From stewartb: From a general, non-expert look at what is being written about testing, or the lack of it, mostly based on US sources, I wonder if there may be a complex of different reasons lying behind the decisions that have been taken, and altered over time, in the UK. Firstly, I suspect there may be a range of different reasons to undertake ‘tests’ – i.e. testing for different disease management purposes. Is it possible that whilst it may be useful to test in order to identify and track an infected individuals’ contacts and then quarantine when numbers are relatively … Continue reading Coronavirus: When to test?

From stewartb: In a debate in the Senedd, there has been criticism of the BBC for broadcasting information about the coronavirus outbreak that is “wholly inaccurate”. The following is taken from the official record of the Senedd (with my emphasis): Alun Davies AM (Labour) stated: “I am seriously concerned about the ability of the BBC, and other broadcasters, to communicate effectively what is happening throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.” He goes on:  “I’ve listened to a number of different broadcasts, where the BBC, in particular, has broadcast information that is WHOLLY AND COMPLETELY INACCURATE, because it is simply … Continue reading The BBC ‘misreporting’ virus spreads to Wales!

I’ve had to help BBC Scotland out again, at no cost to the taxpayer, so that their news coverage is a bit more informative and accurate. The UK’s most competent health secretary by far has announced a massive increase in intensive care bed provision to 700 even though there are currently only 23 coronavirus patients in intensive care. Also in the BBC report but a bit lost down the page was this: She said a “pipeline of ventilators is slated to come to Scotland over the coming weeks to enable this increase and we are working with suppliers to do … Continue reading Scottish Health Secretary doubles intensive care beds!

Average monthly drug deaths in Scotland in 2018 – 100. Average monthly road deaths in Scotland in 2018 – 12. Average monthly suicide rate in Scotland in 2018 – 65. Average monthly cancer deaths in Scotland in 2018 – 1 300. Continue reading Keeping things in perspective

Cases have soared by 85 to 584 in only one day yet deaths have increased by only 2 to 16. This puts the mortality rate down slightly at 2.7%. The rate in Italy is now 9.5% and the UK average is just over 5%. The performance of NHS Scotland is surely worthy of praise. Why is no Scottish politician doing so? Would it be deemed tasteless, inappropriate in some way? Continue reading Coronavirus Update: Cases soar, deaths kept low but no recognition for the achievement?

From Libby Brooks in the Guardian today: ‘While it is impossible to overestimate Salmond’s impact on the Scottish independence movement, among many younger activists surveyed by the Guardian, their view of Salmond – brutal as it may be – is as a historical figure, “yesterday’s man”, and “irrelevant”.’ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/24/salmonds-acquittal-could-make-him-the-snps-biggest-challenge No surprise that we do not see again the word ‘survey’ nor any actual figures for ‘many’ but I really doubt there’s much evidence for that suggestion of Salmond being a ‘yesterday man’. At 65 he’s a bit younger than many in that hall and, in my experience on the streets, … Continue reading 65 year-old Scottish uber-politician is by no means a 'yesterday man'

Who will be next? Phil will have friends in Patagonia. Heinz wasn’t it? Continue reading It'll be a big treat for the Jocks to have us back, won't it?

In their stunning research first published in 2009, English researchers, Wilkinson and Picket, revealed the importance of inequality in influencing a wide range of phenomena, including crime and health levels. They found that more unequal countries had higher levels of a range of problems such as homicide, low life expectancy and drug addiction. They did not claim that inequality was the only factor and accepted that absolute levels of poverty, cultural traditions with regard to, say, alcohol consumption and the quality of healthcare over previous decades, could vary things. That explains, for example, why the more unequal UK does better … Continue reading Is coronavirus striking the more unequal societies hardest?

As of last night, the mortality rate in Scotland’s hospitals was 2.8% (14 in 499 cases), still among the lowest globally. Belgium had a similar rate at 2.3%. The rate in Italy was 9.2% and in the UK it was 5%. In The Netherlands it was 4.3% and in France it was 4.1%. In China, once the highest, the have pulled it back to 4%. In Switzerland it was only 1.3% but in both Austria and in Germany it was only 0.4%. Norway had the lowest rate of all at 0.3%. https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/1572472/?utm_source=showcase&utm_campaign=visualisation/1572472 Some thoughts on the German figures and on … Continue reading NHS Scotland holding coronavirus death rate down

Once again we’ve had to redo a Herald headline. They were going with: ‘Coronavirus in Scotland: Health Secretary blasts SNP colleague for ignoring distancing rules’ But when you see the tweet, below, it kinda looks stupid: Did they think ‘blasted’ might get more clicks? Continue reading Herald headline writer blasted!