Media Coverage of COVID -19

[MattA7]

I know it can't be pleasant but other viral infections can have long lasting effects. Sorry if this sounds harsh but at least they're still alive, something that can't be said for those who've committed suicide due to restrictions and those who've lost their lives with treatable ailments.

quite agree as someone who the restrictions are having a serious impact on my mental and physical health I feel it’s all very one sided.

 

[Bikeman78]

Has anyone seen the new scaremongering advert the government has released. Warning of “long COVID” presumably in a bid to scare the public of complying with their demands. What is it going to be next.

For the benefit of those who can’t view the video above - The video basically had a group of people talking about their debilitating experiences of “long covid” and how they thought it was a mild illness.

Will there be a "car crash recovery" film talking about the thousands of people that suffer serious injuries in road traffic accidents?

 

[brad465]

I know it can't be pleasant but other viral infections can have long lasting effects. Sorry if this sounds harsh but at least they're still alive, something that can't be said for those who've committed suicide due to restrictions and those who've lost their lives with treatable ailments.

Yes the long covid for which the government don't plan to vaccinate under 50s for...

Yes it's not just other respiratory infections that "long" can be applied to, by their very nature depression and most cancers last as long if not longer, given they can last years, as well as both being problems the media (until more recently perhaps) and others are overlooking too much.

 

[Yew]

Has anyone seen the new scaremongering advert the government has released. Warning of “long COVID” presumably in a bid to scare the public of complying with their demands. What is it going to be next.

For the benefit of those who can’t view the video above - The video basically had a group of people talking about their debilitating experiences of “long covid” and how they thought it was a mild illness.

It seems like we're slowly descending into a post-truth government, this isn't based on real scientific observation.

 

[adc82140]

I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted here, but any virus that makes you ill enough to go to hospital will have a longer recovery period. You don't just magically get better when you are discharged. Covid is no different to any other respiratory virus. The media need to stop crowing on about "Long Covid" and be a bit more truthful. Or perhaps talk about "long flu" or "long pneumonia" a bit more.

 

[Domh245]

Or perhaps talk about "long flu" or "long pneumonia" a bit more.

Given the way the public has handled the information around Covid, absolutely not! Last thing we want is people advocating lockdowns to beat eliminate flu

 

[Richard Scott]

Even NHS now seem to be in scare tactics, a recent advert came up on my phone saying about long Covid and young people should take care and then read somewhere (sorry can't remember where or have a link as may have even been in a paper - been a long week!) that claims also that people who are being hospitalised this time are in worse health than in March as seen to be getting it worse this time. I'm guessing this is pure scaremongering on both accounts?

 

[Bantamzen]

Even NHS now seem to be in scare tactics, a recent advert came up on my phone saying about long Covid and young people should take care and then read somewhere (sorry can't remember where or have a link as may have even been in a paper - been a long week!) that claims also that people who are being hospitalised this time are in worse health than in March as seen to be getting it worse this time. I'm guessing this is pure scaremongering on both accounts?

When all of this is over, there needs to be a period of reflection over how the NHS and it's staff have handled this. Certainly trying to use scare tactics as above are out of order and must be stopped, but even the videos that some nurses posted of themselves crying because they were scared need to be curtailed. Imagine being a cancer patient for example and finding out that the nurse who you saw sobbing with fear is going to be looking after you? How much confidence would you have in them? I know I would be asking for someone less likely to melt down under pressure to be looking after me. For as hard as it is, medical staff are professionals and should be maintaining a high level whenever in the public's view, be it in person or social media.

 

[KevinTurvey]

Having watched some media clips and newspaper reports of the army in Liverpool for mass testing, and people embracing the tests with glee, I decided to have a look for myself this morning.

What did I find at the test centre? Completely nothing, nada, place deserted........what on earth is going on?

 

[kez19]

I have heard 2 Scottish Government ads on Pure Radio Scotland.... is the point of the ads to spread fear or what? One ad is like saying for socialising meet with friends is it worth it? The irony of that ad it says it’s to stop the spread, yet it’s odd they dish it out but an MP in a job who boarded a train spread it...The other ad is about the level 3 restrictions in area and to check local council website then add if you are struggling.... seem more out of touch than reality here!

It’s like the governments are milking this...

 

[Darandio]

Can't find a version of it online but saw a headline related to the vaccine on the front of The Sun when passing in the shop this morning. It was along the lines of....

