By some way, Scotland has the lowest infection rate per million population and the second lowest death rate:
Scotland has one of the highest testing rates:
Of great significance but not recorded for comparison is the success in contact tracing. Scotland’s teams are contacting more than 99% while the average in England it is only 75.5%
John Robertson, retired professor of media politics and SNP member Photo: Ayrshire Daily News
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Scottish and Uk Politics
All explained in the simplest of terms
What you sow thou shall reap
And at that my case rests
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What happened to Northern Ireland? They were doing well from near the start – I see their testing rate is high which could account for the apparent increase in infections, but doesn’t account for increase in deaths.
No one believes any of the data coming out of England of course, so it’s not really worth comparing.
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I thought I’d get the new test and protect app popping up in ads all over the place – that’s the best way to get it disseminated after all: a huge advertising campaign – but I hadn’t seen anything pop up for easy access, so went for a look.
It’s easy enough to find – on NHS website – but in case anyone else is as out of touch as me here is a link so you can read about it, watch the video, and download the app if you like. It’s a good way to help the track and trace people I reckon, and should help stop the repeated lock-downs. Cold season will be among us with the inclement weather too, so it’s going to be hard to tell what you might have soon. The app seems okay, though I’ve still to discover how much the Bluetooth drains the battery – I normally always keep Bluetooth switched off for that reason.
https://protect.scot
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I’m sure the app will help. But won’t work on my old phone or my wifes recent samsung. Proximity component only works on latest phones and software.
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Oh. I’ve got a relatively recent phone, 3 years old I think, but I’m normally away behind with technology (I don’t treat it as a fashion item, it’s a useful tool), I’d have thought any device with Bluetooth would work (and my old decrepit phone that had to be abandoned – old Wondows OS, Nokia thing – had Bluetooth …) – anyway, that’s pretty rubbish if it doesn’t even work on half the mobile phones in the country! It wouldn’t have worked on my old windows phone – no one wrote the apps for them any more – but I thought Android or Apple covered most. Seems I’m mistaken, they must have changed how Bluetooth works on the actual phones.
This is one of the issues of allowing private enterprise to run amuck, with just a tiny bit of regulation you could ensure compatible systems and a minimum 10 year lifetime of any operating system. It seems people aren’t happy with the throw-away society mobile companies promote any more, so hopefully they will change their working practices. In the meantime, the scotgov should be getting their app developers to get on with fuller compatibility! Or a (free) Bluetooth upgrade. Whatever bit is missing.
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Alex, I think it is only Apple phones which have to be the most up-to-date. I think the other makes of phones can support it.
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There was a Public Announcement broadcast about the app and where to download it last night immediately after Reporting Scotland. I should imagine that it will have been broadcast on the commercial channels such as STV.
Noticeable that newspapers when they deign to mention the app seem to omit details of where you can get it.
However, that has not stopped people getting the app. As of yesterday evening more than 700,000 people had downloaded it.
I have a Fitbit watch and it is connected to my phone via Bluetooth which is now constantly on. I have not noticed any appreciable draining of the charge on the battery as a result. Still get at least 3-4 days usually the latter between charges. I think battery technology has improved since the days when Bluetooth drained the battery within a short time but the memory lingers on.
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Iain Lawson writes on the farce that is the English response to Covid-19, and the decent response of the Scottish government:
https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2020/09/10/covid19-the-farce-continues/
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I had no problems finding the app, downloading same and setting it up on my phone – a Samsung which is 3 possibly four years old. There are different versions of Bluetooth but they seem to be used in different gadgets eg headphones different from printer version etc but not seen anything about incompatibility etc.
Recent research has shown that a digital app such as the Protect Scotland app when used in conjunction with conventional Track and Protect methods and other measures such as social distancing, hand washing etc can start to make a contribution to reducing the spread of the virus at relatively low download levels such as 15% downloads. Given the number of people who have downloaded it to date then the numbers must be close to, or in excess, of that 15% level. Remember 16 years and younger are not supposed to download it.
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Here is sa link to an article about the research mentioned in my post above. There are other references to similar research within this article
https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-09-03-new-research-shows-tracing-apps-can-save-lives-all-levels-uptake
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Alas, Scotland has the worlds highest Political Zombie infection rate——-
Ruthie, Leotard, Wee Wullie, Broonie, DRoss, Carlot, Murdo, Tuscany Tam, James Kelly (pray he becomes next Labour Leader) Lemmon-face, all the BBC Hootsmon team, Hootsmon, Herod et al………………………………………………
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Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
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Perhaps we should remember that this App is a supplement to the existing system, not a necessity. It’s brilliant that so many have downloaded it so quickly but it speaks more of the willingness of Scots to support SG in keeping this pandemic under control unlike headless hancocks elsewhere.
Would it be too tin-foil-hat to suggest this App’s launch added impetus to the Propaganda Quay shutdown of FM updates ?
Can’t have the FM of Scotland saying how well it is working out after Del-boy Cummings and Hancock screwed up so monstrously, despite donations from mysterious benefactors of tropical villas, can we….
