Claims of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism have been extensively investigated and found to be false. The link was first suggested in the early 1990s and came to public notice largely as a result of the 1998 Lancet MMR autism fraud, characterised as “perhaps the most damaging medical hoax of the last 100 years”. The fraudulent research paper authored by Andrew Wakefield and published in The Lancet claimed to link the vaccine to colitis and autism spectrum disorders. The paper was retracted in 2010 but is still cited by anti-vaccinationists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine_and_autism Yet 10 years later, Murdo Fraser MSP, a lawyer, Rangers fan and self-reported thief of a Nelson Mandela plaque, was … Continue reading Murdo Fraser still asking if multiple vaccines can lead to autism

Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser has called on the Nats to remove the confusion over the terms ‘jabs’ and ‘jags’ and to follow the English practice, in the national interest. Fraser claims that a member of his local Q Anon SAGE group has evidence that English people living in Scotland are refusing ‘jags’ because they don’t know what they are. Anas Sarwar say he agrees in the national interest and points out that the Welsh use ‘jab’ and not the local term ‘pigiad.’ Alex Cole-Hamilton has offered to train Scottish vaccinators in how to say ‘jeb.’ Continue reading SNP refuse to follow England on ‘jabs’

Noting delays in processing test results, the very low figure in the last 24 hours in the context of a clear trend, of a sixth day falling from the peak on the 3rd January, is encouraging: It’s clearly a bit too soon to be trumpeting today’s figure as the lowest in more than 2 weeks but I’m just following Herald and BBC editorial guidelines for what may be extreme data, as in: Continue reading Cheer as new cases hit record lowest since Christmas Eve

In the Herald today: LABOUR has suggested imposing a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas producers – with the funding used to reduce household energy bills by an average of £200 to help solve the cost of living crisis. The party’s £6.6 billion plan would include removing VAT on domestic energy bills for a whole year, as well as expanding and increasing the warm homes discount for those most at risk. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19834565.labour-proposes-north-sea-oil-gas-windfall-tax-help-solve-energy-price-crisis/ In the Press & Journal, 22 September 2021: Stephen Flynn, SNP MP for Aberdeen South, called for UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to tax the excess profits … Continue reading Scottish Labour get idea four months after SNP suggest it.

On the 6th of December 2021, the hospitalisation rate in Scotland was pro rata the same as in England. Since then it has fallen to around 20% lower. In the last 24 hours, there were 1 323 in Scottish hospitals compared to England, ten times the population, at 16 163, 22% lower. More than 200 Scots per day protected from infections that might hospitalise them. What could be causing this? Better communication by leaders, stricter rules, greater compliance? Imagine Scotland had greater hospital admissions, who would be to blame? Continue reading Scotland’s hospitalisation rate 22% lower

Nicola Sturgeon has asked the people of Scotland to judge her on her record over education. Neil McLennan, one of the nation’s most distinguished educators, has judged her … and he finds her record badly lacking. By our Writer at Large Neil Mackay SPEND a few hours talking to Neil McLennan and it is difficult to imagine him even giving a pass grade to the Scottish Government when it comes to education. His assessment will sting Nicola Sturgeon. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19834326.neil-mackays-big-read-snp-nationalism-destroying-education—devastating-assessment-sturgeon-schools-leading-scottish-educationalist/ This is going to come across as a bit snobby but, hey, ‘one of the nation’s most distinguished educators?’ I was in … Continue reading Mackay’s ‘distinguished educator’ is barely distinguishable

Still with that combined predatory-but-dim look, BBC Breakfast’s business correspondent asks the Scottish Health Secretary to comment on UK data. Yousaf is, of course, too polite and tasteful to ‘clarify’ things for him, on, for example the differing deaths rates in England and Scotland. The death rate per 100 000 population, over the whole pandemic, is 181.7 in Scotland and 230.8, in England (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths), 49.1 more for every100 000. Had Scotland’s pandemic been managed by the UK Government, 2 671 (49.1 x 54.4) more might have died. Had England’s pandemic been managed by the SNP Government, 27 496 (49.1 x … Continue reading By not following Scotland, England had more that 27 000 avoidable Covid deaths

…since the start of the pandemic. How is it case numbers are still so high? A Business Correspondent meets Humza’s answer gleefully with: Sure, the point being that Scotland being under much tighter restrictions than other parts of the UK, particularly when it comes to hospitality and we know the impact that that can have on jobs and the wider economic picture, so I wonder whether those restrictions are not just working. Yousaf then presents the ONS ratios, 1 in 15 in England and 1 in 20 in Scotland but these are discounted as ‘controversial.’ Let’s be clear, over the … Continue reading By not following Scotland more than a MILLION in England are avoidably infected

In a somewhat hurried update from your ‘trusted’ source, the Herald, today: More than 12,000 new coronavirus cases further deaths have been recorded during the past 24 hours. According to the latest Scottish Government figures, 12,602 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported since Friday.  https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19833989.covid-scotand-20-deaths-recorded-24-hours-alongside-12-602-cases/ Well, it’s not really that helpful is it? First, what’s the trend for new infections? It’s down, for the 5th day with minor fluctuations, it’s down from 20 217 on the 3rd of January to 12 602 in the last 24 hours. Similarly, the 7 day average is down from 16 220 on the 3rd to 15 … Continue reading Scotland’s Covid death rate lowest in UK and cases reduce again

In another oh-so-typical BBC Scotland story of one disgruntled patient used to imply a wider crisis of some kind, we hear: Jemma McDonald was due to begin IVF almost five years after she and her partner started trying to have a baby. Two days before Christmas, the 25-year-old discovered she could no longer be treated because she was unvaccinated. The Scottish government has deferred fertility treatment for all patients who are not fully vaccinated – unless they are waiting to become eligible for a booster. It said the decision was based on uncertainty about how pregnant women were affected by the Omicron … Continue reading 98% of pregnant women hospitalised with Covid are unvaccinated but Stalker and Baillie want more