Viagra company drug beats virus

It doesn't of course but it's the type of misleading headline i'd expect from that vile rag.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Can't find a version of it online but saw a headline related to the vaccine on the front of The Sun when passing in the shop this morning. It was along the lines of....



It doesn't of course but it's the type of misleading headline i'd expect from that vile rag.

Send them a stiffly-worded email?

 

[adc82140]

Send them a stiffly-worded email?

Post of the week.

 

[Darandio]

Send them a stiffly-worded email?

 

[birchesgreen]

Can't find a version of it online but saw a headline related to the vaccine on the front of The Sun when passing in the shop this morning. It was along the lines of....



It doesn't of course but it's the type of misleading headline i'd expect from that vile rag.

Oh that's popped up again has it?

 

[Skimpot flyer]

The Sun have just admitted they have ‘no hard evidence’ to support the claims made

 

[DustyBin]

The number of people in the UK who have died WITH (not OF as we're being told) Covid-19 has now exceeded 50,000 and aren't Sky News enjoying telling everybody! Very inaccurate and emotive reporting with a good dose of doom mongering 'experts' thrown in for good measure. They're really piling it on today, even the vaccine may not be enough to save us apparently....

 

[Richard Scott]

The number of people in the UK who have died WITH (not OF as we're being told) Covid-19 has now exceeded 50,000 and aren't Sky News enjoying telling everybody! Very inaccurate and emotive reporting with a good dose of doom mongering 'experts' thrown in for good measure. They're really piling it on today, even the vaccine may not be enough to save us apparently....

I'm sure they're loving it but how many excess deaths are we seeing at the moment? Perhaps they'd like to throw bin a sense of proportion to all this but hang on that may not be to their agenda?

 

[Domh245]

The number of people in the UK who have died WITH (not OF as we're being told) Covid-19 has now exceeded 50,000 and aren't Sky News enjoying telling everybody! Very inaccurate and emotive reporting with a good dose of doom mongering 'experts' thrown in for good measure. They're really piling it on today, even the vaccine may not be enough to save us apparently....

The 'gold standard' ONS count hit 50,000 back in week 27 at the start of July, and as of the end of October was at 56,057

I'm sure they're loving it but how many excess deaths are we seeing at the moment? Perhaps they'd like to throw bin a sense of proportion to all this but hang on that may not be to their agenda?

About 1000 excess deaths for the latest week of data (week ended 30/10), and around 980 the week before that. For context, over the period for which that 5 year average is calculated, the maximum number of excess deaths relative to the average was 355 in 2018. It's odd though, you'd have thought they'd be all over a "10% more people dying than usual" like a rash

 

[DustyBin]

The 'gold standard' ONS count hit 50,000 back in week 27 at the start of July, and as of the end of October was at 56,057

I thought we’d passed 50,000 ages ago but with the numbers being altered it can be difficult to keep up and I started doubting myself!

 

[Skimpot flyer]

The 'gold standard' ONS count hit 50,000 back in week 27 at the start of July, and as of the end of October was at 56,057



About 1000 excess deaths for the latest week of data (week ended 30/10), and around 980 the week before that. For context, over the period for which that 5 year average is calculated, the maximum number of excess deaths relative to the average was 355 in 2018. It's odd though, you'd have thought they'd be all over a "10% more people dying than usual" like a rash

Of more concern from those figures is that the number of deaths in private homes was also (well) above the five-year average (871 more deaths).

 

[Domh245]

Of more concern from those figures is that the number of deaths in private homes was also (well) above the five-year average (871 more deaths).

Indeed, although something that I've calculated myself (and not seen reported elsewhere) is when you look at excess deaths above Covid (ie the people who've been affected by the lockdown rather than Covid itself), the majority of these are in the 45-64 age group with 1635 excess deaths above Covid to the end of October. Most other age groups are at about average excess deaths once Covid deaths are subtracted from the actual excess, with most age bands in the negative 200-300 range, with the only other positive excess being in the 75-84 range at 678. I expect that both these numbers represent people who had important surgery cancelled and were basically told "good luck"

 

[brad465]

Top of the front page on the BBC site, more sensationalising case numbers:

Covid: UK daily cases reach new high of 33,470

The jump in cases comes a day after the UK became the first European country to pass 50,000 deaths.

www.bbc.co.uk

A record 33,470 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK government's latest daily figure.

It is the highest daily number since mass testing began in the UK, and brings the total number of cases to more than 1.29 million.

The number of virus tests conducted across the UK has steadily increased in recent weeks.

