Current Affairs

[towny44]

So many variables that the true figures are in there somewhere but it depends on the criteria, how they are interpreted and how they are disseminated. The only truth you can glean is that there have been many more deaths as a consequence of Covid. One thing is for sure, if everybody did as they were told instead of ignoring them or interpreting them to suit themselves the death toll would have been MUCH lower.

There are many variables but the current data, which is just as raw for all other countries, does show our death rate as the highest by most criteria, which as I have commented on previously is an anomaly given that we were one of the few Western countries where the health service was not overwhelmed. So why was this, the main reason can only be that we must be the unhealthiest country in the West, we know we have the highest obesity rate, and for years our cancer death rates have been the highest in Europe, probably because we are so unhealthy and obese.
I just do not subscribe to the anti govt. view that locking down too late was the main reason, if that had been true then our infection rate would have been much higher, and even the Nightingale hospitals would have struggled to cope, none of that happened.

[screwy]

I still don’t understand when the daily deaths are announced, it says ‘ from any cause after testing positive within 28 days’ are they COVID deaths or hit and run , stabbing,shootings..?

[barney]

Devon Nightingale in Exeter is yet to see a single Covid patient.
Is the West Country healthier or just adhered to the instructions better.
A tourist said to Mrs B last week that we had been lucky so far and she replied that luck had little to do with it.

[barney]

I still don’t understand when the daily deaths are announced, it says ‘ from any cause after testing positive within 28 days’ are they COVID deaths or hit and run , stabbing,shootings..?

People who died within 28 days of a positive Covid test of any reason.
So yes Rta etc

[Onelife]

So many variables that the true figures are in there somewhere but it depends on the criteria, how they are interpreted and how they are disseminated. The only truth you can glean is that there have been many more deaths as a consequence of Covid. One thing is for sure, if everybody did as they were told instead of ignoring them or interpreting them to suit themselves the death toll would have been MUCH lower.

Indeed, they would foxy…I think we need a government backed propaganda campaign with the slogan….” You are killing me” splashed here there and everywhere.

It wouldn’t be difficult to promote the belief that the virus has mutated and is now affecting 18 to 30 year olds…they can do the U-turn later.

[david63]

Let's get one thing straight - there is no such thing as "excess deaths" as there is no baseline. The only figure that is available is an average of previous years and the first thing that you are taught in statistics is that you never use averages for comparisons (well actually that is the second thing, the first is that you make statistics show whatever you want then to show!)

[Gill W]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

[barney]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

Because it’s not accurate.

[screwy]

How can I have a positive test, get run over by a bus but deemed a COVID death..?


Ha, that’s because I got run over leaving the test site....simples, no.?

[Manoverboard]

Seems the panic re lockdown is underway, tried logging onto Waitrose earlier but was placed in a ' queue '

[Kendhni]

Be aware that one of the major concerns is that as we enter flu season, noone is quite sure how COVID and flu will interact ... best possible case is that one may go some way towards neutralising the other (they attack each other), worst possible case is that the effect is cumulative (goodnight sweetheart).

Just read a story this morning that says the optimum time to get the flu jab is towards the end of October ... I did not know that.

[david63]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

I don't think that anybody on here is denying that many have died from Covid, what is being questioned is how many.

The only undeniable fact that we have is the total number of deaths in a given period - beyond that everything else is speculation.

[Kendhni]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

For some it suits an agenda, for others it is simple denial, for others it is a fact. The way COVID deaths have been counted has not been particularly reliable or consistent. My understanding was that COVID had to play a role in the death ... but others seem to have a different understanding (so I guess it really isn't clear).

Personally I think the main thing that should be considered is the excess deaths beyond what one would normally expect - it is not ideal but is probably the best comparitive that we have. I posted a link a couple of days ago that has a video attached which shows a lot of stats and analysis of those stats.

[Kendhni]

Panic buying in the shops ... panic selling on the markets

[towny44]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

Gill, I hope I am not included in that claim, I accept that our figures are bad , but what I do object to is that a lot of anti govt rhetoric blames it on our lockdown being too late.

[Ray Scully]

Panic buying in the shops ... panic selling on the markets

Not unexpected.

[Onelife]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

The figures speak for themselves Gill, and the fact that we have one of the highest death rates in the world gives a fair indication that we have more deaths than what there should have been …unless the government comes up with something pretty substantial re: the new measures, then I think they are playing god with peoples lives. anything short of closing places where people socialise will be another government fudge imo.

We've been there, lets not go there again!

[barney]

The figures are unreliable.
U.K. under 400k infections - over 40k deaths
Russia over 1.1 million infections - under 20k deaths
That trend follows many other countries as well.
The figures are out there.

[oldbluefox]

The figures are unreliable.
U.K. under 400k infections - over 40k deaths
Russia over 1.1 million infections - under 20k deaths

Gill, do you believe those figures?

[towny44]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

The figures speak for themselves Gill, and the fact that we have one of the highest death rates in the world gives a fair indication that we have more deaths than what there should have been …unless the government comes up with something pretty substantial re: the new measures, then I think they are playing god with peoples lives. anything short of closing places where people socialise will be another government fudge imo.

We've been there, lets not go there again!

My next door neighbour has it on very good authority that they intend to shut down all pubs, as the main measure to reduce the infection rate. The pubs seem to be the main area where infection is being spread, so maybe all you boozers need to pop out tonight while you can.

[david63]

My next door neighbour has it on very good authority that they intend to shut down all pubs

I bet he works for Yorkshire Tea

[Onelife]

Why does everybody want to deny or play down the death toll from COVID?

The figures speak for themselves Gill, and the fact that we have one of the highest death rates in the world gives a fair indication that we have more deaths than what there should have been …unless the government comes up with something pretty substantial re: the new measures, then I think they are playing god with peoples lives. anything short of closing places where people socialise will be another government fudge imo.

We've been there, lets not go there again!

My next door neighbour has it on very good authority that they intend to shut down all pubs, as the main measure to reduce the infection rate. The pubs seem to be the main area where infection is being spread, so maybe all you boozers need to pop out tonight while you can.

Those days are long behind me John...I'm more of a Yorkshire tea man now

[Onelife]

The figures are unreliable.
U.K. under 400k infections - over 40k deaths
Russia over 1.1 million infections - under 20k deaths
That trend follows many other countries as well.
The figures are out there.

The stats may say 400,000 infections but there could well have been another 400,000 before the stats were published.
If the death certificate says covid was the cause of death then whatever other underling conditions they may have had become irrelevant to the actual 'recorded' cause of death.

To date there have been 41,777 and counting deaths from covid.

[david63]

If the death certificate says covid was the cause of death then whatever other underling conditions they may have had become irrelevant to the actual 'recorded' cause of death.

Not necessarily. I seem to recall at one point in the early days that doctors were told to record the cause of death as Covid if the patient showed signs of Covid even if they had not had a positive test.

[barney]

The figures are unreliable.
U.K. under 400k infections - over 40k deaths
Russia over 1.1 million infections - under 20k deaths
That trend follows many other countries as well.
The figures are out there.

The stats may say 400,000 infections but there could well have been another 400,000 before the stats were published.
If the death certificate says covid was the cause of death then whatever other underling conditions they may have had become irrelevant to the actual 'recorded' cause of death.

To date there have been 41,777 and counting deaths from covid.

Not so.
Read it again