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Just a wee note for all
Scot.Gov.website downloads in less than a second and has a logical format that enables you to track the most vital and relevant data
UK.Gov Daily corona
Logged on yesterday at 1632 hrs
Still await download
Still await access to info
No new test info for
22 days since 20 th Aug
Ah but i have had a Damascus moment as to why we are indeed better together
Be cause Boris is making sure that what he in charge is well and truly world class
And with regards us Scots we are the scum of this world incapable. Of anything of note
As of now i will only ever purchase world class goods that will not function and not download or start for at least 6 months
So regards TV i will have as a Scot to finally become world class and play a equal part in this preciousssss Union
I urge all of us as of now to abandon the Indy efforts and act as i do in order to become world class just as U.K.Gov is
For mankind this is the only way forward
Spend Billions to create things that are useless and not fit for purpose
Hail Hail Hail
The great Emperor Boris
Prostrate yourselves in worship and
Share his magnificence and glory
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The NHS Covid-19 app will be available nationally across England and Wales on 24 September.
This follows trials with residents on the Isle of Wight and the London Borough of Newham, and with NHS Volunteer Responders.
I thought the trial in the IOW was rubbish and Hancock cancelled it and went for for this new one after giving £millions to his cronies.
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Catching up fast though!
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It’s no mistake that England do not have a coronavirus app .
Englands Westminster policy has not changed
It is still herd immunity
They just needed a good excuse for not having an app
Giving the contract to someone that didn’t know what they were doing was a good start
I’m sure they will soon come up with another reason why they still do not have an app
The plan is to muddy the waters give out little information
Give out conflicting information
Make it all ever so confusing
Make it out to be less dangerous than it is
All these actions help the herd immunity plan along
It’s no mistake
That s their plan
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I have just returned to Scotland from Athens
As per Scottish government instructions I am in quarantine at home for two weeks
I couldn’t help but wonder at the large number of people in the non EU queue coming through Edinburgh airport who had obviously just got off the flight from Athens , it was the only flight that landed
I just thought to myself is the Greek government advising people not to travel to Scotland
Are these people quarantining themselves for two weeks when they get here
It’s a two way process but it must be difficult to keep track of everyone moving around the world from country to country and then ensure that they stick to the Covid rules when they arrive in the country that is their destination
Whilst I was in Athens I was able to keep up to date by downloading the U.K. govt and the Greek govt Covid apps
But does every country have an information app ?
How would you know ?
Perhaps the EU have an app for all member countries I wouldn’t be surprised I f they do
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Great posts!
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Have you been taking a day off John?!? You haven’t taken a holiday in centuries so thought you might have buggered off for a week – I was going to be furious you didn’t tell us, obviously, but everyone needs a break now and then.
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I see that the Sunday Herald seems to have produced an entire issue without mentioning the BBC dropping the FM’s covid briefings but did find space for ‘the respected think-tank’ Common Weal
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BBC Radio Station in Scotland Sunday’s GMS Paper Review
Penny Taylor told of an article in The National “Brexit Power Grab : Westminster could sell off Scottish NHS”
That was it 10 secs at most . Followed by 25 minutes on an election in a foreign country.
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SNHS, Scottish water, it’s all up for grabs, in fact saw something recently saying water is the new gold, clean water is just not available to so many around the world. England is fast running out of water. I don’t know about the BritNats insistence on ‘once in a generation’ I just hope 2014 wasn’t last chance saloon for Scotland. It’s not looking good right now, Brexit is literally round the corner, after that, EngGov will stamp on the SNP, and most of the people of Scotland, if they can silence our government now, they won’t stop at taking the FM off the BBC.
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Steady!
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It does sound very negative I know. I need a holiday, not happening though not this year.
The next new gold in fact will be phosphorus, because it’s in short supply and of course required in the soil for growing food. So that’s water, sand, lithium, and now phosphorus.
https://phys.org/news/2020-09-quantify-worldwide-loss-phosphorus-due.html
Sorry to be bearer of bad news, but it’s realistic too.
Monday, urgh.
Now how is Scotland doing today? Will send out good vibes anyway.
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Are you OK Prof John?
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Would you believe it, I had a dream that I saw Willie Rennie working in an ice cream van, I kid you not I was in stitches in the street in Edinburgh. Life is bizarre indeed. 😀
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Was it Mr Whippy?
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Lol it might have been sparked by my sons’ complaint about an ice cream van around locally recently, playing ‘Greensleeves’, an ‘English folk song’ with music by Mozart, but they said it’s VERY creepy when heard via ice cream van!
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Call Kaye . . . Working hard to encourage her audience to “revolt” against the Scot. Gov’s “rule of six” .
Questioning it’s requirement, effectiveness,, the Gov’s messaging. Every aspect questioned and rubbished.
.
It will be becoming harder to get their messaging out to the public thanks to the BBC in Scotland pulling the plug on the FM’s Covid-19 updates.
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If that’s true, surely Kay should be penalised as she is endangering people’s health?
That is seriously irresponsible.
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Check it out on playback
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I didn’t know we had a ‘rule of 6’ in Scotland, thought it was just England. could we make it 5, or 7 just to be different, in Scotland then…
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I don’t think The FM has labeled it “The Ruke of Six” but that’s how it was referred to on the programme.
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“The Rule of Six” was presented as a Scot Gov. Concept,
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No word from you for a few days. Hope you’re OK Prof and just taking a well-earned rest.
This has popped up a few times on my Facebook page. The headline is ‘Anger that half of Scotland’s home-care workers have never been tested for Covid.’ There are an estimated 71,350 such workers in Scotland. The survey was of 300 Unison members. I’m not a researcher so can’t say if it’s fair enough to extrapolate 150 to 35,675. Is it?
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/half-scotlands-home-care-workers-22673639.amp?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR1kNG40xQUpC8q2-Qy7NQQzPPLhje8yVizJjKZ5sYw-H9I5MmVxHgBxA2k
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