that cats, ferrets and hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. But ducks, chickens and pigs don't appear to be.

Professor William Weir, of the University of Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine, said 'the significance of SARS-CoV-2 as a feline or canine pathogen is unknown'.

He added that there have been no reports of cats passing the virus to dogs or vice versa.

Can humans catch Covid-19 from animals?

There is no evidence that a human could catch the coronavirus from an animal in the same way as it would from another human.

Covid-19 is mainly spread through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks.

Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at Nottingham University, said pets produce 'very low levels of the virus' compared to humans.

Professor James Wood, head of department of veterinary medicine, University of Cambridge, added that pets would exhale far less breath — which may have virus droplets inside — than humans.

In any case where a pet has tested positive for the virus, the owner reportedly had it first.

The WHO says: 'While there has been one instance of a dog being infected in Hong Kong, to date, there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit Covid-19.'

Professor Weir said: 'At present, there is no evidence that cats, dogs or other domestic animals play any role in the epidemiology of human infections with SARS-CoV-2.'

An official report by the UK's top vet said household pets may carry the virus on their fur, which risks spreading the disease from person to person.

It said: 'Close contact such as cuddling, grooming, feeding and allowing animals to share food could all allow the transfer of virus.'

The document, prepared by the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, was considered on April 30 at a meeting of the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

The report warned that the virus could survive on pet fur, meaning 'there is a plausible pathway that the animal may act as a fomite [infectious object] for at least a few hours and transfer virus to others in the household.'

It added that pet owners who have symptoms to prevent their dog or cat from coming into contact with 'susceptible humans'.

Its good to see SAGE get another feature here.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

You may laugh....

<pic snipped>
Picture shows cat wearing a mask to protect other cats

Dearie me... That's honestly heartbreaking to see

 

[kez19]

You may laugh....

View attachment 89291
Picture shows cat wearing a mask to protect other cats

surprised the cat didn't pick a fight with someone!

 

[Bantamzen]

If you read the Independent's article on the same thing you will find that there is a serious point - that cross-species transmission increases the chance of major changes to the virus being transmitted back to humans:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-vaccine-cats-dogs-covid-b1792178.html

In which case do we need to vaccinate every single creature that cats & dog will interact with or come close to? I'm really starting to think someone is chasing the cash here.

You may laugh....

View attachment 89291
Picture shows cat wearing a mask to protect other cats

If this isn't photoshopped, then its a disgrace. Anyone that understand cats knows they hate anything over their heads in particular, so its basically animal cruelty.

 

[bramling]

One of my colleages has just brought this to my attention:

COVID-19: Vaccinating pets could become 'necessary', scientists say

Cats and dogs may be a concern in the future as scientists look at controlling the spread of coronavirus.

news.sky.com

(Sky news article suggesting that it may become necessary to vaccinate pets against Covid).

Whenever it seems that the media have plumbed the depths of ridiculousness, they make the hole deeper...

So much for all those dogs people bought during lockdown!

 

[yorksrob]

I've had to resort to commercial radio today and have been subjected to the full force of the Government's excrable stay at home COVID campaign.

 

[brad465]

Fair play to Nick Triggle, who I do think is one of the more impartial BBC journalists on health here (he has quoted Carl Heneghan before as well for example): this article on the BBC landing page reports on many of the damaging aspects of our response to children, including impacts of school closures, mental health, lagging baby development and child abuse increases:

Covid: The devastating toll of the pandemic on children

The virus poses little risk to them, but young people are being harmed in many other ways.

www.bbc.co.uk

They are not likely to get seriously ill with Covid and there have been very few deaths. But children are still the victims of the virus in many other ways.

From increasing rates of mental health problems to concerns about rising levels of abuse and neglect and the potential harm being done to the development of babies, the pandemic is threatening to have a devastating legacy on the nation's young.

'Closing schools closes lives'​

The closure of schools is, of course, damaging to children's education. But schools are not just a place for learning. They are places where kids socialise, develop emotionally and, for some, a refuge from troubled family life.

Prof Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, perhaps put it most clearly when he told MPs on the Education Select Committee earlier this month: "When we close schools we close their lives."

He says the pandemic has caused a range of harms to children across the board from being isolated and lonely to suffering from sleep problems and reduced physical activity.

But it's not just the closure of schools. The stress the pandemic has put on families, with rising levels of unemployment and financial insecurity combined with the stay-at-home orders, has put strain on households up and down the land.

The NSPCC says the amount of counselling for loneliness provided by its Childline service has risen by 10% since the pandemic started. Neil Homer, who has been volunteering for the service since 2009, has never known anything like it. "It's had a devastating impact," he says.

The experience of this 16-year-old is typical of the calls that come in. "I feel really sad and lonely. Most days I find myself just lost in my own thoughts and feeling numb."

Mental health problems on the rise​

Unsurprisingly, there are clear signs the upheaval in children's lives is having an impact on children's mental health.

The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2020 report, which is produced by NHS Digital and the Office for National Statistics, is the official stocktake of the state of children's well-being.

It has been tracking more than 3,000 young people over the last four years. Its latest findings, published in the autumn, found overall one in six children aged five to 16 had a probable mental health disorder, up from one in nine three years previously. Older girls had the highest rates.

Children involved in the research cited family tensions and financial concerns as well as feeling isolated from friends and fear about the virus for causing their distress.

Older teenagers and adolescents have been affected too as they have seen their prospects shrink. The Youth Index, published in January by the Prince's Trust in partnership with YouGov, has been tracking the well-being of young people aged 16 to 25 for 12 years.

It found more than half of young people were always or often feeling anxious - the highest level ever recorded. Jonathan Townsend, of The Prince's Trust, fears young people are "losing all hope for their future".