Black and Minority Ethnic people make up 14.5% of the population in England but have had 17% of all Covid-19 deaths. However, some groups, are particularly affected. Black Caribbeans are likely to die at twice rate of their population share. Even more striking, Pakistanis are dying at three times the rate of their population share. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52219070 Two weeks ago, Miles Briggs and Anas Sarwar called for an urgent investigation, expecting some data they might use to batter the SNP administration with. They were to be disappointed again. BAME deaths from Covid-19 only half that of peely-wally Jocks! Yesterday, the First … Continue reading Covid-19 death rate among black and ethnic minorities in Scotland is ‘lower’ than wider population

From sam: On the subject of incoming flights we know from Taiwan that airports and planes are significant points of transmission. So why did the UK government not suspend travel into the UK? “Based on these factors and our experience, Chen is correct in asserting that this coronavirus can be found in the cabins of many airplanes, and therefore people should avoid flying. However, not enough emphasis is being placed on the roles of international airports in spreading COVID-19, due to the numerous passengers and many aircraft arriving for maintenance.From a statistical point of view, the probability of physically encountering … Continue reading How many deaths in Scotland has the UK Government’s delay on air travel arrivals caused?

By stewartb: As the Covid-19 political recriminations are ramped up in Scotland, the ‘factual record’ becomes more and more important. One ‘factual topic’ of relevance is when this new virus, Covid-19 was made a ’notifiable disease’, meaning that medical practitioners become legally required to share patient information with public health authorities when they have reasonable grounds to suspect a patient has coronavirus. The UK government added Covid-19 to the list of notifiable diseases within England on 5 March, 2020 Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-listed-as-a-notifiable-disease A similar action to make Covid-19 a notifiable disease was taken by the Scottish Government but MUCH EARLIER, the regulation … Continue reading Scottish Government made Covid-19 a notifiable disease ELEVEN days earlier than UK

By sam So how does the UK and its component parts compare? http://www.progressivepulse.org/brexit/covid-19-how-is-the-uk-doing “International comparisons are difficult, as testing and reporting regimes vary from country to country. Other governments are not above putting a gloss on their data. Fortunately just as the UK has the ONS, all European countries have an independent statistics office and other bodies free of political spin….. ….The z-score is effectively the number of standard deviations the measurement is away from the expected value…. …At the height of the pandemic, the top five in terms of peak z-score were England 42.75 (Wk 15), Spain 34.41 (Wk … Continue reading Scotland’s ‘Z Score’ or measure of excess covid mortality is far lower than England

Some of you were shouting ‘Ian Bell!’ He was the last and even back then, a freakish exception. He was really, really good and had many followers so the Scotsman’s and the Herald’s corporate owners tolerated him. Before you have a go, I should explain my terms. It’s complex. For ‘socially progressive’, there cannot be a trace of homophobia, transphobia or misogyny or racism or elitism and favoured policies must work toward a fairer more inclusive society including full rights for all, including children,………….you know what I mean. Veganism is not required but foxhunting is out! For ‘economically leftist’ the … Continue reading Name me one, just one, genuinely socially progressive and economically leftist journalist in Scotland’s mainstream media

By Brenda Steele: I have to admit that I was frustrated by the UK Government’s vague plans for quarantine  “soon”. I was even more confused when they announced that it wouldn’t apply to France.  I couldn’t figure out why.   From this article I learned that the UK Government had changed its mind about the French exemption. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200518/who-will-be-quarantined-on-arrival-into-france/amp The situation on travel between France and the UK is a confusing one after mixed government messages. A week ago, the UK announced that it would “soon” begin quarantining people arriving into the country, however this announcement was shortly followed by a joint … Continue reading The French Connection

The First Minister had to explain this over-and-over yesterday to a gaggle of bairns posing as journalists and now the Herald thinks we’re interested in more, well two, questions from those deeply unconvincing ‘determined wimps’, Jackson Carlaw and Ian Murray, leaders of the Labour and Conservative Coalition (LACC). There were only a handful of Scots at the Nike conference. If there had been an announcement, they would have been exposed to maltreatment by any number of balloons over-reacting to the news and turning up at their homes with torches and pitchforks, A professional group advised the Scottish Government not to … Continue reading Right that’s it! I’ve had enough! We’ve all got better things to to do than bursting those two balloons, Carlaw and Murray

By Brenda Steele: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-52698392  Coronavirus: Contact tracing technology trialled at three health boards Coronavirus: Test and trace ‘fully ready’ by the end of May A contact tracing system to suppress coronavirus is to be trialled in three health boards from Monday, the Scottish government has said. The software will be tested in NHS Fife, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Highland. Earlier this month, the government said testing and tracing would be “key” to the battle against the virus. We do know from previous news items that ScotGov has been recruiting from charity and small organisations in the local areas – ones … Continue reading Want to bet which government will have a testing system up and running first?

Here’s Mackay’s opener and, critically the reference to Freedom of Information: HOLYROOD politicians need to remember one thing: we’re their boss, the Scottish people. We pay their wages, we own the buildings they work in and the seats they sit on and the telephones they use. They are accountable to us in every single thing they do in public office – every penny spent, every policy proposed, every meeting held. Our governing class seems to have forgotten that. In April, the SNP used the passage of emergency coronavirus legislation to seriously undermine transparency, public scrutiny of government, and Freedom of information (FoI). … Continue reading Why Freedom of Information delays are no bad thing at this time in this place

In the Herald, once more, Brexiteer and campaigner against the OBFA, Dr Stuart Waiton of Abertay University: I made a public statement last week in these pages suggesting the Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives slogan had inadvertently led to more deaths of elderly and vulnerable people. For daring to question the mantra I was denounced by Dundee City Council leader John Alexander who explained that, “clarity of message is absolutely essential during such a crisis”. What Mr Alexander really means by this is that a simplistic message is needed for a Scottish populous who he and many … Continue reading The Herald’s Libertarian Brexiteer Academic is wrong again