The Govt Handling Of Covid............

[10ClarionSt]

..............is manipulative and alarmist, meant to frighten people. And it's succeeded mainly. Back in April, the figures were the number of deaths from Covid. Then, the figures dropped in summer. When the figures started to rise again in September, we had a different interpretation. It was the number of infections that was published. That sounds more serious doesn't it? A few thousand infections but only a few deaths. Let's go down the infections route. It's more alarming. But even the death figure is inaccurate as it shows only deaths within 28 days of a positive test. That's great Mssrs Whitty and Valance! It's just what we need to frighten the people into mass inactivity. I know, I know. It hasn't worked so far and the figures are still rising but at least we're frightening the tish out of everyone aren't we?
Just call me Boris Canute. I can turn the tide.

[bobbinwales]

Lets pick a point from your list.
//My understanding is that if you are a normal, healthy person, (not a super-fit athlete), you have mnore chance of being hit by a meteorite than dying of Covid 19.//
okay. Lets use your figures. 95% had underlying noncovid conditions. That leaves 5%. Theres been well 70000 UK covid deaths now so 5% is over 3500 dying from covid without these underlying conditions.
I'm unable to find any statistics showing that around 3500 fit healthy people are hit by meteorites each year in the UK. Do you have a link please?

[AuntPollyGrey]

// APG, That situation regarding other deaths and putting it down has covid was put right 3 months ago I believe//

Watch the TV update tonight. Under the figures it clearly states figures used are deaths FROM ANY REASON up to 28 days after a person testing positive for Covid 19.

[MartinMillar]

Oh look and there is a pink pig flying past the window Clarion what a load of rubbish

[Peter Pedant]

I hesitate to say to anyone 'read my post' - even for the first time.

any covid over estimate will come out in the already known excess deaths calcultion statistic

saying covids deaths are overestimated is NOT the same as saying there are no covid deaths. But that is frequently implied or inferred

[jim360]

// People telling us all to ‘be afraid’ and banging on about the millions who have already died when in fact worldwide the figure is under 2 million - and no mention of the 46 plus million who have recovered. Yes, it’s gloom and doom mongering. No other words for it. //

The figure of 2 million is (a) almost certainly an undercount based on deaths to date, (b) certainly not the final total of the pandemic, and (c) still pretty scary. When you compare it to total annual deaths worldwide it's an excess of about 4% -- and, in fact, that itself is misleading, because it doesn't take into account that Covid-19 hasn't taken hold in Africa (1.3 billion), China (1.4 billion), and "only" about 150,000 deaths in India (1.4 billion), the global excess this year is closer to 10%. That's significant.

The 46 million who have recovered so far is presumably also an undercount, because it only takes into account known cases with known outcomes (aside: there are no official "recovery" figures in the UK). As welcome as it is, though, it's also very misleading: "recovered" merely means not dead, but doesn't appear to take into account those who are suffering from long Covid.

It's also by no means the first time that you've attempted to make the same point. I'm curious -- doesn't the need to continually update the total deaths undermine that point? It would make sense only at the end of the crisis, and, frankly, not even then, to focus on the recovered rather than the dead. Humanity isn't going to end as a result of Covid-19, but that's such a low criterion to judge its threat.

If Covid-19 isn't brought under control and time soon, then the total number of deaths it causes worldwide will exceed 10 million easily. That's especially likely if we give up trying to control it. Hopefully, the vaccine will be rolled out fast enough to stop that from happening.

But, quite simply, you have to take the threat seriously in order to deal with it. It's a lesson you seem determined not to heed.

[bobbinwales]

Yes APG, a few of these death's may follow for reason's totaly unrelated to covid such as a car crash or suicide or brain tumour, but these can only be a small percentage and dont really change the overal picture. Maybe the 72500 should only be 70000 but so what. Infact theres many reasons to think there under-stating the covid deaths as some may not of been tested and its been said excess deaths over previous years is alot higher, some say nearer 100000 excess deaths.
Its clear they are to high, are increasing to fast still

[Peter Pedant]

// Our government's big mistake was learning from the SARS and MERS epidemics. //
quite
and like fighting a war on the lessons of the last one - and er not doing well ( la chute de France 1940 etc)

The lesson from MERS is strict isolation of cases and it dies out
well that didnt work this time did it?

[woofgang]

I guess the problem is that if you don't know what will work that can be done instantly, you have to do best guesses.

[bobbinwales]

//It's just what we need to frighten the people into mass inactivity.//
Am allways puzzled when thing's like this are posted. Does it mean you think theres some sort of master plan fronted by Wihitty, Valance, WHO, led all goverments, to lead us into inactivity/compliance and if so whats the purpose??? Hopefully 10Clarin St can clarify this.

[Sqad]

Irony.
The new Covid variant has arrived in China.

[10ClarionSt]

Thanks for all the replies folks. I aint a commie, BTW. What a joke! If this, if that. What about this, what about that. same old. It aint going away folks. It's going to get worse. Some people blame others for not following the rules. Perhaps (again!) the virus is more virulent than "the science" thinks it is, and lockdowns and tier systems will be ineffective. But hey ho, have a tier 5 and a tier 6 and a tier 7 and a tier.... well you know. And Bojo will perhaps be promising that everything will be ok by April 2022. Or 2023. Or...

[Zacs-Master]

Any comment on my point that no other govt is doing any better and some far worse?

[bobbinwales]

Thanks for your post 10clarinst. I'm fit and healthy so will dispense with social distancing and masks and instead buy a tinhat to save me from death by meteorite