On Wednesday the UK became the first country in Europe to pass 50,000 Covid deaths.

It's also top of the Sky News page.

 

[Richard Scott]

Sorry, I'm really poor at remembering where I read things do have no idea where this one came from but read that 1 in 20 people will suffer from long Covid, more scaremongering. Would love to know where that statistic came from but seems pie in the sky to me as would now expect around 50000 people in UK to be suffering from it, surely that would be making headlines by now?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

A quick Google search reveals this:

Coronavirus: 'Long COVID' warning as study finds one in 20 have virus symptoms for eight weeks or more

Research from King's College London finds so-called "long COVID" affects around 10% of 18 to 49-year-olds who catch the virus.

news.sky.com

Coronavirus: 'Long COVID' warning as study finds one in 20 have virus symptoms for eight weeks or more

Research from King's College London finds so-called "long COVID" affects around 10% of 18 to 49-year-olds who catch the virus.

One in 20 people with coronavirus are likely to have symptoms for eight weeks or more, according to a new study by King's College London.

The research, which uses data from the COVID Symptom Study App, suggested so-called "long COVID" affects around 10% of 18 to 49-year-olds who become unwell with coronavirus.

Public Health England (PHE) found that around 10% of people with COVID-19, who were not admitted to hospital, had reported symptoms lasting more than four weeks.

They also found several cases of people who were taken to hospital with the virus and later reported continuing symptoms for eight or more weeks after discharge.

The symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, protracted loss of taste or smell, respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms, and mental health problems.

 

[kez19]

I think I mentioned this ad on here, couple weeks ago...

For me it has to be the most patronising ad I have ever watched/heard --- the ad seems more as if its rather than play our part but lets blame ourselves no matter

Still though its our fault her shop is closed anyway!, I see so no fault of the government during this? .... guess not!

 

[Richard Scott]

A quick Google search reveals this:

Coronavirus: 'Long COVID' warning as study finds one in 20 have virus symptoms for eight weeks or more

Research from King's College London finds so-called "long COVID" affects around 10% of 18 to 49-year-olds who catch the virus.

news.sky.com

Thanks, think the one I read was on a different site but this one is in the same vain. Must admit to thinking it's scaremongering. Saying that some have symptoms 8 weeks later, such as...? If it's just a loss of taste or similar it's not exactly a huge issue, may be irritating but not the end of the world.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Nov 2020 ==

I think I mentioned this ad on here, couple weeks ago...

For me it has to be the most patronising ad I have ever watched/heard --- the ad seems more as if its rather than play our part but lets blame ourselves no matter

Still though its our fault her shop is closed anyway!, I see so no fault of the government during this? .... guess not!

I'm fed up with all these ads, just ignore them now as they just wind me up.

 

[kez19]

Thanks, think the one I read was on a different site but this one is in the same vain. Must admit to thinking it's scaremongering. Saying that some have symptoms 8 weeks later, such as...? If it's just a loss of taste or similar it's not exactly a huge issue, may be irritating but not the end of the world.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Nov 2020 ==


I'm fed up with all these ads, just ignore them now as they just wind me up.

Same here, STV are worst with that ad seen it at least twice during Vera and the other “level restrictions” ad during STV News at 6.

Radio is just as bad but I guess governments are paying for the ads

Regarding the ads in a general sense I rather twist to then say... why are you telling us, isn’t it their job to keep the public safe? As far as I see it’s the blame culture but the governments are blaming us for the faults yet they generally sat on their backside to let it happen

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Not seeing any mainstream media covering a sizeable protest in London last night. A quick google search under ‘London protest last night’ brings up news articles from last week only

(My mistake, it was last weekend) If anyone is interested, watch police target somebody (why, is not clear) at around 1:31:30-ish. The crowd can be heard shouting ‘Shame on you!’
Sooner or later, one of these demonstrations will have an incident that sparks serious disorder

 

[adc82140]

Is this the first time a government official has taken a swipe (albeit a subtle one) at how the media are behaving? Note Donald Trump doesn't count.
(From the BBC news live feed, can't quote the URL as it goes a bit odd. Can any mods help me?)

French Health Minister Jérôme Salomon says the number of people suffering from depression has doubled between the end of September and November. People struggling financially or those with previous psychological problems have been particularly affected, he says. He’s urged people to keep in touch with family and friends, limit smoking and drinking and not to follow the news constantly.

My bold. If the news was reported accurately without the constant scaremongering and doom n gloom he wouldn't have to say this.